My thoughts on this rumoured new DS

Yes, I know that's not actually the new DS below. I'm just using it as an example.



Every Nintendo fan site, news source, forum and blog is going crazy, and it's all because of an article posted by the Japanese media outlet Nikkei. And when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE! IGN, Go Nintendo, Wired... It's all over the place!

So, let's look at the supposed features and details of this new DS:

-A digital camera: Now, this is an interesting idea. Imagine taking pictures of real-life objects and having them affect your game. You could put pictures you've taken into picture frames in Animal Crossing, edit them in a new Mario Paint, or even send them to a friend over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Of course, this camera could also be used in a similar manner to the PS2's Eye Toy, tracking motion and interpreting your movements, then translating them into the game as input. Certainly a tantalizing concept.

-Music playback: This is somewhat of a weird one. Of all the things I thought would be in the next DS, music playback was one of the features I thought least likely to appear. After all, Nintendo is pretty firmly planted in the idea that gaming consoles are for gaming. Of course, that's somewhat contradicted by the Photo, News and Forecast Channels on the Wii, so who knows? It would certainly help prevent the DS from losing ground to the likes of the PSP or iPod.

-Connecting to terminals for information: I don't really see why this has to be part of the new DS exclusively. I mean, the original series has been doing this for a while now. Sports fans have been able to order food and drinks with their handhelds at Safeco Field since at least last year. Maybe this new DS will be able to connect to such terminals in a way far more advanced than our current model? Only time will tell...

-A larger screen: This is something that's really got me hyped. Playing our DS games on even bigger screens is an amazing thought! A bigger screen means more space for virtual buttons, meaning more complex on-screen menus. Also, this means a larger resolution, resulting in a higher-quality display at our fingertips. Man, I'm almost drooling now!

Supposedly, the upper screen is from a DS Lite, while the
lower is from the new model. Enough of a difference for you?

-Launching in Japan this year for just under $200: So soon? This has me a little surprised. Then again, Nintendo did announce the DS Lite in February and launch it in March, so it's possible. Where does this leave the rest of the world? Well, using the DS Lite launch as an example, there was a space of about three months between the console's debut in Japan and the time it began to see release around the world. So then, that means it could come out in November overseas, then launch around the world starting in February. Let's hope Nintendo shortens the delay by at least a month this time around; I'm not sure I can wait that long! As for the price of just under $200, it's pretty much the expected range. After all, the original DS premiered for $199.99, so it would only make sense for its true successor to do the same. Personally, I think $200 is just about the limit on how much a handheld should cost, so if this turns out true, I'll gladly pay up.

-Exchange data between the Wii and... SD cards?: So wait, does this mean that the DS has an SD card slot? That's odd, considering how anti-piracy Nintendo is these days... My guess is, if this is true, there will be some sort of strict restriction on programs only running from the game card slot, and only allowing music, pictures and save files to work off the SD card. As for sharing data with the Wii, that's not all too new. However, imagine the new ways in which it could be used. Trading save data between compatible titles, downloading and saving portable versions of Wii games on our DS... Perhaps we could even take Virtual Console titles and send them to our handhelds, for some good ol' classic gaming on the go! Now that would be amazing.

Now that I've gone over the different aspects of this rumoured new model, that leaves but one thing to consider: The probability of this being real. Now, as you can probably assume from the above, I'm pretty excited for this. I'm not one to get excited about things I consider to be bogus. I suppose you know where I'm headed with this...

I think this is 100% real. Looking over all the features of this potential DS 2, I can honestly say that they all fit in quite well with Nintendo's business model. First, it has the innovation: The digital camera can do wonders for portable gaming, allowing for motion capture and real world image integration. Second, it has the broad appeal: The digital camera and music playback are two features everyone has a use for, from the most serious gamer to the person who has never gamed once in their entire life. And finally, it has the accessibility: Bigger screens for those with poorer vision, and a good, affordable price point. Add in the reliable reputation of Nikkei, and we've practically got a confirmation on our hands. This is almost certainly going to be the next generation of DS, and I can't wait to get a look at it. Hurry up, Thursday! Stop being so far away!

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Mini-Article: Another prank, or the real deal?

Think of this additional post as an apology for this week's underwhelming articles.



Well, no sooner does Wario's Woods WiiWare get disproved does Sonic Unleashed get "leaked". For those of you not following Go Nintendo (Yes, all two of you), here's some more info on the supposed game:

- Sonic becomes afflicted with a curse…that turns him into a werewolf. Sonic will have to battle himself, essentially.

