Archive for the ‘general’ Category

The Sega Game Gear?  Pffft.  It was as much a challenge to the then reigning king, the Nintendo Gameboy, as a local football club in Tibet would be when pitted against the Reds of Manchester United.  The truth is, Nintendo has remained unchallenged in the handheld gaming department since it released the very first Gameboy, and it has continued to rule the roost with the current dominance of the Nintendo DS.

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That is, until now.

With this generation of portable video gaming consoles, the Nintendo DS is facing stiff and unwavering competition from the Sony Playstation Portable, or PSP for brevity.  The battle isn’t really neck-to-neck, but the Sony PSP is winning in certain regions in the world, something that Nintendo never had to endure with its previous handhelds.  Surely, the Nintendo DS must realize that the Sony PSP wouldn’t just vanish in the night like the defeated Sega Game Gear.

The question in many people’s minds – particularly those who are planning to buy a portable gaming system for themselves – is this: which among the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP is the better investment?

Let’s answer this important question by breaking it down into 4 important sub-questions that will ultimately tell us the handheld that will define this generation of portable gaming.

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1. Which console is more powerful?  This is a “no contest,” really.  The Sony PSP is designed for power, with two 333MHz processors rendering game play and fantastic graphics.  The screen of PSP alone is built for widescreen gaming.  And its games consume more digital space than Nintendo DS titles.  A Nintendo DS game is usually less than 100MB.  A Sony PSP game ranges from 300MB to 1.5GB.  WINNER: Sony PSP.

2. Which console has more games?  Many experts say that software creates hardware and not the other way around.  What would you do with a highly powerful handheld if you won’t have any games to play with it, right?  When it comes to depth of gaming library, the Nintendo DS is the runaway winner.  Its releases outnumber the releases of its competitor by a ratio of almost 4:1.  There are many development companies focusing only on developing games for the Nintendo DS.  WINNER: Nintendo DS.

3. Which console has more multimedia functions?  It’s true that there are so many gadgets these days that perform a specialized function.  Ipods play music.

  PDAs allow mobile browsing and data mining.  Digital cameras take pictures and videos.  Cellular phones serve as personal organizers aside from being communication devices.  However, the trend these days is for a gadget to at least attempt to become a Swiss knife of sorts for the technology-crazy market. 

Handhelds are no different.  The more functions they serve, the better they will appear for potential buyers.  The Nintendo DS play limited audio and video files.  The Sony PSP can play many audio formats and an accepted MP4 file type for videos.  The Sony PSP can also surf the web, store a variety of data, act as a TV (with the aid of a TV tuner), and serve as a remote controller for the Playstation 3, even if the console is in another continent.  WINNER: Sony PSP.

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4. Which console has more exclusives?  No doubt, not a single company can compete with Nintendo.  The Nintendo DS is the home of original properties like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon , Donkey Kong, Kirby, Animal Crossing and many more.  These are the biggest selling points of the system.  WINNER: Nintendo DS.

So we’re tied, 2-2.  Which system is better: the Nintendo DS or the Sony PSP?  It really depends on what you expect from the handheld machine.  If you’re going for functionality and raw power, then choose the Sony PSP.  But if you’re looking for a memorable, an exciting, and most importantly, a varied gaming experience, then the Nintendo DS is a better choice.

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The new Nintendo Dsi was met with lots of excitement when it was released in April of 2009.  It can even be considered as a commercial success, though it failed to beat the record set by the first incarnation of the Nintendo DS.  Nevertheless, the new Nintendo DSi has proven a point: that there is a healthy market of passionate users for an upgraded model of an existing product. 

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The new Nintendo DSi was packaged by the company as a handheld that even old DS owners would want to own.

Guess what?

Nintendo was right.

So, what’s new with the new Nintendo DSi?  Here are some features that many people believe justifies the purchase of a new Nintendo DSi:

- A sleeker, sexier and lighter design.  The new Nintendo DSi is actually 12% thinner than the previous incarnation, the Nintendo DS Lite.  With the new Nintendo DSi, the handheld can actually be considered a “hand” held device as it will fit anyone’s hand. 

