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NINTENDO NEWS: POKÉMON HOTTER THAN EVER

April 26, 2007

One of the video game industry's most celebrated franchises is officially hotter than ever. Within just five days of availability, more than 1 million copies of Pokémon® Diamond and Pokémon Pearl for the portable Nintendo DS™ have sold in the United States since Sunday's launch; a faster rate than any previous Pokémon games since the franchise's U.S. introduction, almost a decade ago. To date, more than 155 million copies of Pokémon games have sold worldwide.

Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl are poised to become two of the top-selling games of 2007 in the United States. More than one half million people pre-ordered the games before launch. Additionally, thousands of people attended the kickoff launch event in New York, and demand for the games continues to be off the charts. These latest versions of Pokémon games were introduced in Japan on Sept. 28, 2006, and have already been purchased by more than 5 million video gamers there.

The two games include a number of features that make them particularly attractive to gamers, including:

* More than 100 new Pokémon.
* A 3-D look that makes Pokémon jump off the screen.
* Worldwide wireless battling and trading using Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection.
* Voice chat functions that let players talk wirelessly with their friends.

Later this year, these two titles will also help expand the Pokémon universe for the first time to Wii™, Nintendo's new home video game system. Diamond and Pearl owners will be able to use their DS hardware units as controllers for Pokémon Battle Revolution (launching June 25), the first Pokémon game available for Wii. Players also will be able to export characters to the Wii game.

Source: Nintendo

Looks like another wave of the Pokémon craze is coming our way.

NINTENDO ADVISES POKÉMON FANS: PRE-ORDERS TOP 500,000

April 18, 2007

Pre-orders for the upcoming Pokémon® Diamond and Pokémon® Pearl video games for the portable Nintendo DS™ have topped one half million in the United States, and Nintendo is advising fans to brace themselves for the next wave of Poké-mania. Based on the huge pre-sales for Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl, Nintendo expects them to be among the top-selling games for all of 2007.

With four days to go until they arrive, more than 533,000 pre-orders have been taken for Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. Already these games have more than doubled the pre-sale numbers of Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen, which launched in 2004. Pokémon FireRed and Pokémon LeafGreen went on to sell more than 3.4 million combined in North America.

Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl have consistently ranked among the top-selling video game products on Amazon.com, and there are still four days until launch.

Pokémon became a nationwide hit the instant it arrived in the United States in 1998. Now a new wave of Pokémon excitement is on its way, complete with more than 100 new Pokémon characters, the ability for players to battle wirelessly on Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection and voice-chat abilities, which act like a cell phone but with connection among friends only.

The Official Nintendo Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Player's Guide also will be available at retail on April 22. For more information about the games, visit www.Pokemon-Games.com

Source: Nintendo

Paris, FRANCE – April 4th, 2007 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, and Gearbox Software, one of the world’s leading independent video game developers, announced that the critically acclaimed and multimillion-unit selling Brothers In Arms franchise is in development for the Nintendo DS and Wii systems. Scheduled to ship this year, Brothers In Arms Double Time (fall) and Brothers In Arms DS (summer) will, for the first time, immerse Nintendo system owners into the intensity of World War II through the stories of Sergeants Baker and Hartsock and their squad of paratroopers during the Normandy invasion.

"Brothers In Arms on the Wii and DS systems is really exciting for us," said Randy Pitchford, president of Gearbox Software. "I am a huge fan of both systems and thrilled about making games for the two platforms. In the entire space of first-person shooters on video game systems, Brothers In Arms really lends itself to both the Wii and DS interfaces. Imagine using the Wii Remote to give actual hand signals or aiming with the DS stylus from a covered position. That’s what you can look forward to with Brothers In Arms Double Time and Brothers In Arms DS."

Brothers In Arms Double Time brings the best of this acclaimed WWII action franchise to the Wii system, while adding the use of innovative gameplay with the Wii Remote. Brothers In Arms DS brings all the action and strategy of the series to a handheld, utilizing the DS Touch Screen to control the squad.

Brothers In Arms Double Time Key Features:

* Next-Generation Brothers In Arms: The award-winning WWII franchise comes to the Wii system with all of the action, story and authenticity that has critics and fans eager for more.
* Combining All 31 Playable Levels: Play as Sergeants Matt Baker and Joe Hartsock, leading your squad behind enemy lines through the Normandy invasion.
* Unrivaled Authenticity: Fight actual Airborne Infantry battles of D-Day accurately recreated using thousands of official photos, maps, After-Action Reports and eyewitness accounts under the direction of Military and Historical Director, Col. John Antal.
* Challenging and Dynamic Combat: Featuring close-quarter urban environments and a next-generation artificial intelligence system, Brothers In Arms Double Time promises to take authentic military action to the next level on the Wii system.
* Enhanced Control Scheme: Issue orders and perform military gestures to command and lead your team using the Wii Remote.

