Nintendo DS Games In Fall 2006 – 22 Games To Watch Out For
Let’s face it: Apart from the odd outstanding title like Star Fox Command, Summer of 2006 has been rather dry for DS fans seeking to enhance their collection with outstanding games.
But as we’re closing in on the end of the year, Nintendo and other publishers have prepared a huge number of promising titles to hit DS shelves well before the Christmas season.
To get you an overview of what will be the most interesting stuff on offer this Fall, IGN has posted an article detailing 22 games you shouldn’t miss. We picked out the best ones for you, featuring our own take on the games. For the full list, read IGN’s original article.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (September 11): The craziest sports game to hit handhelds for quite a while, Hoops is a joint effort between Nintendo and Square Enix and if that doesn’t convince you yet, the game will feature a ton of guest characters and extensive touch screen functionality to ensure smooth and fun gameplay.
Mega Man ZX (September 12): The Mega Man Zero series on the GBA was the long-awaited return to form for Capcom‘s prominent franchise, albeit the blue robot wasn’t even in the main cast. With ZX Capcom seeks to fuse the complexity and depth of the Zero titles with the classic, action-filled gameplay of the X series. Hopefully, we’ll really get the best of both worlds, and if the listing on IGN’s article is any indication, it should be a good game to have.
Read more of the article after the jump!
Let’s face it: Apart from the odd outstanding title like Star Fox Command, Summer of 2006 has been rather dry for DS fans seeking to enhance their collection with outstanding games.
But as we’re closing in on the end of the year, Nintendo and other publishers have prepared a huge number of promising titles to hit DS shelves well before the Christmas season.
To get you an overview of what will be the most interesting stuff on offer this Fall, IGN has posted an article detailing 22 games you shouldn’t miss. We picked out the best ones for you, featuring our own take on the games. For the full list, read IGN’s original article.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (September 11): The craziest sports game to hit handhelds for quite a while, Hoops is a joint effort between Nintendo and Square Enix and if that doesn’t convince you yet, the game will feature a ton of guest characters and extensive touch screen functionality to ensure smooth and fun gameplay.
Mega Man ZX (September 12): The Mega Man Zero series on the GBA was the long-awaited return to form for Capcom‘s prominent franchise, albeit the blue robot wasn’t even in the main cast. With ZX Capcom seeks to fuse the complexity and depth of the Zero titles with the classic, action-filled gameplay of the X series. Hopefully, we’ll really get the best of both worlds, and if the listing on IGN’s article is any indication, it should be a good game to have.
MechAssault: Phantom War (September 17): It’s hard to get a mech game right on a handheld – the reason why there have been so few in the past. Majesco breaks the ice with Phantom War, featuring 3D visuals, touch screen controls and WiFi. Developer Backbone Entertainment made themselves a name as the studio behind Age Of Empires. Phantom War goes into an entirely different direction, but the talent seems to be there, so why not happily anticipate Phantom War‘s release?
Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime (September 19): Everyone loves Dragon Quest, right? The series is huge in Japan so it’s only fair that we Non-Japanese finally get one of those lovely spin-off titles as well. The thought of playing as a slime might irritate some people, nonetheless, Nintendo DS was always about open-mindedness…
Contact (September 19): IGN calls it a “unique blend between Earthbound and Animal Crossing“; Grasshopper Manufacture would probably want to punch them in the face for comparing their games to anything else. Let’s just call it a “unique RPG” now, one of those rare occasions in gaming where the developers dare to break the fourth wall, directly communicating with the player. Hopefully it will all work out.
Magical Starsign (October 23): While there’s tons and tons of great games out for the DS already, the handheld hasn’t quite reached the GBA’s level of excellency when it comes to RPGs. With FFIII on the horizon, it could be easy to overlook Magical Starsign. A mistake, as the title sports greatly detailed, old-school 2D graphics, a charming stoyline and deep battles.
Children Of Mana (October 30): There’s no denying that Children Of Mana has the best 2D visuals ever seen on a Nintendo handheld. But talking about gameplay, will it really improve on the disappointing Sword Of Mana? If we go by the Japanese verdicts, then yes, Children puts the Mana saga on the map again. And wireless co-op mode should make countless fans even more happy.
Elite Beat Agents (November 6): The sequel to the popular “Oendan!” rhythm game is apparently more tailored for Western audiences, but the basic game mechanics are retained. And for those who don’t know yet, that already makes it the best portable rhythm game out there. Don’t let this one slip by, you’ll miss out on a huge load of fun…and manic touch screen-tapping.
Yoshi’s Island 2 (November 13): Better late than never. The sequel to one of the best Jump ‘n Runs to ever grace a 16-bit console really doesn’t need any more explanation. Nintendo is working closely with developer Artoon to ensure that Yoshi’s Island 2 will be every bit as good as it’s predecessor, and judging from what we’ve seen so far, it might not be an empty promise.
Final Fantasy III (November 14): Square Enix already proved their ability to develop fantastic remakes with Final Fantasy I, II and IV on the GBA, but with III, they’ve really gone one step further. A fully realized 3D environment with completely redesigned characters and scenery, FFIII is going to be perfect game to accomodate the cold winter months.
Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin (November): Can Dawn Of Sorrow even be surpassed? Konami’s attempting it, and their efforts should be applauded – the Castlevania series has made a dominant return in the past few years. Portrait Of Ruin is no different and will be the definitive game to get if you’re thirsting for some fresh 2D action.
Via IGN
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