GAME BOY ADVANCE GAMES OF FALL/WINTER 2006

Final Fantasy V Advance


"A remake of the SNES Final Fantasy entry, with a complete make-over to enhance the clasic, including improved visual designs for the GBA and a host of brand-new elements have been seamlessly merged with the original games to provide unexpected surprises for longtime fans. Featured additions include new dungeons, new job classes, and other exciting additions." (IGN)

Following after FF IV Advance, FF V comes to the GBA with new features. (Contrary to IGN's remarks, this is a significantly upgraded port, not a remake.) Square's said one new job will be added to the roster, and based on FF IV we can assume there will be a bonus dungeon as well. Hopefully, we'll also get a new translation, since the one used in the PSone release was horrendous, with "Wyvern" translated as "Y Burn" and other atrocities. TOSE's FF IV port also suffered from a number of battle timing issues that kept it from being a definitive version of the game. Will FF V have them as well?

North American Release Date: 2006

Final Fantasy VI Advance


"A remake of the SNES Final Fantasy entry, with a complete make-over to enhance the clasic, including improved visual designs for the GBA and a host of brand-new elements have been seamlessly merged with the original games to provide unexpected surprises for longtime fans. Featured additions include new dungeons, new job classes, and other exciting additions." (IGN ... but I think they're talking about FF V there )

See FF V Advance, except this is an upgrade to FF VI. FF VI already has a full roster of characters, so it will be interesting to see what upgrades (besides a bonus dungeon) make it into the Advance version. Maybe that blank space in the Esper select screen will finally be filled? Current word has it that this might be pushed back to 2007, which is pretty plausible since we haven't seen anything on this, but it could still make it out before the end of winter.

North American Release Date: 2006, supposedly, but might be 2007

Metal Slug


"SNK decided not to fiddle with the formula, opting for a faithful recreation of the arcade classic. According to developers, everything's the same - nothing has been added or removed. Even without any extras, that's a whole lot of slug to stuff in your pocket. But hey, it'll fit just fine." IGN)

This isn't a port of the original Metal Slug ... unlike the prior MS release on GBA, which was original to the GBA. Hopefully everyone knows what Metal Slug is or I breaka the face.

North American Release Date: 09/26/06

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team


"Rival Pokemon lurk in the dungeons, ready to face off against you in battle. Battles in Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon take place directly on the dungeon play field and are turn based. On each turn, you can move your party one space or attack, making use both of direct attacks as well as distance attacks that require that weapons be equipped. You can also use special skills. Like the GBA Pokemon RPGs, each Pokemon can learn up to four special skills." IGN)

This is a version of the long-running Fushigi no Dungeon series of random-dungeon RPGs; this one, of course, is branded with Pokemon characters. (Past Fushigi no Dungeon had Dragon Quest, Tower of Druaga, and Chocobo licenses, among others.) You can play as a number of different Pokemon, including Pikachu and Charmander, and can learn Pokemon-style skills, but other than that, the screens indicate this should be a pretty traditional Mystery Dungeon game--good news if you like dungeon RPGs. A different version of Mystery Dungeon (Blue Rescue Team) is coming out on the DS, also this fall.

North American Release Date: 09/18/06

Yggdra Union


"Princess Yggdra is the main character of this story, but in the game, you play as Milano, a young boy who leads a group of bandits and ends up meeting Yggdra early on. Battles with the imperial army make up the brunt of gameplay in Yggdra. The game makes use of cards for all areas of gameplay, from movement on the battle field to attacks and parameter changes for your characters. On each turn, you select a card. Players start off with five types of cards, but eventually end up with 30 before the game's end." (IGN)

New title from the Riviera crew. This one's a strategy RPG with Fire Emblem- or Advance Wars-style animated combat scenes. Apparently the maps are a lot smaller than your standard strategy RPG, which is supposed to make for tenser battles. And instead of moving each unit individually, you're given a fix amount of movement per turn, so you have to decide how to divide it up. My recollection is that GAFfers liked the import quite a bit.

