Daily Nintendo

Tips and Tricks – Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)

2008-11-20T12:11:26Z

Is Castlevania giving you a headache? We'll teach you how to beat it.

Almost all of the Castlevania games ever released had featured Count Dracula as the main antagonist. This week, we feature the Big Kahuna himself. The Castlevania game in question is the recently-released Order of Ecclesia for the Nintendo DS. While Dracula isn’t really that tough to handle in Order of Ecclesia, there are two ways to go about beating the ever-returning vampire.

Here is the pattern you can study:

It’s quite easy, so even if you don’t have the same Glyphs as the one used in the video, beating the count is still possible. However, if you’ve managed to reach Dracula carrying the Death Ring, Sun Ring, Nitesco, Melio Hasta, and Dominus Agony, then you can dispatch the pesky vampire following this method:

This is perhaps the most powerful combination in Order of Ecclesia. The glyphs and items so formidable that they make the reputedly-difficult game almost too easy.

So there you have it: the best ways to beat Count Dracula in Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia. We gave you two options because some of you might want a challenge and opt for the first method. Either way, don’t forget to use Dominus Agony to seal the deal.

Reviews – Ninjatown (DS)

2008-11-19T10:58:39Z

The ninjas of Ninjatown are cuddly cute.

Forget everything you know about the stealthy, menacing sort of ninjas that TV and other video games have taught you. In Ninjatown, the newest game for the Nintendo DS, there is but one kind: the sugary-sweet, cuddly ninjas that make the best cookies this side of Mrs. Field’s.

Ninjatown has been invaded by all sorts of nasties, and it’s up to Ol’ Master Ninja to lead the town’s defense and protect the cute ninjas’ secret cookie recipe from falling into the hands of Mr. Demon.

The maps get progressively tougher.

The setup is quite simple: to prevent the bad guys from reaching the end of each map, you must construct a variety of ninja huts, each containing ninjas of different skill and costume. The enemies come in waves, and are quite varied too. Ninjatown follows Blizzard Entertainment’s “easy to learn, difficult to master” mantra.

Ninjatown provides a good amount of depth in its simple, real-time strategy gameplay. However, things aren’t as easy as they seem because ‘Ol Master Ninja can’t just keep building structures with impunity. Since this game is an RTS, there is a resource that limits unit construction. In Ninjatown, it’s all about the cookies. Each enemy defeated earns you some cookies, which could then be used to create or upgrade huts. Each structure is priced differently, depending on the ninja that resides in it. The more effective the ninja, the more cookies are required.

Ol’ Master Ninja also comes with interesting powers that can be used via the touchscreen. These powers include the ability to send enemies flying back by blowing into the microphone; fry enemies by means of a magnifying lens; give a quick strength boost to ninjas by tapping them individually. The powers are varied, balanced, and useful.

The maps gradually increase in difficulty and complexity as the game progresses. Things get trickier either via tougher enemies, more roads to guard, fewer places to build, or seemingly fewer cookies overall. Despite the kiddie visuals, Ninjatown provides compelling gameplay that could appeal to the older or ‘hardcore’ crowd. Unfortunately, these kiddie visuals might drive away the same core gamers that Ninjatown could attract.

One nitpick: the developers should have made better use of the upper screen’s real estate by removing the image of Ol’ Ninja Master riding the hot-air balloon.

The Ninjatown humor isn't exactly for kids.

Multiplayer is pretty much like the single-player campaign. The players still fight waves of enemies, but the first to clear a wave wins. Each player is given ten hearts, and one heart is subtracted for every loss. The best part? You can still play with other DS owners even with just one cartridge. However, you’d be limited to just three maps. To enjoy the full nine maps that Ninjatown has to offer, go for multi-cart play.

Interestingly, while Ninjatown uses colorful kid-friendly visuals, the humor isn’t appropriate for children. Funny references to corporate and even political topics would likely leave the kids scratching their heads, while the seemingly-cute illustrations don’t change the fact that certain powers are based on human waste. Nevertheless. if you can look past the cute, cartoony visuals, Ninjatown is the type of game that could eat away the hours without you noticing it.

8/10

Review Surfing - Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels (Wii)

2008-11-18T12:45:02Z

Does the Wii finally have its definitive lightsaber game?

The quest for the definitive lightsaber action game for the Wii continues as another Star Wars game is launched for the Nintendo console. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed featured a Jedi protagonist, but the game’s focus was on crazy Force powers—not lightsaber combat as people are clamoring for.

