Nintendogs and Advance Wars: Dual Strike

[schild]

So, it's actually a pretty good tamogotchi with one terrible flaw. Much of it is voice operated. I won't even play that shit around friends. But I'll say this: kids are going to love the shit out of this title and I am just going to be uber pissed when I'm in a restaraunt and some 7 year old is saying "sit" "play dead" "roll over" and whatever else because the microphone is so spotty.

Also, there's something to be said about MMOG developers learning a thing or two from the interface and the hoops you jump through to train your pets. It's actually pretty engaging and the pet responds pretty naturally. I'll have more to say once I get through some of the dog competitions and whatnot, but there's a neat system by which you gain owner points (read: exp/grind) and can unlock other stuff.

-

Advance Wars rules. Rules Rules Rules. Unfortunately, they recycled nearly every graphic and some of it actually looks worse. There are some neat new units though and I'm surprised that this wasn't the title they introduced netplay with - shame really, it's nearly a killer app. But finding someone with a DS is fucking impossible.

[voodoolily]

But finding someone with a DS is fucking impossible.

When Animal Crossing comes out there'll be two in our house.

[ahoythematey]

Duel Strike is plain awesome.  Yeah, it would've been nice if they had made the game with DS level graphics in mind, but thankfully the gameplay kicks my ass up and down the street enough to make me not care.  For such a tiny aspect of the game, I am still in love with the stylus control.

If only Square could be convinced to make a psx-style FFT game for the DS...

[Xanthippe]

I preordered Nintendogs from GameCrazy and it still hasn't arrived.  WTF?

[schild]

Game Crazy is the shittiest game store on the face of the earth. Fuck, it's not even a gamestore, it's Hollywood Video. Bad xanthippe, bad.

[Xanthippe]

I know, but I have few choices.  And the guys who work there have been very nice to my kids, so I thought I'd throw them some business.  I usually go to Gamestop or have the spouse pick something up over the hill at Fry's or someplace.

Sigh.  Well, now I know.

[schild]

Fry's

Truly the only place to buy games.

[Jain Zar]

For those of you with Advance Wars, it will behoove you to have either of the GBA games in the GBA slot when you visit the Map Room to buy stuff.  2 maps and a wallpaper for 1 point each, different for each previous game.  Nothing special, but its a nice extra.  The maps are wacky character face maps, but hey, if you already have the previous titles, its a cute little thank you for being a long time fan.

[Xanthippe]

Fry's

Truly the only place to buy games.

I can't stand the help there, though. They all go to asshole school before working at Fry's.

[Xanthippe]

I preordered Nintendogs from GameCrazy and it still hasn't arrived.  WTF?

I gave them my cell number to call when it came in.  So they called my cell to tell me it was in.  My cell was dead in the bottom of my purse.

My fault, not theirs.

[Shockeye]

I can't stand the help there, though. They all go to asshole school before working at Fry's.

Go in, get what you need and get out as fast as you can. Make no eye contact.

[NiX]

He speaks the truth. I had a bad run in with The Source employees on my break. They wouldn't sell me a game (we were out of stock) because they secretly thought I was trying to resell their stuff to replenish our stock.

He'll never come back to our store after I took my sweet time calling up a warranty. New record: Hour and a half. FUCKERS.

[Jain Zar]

Well I finished the main campaign of Advance Wars DS yesterday and am pleased overall.  (Ended with an A rank average.)

And it looks like Nintendogs is not only ripping up the charts, but seems to be doing the same things in the US it did for Japan. 
Aka: Kicking the PSP's ass with an all ages/both gender friendly killer app.   http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/09/01/news_6132398.html

[schild]

It's unfortunate that it's so goddamn boring. Tamogotchi indeed.

[Strazos]

I don't get the appeal, at all.

[voodoolily]

The appeal is that it's cute, you can pick from like, 15 breeds (!) and it fits in your purse. The last reason being key. Also, it's somewhat interactive. I think that some people don't game because it can feel non-interactive. With other life forms, that is. For most of us, the non-interactivity is prolly a major bonus, but I suppose some people like to spend time with their RL friends.

I am not only not a dog lover, I am a 99% dog loather, and even I think the shit looks pretty cute.

[Strazos]

I am not only not a dog lover, I am a 99% dog loather, and even I think the shit looks pretty cute.