North American Release Date: 10/24/06

Summon Night Swordcraft Story


"Summon Night: Swordcraft Story combines the classic overhead gameplay of traditional Super NES role playing games, set apart with a more advanced battle system reminiscent of Namco's "Tales" series. Slip in the role of a young craftknight, studying to become a craftlord and make your name in the world. You can accomplish this by entering a tournament with other craftknights and prove you're the best at forging swords, axes, spears and other items. Gather the magical knowledge you need by questing -- as you go, you'll learn to give your weapons elemental powers, then head into battle with the help of your guardian beast. Travel from town to town, collecting the materials you need to build powerful weapons -- you can buy some at stores, but you'll have to go searching dungeons and caverns for others. Supports a two-player Link Mode for battling and item trading." IGN)

Atlus keeps localizing the RPGs like crazy. This series is a big hit in Japan, but this title is just a sidestory. The game sounds like it's mostly a dungeon crawl, except with a side-scrolling, Tales-like action battle system. With uber-SD characters. Swordcraft Story is actually coming out this summer, to be quickly followed by its sequel, Summon Night 2, in the fall. I know some folks were disappointed that Atlus didn't grab the main installments in the Summon Night series, but impressions of this seem to be pretty positive. Seems like there's going to plenty of portable RPG choices this fall even for folks who don't have a "next gen" portable.

North American Release Date: 07/18/06 (SN: Swordcraft Story) and 10/3/06 (Summon Night 2)

Other GBA games of fall/winter 2006

Capcom Classics Mini-Mix: includes NES Strider, Bionic Commando, and Mighty Final Fight - 09/06


Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy - 09/12/06


Super Robot Wars: Original Generation 1 & 2 (2 separate releases) - 06/30/06 and fall 2006



PSP and DS coming in the next posts.

NINTENDO DS GAMES OF FALL/WINTER 2006:

Mega Man ZX


"Since ZX follows the Zero franchise, a ton of the gameplay elements have been retained. For starters, the level layout, sub-menus and overall presentation lends itself to the Zero series almost entirely, though the formula has been seriously improved. During the opening chapter of the game, players will have access to the X suit only. The entire gameplay mechanic revolves around suit-switching though, as Vent and Alie will acquire the ability to morph into other X models as the adventure continues. There are six main Maverick hunters in all, though the main characters will also need to navigate towns and neutral areas without the aid of the suits at times. The character-swapping is no gimmick either, as each X model literally changes the entire flow of the game. Each of the models makes use of different weapons and attack sets, as well as not-so basic abilities such as underwater/air dashing and touch-screen specific techniques that can show enemy weak spots or even plot bullet paths. Team that with the ability to create and combine weapons and powers and you've got one of the deepest traditional Mega Man games in history." (IGN)

Mega Man action meets Metroidvania world design. That's about all you need to know to understand this game, but it's enough to make it AWESOME. Recipient of GAF mega-hype in the past few weeks, this seems to be garnering universal praise and is restoring a lot of interest in the Mega Man franchise.

North American Release Date: 09/12/06

Final Fantasy III


"The only disappointment so far is the fact that Square Enix is barely using the upper screen. When wandering around the overworld, the top screen is utilized to display a map to show where players are. But during battles and cutscenes, that upper screen remained black. Hopefully as the game progresses in development Square Enix will find some use for that extra display." (IGN)

After an abortive attempt to release the game on the Wonderswan Color, this NES RPG--the only Final Fantasy never released in the US--finally gets an outstanding remake for the DS and its first English release. Despite the colossal leap in graphical fidelity, this is actually a very faithful recreation, right down the layout of individual dungeon rooms. Outside of the graphics, the biggest change is that the generic, identical-looking adventurers of the original have been replaced with 4 distinct characters with backstories and dialogue. CG story scenes have also been added. Although it looks state-of-the-art (for a portable), the gameplay is strictly old-school, with the job system, limited inventories, and long dungeons full of tricky monsters and random battles, which will make it interesting to see how it is ultimately received by players new to FF III. Based on E3 reports, long load times may also be an issue.

