A DS redesign in 2008: Could it happen?

There's been a lot of talk lately regarding a new DS design being revealed soon. There are various signs pointing at both ends of the argument, and each camp has it's fair share of validity. I'm going to take a look at the arguments presented by both sides and figure out just how likely a redesign at this point would be.

Why it could happen

The DS Lite has been out for over two years. When it comes to Nintendo's redesigns, this is a fairly long time to go without any word. It's no secret that Nintendo likes re-releasing their consoles in smaller, brighter packages, and they usually do so in a fairly frequent manner, three models per era. For example, take a look back at the Game Boy Advance generation. The original model was released in 2001, followed by the Game Boy Advance SP in 2003, and the Game Boy Micro in 2005. See a pattern? This trend seems to be continuing, with the original DS being released in 2004, followed by the DS Lite in 2006. If Nintendo's past releases are any indication, we will see a new DS model in 2008.

All this redesign talk came out of nowhere. Didn't the same thing happen right before the DS Lite was revealed? And didn't Nintendo react with the same "no, it's not true" back then, too? Things have been sounding a little familiar lately.

Demand for the DS Lite in Japan is dropping fast. Weekly sales have dropped by about 20,000 since November, and things don't look to be turning around any time soon. If Nintendo wants to sustain a steady flow of sales in Japan, it only makes sense to get a new design out the door. And as we all know...

Nintendo starts developing the successor the second a console is finished. As of right now, the Wii's successor is in development, and the same goes for the DS Lite's redesign. This was never a secret, folks, and there's no reason why tradition would change.

Why it can't happen

Aside from Japan, the DS Lite is still selling like mad. The only real reason things are slowing down in the handheld's home country is because almost everyone in Japan has one by now! But in North America, Europe and Australia, there are so many more people who want a DS Lite but don't have one yet. While redesigning the console now would make sense for helping sales in Japan, it isn't the right time yet elsewhere in the world.

Too many models will confuse the casual consumer. When a casual gamer sees a DS Lite on a store shelf, they instantly identify it as the console they've seen in commercials and such. But if they saw the DS Lite and some new-fangled design sitting next to it, they'd likely become confused. And the casual gamers that already have a DS Lite could be confused by the new model, wondering if their console is now obsolete. Unless Nintendo put out some ad campaign explicitly stating that they're both the same system, I don't think the casuals would react to it all that well.

The GBA redesigns came quickly and uniformly, but the original generation was quite different. The original Game Boy came out in 1989, and the first redesign (Not counting the "Play it Loud!" coloured systems) wasn't available until 1996, in the form of the Game Boy Pocket. The Game Boy Light (Japan Only) was released the next year, and the Game Boy Color debuted the year after that. The redesigns in the original generation were quite sporadic, and just because the Advance series was predictable doesn't mean the DS will be the same. And who knows? Perhaps there just won't be another redesign this generation! The number of rereleases has dropped progressively each generation. The original Game Boy series had four models, the Advance had three, and perhaps the DS will have only two. You never really know. History isn't always the best indicator.

Looking at the various arguments flying around, I'd have to say that no, we won't be seeing a new design this year. But really, Nintendo was never known for being predictable. Speculation and probability mean nothing to Iwata! Nothing!

So then, what do you think of all this recent redesign jibber-jabber? Have your say in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Do some developers care only about money?

I sometimes wonder if developers really care about the games they release. There are some companies who really do make sure they release only quality products, but some just don't seem to give a damn. For example, let's look at one of the most well-known offenders...



Yes, I'm looking at you, Data Design. Let's look at the reviews from some of your latest "games"... Okay, we have a 3.5/10 from IGN for Myth Makers Super Kart GP, a 2.4/10 from n-Revolution for Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing, and oh dear... A 0.5 review from n-Revolution for Ninjabread Man... My, Data Design, don't you have plenty to be proud of!