Enter Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels, a game based on the recent Star Wars CGI film. The existence of this lightsaber game raises an important question: are the controls deep enough to have any semblance of dynamic combat? See what the pundits think:

Official Nintendo Magazine UK: (71%) “Ultimately, Lightsaber Duels is only really worth getting for either those who have seen and done everything in The Force Unleashed and crave more Star Wars action or for younger gamers who love the recent Clone Wars cartoons and aren’t that interested in the live-action movies. Otherwise The Force Unleashed is still really the way to go.”

Lightsaber Duels forces players to rely on repetitive attacks.

GameSpot: (65%) “There is no suspension of disbelief due to the simplistic fighting mechanics and imprecise controls, and your dreams of feeling like an all-powerful Jedi remain unrealized. LucasArts gave it a great try, with faithful graphics, sound, and cinematic flair, but for legions of rabid Star Wars fans, it’s do or do not. There is no try.”

Variety: (50%) “It’s the closest a videogame has come to giving players mastery of the ultimate sci-fi weapon, though the controls are so simple, and the story and multiplayer options so lacking, that it will likely appeal only to the same young boys as the film, which hits homevideo this week.”

Based from what we’ve seen, this Star Wars title isn’t quite that lightsaber game that Wii fans are yearning for. Apparently, the weakness doesn’t just lie in the controls—Lightsaber Duels is said to drive players to use the same tactics again and again for victory. Perhaps the Wii MotionPlus would change things when it comes out next year.

Of course, the hardware’s success would still depend on the software available. Here’s to a dynamic lightsaber game for the Nintendo Wii.

GTA Chinatown Wars to have majority of GTA IV map

2008-11-17T12:42:20Z

GTA: Chinatown Wars is going to be BIG.

It pays to know your languages, especially when said languages provide information about your favorite games that can be tricky to come by. Rockstar Watch certainly did reap its benefits, as the site discovered that Spanish magazine Hispana (name may not be translated correctly) claims to know new details about Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS.

If you can read and understand Spanish, check out what the image says:

Translated roughly to English, it means:

“Although many believe that Chinatown Wars was to develop only in Chinatown, used almost the entire map that appears in GTA IV. Apparently neighborhoods: Dukes (Queens), Bohan (Bronx), Broker (Brooklyn), and Algonquin (Manhattan). The only district that does not appear GTA IV is Alderney (Jersey City).”

Despite some obvious grammatical mistakes, one can glean that the upcoming GTA game for the Nintendo DS would come with most of the map from Grand Theft Auto IV.

But watch out! More details are said to have emerged from the Spanish magazine. According to Nintendo Everything, GTA: Chinatown Wars would also have the following features:

Camera can swivel 360 degrees
Trains will pass overhead in the city, cars will circle, pedestrians will be walking, etc.
GPS seen on the touch screen while you move through the city
PDA allows you to gain access to the map with more details as well as the goals of missions
You can mark points that you want and the GPS will always tell you the shortest legal route to the destination with yellow or blue arrows
New discoveries (such as gas stations) are added to the map
Top screen brings you all the action, while the lower screen will let you control elements like the PDA, GPS, the radio, access to the people on the map, or using Motolov cocktails and grenades.
Drugs have a big importance in the game
Drug system can be compared to Drugwars
You have to control the stock of drugs, buy them in one neighborhood and sell them in another - Good way to make money in the game
You are given a map so that you know what people demand and at what prices
Like other GTA games, in Chinatown Wars, you can catch a taxi - whistle into the microphone so the taxi will stop

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is set to arrive (tentatively, at least) before the end of January 2009. Looks like it’s going to be BIG. Not as big as GTA IV, but perhaps bigger than any Nintendo DS game before it.

EA’s new exercise game to compete with Nintendo’s Wii Fit

2008-11-14T09:32:47Z

EA is joining the Wii exercise bandwagon.

Nintendo’s selection of exercise games for the Wii has gotten a little more crowded. Nipping at the heels of Deep Silver’s entry into the console exercise market, EA has just announced that it is joining the fray as well. The biggest publisher’s new exercise game? EA Sports Active.

According to Kelmens Kundratitz of Koch Media (owner of Deep Silver), their company’s exercise game would be using Wii Fit’s balance board. EA’s game, on the other hand, would instead use the Wiimote and nunchuk, and would also come with resistance bands.

EA Sports president Peter Moore told GameSpot that their game would take a different approach compared to Nintendo’s Wii Fit. Moore explains:

“It’s a completely different fitness experience,” he stated. “There’s a different philosophy between the East and West about what fitness means, and Wii Fit does very well with some of what I’ll call the Eastern philosophy of fitness, which is balance and coordination. But you’re rarely in danger of breaking a sweat and getting your heart rate up. It’s just not intended for that.