North American Release Date: 09/12/06 - may now be 10/06 instead

Yoshi's MFing Island 2


"The Nintendo DS version is looking strikingly close to the Super NES version, both visually and gameplay-wise. The booth babe demonstrating the game at Nintendo's booth was surprised at how I knew how to get through some of the early challenges, but it's because I spent so much time with the original Yoshi's Island that it was easy to figure out. All the control mechanisms are the same: swallow enemy, poop enemy out as an egg that can be thrown. To throw an egg, players target its trajectory with a rising and falling cross-hair and fire it when it's at the preferred angle. Much of the game's puzzle elements are based around this mechanic, and even more so on the Nintendo DS platform as the level spans vertically across both Nintendo DS screens. The double-tall displays make targeting up high a bit more of a challenge, and it's sure to be an element explored in deeper levels outside of the E3 demo." (IGN)

23 GAF members simultaneously orgasmed upon the E3 announcement of this game; Yoshi's Island is basically the best platformer ever and this is the sequel. (We'll pretend Yoshi's Story never existed.) Initially, the game seemed to be doing a fine job of keeping up the Yoshi's Island tradition of crayon-like artwork and baby-carrying, egg-shooting platform love, with one new twist: in addition to carrying around Baby Mario, you can also carry Baby Donkey Kong and Baby Peach, each of whom has a unique ability. More recently, reservations have emerged later with reports that the game is being created by a developer with a spotty track record--Artoon--and feels more like a mission pack than a real sequel. Let's hope the final product turns out to be more Yoshi's Island and less Blinx.

North American Release Date: TBA

Children of Mana


"Part of the "World of Mana" project, this game is a 2D RPG follow-up to the adored action-RPG series. Embark on a co-op multiplayer quest, teaming together to achieve actions and reach areas, by helping players up or working together in ways that single-player adventurers cannot do. Children of Mana features a complex weapon system where you can equip multiple weapons for range and melee attack." (IGN)

A spin-off title to Square's Mana action RPG series, this game retains the series' combat system and storybook look, but is a dungeon hack instead of a world-spanning adventure. Reviews for the Japanese version were mixed, if I recall. Subject of intense attention in Media Create sales threads.

North American Release Date: 10/30/06

Phoenix Wright: Justice for All


"Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney -- Justice For All features four new cases to yell "Objection!" in, utilizing the same traditional split of investigation phases and courtroom phases. There is a new interrogation feature called " Psyche-Lock" where characters who are too traumatized to remember info can be coerced into remembering through the correct dialog tree and by catching inconsistencies in their testimony. There's also now an actual life bar that shows how you are doing while you present your case. And, of course, you can use the DS touchscreen in small ways to interact with the game, plus shout "Objection!" (or "Take that!" or a number of other phrases) to the DS microphone." (IGN)

The sequel to Capcom's awesome, Alex O. Smith-translated courtroom drama game. This is the second of three GBA game now being ported to the DS for U.S. release. (Meanwhile, a fourth DS-original title in the series is also underway, sans Mr. Wright.) Solve cases, defend the innocent, yell into your DS -- this should be just as awesome as the original. This won't be coming out until 2007, but, Capcom, PLEASE print more copies this time.

North American Release Date: Quarter 1 '07

The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass


"Link follows where players slide the stylus -- he can walk slowly or quickly depending on how far away the stylus is from Link, who's pretty much always in the middle of the screen. To attack enemies, players only have to tap on them, and Link will attack them with his sword. To pick something up, tap the stylus on that item. To throw it, tap the screen in the direction where you want it tossed. To pull off a whirlwind move that'll mow down a nice chunk of grass, simply make circles around Link and he'll follow. To dig the ground, you'll just have to equip the shovel via the touch screen menu system and touch where you want Link to dig." (IGN)

While Twilight Princess on the Cube/Wii goes back to a more realistic look, the DS Zelda keeps up Wind Waker's cel-shaded look. Controversially, all the control in this game is handled via the stylus. (You can also use the stylus to write notes to yourself on the top screen.) Also controversially, the game is apparently based around one central dungeon; as you complete smaller missions in the outside world, you gain the ability to progress further in the central dungeon. Expect some bitter flamewars on GAF when this ships.