The Wii versions of all these games cost an average of $20 in the bargain bin at your local Wal-Mart, a price which is likely similar to the game's development costs. After all, these are merely ports of poorly-received PS2 games released back in 2005. All they did was give it a new box art and some crappy motion controls. Whoopee, us gamers sure are lucky.

They couldn't have possibly released these games thinking that they're good. No person with a properly-functioning brain could ever think that. All they wanted was the cash, and they didn't give half a crap how badly flawed their product was. Seriously, if we aren't careful, it'll be the videogame crash of 1983 all over again.

It seems that only in the videogame world can you get away with things like this. It would never work with movies, as consumers tend to be more wary of crappy-looking movies than they are cautious of obviously terrible games. And besides, I've never seen a movie released that looks comparatively bad to Ninjabread Man. Crappy films don't even get that far. Theatres will never display a badly-made movie instead of a new high-budget film. And when it comes to DVD sales, a crappy movie would just sink to the bottom of the bargain bin, never to be seen again.

But with games, it seems to be a lot easier to get them published. Just look at any EBGames selection, and you'll see "gems" like Chicken Shoot and Elf Bowling sitting there next to actual video games. These games could have been whipped up by a Flash artist in about a day and released for free online. Actually, in the case of Elf Bowling, that's exactly what happened! It's nothing but a conversion of a popular Flash game. Have you ever seen a Youtube video remade and released on DVD? I sure haven't. The game world just works so much differently.

Developers whip up some crap, get a publisher to put it on the shelves and that's that. Sure, they won't sell as many copies as Super Mario Galaxy, but their lower development costs would be quickly overcome by their meager profits. Basically, they spend less, sell for less, end up selling enough to cover development, and make a bundle in the process. Cash in the pocket.

I don't think a director would print a movie he knew was crappy. I doubt an author would publish their book if they knew it was tripe. And whether a TV producer thinks their bad show is good or not, it wouldn't matter, as the broadcaster would never show it. Truly the game industry is the way to go if you want to put in as little effort for the best payout. Sadly for us, Data Design caught on to this, and here we are with Ninjabread Man, Monster Trux Extreme and Action Girlz Racing clogging our video game store shelves.

If you're ever browsing in the electronics section and see someone buying one of these titles, for the love of god, stop them. They'll save $20 and their sanity, you'll feel good for doing a good deed, and Data Design will have a little less cash in their coffers. It's all for a good cause.

And it's not just Data Design that's in on this. Oh no, there's more. Phoenix Games is also aiming to bring us "true gaming pleasure" with their nearly copyright-infringing titles such as Dalmatians 4, Iron Chef 2 and Lion and the King 3. Oh man, it's E.T for the Atari 2600 all over again!

Beware the false Disney game!

Have your say on this article in the comments section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Poll #35: "Do you have any foreign consoles, games or peripherals?" results. banner

"Yes, tonnes of them!" 1 (3%)
"Yes, a few here and there" 9 (29%)
"Yeah, but only one." 1 (3%)
"I used to" 2 (6%)
"No, but I'd like to have some" 9 (29%)
"No" 9 (29%)

Not sure what to say here, although I did expect a few more votes for "Yes, tonnes of them!". And man, I really need to get that new white Gamecube controller that's coming out in Japan soon...

This week's banner was made to celebrate Mario Kart Wii's recent release in the European market. From what I've read, it sounds pretty promising, although it's not without it's problems. I guess I'll just have to wait to render my opinion.



For this week's poll, the question is as follows: "How many videogames do you own?". A simple question, really. Of course, if you're not sure, there's an option to say so, but you can always just make a rough estimate, too. Personally, my collection's sitting at a respectable 154 separate games. Not too shabby!

Tonight's article will be up in a little bit.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Bits and pieces: Random game ideas volume 3

Huh, this is the 250th post... How about that. Also, short article tonight- er, this morning. Sorry 'bout that.

And if you want to check out the previous editions of "Random game ideas", here ya go.

Every now and then I get an idea for a game that just isn't complex enough to warrant an entire post. I keep these ideas in storage, so to speak, until I flesh them out enough. Here's on idea I feel is ready to be posted.