- gameplay includes Sonic and the Secret Rings style running with switches to 2.5D platforming thrown in

- Sonic will transform at certain points in the game, and his new form will include some sort of new mechanic

- another new character will be introduced

- Sonic Unleashed is not the final name, and no platform(s) were mentioned. File names of the original leaked images indicate a multiplatform release of 360/PS3/Wii

Source

So, it seems pretty Sonic Team-like to me: Lots of potential with a hugely crappy gimmick (Werewolf Sonic?!?!). Also, did you catch the second-last part of the above quote? Here it is again, just to drive it home:

- another new character will be introduced

Oh boy. Crappy gimmick. Another new sidekick. It all sounds so familiar. So the crappiness of the above adds a substantial amount of credibility. Because seriously, when was the last time Sonic Team made a good game? I'm not trying to be harsh, but the bleak future of this "game" does indicate a Sonic Team project. It's just a fact.

Also adding to the authenticity of this possible game is the following video:



There are a few spotty parts, such as the robot bouncing off of Sonic, but otherwise it looks pretty real (Who can say how far it is in development, any way?). Very smooth, with seemingly high production value. And the original video was removed shortly after being posted... Seems like something SEGA would do to try and stem the flow. The likelihood builds!

Now, for the things pointing away from this being true. First of all, there's the whole Wario's Woods WiiWare thing we just got over. April Fools is approaching, and there are people out there who can make things like this. Just look at the Nintendo ON hoax, or the Super Mario Galaxy DS video. Those were both made by one guy, and they were amazingly well done. What's stopping Sonic Unleashed from being yet another fake? Heck, the Nintendo ON guy could be behind this one, too!

Also, someone pointed out that Sonic's life counter in the top-left corner of the screen uses the Sonic Team logo. That's somewhat odd, don't you think? Why would a game company use their logo as an indicator for Sonic's remaining lives? Granted, it looks like Sonic, but you'd think they'd use concept art for the time being, at least during development. But the Sonic Team logo? Odd.

And there are a few factors that can point in either direction, depending on how you look at them. The score counter doesn't work, for one. This could be an indication of a fake video, but it could also point to the fact that this is a work-in-progress. Also, this could be another April Fool's prank that just got out a little too soon, or it could be an honest to goodness leak. Things can go either way in this gray area.

So, what do you think? Is it for real? Or is it just another April Fool's prank let out a little too early? Until SEGA stands up, we won't know for sure. For now, I'm still calling it a little fishy. It looks great, but the fact that it's so close to April Fool's really makes me think twice, especially after John Thomas' Wario's Woods hoax. What do you think of it? Real, fake, unknown? Feel free to voice your opinion on it in the comment section or in this forum thread.

UPDATE: Confirmed by Joystiq (Via SEGA Magazine), Sonic Unleashed has been officially announced as an in-development title slated for this November. The platform(s) still remain in question as of now, but signs point to a Wii, PS3 and XBox 360 release.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Was Halo DS ever real?

Way, way back, nearly one year ago, Matt Casamassina of IGN claimed to have played a very early version of a proposed Halo DS title. Not too many people believed him. The general opinion was "no screens, no videos, no game". In other words, if Matt played it, why doesn't he show us it?

In Matt's own words, that blog "has haunted (him) since (he) posted it". So on the second of October, he posted this blog on his IGN page, attesting to the reality of Halo DS' existence. Within this article are videos and screenshots of the game, as well as more from Matt insisting that the game is real. Almost everyone is now believing that Halo DS did once exist, but there's still a select group of people who hold by their belief that it's no more than a hoax. Who's right and who's wrong? Did Halo DS ever actually exist?

Evidence attesting to it's existence

Matt's word as a member of the press
Matt Casamassina is a member of the press. Being in such a line of work requires integrity and honesty. Would he really just turn around after all these years of being a reporter just to boast about playing a game that never existed?

Craig Harris backing up Matt
Another reporter for IGN, Craig Harris, stands by Matt's word that he actually did play Halo DS. Like Matt, Craig is a member of the press, and should thusly share the same principles of honesty. Would Craig really risk his job to back up a liar?

Screenshots and footage
Of course, there's the screenshots and footage there to back up his claim as well. These screens look fairly legit, as does the footage. Craig attests to Matt's ineptitude regarding programming things (He apparently can't even program a coffee pot time), so Matt couldn't have whipped this up. And why would anybody else whip it up for him?