- An additional level of brightness.  The first Nintendo DS was heavily criticized for its ability to strain the user’s eyes with dark lighting.  The Nintendo DS Lite made the screen brighter, but also allowed the unit to consume more battery life at the highest brightness setting.  The new Nintendo DSi adds yet another level of brightness, but this time, battery life is said to be optimized for such a feature.

- Dual cam.  One camera in front, one camera at the back.  Both cameras come with 0.3 megapixel resolution, nothing special, but adequate for the purposes that the new Nintendo DSi has planned for them.

- Better audio playback.  The new Nintendo DSi can now compete with the best MP3 players in the market.

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- Improved WiFi connectivity.  Difficulties in connecting online are now things of the past.  The new Nintendo DSi can immediately connect to the net whenever a connection is detected, and the player can immediately compete with other DSi users from all over the world.  Additionally, because of the improved internet connectivity, digital downloads are now a critical part of the new Nintendo DSi’s marketing strategy.  The DSi Shop has been improved as well to accommodate the new handheld.  Titles from old Nintendo consoles (and other 8bit and 16bit systems as well) can also be purchased and played on the DSi.

- External SD slot.  Now you can save all the new files you can take and play with your DSi on an external storage device.  You’re no longer a slave to the system’s limited internal memory.

Are these new features enough to make the new Nintendo DSi a “must buy?”  Well, many people in the UK and the US believe it is, as evidenced by the more than 600,000 sales garnered by the system in its first two days of launch.

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Even the so-called “fanboys” would agree, the Sony Playstation 3 has been trailing the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360 in terms of sales since the day the PS3 was launched.  Sony promised consumers that it will regain the market leadership by the end of 2007 – a leadership it once enjoyed with the Playstation 2 (PS2) – but it didn’t happen, mainly because of the lack of console-defining exclusives.  Sonly promised consumers that 2008 will be the PS3’s year, but this didn’t materialize despite strong showings from Metal Gear Solid 4 (MGS4) and Little Big Planet.

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And now, Sony has once again promised that 2009 will be the glory year of the PS3.

Its patrons are becoming impatient.  Industry experts believe that 2009 is the “make or break” year for the PS3.  2009, they say, is the year that will either mark the PS3 as a worthy entry to Sony’s series of console excellence, or brand the PS3 as a market failure despite its clearly superior engineering.

For 2009, the PS3 is banking on 5 key titles that it hopes will finally bring the console to the top of the sales charts.  These games are:

1.  Killzone 2.  Released last February, Killzone 2 – one of the PS3’s most hyped games, which the industry has eagerly awaited since 2004 – is well on its way to saving Sony’s reputation as a leader in the video game market.  The title sold 2 million copies on its first month, a feat that is truly fascinating for a game which is exclusive to a single console.

2. God of War 3.  Since its first installment, Kratos has quickly become the poster boy for Sony, and God of War has quickly become the flagship title for the company’s gaming division.  No matter how bleak things look when it comes to sales, Sony can always be comforted by the fact that the next God of War is just around the corner.

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3. Final Fantasy XIII.  The PS3 lost big time when Square-Enix decided to publish FFXIII on the Xbox 360 as well, at least in areas outside Japan.  The next installment of the blockbuster Final Fantasy series will still be exclusive to the PS3 in its country of origin, and this will most certainly help boost the sales for the console.  Outside Japan, FFXIII may still win some console sales, as the Final Fantasy franchise has long been associated with Sony’s machines and given the long playtime provided by the game, issues on the Xbox 360’s engineering reliability may force buyers to choose the PS3 version.

4. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.  Its predecessor, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, was the first “must buy” exclusive for the PS3.  The sequel, which is said to combine elements of Gears of War, Tomb Raider, and FPS multiplayer mayhem, will be a hundred times better than the original.  Gamers are excited about Uncharted 2, and this will reflect on the PS3 console sales.

5. Massive Action Game (MAG).  Forget Resistance 2’s 64-player team death matches.  Prepare for a truly wide scale war with MAG, one that will involve up to 256 players at the same time.  Little is known about the game, however.  If it lives up to its promises, it can be the PS3 title that will make other FPS multiplayer games obsolete.  If it doesn’t, it will be the Kane and Lynch of 2009.

