DS Diva » Nintendo DS in the News

5 Reasons to Consider Buying the New Nintendo DSi

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:36:46 +0000

Nintendo DSi

If you already have a Nintendo DS, you may be wondering if you should make the switch to the Nintendo DSi, which went on sale in the United States on April 5, 2009. The truth is, your trusty DS can still serve you well for years to come. The DSi has some very cool features, including bigger screens and a longer-lasting battery, but if you’re happy with your DS, and if you use the larger expansion slot for Game Boy Advance games and Guitar Hero, don’t feel like you’re not on the cutting edge for sticking with the DS. (There’s no GBA-size slot on the DSi.) Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering whether to drop the $170 for a DSi.

1. Would you like a handheld that does more than play games? Now, there’s DSiWare, an online “shop” that offers games and applications, with Nintendo promising to add many more in the future. All of the apps can be downloaded wirelessly, and some of them rival the apps used with Apple’s pricey iPhone and iPod Touch.

2. Do you wish there were more games to choose from? DS players who enjoy “homebrew” games have been using ROM cards in the card slot for years. But now Nintendo is offering SD card compatibility as well as downloadable software from DSiWare. And when you purchase a DSi system, you get points toward free games from the DSiWare shop. You can also download game demos and add-ons (such as special characters).

3. Do you like having fun with photos? The DSi has two built-in cameras. One is a regular camera, and the other is a “mischief lens” you turn on yourself. The interactive lenses mean you don’t have to stop with “normal” photos. You can use your stylus to make funky pictures with the distortion lens, merge two faces, doodle on photos, change expressions, add frames and more. Pop an SD card into the expansion slot to save more photos and transfer them to your PC. The photos are organized with a built-in calendar, and you can even send them to other DSi users via local wifi. Some games can incorporate your pictures in gameplay.

4. Do you want better sound technology and music features? Use the DSi to record sound clips and apply one of 12 filters and make new sounds. You can control speed, pitch and more. You also use the card’s portability to play ACC file format audio files you’ve created on the DSi on your PC.

5. Do you worry about losing your DS, or is your kid or partner always “borrowing” it when you want to play? Maybe it’s time to add a DSi to the family. If you have the money in your budget, go ahead and buy a DSi. Or, take advantage of one of the trade-in offers, where retailers offer big discounts if you trade in a DS when purchasing a DSi.

Nintendo DSi Set for April 5 U.S. Launch

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:45:23 +0000

Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo DSi will launch in the United States on April 5, 2009. The new version of the popular gaming console will be priced at $169.99 and initially be sold in blue and black.

“Ever since the arrival of the first Game Boy, consumers worldwide have turned to Nintendo for their portable gaming,” stated Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing, in a press release. “Nintendo DSi builds on Nintendo’s commitment to bringing fun and creative entertainment to everyone, and will allow consumers to personalize and share their very own experiences.”

The Nintendo DSi system is slimmer than the DS and features two cameras: one on the external body and one that “points at the user when the device is flipped open.” There are 10 interactive lenses. Another new addition is the Nintendo DSi Sound application, which functios as an interactive voice recorder and music player. The Nintendo DSiWare application will allow the use of special software.

Personal Trainer: Math Competition Planned

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:35:41 +0000

Personal Trainer: Math

The Personal Trainer: Math “game” for Nintendo DS hit store shelves about a week ago, and Nintendo is working hard to promote it. It’s no easy task—we are talking about math, after all. (And I’m sure math-is-tough stereotypes like that are part of the problem.) The game is being targeted not only toward students but also to adults who want to build their math skills, whether for day-to-day use or to help their kids with their homework.

The game includes educational activities for all ages (Well, ages 5 to 55, according to Nintendo.) There’s a daily test, practice exercises and something called the Kagyama method for 100-cell Math and Division Marathon. “Math is fun again,” Nintendo promises.

On Feb. 8, the Nintendo World Store in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza is hosting the Battle on the Plaza, featuring Personal Trainer: Math. To sign up, call 646-459-0800.
There’s an entire Web site dedicated to Personal Trainer: Math. Next up in the popular Personal Trainer series is Personal Trainer: Walking.

Best Buy Express Offers Nintendo DS at Airports

admin — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:55:16 +0000

I’m not much of a jet-setter, so I haven’t seen the Best Buy Express kiosks in person. They’re vending machines stocked with Nintendo DS games and even consoles. Marketed toward the stranded traveler, impulse buyer, or just someone who wants to pick up a fresh game on the way to their destination, the Best Buy Express kiosks are in several U.S. airports.

Best Buy Express

Best Buy partnered with a vending machine company called ZoomSystems to make the automated kiosks and set them up in September 2008, a press release stated. Besides DS stuff, the kiosks have mobile phones PSP consoles and games, PC accessories, digital cameras, flash drives, memory cards and more.
Several people who have posted online say that the prices are actually similar to what you’d find in Best Buy stores. Also, the items vend gently so you don’t bash your new DS before it’s even in your hands.
Airports with Best Buy Express include those in: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and San Francisco.