A sandbox-style LEGO game

I love creating things, I love video games, and I love LEGO bricks. What better way to combine them than a 3D LEGO game? The player is given an infinite amount of bricks to work with, and they can just build to their heart's content. That's really all there is to it.

This would work great on the Wii, of course. Here's how I picture the controls working:

Wii Remote

Pointer: Move block around
A button: Place block
Press and hold B button: Pick up already placed brick
Release B button: Place brick
D-Pad (Any direction): Delete held brick

Nunchuk

Analog stick: Move around the "map"
Z trigger + Analog stick up: Push brick further from player
Z trigger + Analog stick down: Pull brick closer to player
C button: Enable "fly mode"

The controls really would be that simple. As for the "fly mode" I mentioned, that would allow the player to move around the map freely in all directions, including moving up into the air and flying through already placed bricks. This would enable the player to look at their creation from every conceivable angle, as well as help them escape if they accidentally build themselves into a corner.

There would also be several preset models for beginners to work with and become accustomed to. They could freely add on to and take away from these models, giving them a great starting point.

Now, I'm aware of programs available online such as Blockland and LEGO Digital Designer. But there are quite a few problems with each of them. First of all, Blockland has only very simple bricks available due to it not actually being licensed LEGO software. It also has somewhat of an adventure feel to it instead of being a pure free-building program. As for LEGO Digital Designer, there are several camera problems, such as it not letting you freeze the camera at particular angles. It also has a very basic player interaction mode, as it is intended to be a program for LEGO users to build a set and send for the pieces within it. They wouldn't want this program to offer too much interactivity, or else players may find the virtual version is good enough, and decide to not purchase the pieces to build it for real.

Which I suppose is a bit of a problem when it comes to the LEGO game idea I've written up. The LEGO company probably wouldn't want to license a virtual LEGO building product, as it may detract from sales of their actual LEGO sets. Sure, to me there's nothing like actually building a model and holding it in my hands, but some people may be happy with a 3D, computer-generated model.

On the other hand, people not happy with a 3D model could decide that LEGO products are right for them and proceed to collect them. I guess it does kind of depends on who you're talking about.

Regardless of the probability, I'd still really like for this software to become a reality. It'd be really cool to build a 3D LEGO model and walk around in it as if you were one of the LEGO people. Opening doors, climbing stairwells, exploring hallways, all built by your own hand... There is a certain aspect to it unavailable in the real world. I suppose I shall only be able to dream for now...



So, what do you think of this? Would you buy a sandbox-style LEGO game? Do you prefer to build with real LEGO bricks? Do you have any suggestions on how to improve on my idea for a LEGO simulator? Do you really not give half a rat's ass about LEGO products whatsoever? Well, have your say in the comment section, or in this forum thread.

The Duck Has Spoken.

Tomorrow's Nintendo press conference: Predictions, hopes and doubts

I've been waiting to use this image again for a loooong time.



It's not uncommon for Nintendo fans to go months without information on games from their favourite developer. So when we hear the words "press conference", we usually go all sorts of insane. My first reaction to this sort of thing is to start thinking up what might happen at the event, and this press conference is no different. At the same time, my imagination goes wild with extremely unlikely hopes for announcements. I also consider some downright almost-certainly-not-going-to-happen announcements and reveals. So what will most likely happen? What do I dearly wish will happen? And what is most likely not going to occur at all? My predictions, hopes and doubts follow.

Predictions

These are the things I'm almost sure will happen. I doubt all of them will show up at this conference, but I have a good feeling at least one of them will.

Assets for Animal Crossing Wii will be shown

This game has been in a bizarre state of confirmation for quite some time. Nintendo is making it, and they're well aware that we know this. On several occasions, they pretty much outright confirmed it's existance. But still, there's no screenshots, video, official announcements or anything. Come tomorrow, though, I think this will change.