Will these games finally catapult the Sony PS3 to the throne it once owned unchallenged?

Only time, and your gaming dollar, will tell.

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The Xbox 360 is quite popular for its amazing processing power, fantastic graphics, multimedia functionalities, and its deep library of games.  It is also known for its exclusives, like Halo, Fable, Mass Effect, Gears of War, Left 4 Dead, Banjo Kazooie, and the likes.

What the Xbox 360 isn’t known for is reliability.  Simply put, the console is considered as a cursed system that is riddled with a variety of Xbox 360 glitches.

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If it weren’t for these Xbox 360 glitches, the console would be dominating the sales charts on a consistent basis.  But because of these Xbox 360 glitches, people doubt whether or not the console is a good investment.  The Xbox 360 isn’t cheap, by any means, and people don’t want to spend their hard earned cash on something that has a 16% chance (according to Microsoft, but third party estimates climb as high as 65%) of breaking down within the first 2 years.

Some of these Xbox 360 glitches require simple fixes, however.  Below is a list of the common Xbox 360 glitches and ways on how to remedy them.

1.  1 red light.  This error code can either mean a DVD reading error or a dashboard update error.  Fixing either of these Xbox 360 glitches can be easy, or it can be very difficult.  Try to reinstall any dashboard update, first and foremost.  If such Xbox 360 glitches persist, try loading up a new disc.  If still, problem persists, the most probable culprit is a broken DVD reader which may need a replacement.

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2. 2 red lights.  This error code pertains to overheating problems, the most common of the Xbox 360 glitches.  Allow your console unit to rest for a few hours.  Remember, a FEW HOURS and not a matter of minutes.  Before playing again, ensure that the system is receiving enough ventilation to prevent heat from being stuck inside its frame.

3. 3 red lights.  This is the most dreaded of error codes, and the most dreaded of the Xbox 360 glitches.  The 3 red lights of doom, infamously abbreviated as 3RL or 3RLOD, indicate a general hardware failure, which basically means that your unit is screwed.  There are methods that can fix the 3RL problem, like the fan shroud modification and the x-clamp replacement approach and the penny trick method, but none of them can guarantee that the 3RL error code won’t happen again.  There is also a “fake 3RL” which appears when there is a power fluctuation.  This “fake 3RL” is the most harmless of the Xbox 360 glitches, as merely resetting the console will take care of the problem.

4. 4 red lights.  AV cable is just loose.  Secure the connection and Xbox 360 glitches like these won’t bother you again.

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So, you’ve just purchased a Sony Playstation3.  Excellent decision, indeed!  You’re in for countless hours of video gaming fun.  The Sony Playstation3 is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful, the most reliable and the most functional console in the current generation of video game machines.

Now, there’s one question that’s stopping you at the gates of video gaming heaven…

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What game should you play with your Sony Playstation3?

Here are 10 “must have” games for the console.  Any of them will provide many hours of memorable enjoyment.

1.  Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriot.  One of only a handful of games that garnered the perfect score in websites like GameSpot and magazines like the now defunct Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), MGS4 is a masterpiece in storytelling.  Boasting of more than 4 hours of cinematic, the title – and the series for that matter – has always been criticized for being more of a movie than an actual game.  Sony would rather call it “interactive storytelling,” and even if the movies overshadow the game play most of the time, something that cannot b denied is that this title is beautiful.

2. Little Big Planet.  Imagine a soup upped version of old school platformers like Super Mario, Sonic, and Klonoa… only this time, you can create your own world and share it with other people from all over the (real) world!  Little Big Planet is a revolution in gaming, making it one of the newer flagship titles for the Sony Playstation3.

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3. Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune.  The Sony Playstation3’s first “must have” exclusive is a combination of Gears of War and Tomb Raider.  Fans of exploration-adventure games and first person shooters will be in for a treat!

4. Killzone 2.  The Sony Playstation3’s most hyped game delivered big time, selling more than 2 million copies on its first month of release.  This FPS boasts of the best graphics found on the Sony PS3 so far.

5. BioShock.  Previously an Xbox 360 exclusive, BioShock has found its way to the Sony Playstation3 with added features to boot.  The Game of the Year for 2007 is ready to show PS3 owners why it is hailed as the best FPS with the best storyline in the entire history of video gaming.

6. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.  Go anywhere, do anything, be the person you want to be.  This is the premise for the high fantasy RPG that is Oblivion.

7. Fallout 3.  Using the Oblivion engine, the post apocalyptic world of the Fallout series – which many claim included the best games ever made – is brought to life.  Your choices in the game will define your character and will lead to one of many possible endings.  Fallout 3 is the unanimous choice for Game of the Year, 2008, in many gaming websites.

8. Grand Theft Auto IV.  The king of sandbox games, GTAIV is the best in the series.  Play the role of Niko Belic as he adjusts to life in the Big Apple (or at least, a replica of New York City) and struggle with his conscience on whether or not to take on criminal assignments to survive life in America.

9. Eternal Sonata.  Japanese RPGs on the Sony Playstation3 are rare.  Eternal Sonata may be one of those rare titles, but it is a thing of absolute beauty.  Every scene of this game will take your breath away.  Plus, the storyline is quite unique for a Japanese RPG.  It involves a fictional world in the mind of renowned musician Frederic Chopin while he was on his deathbed.

10. Guitar Hero: World Tour/Rockband 2.  The most commercially successful games in recent memory are also parts of the Sony Playstation3 library.  Take a guitar and strum to the tune of your favorite rock music, or gather 3 other friends and form a band that will conquer all the challenges that these games will throw your way.

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The current generation of console war between Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s Play Station 3 has its nasty side.  There are reports of companies paying game developers so that the latter’s games will be exclusively released in their systems.

However, in the fickle world of video game entertainment, there are no permanent alliances.  Look at Nintendo and Square.  Look at Nintendo and Sony.  Look at Microsoft and Rare.  Look at Microsoft and Bungie Soft.

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They may be Xbox 360 exclusives today, but it’s only a matter of time before these 5 titles will appear on the Sony Play Station 3:

1.  Dead Rising.  Capcom’s “other” zombie hit was one of the first titles for Microsoft’s then fledgling video game machine.  Reviews about the game were mixed.  Some called it innovative, while others called it repetitive.  Some described it as a technological marvel, while others claimed that it was all icing.  Some applauded the game for being fun, while others are complaining that they didn’t get the “scares” that they expected.  Regardless of the reception about Dead Rising, the fact is, it’s not an exclusive “exclusive.”  It has since been ported to the Nintendo Wii, and industry experts are predicting that it’s just a matter of time before Dead Rising rises on the Play Station 3.  Also, Capcom is currently keeping mum on the question of what system the announced Dead Rising 2 will be appearing on, something which many people believe is a clear sign that the franchise is headed to the Play Station 3.

2. Mass Effect.  People are of the mistaken impression that Microsoft owns the rights to the Mass Effect franchise.  The intellectual property belongs to Bioware, which currently has an exclusive developer’s contract with Microsoft.  When this contract expires, Bioware can bring its property wherever it pleases – and the Play Station 3 may be the new home of this controversial space-faring, lesbian-loving, sci-fi RPG.

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3. Star Ocean: The Last Hope.  It is not common for seemingly exclusive RPGs to jump shift to another console.  Most Japanese developers only agree to a “timed exclusive” clause, anyway.  Such is the case with Eternal Sonata and Tales of Vesperia which were first released on the Xbox 360 but eventually found their way to the Play Station 3, with added content to boot.  Tri-Ace’s newest masterpiece, as published by Square-Enix, may follow suit, as Sony’s line of consoles are the traditional homes of jRPGs (Japanese Role Playing Games).

4. Blue Dragon.  The dream team that comprises Mistwalker are said to be disappointed with the performance of their very first game for the Xbox 360, and the very first jRPG for the said system.  Microsoft’s console only has a limited base in Japan, and this contributed to the poor sales experienced by Blue Dragon.  One the timed exclusive agreement with Microsoft expires, people predict that Mistwalker will bring their franchise to the Sony Play Station 3.  But first, they must publish one game under such an agreement – Blue Dragon 2.

5. Ninja Gaiden II.  This is a given.  One of the highest rated action platformers today will appear on the Sony Play Station 3, eventually.  After all, an improved version of its predecessor, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, made the jump a year after debuting on the Xbox 360.