North American Release Date: Quarter 4 '06

Mario Hoops 3-on-3


"The stylus controls have caused quite a bit of controversy due to reports that the game forces you to tap the screen in order to dribble. It turns out that you don't actually have to do this. You move your character around the court using the D-pad. As you move, your character automatically dribbles. You can tap the screen in order to make the character dribble and rotate in certain directions. Skillful use of this feature lets you dribble over flat item boxes which spit out coins, and evade defenders attempting to steal the ball from you." IGN)

Stylus-controlled Mario basketball title in the vein of Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, etc. As this is developed by Square, a number of Final Fantasy mascot characters (e.g. chocobos and black mages) are also playable.

North American Release Date: 09/11/06

Elite Beat Agents


"Code-named "Elite Beat Agents," these men in black are heroes' heroes and the coolest group of guys this world has ever known. Of course, according to official records, they do not exist. Their leader, an ex-CIA agent named Commander Kahn, scans the world for cries of help. When he finds one, he dispatches the agents, who assist their targets by performing a song and dance. The hypnotic nature of their rocking revives the targets with "Groovy" energy that boosts their willpower and helps them overcome their obstacles." IGN

The localized version of male cheerleading rhythm action game OUENDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN, this is basically a sequel, as it features entirely new levels and songs. Comic-style story scenes appear on the top screen as you use the stylus to play a rhythm game on the bottom. Each level features the Elite Beat Agents trying to bail out a different person in need, and the stories in each level relate to the song. The Japanese version used re-recorded versions of JPop hits; for the Western version, licensed English songs will be used instead. Ouendan has received virtually universal praise, but the big question is whether the new songs and scenarios in Elite Beat Agents will measure up.

North American Release Date: Quarter 4 '06

Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis


"Instead of controlling Mario in Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2, players instead control the toy-like Mini Marios and try to get them to the dedicated exits. Actually, control is more indirect like in the classic puzzler Lemmings, and with Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2, the game's controlled almost entirely by stylus. Tapping a Mini Mario will make him start or stop walking, and swiping him in an upwards direction will make that Mini Mario jump, handy to get him up a platform ledge or across a gap. Puzzle layouts require swapping blocks from one location to another to solidify holes in platforms or to create ledges in order to let the Mini Marios jump upwards. Each puzzle also has a letter to obtain somewhere in the layout, and completing the word MINIMARIO will reward players with a bonus." IGN

Sequel to the GBA's Mario vs. Donkey Kong, which was itself a follow-up to the Game Boy game "Donkey Kong," this is a puzzle game.

North American Release Date: 09/25/06

Other DS titles of fall/winter

Magical Starsign- 10/23/06


Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team - see GBA section for the full scoop - 09/18/06


Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin - 11/06


Deep Labyrinth - 08/15/06


Star Fox Command - 08/25/06


Kirby DS - TBA


Touch Detective - 10/06

There we go

Only complaint with the DS list is that you should most definitely give CASTLEVANIA PORTRAIT OF RUIN a write up. That's essential! That's one of the best DS games coming out, in fact the only one that matters if you're short on cash! I demand a recount.

Edit: I appreciate you keeping the format, btw

The DS lineup is too ****ing crazy.

sh1t sh1t sh1t... why do I want so many of those games

I'm glad I've almost given up on my psp

Yup. DS lineup is absolutely incredible.

You forgot:


Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime


Contact


Hotel Dusk


Lunar Knights

Other games to look out for:

Tales of the Tempest


Tingle RPG


Rune Factory


Pokemon Ranger aka Pokemon make your right hand bleed


Wario the Thief


Cooking Mama


SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash


Project Hacker


Dragon Quest Monsters Joker


Pokemon Diamond/Pearl


ASH

Bomberman Land with Wi-Fi Bomberman
Ryusei no Rockman

PSP GAMES OF FALL/WINTER

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth


"For the most part, the game is split into two separate games: there's town exploration, where you discover new recruits, advance their personal stories and discover the reasons for their deaths. The other part is cave and dungeon exploration, where Lenneth and her party solve numerous puzzles, acquire items from treasure chests and defeat monsters. You do have the opportunity to avoid the monsters in front of you, or even freeze them with a crystal so you can use them to reach new areas. However, you'll most likely want to take them on in battle for the additional experience and points that you can use to gain new skills or improve the character traits of each fighter, thereby making them more useful to the gods." (IGN)