“So we immediately started building the product with a view to having a condensed time period in which you can get your heart rate up. It will measure your calories burned. It will measure time as you’re doing things.”

Oprah trainer Bob Green is endorsing EA Sports Active.

Moore added that EA Sports Active would be endorsed by Bob Greene, who is Oprah’s trainer. Interestingly, Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Ultimatum 2009, Deep Silver’s game, is being endorsed by celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels from the U.S. TV series The Biggest Loser. It looks like the next console fitness game would be a battle of celebrity trainers. Question is: would gameplay for both games be in tip-top shape?

I can almost see it: Bob Green on Oprah, telling people about the game he’s endorsing. Better yet—Oprah giving away EA Sports Active during the Favorite Things portion of her show. Deep Silver is on an uphill climb.

Nintendo binges on patents for DS, DSi

2008-11-14T09:34:47Z

What does Nintendo have in store for the DS and DSi?

Nintendo recently revealed a comprehensive list of patents related to the DS and DSi handhelds. According to hawk-eyed Spencer of Siliconera, Nintendo trademarked a glut of terms right before the press conference that announced the coming of the DSi. Before we get to the meaty part, Spencer added a disclaimer:

Many of these trademarks sound like new DS features or services. Some like DSArcade might even be tantalizing. But, before any rumors spread about a secret development of a DS time traveling device start circulating, please note that many of these are probably protective trademarks. Nintendo has not announced any plans for a DSiMovie service, but any forward thinking company would reserve the name just in case they want to pursue that path in the future. This list is more like a brainstorming session of what Nintendo could do with the Nintendo DS and the DSi.

The list is as follows:

DSiChannel
DSiStation
DSiNews
DSiMovie
DSiMusic
DSiMail
DSiMode
DSiVision
DSiTsuushin (DSiCommunication)
DSArcade
DSBook
DSCreator
DSClub
DSCommunity
DSCooking
DSDiary
DSeye
DSFamily
DSFriend
DSLife
DSLive
DSLibrary
DSmobile
DSMap
DSNavi
DSNet
DSPhone
DSPlus
DSPoint
DSSchool
DSSpeak
DSShop
DSShopping
DSTrainer
DSTime
DSWalk
DSZone
MyDS
CatchDS
ShotDS

Among the patented names, the ones that might come about are: DSiNews (perhaps similar to the Wii’s News Channel), DSeye (perhaps for the DSi’s camera?), and DSShopping (another name for DSi Shop?). I have a feeling that Nintendo plans to integrate a menu system for the DSi similar to that of the Wii Menu, and that these patents could be used as names for the menu’s features.

For more details on the complete list of patents, visit Siliconera.

Tips and Tricks – Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia (DS)

2008-11-13T11:52:28Z

Find out how to beat this game's toughest boss.

Let’s break up the series for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for this week, shall we? Another game that deserves your attention and effort is the recently-released Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia for the Nintendo DS. The critics loved it, and so did we. Perhaps the only major complaint that could be leveled against Order of Ecclesia is its superhuman difficulty.

This week, we’d like to focus on beating what is arguably the most frustrating boss in Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia—Blackmore, the shadow creature located in Dracula’s castle. We have a video of the battle, and we’ll show you how to defeat Blackmore with no HP loss.

Here are the keys to defeating Blackmore:

Use the Nitesco Glyph, which can be obtained via the green Nova Skeleton.
Shanoa should stay somewhere near Blackmore’s claws and try to keep away from the leftmost corner. The reason—the trio of shadow comets usually fall on the leftmost corner.
When Blackmore raises both arms and attacks Shanoa, slide towards the wall.
When Blackmore thrusts a claw at Shanoa, double jump towards the left corner. Make sure you reach the jump’s maximum height to ensure that the claws won’t be on the ground when Shanoa lands.

Pay attention to Blackmore’s arms! If the beast raises both arms, the safe spot is at the leftmost corner. If Blackmore thrusts one arm, execute a double jump.

Reviews - WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (DS)

2008-11-13T05:37:56Z

Wrestler details are staggering in this WWE handheld game.

At first glance, the Nintendo DS version of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 is quite impressive: the numerous wrestlers look like their real-life counterparts, there are so many moves to choose from, the game’s replay value is close to limitless, each wrestler’s entrance is fairly accurate, and the audio quality is pretty good for a DS game.