How in the name of Fuck do you loathe dogs? get bit in a bad place as a child?

[Jain Zar]

The appeal is that it's cute, you can pick from like, 15 breeds (!) and it fits in your purse. The last reason being key. Also, it's somewhat interactive. I think that some people don't game because it can feel non-interactive. With other life forms, that is. For most of us, the non-interactivity is prolly a major bonus, but I suppose some people like to spend time with their RL friends.

So people like games where they don't actually interact much with the game?  That explains why Japanese Console RPGs are so damned popular then.... 

[voodoolily]

The appeal is that it's cute, you can pick from like, 15 breeds (!) and it fits in your purse. The last reason being key. Also, it's somewhat interactive. I think that some people don't game because it can feel non-interactive. With other life forms, that is. For most of us, the non-interactivity is prolly a major bonus, but I suppose some people like to spend time with their RL friends.

So people like games where they don't actually interact much with the game?  That explains why Japanese Console RPGs are so damned popular then.... 

No, non-interactive with people, silly. At least with Nintendogs you can pretend you're communicating with a living thing.

I don't care much for dogs the way I don't care much for toddlers - they're needy, make noise and crap everywhere. To be fair, though, it's mostly dog owners that rub me the wrong way.

[Xanthippe]

Nintendogs is a hit around my place.  Both kids have dogs on their own (separate) Nintendogs (separate) DS's.  I have a dog on each of theirs.  They are keeping their dogs petted and fed and watered and walked, but they don't quite have the voice recognition training thing down.

My dogs are competitors (the money makers - the farmers, if you will).

The kids like "bark mode" so they can have their dogs play with other dogs.

I guess that makes me an achiever and them socializers/explorers.

(no killers in this game).

[Calantus]

I'm sure it could be arranged.

EDIT: Damnit, I need to be able to delete my posts. I'm getting to be almost as bad as Signe. The only difference is I'm on-topic at least half the time.

[voodoolily]

I'm sure it could be arranged.

EDIT: Damnit, I need to be able to delete my posts. I'm getting to be almost as bad as Signe. The only difference is I'm on-topic at least half the time.

Just hit the "modify" button in the upper right-had corner of your post and then erase it.

[Yegolev]

I don't get the appeal, at all.

You must be Australian, because you don't like anything.

[Strazos]

If I want a dog, I'll go get a real dog.

[stray]

If I want a dog, I'll go get a real dog.

But you probably don't like real dogs either, right? 

[Strazos]

Fuck you and die, I love my dogs.

My Shih Tzu died a few months back. I now have no dog.   

EDiT: FOR STRAY

[stray]

Fuck you and die, I love my dogs.

My Shih Tzu died a few months back. I now have no dog.   

Hey now, didn't you see the  ?

Chill the fuck out?

My mom has Shih Tzu's too btw. Not long ago, the vets scared her into thinking one of them had cancer (but she's still a alive, a year later....I think it's simply old age and arthritis in her shoulder).

My spitz/mutt died not long ago though, and I haven't had a dog since (got a cat though).

/rant and sad attempt to identify with your Shih Tzu love

[AOFanboi]

Now do you see the plus of Nintendogs? They don't die. And they don't poop on the carpet. And...

[Strazos]

But I can't hug a DS.


Well, you could, but....welll...bugger.

[Xanthippe]

We have a dog



and we have Nintendogs.

The dog gets more attention.  Our poor Nintendogs are parched and starved most of the time.

[Toast]

Nintendogs combined with Advance Wars: Dual Strike.

Now that would be a game.

[schild]

Nintendogs?

Let me introduce you to Dogstation. Released for the playstation (get it, dog + playstation = dogstation) in 2002.

Nintendo can't call the originality card this time.

[ahoythematey]

It isn't like they really could anyways.  I mean, virtual-pet games weren't exactly new stuff even in 2002.  What set's Nintendogs apart from Dogstation, I guess, is that it was released over here as well, and on a system where "different" games are encouraged.

[Xanthippe]

I wish Nintendogs had an automatic pet feeding and watering system.

Add in a robot trainer.  Oh no, wait, one better - train your dog to train other dogs!

Then we could have dog armies, and ...

[Shockeye]

Coming soon from Nintendo...


Nintendog Wars: Rover Strike