Feb 27
If you are a Nintendo fan that still plays online games on your Wii or DS consoles, Nintendo has some bad news. Nintendo will be ending some functionality for its … Continue reading
Oct 14
We’ve seen a full-sized arcade cabinet hacked to control a Nintendo DS. Redditor button-masher decided to cram the handheld into a tiny arcade cabinet instead. Then he went to great lengths to make it look like a real arcade cabinet, adding tiny joysticks and buttons, a marquee and even a couple of coin slots.
The joystick and buttons are wired to the DS’ circuit board. The upper screen of the DS serves as the cabinet’s monitor, while its lower half is crammed inside. Even though the cabinet’s banner bears Galaga’s logo, the cabinet can actually play any DS game. Or at least, any DS game that can be controlled with a joystick and two buttons. But I think button-masher’s good with his cartridges: Namco Museum and Konami Classics Arcade Hits.
There are probably cheaper or easier ways to make a tiny arcade cabinet, but if you have a spare or unused Nintendo DS this is a great way to repurpose the aging handheld. Head to Imgur to see more pictures of button-masher’s mod.
[via Reddit]
Aug 25
Portal Nintendo DS Homebrew: Aperture Science Handheld Portal Playing Device
Posted in: Today's ChiliThe Nintendo DS has many puzzle and platforming games, but I bet not many DS owners expected this nice surprise. A small group of fans are working on Aperture Science, an adaptation of Valve’s hit game Portal for the Nintendo DS.
GBATemp forum member Smealum is handling Aperture Science’s code while his buddy Lobo is working on the game’s graphics. According to Smealum, the goal is to make an original campaign with deranged scientist Doug Rattman as the hero. The game will also come with a level editor to extend replayability. Here’s a brief look at Aperture Science:
It even has its own cover art!
Aperture Science is not a lie. It’s a work in progress though. You can download a playable build on Smealum’s website, but you need a flash cart and a program called NitroFS to play Aperture Science.
[via GBATemp via GoNintendo]
Apr 30
If you’re a Pokémon fan, you probably are familiar with the Magikarp – or as is known in many circles, the Magicrap. Despite being arguably the most useless Pokémon, the orange fish is still one of the most popular characters in the series. So what better way to show your allegiance to the splashy Magikarp but to carry around your handheld gaming system inside of one.
Flea Circus Designs‘ interpretation of the Magikarp is definitely a bit more rectangular than we’re used to seeing, but they had to make it that way so it could stand a chance at holding onto a game system. It’s made from fleece and felt, and is big enough to hold onto a Nintendo DS, DS Lite, 3DS or a Sony PSP. It’ll also gobble up most cell phones and small digicams. Magikarp’s mouth is also lined with Velcro to make sure that it doesn’t accidentally spit your gadget out.
Cast your rod and reel in the Magikarp case over on Etsy for $25(USD).
Apr 29
Nintendo is looking to steal some business away from 3rd party resellers like Gamestop or Game n’ Trade with its own refurbished online store. Its new refurbished store currently only offers slightly blemished Nintendo 3DS and Nintedo DSi XL systems, but soon it may offer even more products like the Wii U. While the refurbished online store will be beneficial to consumers, it will be detrimental to businesses. Luckily for businesses around the world, Nintendo’s refurbished store is only available in North America.
Nintendo’s refurbished store may offer better deals compared to other resellers. Prices start at $99.99 for a Nintendo DSi XL and $129.98 for a Nintendo 3DS. The systems are fully functional, but Nintendo warns users that there could be “minor blemishes” on the system. All refurbished products come with a one-year warranty, the same warranty it offers for its new products, just in case you have an issue with the system later on.
Nintendo is looking to keep its sales in the family, because while it can’t stop people from purchasing used systems over new systems, it can stop people from purchasing used systems from other companies. In order to make its refurbished products more enticing, not only is Nintendo offering its refurbished products with all of its original gear, but its also throwing in a charging cradle and an AR Card Pack for free.
The Nintendo 3DS has been successful in the market, despite the huge decline that the portable gaming console industry has been seeing. It sold over 31 million units so far and has been said to be the “best portable gaming console” to date. Its no surprise considering all of the major titles that have been released onto its platform, including a remastered Super Mario Brothers and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as well as an upcoming remaster of the portable Pokemon franchise.
[via Nintendo]
Nintendo blocks out 3rd party resellers with own refurbished online store is written by Brian Sin & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Feb 06
The sophistication of car navigation systems in Japan is remarkable and continues to get better, with companies developing better and easier to use units, with additional fun features.
Fujitsu group company, Fujitsu Ten, has introduced its latest and greatest ECLIPSE model – ULTRA AVN (AVN-ZX02i). It has an extra large monitor size, fits in 17 different Honda, Toyota and Nissan car models, has improved view-ability and improved traffic recognition and warning capabilities.
It also has …
Oct 19
Today, we’re finding once again out that crime doesn’t pay – or at least it does for a little while until you get busted. One Nintendo counterfeiter, named James Success Brooks, is more than likely facing time in the slammer after Nintendo discovered he was selling counterfeit Wii and DS games online. According to Croydon Guardian, Brooks sold these games online between 2009 and 2011, raking in around £600,000 ($960,120) in the process.