Enix / tri-Ace PSone RPG comes to the PSP with "130% new content" in the form of added animated cutscenes. OK, so there's not much in the way of new features in the PSP version, but this is a RPG classic with a unique battle system, side-scrolling platformer dungeons, and a time limit on each chapter that forces you to plan out your activities for the chapter. Or so I am told -- I am going to get cruficied for this, I know, but I never played the original :[ . Anyway, the PSP version's on the way, which is good news for those who don't want to shell out $100+ for the PSone version on eBay. Also look for the sequel, Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria on PS2.

North American Release Date: 07/18/06

Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories
No screenshots available.

"The PlayStation Portable follow-up to Rockstar's monumental handheld entry in the series, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. As in Liberty City Stories, this game ventures back to the location of the second PS2 game." (IGN)

The spin-off of the GTA III spin-off. Rockstar actually hasn't shown anything of this game yet, but it's obviously going to be to what Vice City what Liberty City Stories was to GTA III. So expect new missions, a new story, multiplayer features, and Jack Thompson crying himself sadly to sleep. Liberty City Stories eventually ended up on PS2 as a budget-line title, so if you don't have a PSP, you may be able to play it there eventually.

North American Release Date: 10/16/06

Tekken Dark Resurrection


"We were also able to give Dark Resurrection a good, thorough playtest via multiplayer, and astonishingly, the it works much better than it did at E3. The lag is almost non-existent in fights, but it does slightly hang at the end of every round (thankfully after a KO has already been registered). Tekken manages to pull ogf game sharing quite well too. Though the initial download is fairly long (about two minutes), the gameplay is smooth and there isn't any noticeable loading time. This is possible because Resurrection actually caches data onto the memory stick. Additionally, players can also download special ghost packs, which allow them to play CPU-controlled characters that are based on the behaviors of real players. The first ghost pack is already online and at 1.4MB, it's a tiny download." (IGN)

A revision to Tekken V (released on PS2), this is actually a fairly substantial upgrade, since it features two new characters (Dragunov and Lili), an adventure mode, online play, and various other new gameplay mini-modes. Met with disappointing sales in Japan; will it fare better in the States?

North American Release Date: 07/25/06

Gitaroo-Man Lives!


"If you played the original, you'll be familiar with the gameplay of the PSP version. You play as U-1 (Youichi), and your weapon of choice against your foes is a guitar, an analogue thumb pad and four face buttons. Like your typical rhythm game, Gitaroo-Man is all about pressing buttons in accordance to on-screen prompts and the beat. Gameplay consists of two main parts. You defend against enemy attacks by pressing the appropriate face button when a button icon flies at the center of the screen. You go on the offensive by aiming the analogue pad in the correct direction while tapping the circle button as lines snake across the screen. Perform well during the offensive portions, and you take away your opponent's life while restoring U-1's. Do poorly in the defensive portions, and U-1 won't last too long." (IGN)

Tough-as-nails PS2 rhythm game with rockin' soundtrack lives on on the PSP. In each stage, you alternate between attack segments (on the analog stick) and the defense segments (on the buttons). This sounds like it's going to be almost identical to the original, with the same stages and everything, except with a new 2-player co-op mode in addition to the original versus mode. Again, this should be a good buy if you don't want to pay through the nose for the original on eBay. Expect this one in 2007.

North American Release Date: 02/07

Need for Speed Carbon
No screenshots available.

"For the first time on the PSP, a Need for Speed title will feature an entirely open-world environment. Similar to the setup from NFS Underground 2 and Most Wanted, you'll be able to cruise around the world at will, hit up races, run from the cops and even find hidden goodies that'll keep you driving down back alleys for some time. Luckily, like as was the case in the console version of Most Wanted, Carbon's open-world doesn't mean you'll have to use the open roads simply to get from place to place; you can skip to any race or event at any time simply by hitting up the pause menu, making for a nice cross between classic menu-based race progression and the "drive wherever" of an open city." (IGN)

EA's street-racing juggernaut continues. NfS Carbon is also coming to the PS3 and Xbox, but the PSP version looks to have a number of different elements, including the ability to build up a crew of fellow racers (with differing skills) and bring them into races to aid your team. The PSP version will also feature some exclusive multiplayer modes, including chase and delivery games. Features GTA-style free-roam elements between the races.

