It generally depends on the game, or the quality of the demo. There are many people who said without the Valkyria Chronicles demo they wouldn't have bought the final game, while I never tried the demo and bought the game straight away, with a game that is bound to sell many copies or is a game with high expectations, if the demo is not up to scratch then it is probably better to leave off releasing one.
This article was very good at explaining this point:
[www.teletext.co.uk]
This review states pretty much what I thought of the iPod version, it was pretty good and whilst a port of the PC version, hence some technical and graphical issues pulling it back from being as fit an experience as it was on DS, I enjoyed it.
I've had chapter 1 finished for a few weeks now and unfortunately reached the level cap just after finishing it. Still, I'm laying seige to cities and so on.
I only got version 1.1 near finishing the chapter, but it was a huge improvement, especially when the battles themselves move a lot more swiftly.
A recommend then, it sits next to i Love Katamari on the menu.
Those with the latest issue of NGamer magazine will also find a preview of the game.
This will excellent, as it's by the studio who animated the excellent Kannagi, so I have every hope this will be a good adaptation.
@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: For everyone who wishes to, it's worth having a read of this: [www.edge-online.com]
@lllusionx: Another good theme worth getting is obtainable if you go to the Japanese Valkyria Chronicles website, there should be themes (as well as high-red 1080p wallpapers not on the English language site) there.
Just searchd the iPod App store for "Crayon Physics" and Crayon Physics Deluxe has now been added to it, published by Hudson soft (for £2.99). Anyone tried the iPod Touch/Phone version?
@Boxout6:
I absolutely loved it and am still playing it now. Everything from the gorgeous cutscenes to the wonderful storyline to the storytelling itself (I love the book mode and also the reports, the characters become extremely well developed, not to mention that scene in chapter 8 with the dying soldier was so emotional), it is such a fresh experience. The battles themselves are all well excecuted, if not challenging in places (I keep losing at the end of chapter 10's second mission and was stuck for ages on chapter 7).
It's a game that shouldn't be missed.
I've been quite lucky with this so far on the iPod Touch, as I'm near the end of this forst chapter and have had no problems with save files. I do remember upon beginning the game itself it asked whether I wanted to store my save file on transgaming's servers so I should never lose it...
Still, it's an alright port, but there could be many small improvements, for example they seemed to have just rescaled everything from the PC version to fit the iPod's screen, hence the blurry visuals and also stretched game board. In fact, try to capture a monster, fail and the game board will appear behind the fail message at its original size, in which it looks marvellous (but of course does not fit the screen). The music in-game does not switch instantly with the scene you or on either.
@Ashurahori:
NGamer is the least fanboyish magazine of the lot, counting its predecessors too (NGC/N64, Super Play.) Not only is it an unofficial magazine, therefore they aren't biased, but they were always truthful, even at the times when Nintendo were not at the height of the "console wars". Such an example was the review of the year before, where every department didn't receive an "A", instead it ranged from A-D, with GBA linkup getting the poorest mark. Not only that, but reviews are constantly excellent. At least they felt disapointment from E3, I can't imagine ONM doing that.
NGamer is the least fanboyish magazine of the lot, counting its predecessors too (NGC/N64, Super Play.) Not only is it an unofficial magazine, therefore they aren't biased, but they were always truthful, even at the times when Nintendo were not at the height of the "console wars". Such an example was the review of the year before, where every department didn't receive an "A", instead it ranged from A-D, with GBA linkup getting the poorest mark. Not only that, but reviews are constantly excellent. At least they felt disapointment from E3, I can't imagine ONM doing that.
It has always been my favourite Nintendo magazine, alongside EDGE as my most-read.
If you want a fanboy's magazine look at ONM. New Super Mario Bros got 96% from them, and they didn't even review Pokemon Battle Revolution because they obviously knew it was bad. Though I do respect the fact ONM is shifting systems and software for Nintendo due to their arguably (or obviously) biased approach, but it doesn't a good magazine make.
I think Treyarch did an excellent job with their Wii version of Call of Duty World At War. With COD 3, it was an incredibly lazy port that was the same as the PS2 version with added controls but this is the what should be done if possible. The online works extremely well, just like its big brothers, everything from friends lists being available all the time to perks, levelling up and leaderboards being there, although some modes were ommited. Still, it was impressive they got the COD4 engine running on Wii and it looks impressive for the console, especially when textures are constantly being streamed from the disc (making it one of the loudest Wii games to hear from the system). Not to mention the controls are simply excellent.
But there is such a lack of effort. This year there hasn't been many decent third party Wii games, only COD WaW, No More Heroes, De Blob, Medal of Honour Heroes 2, Zack and Wiki (for Europe), Shaun White and a few others. Aside from Shaun White and Cod World At War, there haven't been many successful Wii versions of their older brothers.
The Conduit seems a bit overhyped to me. The level design seems a bit uninspired, but graphically it impresses. However only the first level has been shown to the public, so things may improve level-design wise.
Ithe second brightness setting meant to be as bright as the DS Lite's brightness now (according to 1up's in depth look at it, where the brightness and clarity of the screen colours were given a look at)? That might also explain the difference in battery life, though this wasn't really the case with the brightness and screen quality step-up from DS Lite to DSi, don't forget the processor of the original DS was made to consume less power for the DS Lite.
Is the battery different in the DSi (it does use a new charger, though that might be to reduce imports, though the DS Lite's charger wasn't compatible with the Game Boy Micro's even though the plug hole was the same, compared with the original DS' being compatible with the GBA SP's).
@crashlanding: Yes, previous GTAs have sold very well, some have reached over half and (from what I remember) one million units in sales, which is very good for a western game (some hardly sell over 10000 units).
If it did get a UK release (Which it won't) I would be really looking forward to it.
I think it still does have the dancing, if you watch the Wii trailer from Nintendo's autumn conference in Japan the footage suggests so. It also shows the DS version on the DS trailer.
If it used the same charger as the DS Lite I would have definitely imported it but it doesn't seem to be the case, meaning I'd probably have to buy a step-down coverter to charge it up.
Things were good in terms of importing with the original DS as I just used my GBA SP charger.
I absolutely enjoyed this event, shame I left before the final cosplay event but it was great fun. Managed to get a SNES there, too (and play the new Raving Rabbids game and see Street Fighter IV in action).
This was released last Friday in Europe and I bought it immediately, it's VERY, VERY good. The online mode works brilliantly, following in the steps of Mario Kart (though your points are rewarded on certain after-match rewards ie whether you got revenge on people, etc so they rarely go down). There's online leaderboards (I made it to the 40's, though that will change when it goes global) and finding a match is fast. Local multiplayer is brilliant with up to 8 players and you can take 4 people online.
This is easily the Wiiware game yet and I've been playing it regularly.
Hmm, this is a bit of a shame but if the dancing is still there it might be good. Any Asahina-san games? The DS game is coming though, I still wonder who's developing it (and dreaming that it is Treasure).
Nintendo Europe and NGamer magazine have this game pencilled in for an August 29 release date, this Friday!
I thought Nintendo said Mario Kart Wii sold 6.42 million worldwide?
