Although there weren’t as many DS titles at the Nintendo Media Summit as there were Wii, I feel there was a bit of variety and something for everyone there. This contains four impressions from coming in the future retail DS games. If you’re looking for downloadable game impressions, that’s coming up a bit later.
America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking (DS)
Release Date: 03/28/10
Developer: Indies Zero
Publisher: Nintendo
Rated: E (Everyone) Alcohol Reference
At the last media summit, Nintendo had Personal Trainer: Cooking available to try out. That title was great for the most part, but was international and some of the conversions to the US seemed somewhat awkward for a few of the recipes. In America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking, it seems the recipes are mostly foods you’d find here in the US. This makes it a bit more approachable for the target audience, families in America. All the useful tools from the Personal Trainer are there from the shopping list, to the handy voice navigation. What they’ve added are a few features that set this title apart.
Video help for certain tasks help those who may be more visual learners understand the finer points of what they’re supposed to be doing. The big upgrade though is being able to do cooking activities as a group. You can assign tasks to a specific person, so that if you wanted to get the entire family involved it’d be possible. You’ll even be able to send select recipes to other DS systems so one person can work on a a starter while another works on the main course. For those worried about little hands injuring themselves, there are settings that make it so heat and cutting steps can be avoided by certain individuals in your cooking party.
I’d say that this upgrade is worth it if you already own Personal Trainer: Cooking. The features seemed to have been given some polish and the added features might make it worth the $20 for those wanting to have a bit of fun with their culinary explorations with friends and family.
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Pokémon HeartGold & Pokémon SoulSilver (DS)
Release Date: 03/14/10
Developer: GAME FREAK inc.
Publisher: Nintendo
Rated: E (Everyone): Mild Cartoon Violence
I don’t pretend to have a clue about Pokémon in general, so when HeartGold & SoulSilver was available to play I admittedly wasn’t exactly enthused. When I sat down and picked up a system to check out the game, it seemed to look a bit better than Diamond and Pearl did to me, or perhaps different. Combat seemed the same with choosing attacks from various Pokémon along with how you navigate the areas and interact with objects and characters.
What seems to be the big draw is the Pokéwalker accessory that comes bundled with both versions of the game. At first I thought it was simply a Tamagochi clone with a pedometer built into it. Instead it’s more akin to Chocobo World on the PocketStation that Final Fantasy VIII fans may be familiar with. The Pokéwalker allows you to transfer Pokémon to the device and and gain Watts that can be used to catch wild Pokémon or find hidden items. When you walk around with it, your Pokémon also receive experience and when transferred back will have an impact on your gameplay.
The device itself is extremely tiny, but the screen is clear and features three buttons to perform actions. If you lose your Pokéwalker, you won’t be out Pokémon since there’s a function that allows you to recall your Pokémon if this happens. For parents who are worried their child may lose the device, Nintendo will be offering replacements (with a fee one would assume) by calling the consumer service line.
I’m honestly happy for the Pokémon fans out there. I was beginning to wonder if the series was becoming a bit stale with so many versions out there, but with a new accessory that might get a few to walk a bit, I only see this as a positive for the franchise.
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Picross 3D (DS)
Release Date: 05/03/10
Developer: HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Publisher: Nintendo
Rated: E (Everyone) Comic Mischief
The thought of puzzle games in 3-D has always turned my brain into a cluster of knots. Going into Picross 3D, I was wondering if the same would happen. Luckily a tutorial was there to hold my hand to ease me into 3-D Picrossing.
In this version of Picross, the goal is to break bricks on a 3-D plane by solving the puzzle with the various number clues on the end cap of each row. It’s pretty much the same Picross you’ve come to love and expect, with the controls being slightly different. By tapping around the object, you can spin it around to see another side. Pressing up while tapping on a block will destroy it. Holding right will allow you to mark blocks. This ability is important so you can keep track of what blocks you need to go around in order to solve the puzzle. At times I found I had accidentally pressed up instead of right on the D-pad and destroyed a few blocks I never intended to. It probably won’t happen that often, but for those who have slippery thumbs, you may want to take notice.
Just as I had learned how to put these skills to the test, it all ended. Being teased with the promise of discovering 3-D shapes in blocks only feeds my anticipation. May 5th can’t come soon enough.
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WarioWare D.I.Y. (DS)
Release Date: 03/28/10
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Rated: E (Everyone): Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
Although I didn’t get to physically try this game out, I was shown a demonstration of the high point of the game, creation. The main feature of this title is to create your own micro-games. The tools they give you to do this seemed a bit overwhelming at first, but were broken down in bits one could understand. If this wasn’t enough, there’s also tutorials. For those who may not be artistically inclined, the games already available can be decompiled and the assets used in your own. There’s also testing galore that you can do to each of your games to ensure that they play properly.
When you’ve completed a game, you’ll get a neat animation that shows your game being packaged. Players will be able to choose a shape, color, and sticker to slap on it. If sales charts interest you, then you’re in a for a treat since DIY will track how many units your game will sell. This is dependent on a number of factors including a secret algorithm the game uses in order to check how “fun” your game is.
I feel that this game has tons to offer those who don’t want to create their own micro-games as well. With the plethora of downloadable content that will be available, it could be a source of entertainment for the foreseeable future when it launches.
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