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Exclusives.  This is the strength of Nintendo, and consequently, this is the strength of its latest video gaming console: the Nintendo Wii.  Properties like Mario, Luigi, Link, Zelda, Samus, Metroid, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Pikachu, Pokemon, and Kirby are staples of every generation Nintendo system.  Newly rejuvenated franchises like Punch Out and Kid Icarus are excellent additions to the current roster.  And new properties like Animal Crossing are guaranteed to bring in new fans for the company.

Hence, it should come as no surprise that the 4 “must own” Wii games on our list will involve these properties that will never appear for any other companies.  Only Nintendo Wii (and maybe even Nintendo DS) owners will be able to enjoy them.

Let’s take a look at the 4 Nintendo Wii games that no Wii owner should do without.

1.  Super Mario Galaxy.  Super Mario 64 for the N64 revolutionized the platforming genre by evolving the gaming experience into a 3D environment.  Super Mario Galaxy takes the evolution a little further.  You won’t be running across a flat surface and jumping over occasional obstacles anymore.  This time, you’ll be running around an entire – albeit conveniently smaller – planet.  Indeed, Wii games are rendering surfaces into spherical planes these days, and Super Mario Galaxy is at the forefront of the revolution.  Add to the foregoing is SMG’s highly addictive game play and very fulfilling rewards system and you have one of the best Wii games available in the market today.

2. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.  Being a launch title, this installment of the long running – and highly acclaimed – Zelda series had the weight of the work on its shoulders.  Well, it eventually proved to be the bestselling title among the many Wii games available at launch, thanks to its pedigree.  The sales for the title was so strong that industry experts believed that it was able to compel many people to buy the Nintendo Wii, building the momentum that the console has enjoyed and has never relinquished to this very day.

3. Super Mario Bros. Brawl.  Imagine each and every character owned by Nintendo who have appeared in exclusive NES, SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Advance, N64, Gamecube, DS and Wii games ever released, appearing in one title – a fighting game for the ages.  Link vs. Mario?  Consider it done.  Bowser vs. Donkey Kong?  Let their battle decide who is the best big guy in Nintendo Land.  Princess Mushroom vs. Luigi?  It’s time for the green-attired plumber to prove that he’s not the sissy that everyone paints him to be.  Super Mario Bros. Brawl remains the highest rated among the Wii games released so far, a testament to the quality and fun that are present in the game.

4. Mario Kart Wii.  Speaking of fun, Mario Kart Wii promises to provided countess hours of enjoyment for the entire family.  The games belonging to the Mario Kart series rank among the best driving games in the industry.  Mario Kart Wii is no exception.  Like many other Wii games, Mario Kart Wii makes excellent use of the Wiimote’s motion sensing capabilities.  Hold the Wiimote sideways and pretend that it’s the steering wheel, and you’re all set to go!

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The Sega Game Gear?  Pffft.  It was as much a challenge to the then reigning king, the Nintendo Gameboy, as a local football club in Tibet would be when pitted against the Reds of Manchester United.  The truth is, Nintendo has remained unchallenged in the handheld gaming department since it released the very first Gameboy, and it has continued to rule the roost with the current dominance of the Nintendo DS.

That is, until now.

With this generation of portable video gaming consoles, the Nintendo DS is facing stiff and unwavering competition from the Sony Playstation Portable, or PSP for brevity.  The battle isn’t really neck-to-neck, but the Sony PSP is winning in certain regions in the world, something that Nintendo never had to endure with its previous handhelds.  Surely, the Nintendo DS must realize that the Sony PSP wouldn’t just vanish in the night like the defeated Sega Game Gear.

The question in many people’s minds – particularly those who are planning to buy a portable gaming system for themselves – is this: which among the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP is the better investment?

Let’s answer this important question by breaking it down into 4 important sub-questions that will ultimately tell us the handheld that will define this generation of portable gaming.

1. Which console is more powerful?  This is a “no contest,” really.  The Sony PSP is designed for power, with two 333MHz processors rendering game play and fantastic graphics.  The screen of PSP alone is built for widescreen gaming.  And its games consume more digital space than Nintendo DS titles.  A Nintendo DS game is usually less than 100MB.  A Sony PSP game ranges from 300MB to 1.5GB.  WINNER: Sony PSP.

