DSi Games Systems, DSi Games

Posts Tagged ‘pokemon’

Nintendo sure know how to please the fans. Way back on the old Gameboy Colour, the games Pokemon Gold and Silver ruled the roost. Indeed, the games are so popular that they're still being enjoyed today as cult offerings. However, Nintendo are looking to build on the success of these games by crafting remakes on their current DS family. Say hello to Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver.

The first great feature offered in Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver is that players are able to sync their new game to any old Diamond, Pearl or Platinum games they already have on the DS. This means players can keep all the rare and special Pokemon they battled so hard to find on previous games.
And you'll certainly need them all, as this title offers up almost twice as many gym battles as in the previous installments, expanding the game significantly.

This game is perfect fan service for all the loyal Pokemon collectors out there, and retains some of the best elements from previous titles. Retro music is included bringing back nostalgic tunes from the earliest Pokemon games, along with vast areas you'll recognise but which offer new challenges. However, Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver isn't all about bringing back old features. The visuals and audio have obviously been vastly improved since Gameboy colour days, and Pokemon has never looked this great. Running on the same engine as Platinum, the game is pushed even further with some excellent fully animated battle scenes.

If you're even remotely a Pokemon fan, this title is perfect for you. It brings together all the most successful and well-loved aspects of previous installments and sprinkles a little magic dust in the form of improved graphics and additional features to make a perfect experience. Pokemon Heartgold/Soulsilver is an absolute must for fans of the franchise, and is sure to get a new generation hooked too!

It's common knowledge that the Nintendo DSi has the deepest gaming library among this generation of video game systems, portable and otherwise. With over 50 titles released per month for the Nintendo DSi, the system has amassed an inventory of gaming options that may enthrall even the most veteran of gamers.

It is also widely known that Nintendo has the deepest library of first party properties, all of which are certificated hits. It's difficult to name a Nintendo-produced game that wasn't acclaimed or became a commercial failure.

It comes as a large surprise, then, that there are just a few first party DSi Nintendo games planned for the rest of the year and for 2010;

1. Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. A direct follow up to the Legend of Zelda : Phantom Hourglass, this first party DSi Nintendo game will be using the same graphic engine as well as the same control scheme which has made its progenitor a genre-defining title. The first Legend of Zelda for the DS was announced as the game that perfectly exploited all that the system can offer : full stylus control, twin screen optimization, and even microphone support. In Spirit Tracks Link will be navigating trains instead of ships.

2. Mario & Luigi : Bowser's Inside Story. This first party DSi Nintendo game has a long and storied history. Square left and Nintendo continued the franchise with critically praised installments like Paper Mario : The Thousand Year Door for the Gamecube, Super Paper Mario for the Wii, Mario & Luigi : Superstar story for the GBA, and Mario & Luigi : Partners In Time for Nintendo DS. And the most recent game, Bowser's Inside Story, is expected to be the most remarkable of all of them as the brothers are prepared to go back to their plumbing profession inside Bowser's body. No, really.

3. Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Of all of the first party DSi Nintendo games, none have experienced as much business success as the Pokemon series. With a long running anime series, manga series, and toy line based on the franchise, Pokemon has gone beyond being a Nintendo property and has become a cultural icon. With the hand-held games almost always being released in two versions, the following pair is booked to come our way very soon.

There are countless games available for Nintendo DS Lite systems all over the world. For many of us, the final criterion of a title's merit is the quantity of copies it has sold. If many Nintendo DS Lite systems have loaded up the game, then this can only mean that it is a title worth investing in.

Looking back over the years, we bring our list of the hottest games for Nintendo DS Lite systems;

1. Nintendogs. Many owners of Nintendo DS Lite systems agree on this cute and fun title. Number of copies sold : 22.27 million.

2. New Super Mario brothers. Number of copies sold : 18.45 million.

3. Brain Age. This title is a series of casual games packed as challenges which will stimulate the mind into active development. Its position in this list proves that casual games do have a place in the hearts Nintendo DS Lite owners. Number of copies sold : 17.41 million.

4. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl. Pokemon remains a hot seller for Nintendo. Number of copies sold : 16.81 million.

5. Mario Kart DS. Promoted as the best racing game, bar none, Mario Kart is a surefire hit wherever the game may appear. The same was true for Mario Kart on the N64, Gamecube and the Nintendo DS Lite systems. Number of copies sold : 14.61 million.

6. Animal Crossing : Wild World. The Gamecube version showed that there's a market for a console game primarily based on the mechanics introduced by the Sims series. This variation for Nintendo DS Lite systems proves that people also like their god games on the move. Number of copies sold : 10.79 million

As Nintendo unveil their DSi- the next stage in hand held gaming which builds upon and augments all the features found in the previous DS, they are looking to draw in new players to the medium whilst also offering current fans and users a range of games that are bankable hits. With this in mind, Nintendo are calling upon their most famous games and characters to help boost the initial release of the DSi.

Nintendo as a developer has always found its greatest strength, and highest consumer popularity, through its wealth of in-house and first party developed games. Of all games and console developers, Nintendo have always ruled the roost when it comes to holding a host of culturally recognisable and crowd pleasing games and characters, ranging from the Mario Brothers, Zelda and Link, Donkey Kong and Pokemon. All these names are well known and loved not just in the gaming industry, but as a part of popular culture itself.
Nintendo are due to release the following games in the wake of the DSi launch;

- Mario and Luigi RPG 3 - The third installment in the much loved franchise that began way back on the SNES. Intitally developed by Square, as the name suggests this is an RPG which takes the famous duo on adventures throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. The second in the series was released on the Nintendo DS, and this third installment hopes to emulate the success of the earlier game.

- Pokemon Platinum - The Pokemon franchse continues to dominate the world, having stretched far beyond the computer game medium and maintaining a high popularity over the years. Pokemon Platinum was released to a staggering launch profit in Japan, with over 2 million copies sold by the end of 2008, a testament to just how popular this franchise is. Pokemon Platinum looks set to bring Nintendo DSi into the forefront of handheld gaming almost single handedly.

-Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks- Following on from previous DS game The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks is due to see the return of Link around the end of 2009/early 2010. Phantom Hourglass implemented an extensive use of Ships in order to navigate, and as the name suggests Spirit Tracks is due to feature extensive useage of trains throughout the quest.

-Trace Memory 2 - Trace Memory was a mystery game which developed quite a cult following on its release, and since then the upcoming DSi sequal has been garnering no small amount of interest. Not yet confirmed for a western release, fans across the world are holding out hope for a general distribution.

As you can see, Nintendo are really bringing out the big guns in a bid to launch the DSi to massive critical acclaim, and with the help of these hgihly popular titles, is looks to be a very promising start.