Brothers In Arms DS Key Features:

* First Brothers In Arms for the DS System: Exclusively designed for Nintendo DS with easy-to-use, stylus-based controls such as using the Touch Screen to aim, with the camera following the stylus.
* Impressive, Realistic 3D Graphics: Incredibly detailed environments with highly believable characters and enemies, cinematic camera angles, and great animation.
* Drivable Vehicles: Drive a recon car or a Sherman Tank. Use a wide range of weapons such as bazookas, sniper rifles, grenades and more to destroy your enemy.
* 16 Missions and Three Different Campaigns: Relive the intensity of WWII through three different campaigns, from Normandy to North-Africa and Ardennes.
* Redesigned New Multiplayer Experience: Fight major multiplayer battles with three of your friends in different multiplayer modes, including Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch.
* Contextual Movements: Gameplay adapted to the Nintendo DS hardware with auto-cover behind walls or auto-recovering life system.
* An Unrivalled Sense of Drama: Experience a stronger emotional factor, due to the third-person view and dialogue between soldiers.

Screenshots of Brothers in Arms for the DS:

Source: Gearbox Software

MySims for the DS from Electronic Arts is sure to bring the franchise to a whole new audience.

Source: Jeux-France.com

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Website

SEGA AND NINTENDO JOIN FORCES FOR MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Legendary Icons Appear Together for the First Time in Video Game History

TOKYO (March 28, 2007) - SEGA® Corporation and Nintendo Co. Ltd. today made a historical announcement that two of the biggest icons in the entertainment industry, Mario™ and Sonic™, are joining forces to star in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Developed for the Wii™ video game system and the Nintendo DS™ system, this momentous agreement marks the first time these two renowned stars have appeared together in a game.

Published by SEGA across Europe and North America, and published by Nintendo in the Japanese market, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be available for Holiday 2007 and is licensed through a worldwide partnership with International Sports Multimedia (ISM), the exclusive interactive entertainment software licensee of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, players will compete in events that take place in environments based on the official venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Using a supporting cast of characters from the amazing worlds of both Mario and Sonic, gamers will be able to compete as or against a range of lovable personalities including Mario, Sonic, Luigi™, Knuckles™, Yoshi®, Tails™ and more. Innovative usage of the Wii and DS control systems to maneuver a favorite character will allow players to race the likes of Mario and Sonic down the 100m track, engage in exhilarating rallies in table tennis and churn water in a swimming heat, all while competing for the much sought after gold medal.

"We are thrilled to partner with Nintendo and ISM on this groundbreaking title," said Hisao Oguchi, President and Chief Operating Officer, SEGA Corporation. "For the first time, two of the world's greatest games' characters come together to compete in the world's greatest sporting event and we couldn't be more excited."

"Mario and Sonic have been respectful rivals since the early days of video games," says Shigeru Miyamoto, Senior Managing Director and General Manager, Entertainment Analysis and Development Division, Nintendo Co., Ltd.. "In fact, for a long time they have been discussing the possibility of one day competing against each other. Now that they have been given the perfect opportunity to meet at the Olympic Games, we may finally learn who is actually faster, Mario or Sonic?"

"The Olympic Games represent the true spirit of competition and passion," said Raymond Goldsmith, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ISM. "Bringing together intensely competitive and fun characters like Mario and Sonic in an Olympic setting helps showcase the sports of the Olympic Games in a new and compelling way for all generations."

Source: Nintendo

How to Make a Better DS. Eric-Jon Rössel Waugh at Next Generation has a few suggestions:

• Give the system some internal flash memory
• Improve the system interface. Nobody wants to reboot every time he changes the system clock or exits Pictochat
• Make the system interface expandable, preferably over wi-fi download
• A Virtual Console

Some good ideas here although I don't really see the problem with rebooting, its not something you do too often.

Source:

Nintendo's DS handheld has taken the industry by storm; that's no secret. In Japan the Nintendo portable has been out-shipping Sony's PSP on a nearly three-to-one basis. Moreover, in 2006 the DS almost single handedly elevated the Japanese video game market out of its previous doldrums. On this side of the Pacific, not only is the DS consistently outselling the PSP, but it often outsells all consoles. In February, the DS was once again No.1 with 485K units sold.

With the above in mind, it's not surprising that DFC Intelligence's David Cole believes that the DS could very well become the No.1 video game platform in history. "The DS has the potential to be the best-selling interactive entertainment platform ever," he said.

Source: GameDailyBIZ

Source: Famitsu