2. Which console has more games?  Many experts say that software creates hardware and not the other way around.  What would you do with a highly powerful handheld if you won’t have any games to play with it, right?  When it comes to depth of gaming library, the Nintendo DS is the runaway winner.  Its releases outnumber the releases of its competitor by a ratio of almost 4:1.  There are many development companies focusing only on developing games for the Nintendo DS.  WINNER: Nintendo DS.

3. Which console has more multimedia functions?  It’s true that there are so many gadgets these days that perform a specialized function.  Ipods play music.

  PDAs allow mobile browsing and data mining.  Digital cameras take pictures and videos.  Cellular phones serve as personal organizers aside from being communication devices.  However, the trend these days is for a gadget to at least attempt to become a Swiss knife of sorts for the technology-crazy market. 

Handhelds are no different.  The more functions they serve, the better they will appear for potential buyers.  The Nintendo DS play limited audio and video files.  The Sony PSP can play many audio formats and an accepted MP4 file type for videos.  The Sony PSP can also surf the web, store a variety of data, act as a TV (with the aid of a TV tuner), and serve as a remote controller for the Playstation 3, even if the console is in another continent.  WINNER: Sony PSP.

4. Which console has more exclusives?  No doubt, not a single company can compete with Nintendo.  The Nintendo DS is the home of original properties like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon , Donkey Kong, Kirby, Animal Crossing and many more.  These are the biggest selling points of the system.  WINNER: Nintendo DS.

So we’re tied, 2-2.  Which system is better: the Nintendo DS or the Sony PSP?  It really depends on what you expect from the handheld machine.  If you’re going for functionality and raw power, then choose the Sony PSP.  But if you’re looking for a memorable, an exciting, and most importantly, a varied gaming experience, then the Nintendo DS is a better choice.

Will the Nintendo DS continue its dominance in 2009?  Well, that depends on the lineup of Nintendo DS games that are coming to the system.  As many industry experts have said, software titles make hardware systems, not the other way around.

As of this writing, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars has just been released.  What other top DS games can people expect in the remainder of the year?

1.  Dragon Quest IX: Protectors of the Starry Skies.  Not a remake like other DS games.  This is the real deal!  The ninth – and newest – installment of the highly acclaimed Dragon Quest series is coming to the Nintendo DS.  Dragon Quest is the pioneer of Japanese RPGs, so you know that the release of its ninth installment on the Nintendo DS is definitely a big event!

2. Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure.  Fresh from the success of Professor Layton and the Case of the Curious Village comes another story-driven puzzle game.  Henry Hatsworth promises to be different as it will employ some platforming elements into the mix.

3. Infinite Space.  Of all the Nintendo DS games released so far, none is a space simulation title.  That’s about to be changed with Infinite Space which will place the gamer in the seat of a captain of a battleship cruiser.  Space may be infinite and this game may be huge, but don’t expect a lot of idle times.  Infinite Space promises one Return of the Jedi-like battle after another.

4. Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations.  The second spinoff of the widely popular Phoenix Wright DS games is about to be released.  This time, game play will be accompanied by some platform and DOS adventure elements.

5. Phantasy Star Zero.  Sega’s premiere RPG/MMORPG is coming to the Nintendo DS.  This installment is a deconstruction of the franchise, given the commercial failure of the most recent entry in the series, Phantasy Star Universe.  With Zero, a new generation of characters will be introduced and a more cartoonish game play will be implemented.  Will these be enough to win back old fans?  It carries the Phantasy Star name, that should be enough for most folks.

6. Scribblenauts.  Of all the DS games on this list, Scribblenauts is without a doubt the most unique.  Game play involves a mechanic that is a mixture of drawing and Pandora’s box.  The idea is to reach the star for every stage.  To get to the star, you can draw things that will aid you.  Draw a flower and small the sweet scent of helplessness.  Draw a dragon and its fiery breath may burn you down.  It’s a matter of finding the right item to draw, making this one of the most innovative and original DS games in history.