2009 Nintendo DS games announced

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:43:34 +0000

The Nintendo DS games planned for the first quarter of 2009 have been announced, and a lot of them sound pretty cool. Of course, all dates are subject to change. The new cartridges include:

January
Big Bang Mini, Jan. 6
Coraline
Drivers’ Ed Portable
Inkheart
Jake Power Fireman
Jake Power Policeman
Learn Math
Mastiff Moon, Jan. 13
Monster Band
Paws & Claws Pampered Pets, Jan. 5
Personal Trainer: Math, Jan. 12
Powerbike
Retro Game Challenge Jan. 6
SimAnimals, Jan. 27
USA Todays Puzzle Craze
WonderWorld Amusement Park
World Championship Games, Jan. 19

February
Avalon Code February
Brave: Shaman’s Challenge, Feb. 17
Empire Interactive Jagged Alliance, Feb. 17
Fire Emblem™: Shadow Dragon, Feb. 16
Imagine Cheerleader
Imagine Family Doctor
JoJo’s Fashion Show
Legacy of Ys: Books I & II, Feb. 10
Music Star: Pop Star
My DoItAll
My Fashion Studio Paris Collection, Feb. 17
My Personal Diary
My World, My Way, Feb. 3
Petz Horseshoe Ranch
Roogoo Attack, Feb. 17
Zoo Quest

March
American Popstar – Road to Celebrity, March 24
Animal Planet, March 10
Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars (Director’s Cut)
Chicken Hunter Star Karts, March 10
DinoPets
Dreamer: Top Model
Flower, Sun, and Rain
Hot ’n’ Cold
Imagine Ice Champions
Jake Power Handyman
Learn Chess
Matchstick
Paint by DS
Pokémon Platinum version, March 22
Sarah – Keeper of the Unicorn
Trackmania, DS, March 17
Monsters vs. Aliens, March 24
MumboJumbo
Pimp My Ride 2, March 24
Zubo

Sometime in first quarter:
Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
Grand Theft Auto™: Chinatown Wars
Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
Little Magician’s Magic Adventure
Monster Pals
Our House
Phineas and Ferb
Suikoden Tierkreis

Club Nintendo Goes Live

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:07:29 +0000

Mario Game Rack

Club Nintendo is replacing My Nintendo, and last night the Club Nintendo site went live. It looks pretty cool. By registering products and completing surveys, you can earn “gold coins” that you can redeem for Nintendo-themed products. (Generally, one game earns 30 points and there are a lot of items to be “purchased” in the 500-800 coin range.) I have my eye on the Mario DS holder. If you have an existing My Nintendo account, it should transfer smoothly. Mine did at first, but now it’s being a little wonky (returning me to the login screen.) Update: It’s fine now.

Reminder: Video Game Awards on Spike TV Tonight

admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:14:04 +0000

2008 Video Game Awards

I’ve already set my Tivo. Besides the awards, there will also be previews of new games for 2009. Plus, you can’t go wrong with Jack Black, who is hosting the awards show. Thanks to GoNintendo.com I just learned that you can also watch the VGAs streaming live if you don’t have Spike TV (just click that link). Spike TV says it’s for the network for men, but that’s lame. I’ll watch Spike. Well, except for the cage fighting.

Video Game Awards Dec. 14 With Host Jack Black

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:17:33 +0000

If you want to find out about the hot video games planned for 2009, as well as enjoy the humor of Jack Black, tune in Sunday, Dec. 14, to Spike TV’s 2008 Video Game Awards. The awards recognize “artistic and technical achievement.” Host Jack Black is a big video game fan; I wonder if he’s played Kung Fu Panda on the Nintendo DS? The awards show airs from 9-11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Officials Warn Against Counterfeit Nintendo DS Consoles

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:10:38 +0000

First pirates, now Nintendo DS counterfeiters. This is serious stuff. Government entities are warning about a scourge of counterfeit Nintendo DS and DS Lite consoles. It’s not just that people would be buying an inferior, perhaps non-working product that’s completely illegal. You could get the shock of your life. The consoles come with a power adaptor that, according to Nintendo, has not been tested, and could pose a fire hazard or other risks.

Hundreds of fake consoles were seized this week in the United Kingdom, and officials expect counterfeit imports will hit the U.S. as well. The consoles show up priced at about half the usual retail value, often on Asian Web sites.

I see a lot of posts on money-saving messages boards, especially from moms looking for holiday gifts, hoping to find a DS Lite deeply discounted. Or, they can’t find the one they want in stores and get desperate. The fact is, Nintendo sets the price at $129 and discounts are few and far between. The best deals can usually be found when the console is bundled with a game and/or carrying case. Rarely, a console will go on sale at reputable retail stores or online for as little as $110 or $105, or, in the case of the Pink Ribbon Nintendo DS on Cyber Monday, $99.95. But if you see a new console priced lower than that, consider the source and remember the adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Mama from Cooking Mama Goes Gardening on Nintendo DS

admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:14:57 +0000

Busy Mama

Mama is multi-tasking. Speculation has been confirmed as game maker Majesco announced Dec. 2 that it will expand the popular Cooking Mama franchise to include a new game: Gardening Mama for Nintendo DS, scheduled for release in spring 2009.

The simulation game will allow players, as “Mama,” to grow and nurture their own garden, from flowers to fruits and veggies. Jesse Sutton, chief executive officer of Majesco, stated in a press release that Mama’s “first brand offshoot captures those features that made the Cooking Mama series a best seller–an innovative concept, full Touch Screen control, approachable gameplay for everyone and, of course, a charismatic mentor who pushes you in her own endearing way to give a gold medal performance every time.”

The stylus is key in the game, and besides the cultivation component, players will be able to follow through on their harvest, such as by turning strawberries into jam. Also, Mama’s outfits can be changed and her garden decorated. The game will be WiFi enabled for multi-player use.