However, upon closer inspection, these strengths are negated by one important detail: the controls are terrible. Instead of relying primarily on the glut of buttons on the Nintendo DS, Yuke’s, the developer, decided to mix it up. Wrestlers move around the ring via the control pad, while attacks and grapples are done via the touch controls.

Grappling is an exercise in frustration.

See, what’s wrong with this setup is quite simple. Since players are forced to use the stylus for attacks, there is a delay between the input (pressing the buttons) and execution (the wrestler pulls off the move). As a result, computer-controlled opponents usually end up attacking first. To make things worse, the DS version provides no option to counter the attacks, so matches are decided by who gets to execute the grapple first. Since AI-controlled opponents have an upper hand by default, trying to win matches has become an exercise in frustration.

This basic control problem is made even more apparent when one tries the career mode. Players can choose any WWE wrestler or create their own, but getting that first win is close to impossible because the starting stats are low. There’s a gym for leveling up muscle groups, but victories are needed to increase the wrestler’s stats. How then can one win with the bad controls and low stats? It’s trying enough with powerful wrestlers, so one can only imagine how it would be like for weaker ones. Victories may be earned eventually, but by that time, the player may have already had a stroke.

Stay away from WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 for the DS. It may look and sound pretty, but it’s all moot when one is on the brink of smashing the handheld into many pieces out of sheer annoyance. Despite this, the game remains to have potential because of the basic package that’s already there. All that needs to be added are button controls. Until that day comes, any consideration to purchase WWE Smackdown vs. Raw titles is madness.

3/10

Review Surfing – Guitar Hero World Tour (Wii)

2008-11-11T09:27:47Z

Guitar Hero World Tour is currently the hottest game for the Nintendo Wii, and with good reason: it’s finally as good as Rock Band. If you previously switched to Guitar Hero’s rival because of the band-focused gameplay, then you’d be pleased to know that World Tour finally integrates the same features—and in some cases—actually improves on the Rock Band formula.

If you still have your doubts, see what the critics think:

Kombo: (90%) “While the “wow” factor might be gone for these band types of games, it doesn’t detract from the overwhelmingly positive things World Tour does to progress the genre. The quality of life features, like drum kit configuration and unpause countdown might seem inconsequential but impact the game in such a way that you’ll have a tough time imaging how you could survive without those features. The fact that DLC is available on the Wii is a great triumph for owners of the system. This Guitar Hero might be on its first World Tour but it is assuredly world class.”

Guitar Hero World Tour = Rock Band 3

GameSpot: (80%) “Guitar Hero World Tour is a huge leap forward for the Guitar Hero franchise. It’s a blast to play with friends, the setlist is top-notch, and the music studio is a nice–albeit extremely complicated–addition. Although it’s a great game, as well as a vast improvement over previous series entries, it doesn’t do a whole lot that Rock Band and its sequel haven’t already done (and in some cases, done better). With that in mind, if you really like Guitar Hero’s setlist and you’re interested (and patient enough) in creating your own music, pack your bags to head out on tour.”

IGN: (88%) “If you own a PS3 or 360 in addition to Wii, you might want to weigh your options when considering Rock Band 2 or World Tour, or a combination of both for hardware/software. If you’re a Wii-only gamer though, World Tour owns the system, and we’ve rated it accordingly. World Tour raises the bar for what Wii games do both in connectivity and in data management. Oh, and there’s a pretty kick-ass music game in there too.”

GameDaily: (80%) “No, it’s not perfect, but Guitar Hero World Tour is a great music game and a perfect holiday gift. The customization tools, Music Studio, crazy-fun Wii Freestyle mode and overall sense of fun make this show worth attending. Bring on the encore.”

Just one question: since the game has shifted its focus from guitar players to the entire band, why is it still called Guitar Hero?

Capcom shows off new Resident Evil Zero video, screenshots for Wii

2008-11-10T12:58:24Z

Resident Evil is back--in Japan.

Remember the Japan-only Resident Evil Zero for the Nintendo Wii? It’s a port of the GameCube game released in 2002. If you live in Japan and understand Japanese, Resident Evil Zero is coming to the Wii on Christmas day. To satisfy your bloodlust for zombie scares, watch the video and check out several new screens.

It’s quite a shame that the clip was a bit on the short side. Fortunately, Capcom was quite generous with new screenshots.

Sadly, the game won’t be making its way outside the Land of the Rising Sun. If you’re fortunate enough to learn Japanese, then importing Resident Evil Zero via online retailers such as Play Asia or Yes Asia would probably be your best bet to grab a copy.