Matt and Mark playing Halo DS on video
One of the videos Matt posted is footage of him and Mark playing Halo DS against each other. Thusly, they have actually played it at least once. With the camera moving around constantly throughout the video, it would be extremely difficult to sync everything up just right. If done improperly, the screen wouldn't move properly when the camera angle changes. It would take a highly talented computer graphics team to have faked this footage. Halo was on those DS systems.

Evidence against it's existence

The "Halo DS is just a re-skinned Goldeneye" theory

There are many out there who believe that somebody grabbed a copy of Goldeneye: Rogue Agent (DS), hacked it to look like Halo, and that's what Matt used. Apparently the gameplay for both is so incredibly identical that it's hard to deny. I, however, have never played Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, so I cannot personally back up or deny this claim. However, I did watch so footage of Goldeneye on IGN, and it does bear a striking resemblance to Halo DS. Did somebody out there re-skin Goldeneye to resemble Halo?

Why did Matt take so long to prove it to us?
If Matt actually had played Halo way back when, why not just show us in the first place? At that point, the game was canned, and the leaked copy was in his possession. He could have taken all the pictures and footage he wanted, but apparently did nothing of the sort. If he did, he didn't post it, which is odd if he really wanted to confirm his claim to the masses. Could Matt have used this time to get a fake Halo DS made?

But how could compu-tarded Matt pull off such a feat?
An easy answer to this question would be, quite simply, he didn't. Who did? One such possibility is Matt BOZON. That's right, the brother of Mark Bozon, another editor on IGN. Matt B. doesn't work for IGN. He works for Wayforward Technologies as the director of the upcoming Contra 4 DS. Thusly, he would have access to talented graphical artists. Matt C. could have easily requested a short demo of a Halo DS just to shut up naysayers. Maybe even Mark asked it as a favour from his brother! Did Matt Bozon make a fake Halo?

Some problems with the video

There are a few problems with the footage of their multiplayer session. The following errors were pointed out by F@NB0Y$ author/artist Scott DeWitt (Typos have been corrected. I'm a stickler for that kind of thing!):

* Your scores never went up
* The time never changed
* You shot right handed guns with left bumper.
* there was no waiting time for you to host a multiplayer session
* Inaccurate ammo counts for the plasma rifle. Anyone who plays Halo can tell you it doesn't exceed 100 shots.
* The signal meter was non existent. It was there, but never showed any signs of being used.
* Slots for other joined players were empty when you were obviously "playing" against a human opponent. (this along with the no load times are the biggest flaws in the video)
* At the end the camera moved upwards when you were moving the stylus left and right (read: not up at all)
* I like how it cuts off right before the nice warthog physics could have kicked in.

All pretty valid points, really. Of course, several could be answered by the fact that this was (Supposedly) merely an Alpha build of the game, which would be subject to errors such as those pointed out above. Still, if the score display and wireless meter weren't working, why bother showing them until they were perfected? It seems like something a developer would rather hide than show, even in an Alpha build.

In the end, all this evidence is subjective, as there's no solid proof either way. There's plenty of things pointing in either direction in this argument, and I suppose we'll really ever know until one of the following things happens:

1: The developer of the Alpha build steps up and claims ownership, or
2: Matt fesses up to it being fake, or
3: Halo DS is revived and released, and contains the level shown in the IGN footage

Unless one of the three happens, I doubt we'll ever know for sure. What's your opinion on this whole deal?

The Duck Has Spoken.

Project H.A.M.M.E.R cancellation thoughts

IGN posted a rumour today suggesting that one of Nintendo's new franchises, Project H.A.M.M.E.R, has been canned. They went on to say that the developers of this game are now supposedly working on an "expanded audience" title instead. If this were true, what would it mean for the Wii?

There's already a whole assload of "expanded audience" titles being made by Nintendo, as well as a few that have already been released. Factor in all the third-party titles in this genre, and you've got quite the hefty selection!

But one thing many people feel is missing from the Wii are more "core audience" titles. You know, games more traditional gamers would buy. Project H.A.M.M.E.R looked to be one of these, but if it was canceled, that's one less title for more mainstream gamers.

Of course, there's a good probability that this is all false. After all, it's being labeled a rumour, not a fact. So until this gets set in stone, there's really not much to get worked up about.

Yeah, it's a short article, but that's all there is to say. Plus, I'm tired, so poo.

The Duck Has Spoken.