That definitely isn’t chump change, so it’s no wonder that Nintendo went after him. Brooks found himself on the wrong end of an investigation carried out by the big N and the United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment Association after it came to Nintendo’s attention that an online retailer was selling unauthorized Nintendo goods. The two began buying these bogus products from various online retailers, and their investigation eventually brought them back to the mastermind behind the whole operation: Brooks.
According to Croydon Guardian, Brooks was charged “two counts of fraudulent trading, two counts of supplying an article to use in fraud, two counts of unauthorised possession of goods bearing a trademark and one count of unauthorised use of a trademark,” and appeared in court last Friday to plead guilty to all of the charges brought against him. He’s currently out on bail at the moment, but he’ll be back in court soon enough – he’s scheduled to go back in front of judge on Friday, November 9 to receive sentencing.
Don’t expect the court to just let him off with a slap on the wrist either. As we said, making nearly $1 million from the sale of bogus products isn’t anything to scoff at, so it’s almost certain that he’ll be thrown in jail. This shows that Nintendo is obviously taking this anti-piracy thing seriously, so it may not be the best idea to hit up those Super Mario Galaxy torrents you’ve been eyeing.
Nintendo counterfeiter likely on the way to jail after making $1m in sales is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Sep 19
Turtle Beach releasing entry-level Ear Force NLa, N11 stereo headsets for the Wii U faithful
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Turtle Beach, the company that builds high-end audio gear for gamers immaterial of their bank balance is pushing out a pair of headsets for Nintendo’s latest baby. The Ear Force NLa is an entry-level headset that’s been customized to work with the Wii U GamePad, while the EarForce N11 is a little more serious — with angled 50mm speakers with extended bass. Both units are also compatible with the company’s DS and 3DS handhelds and will arrive in Q4 of this year, with the NLa setting you back $35 and the N11 a marginally heftier $50.
Update: We’ve also heard that the NLa will be available in the UK in November, costing £40, while the N11 arrives in early 2013.
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
Turtle Beach releasing entry-level Ear Force NLa, N11 stereo headsets for the Wii U faithful originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Sep 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sep 10
Being a Pokemon trainer can be rough, especially if you made some bad decisions throughout your journey. Sure, that Pidgey was cute, but cute doesn’t matter much when that same Pidgey has to go up against something like a Dragonite. Luckily, Nintendo is here to give you an edge in battle, provided you’re willing to show your support for the Pokemon franchise and purchase Pokemon Black and White 2 early.
Today, the company announced that everyone who purchases the latest Pokemon installments between October 7 and November 12 will be awarded with opportunity to download that particularly scary-looking Pokemon you see pictured above. Its name is Genesect, and it’s a legendary bug and steel type Pokemon. Introduced prior to the release of the original Black and White, Genesect is the final Pokemon listed in both the Unova and National Pokedex. Aside from this upcoming event, there hasn’t been any legitimate way for players in the US to nab one, but that’s all set to change with the release of Black and White 2.
In order to get a Genesect of your own, all you need to do is purchase a copy of Black 2 or White 2 during the dates mentioned above. Once you’ve done that, connect to the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection, and in no time at all, Genesect will be on the way to your game cart. Genesect comes with an exclusive move, Techno Blast, that isn’t used by any other Pokemon, and has the ability to “adjust its power levels based on the foe it’s battling.” Nintendo isn’t entirely clear on what it means by that, so it looks like there are still some surprises in store when it comes to Genesect.
Nintendo held a similar promotion for early purchasers of the original Black and White, handing out the legendary psychic and fire type Pokemon Victini. There’s no word on what level this promotional Genesect is, but the Victini that early Black and White buyers received was level 15, so it seems safe to assume that Genesect will come at a similarly low level. Is anyone out there planning to pick up Pokemon Black and White 2? Let us know what you think of this giveaway!
Pokemon Black and White 2 early purchasers get Genesect free is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Aug 10
Microsoft must sometimes feel like its lead in the game market is a Pyrrhic victory. The Xbox 360 once again topped the NPD Group’s hardware charts in July, claiming a near-majority 49 percent market share of consoles — but the 203,000 units sold were a steep drop from the 257,000 units that traded hands in June, and a far cry from the glory days that would have given a victory more meaning. Nintendo and Sony haven’t shared their own figures, although the analyst group notes that only Nintendo’s 3DS and DSi had any kind of increase in the month. The industry as a whole was unmistakably feeling the combined effects of the pre-holiday doldrums and a console generation that’s long in the tooth: hardware revenue was down 32 percent in the month to $150.7 million, while the games in question saw revenue dip 23 percent to $260.7 million. If you need a culprit, earlier reports for the second quarter had credited similar shifts to sales of physical game copies declining faster than digital sales could replace them. Hope remains in the usual fall spike; even so, the July figures suggest the big three platforms might be living on borrowed time.
Filed under: Gaming
NPD: Xbox 360 ruled a steadily declining video game empire in July originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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