I'm willing to bet that we'll see at least some concept art or screenshots. Perhaps a trailer, and maybe some separate in-game footage. But I'm nearly certain we'll see at least something. And when it happens, I'll be sure to squeal with fanboyish delight.

Some news on Disaster: Day of Crisis

Of all the currently-announced Nintendo projects, Disaster: Day of Crisis is probably the one I'm most looking forward to. Even though we've seen little more than a five-second trailer and a few screenshots, I'm just so incredibly hyped for this title. And don't ask why, but I have this incredibly strong feeling that we'll be seeing some more on this game. Whether it's a new trailer, some screenshots or a name change, I'm almost positive this game will make some sort of an appearance.

The third fourth-generation Pokémon will be revealed

It's been almost a year since Pokémon Diamond and Pearl debuted in North America. I think it's about time we see the third game of the generation announced, don't you? After all, every conventional Pokémon generation (Not counting Firered and Leafgreen, which are remakes) has had three games: Two games released at the same time, with a third released later on. The third game always has some sort of special aspect to it, such as a tweaked storyline or additional areas.

It's been so long since Diamond and Pearl came out, and I've been thinking we'll see the third game soon for quite some time. To me, tomorrow seems like the perfect time and place.

Wii Channel news

This is an incredibly vague prediction, so it really can mean pretty much anything. Whether the news is a new channel, an upcoming update to an existing channel or the long-awaited release date Everybody's Nintendo Channel. I'm really hoping it's the latter, because we've really been waiting for ages and ages to get some info.

Hopes

These are all things I hope very much will happen, but seem improbable for one reason or another. Whether or not any of the following happens is beyond me, but I'd sure be happy if some of it did!

An F-Zero, Star Fox or Pikmin sequel to be announced

Come on, how awesome would this be? A new F-Zero on the Wii, with online play and Excite Truck-style steering! Or a new Star Fox game exactly like the one I yakked about back in June! And what about that new Pikmin everyone keeps begging for, with Shigeru Miyamoto-approved motion controls!

However, this remains merely a hope because of how relatively low-profile this press conference is going to be. It's not like E3 or the Tokyo Game Show, so we really shouldn't expect anything too huge. But still...

A solution to the Wii's puny 512 MB memory

Nobody can deny this: The Wii's default memory capacity sucks. SD Cards stream too slowly to be viable solutions, and the Wii-fridgerator idea is way too clunky and time-consuming. We need a hard drive, and we need it yesterday. With all these Virtual Console downloads, gamesaves and the impending WiiWare launch, space on our Wii's memory is going to become even more scarce. I really hope Nintendo's working out a solution to this.

But, no matter how hard I hope, it just doesn't seem like something Nintendo would do. Hard drives are expensive, and they just don't fit with the sort of approach Nintendo is taking. So as much as I'd like for it to happen, I doubt we'll see this tomorrow, if at all.

Doubts

These are announcements that I neither expect or really anticipate all that much. If they don't happen, meh, okay. If they do, ok, cool. I really don't care much either way. Not that it matters, since these are almost surely not going to happen.

New Wii colours

While it would be kind of cool to see a red or black Wii, I really don't see it happening. First of all, the Wii is already selling like mad. Sales don't need a kick in the butt just yet. Second, Nintendo's already having trouble keeping up with demand. New colours would just divide their resources even more. I don't think we'll be seeing new Wii colours for quite some time yet.

A new DS remodel

Whatever they do to make the next DS remodel different, it probably won't be happening for a while. To start, DS Lite's are still selling fairly well in almost every one of the world's markets. Also, what exactly could they change about the DS Lite to warrant another model? It's already incredibly small, it has a great battery life, and the screens are crystal clear. Any possible improvements are incredibly minor. I think we'll be seeing an entirely new generation of handhelds first, and that's far too big for a relatively minor event such as this.

So then, my predictions have been made, my hopes are stated, and my doubts are placed. Time to sit back and watch how things go down.

How's My Blogging? Call 1-800-Comment or visit AppropriateForumThread.com to discuss the article and post your thoughts.

The Duck Has Spoken.