North American Release Date: 11/06

Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins


"An exclusive PSP edition of Capcom's legendary platforming game, directed by the original's creator Tokurou Fujiwara. The game makes use of a 3D graphics engine, giving depth to the visuals, but plays in a side-scrolling perspective and similar art design to stay true to the original. Your goal is to work your way through side-scrolling stages, defeating enemies and using your best platforming skills. The game lets you build up your skills as you progress. You start off with just a basic jump, but eventually gain a double jump and even the ability to fly. You'll also earn lots of magic spells along the way. The game promises a greater number of spells and weapons than ever before. New for Goku Makaimura is non-linear gameplay. You're no longer on a fixed path from start to end. The levels include branching points and even warp points. By using a warp point, you can warp back to previous levels and collecting items that you might have missed." (IGN)

Legendary action/platformer series continues with classic jumping, weapon-slinging, and boxer-short-wearing gameplay. May not be quite as punishing as its predecessors, since you can respawn mid-level when you die, but should still offer plenty of first-rate action.

North American Release Date: 09/05/06

Guilty Gear: Judgment


"In Guilty Gear Judgment, players will be able to experience the fast paced, adrenaline fused, arcade fighting of Guilty Gear X2 #Reload as well as delve into a new Guilty Gear gameplay experience -- a beat-em-up, side-scrolling, action mode featuring 20 Guilty Gear characters battling through 18 levels of story and brawling. In addition, both the 1-on-1 fighting tournament of #Reload and the adventure play of Judgment offer wireless multi-player connectivity for up to two players." (IGN)

An upgrade to Guilty Gear X2 #Reload, now also featuring a side-scrolling beat-'em-up game using the GG engine, which can also be played with online co-op.

North American Release Date: 09/05/06

Call of Duty 3
No images available.

"Call of Duty 3 brings players closer to the fury of combat as they fight through the Normandy Breakout in a unique shooting adventure for PSP that shows a second side to the events in the console game. Also featured is 4-player multiplayer." (IGN)

This super-popular WW II FPS series is continuing on every console platform under the sun. The portable version of CoD3, however, will be a side-story with levels not seen in the console versions.

North American Release Date: 11/06

Metal Slug Anthology


"For the most part, the games we played (MSX, MS2 and MS4) played wonderfully, and are very faithful to their arcade counterparts. There wasn't any slowdown present in any of the games that we played, and everything was exactly like the arcade." (IGN)

Contains Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4 and Metal Slug 5, and looks to be decent ports of all of them. Also contains co-op multiplayer over WiFi.

North American Release Date: 11/06

Capcom Classics Collecton Reloaded


"But of all the new additions in Capcom Classics, my favorite is the new stats screen that appears after playing any game. Not only does it keep track of things like your score, kills, and what difficulty setting you've played on, but it also records how many button pushes you've made, your online stats, and more. Oh, and before I forget, game sharing has been included too - but which games support it are still TBA." (IGN)

Contains a total of 15 arcade games, including 1942, 1943, Street Fighter II, Commando, Ghouls 'n Ghostss, Knights of the Round, Eco Fighters, and King of Dragons. Scorekeeping features have also been added.

North American Release Date: 10/24/06

Loco Roco


"Loco Roco's fundamental gameplay mechanics are simple enough for anyone to get into. Pressing either trigger will tilt the screen one way or the other, allowing you to move your LocoRoco to and fro, while pressing and releasing both triggers will make them jump. Additionally, pressing the Circle button will split up your blob, while holding it will bring them back together again. Within each level you'll be faced with enemies as well as natural obstacles. Your main enemies are the Moja, creepy black blobs that have started to run amok in your world. They come in three sizes, but all of them are looking to devour your poor LocoRocos, so you have to take care of business quickly." (IGN)

Happy-go-lucky / potentially racist game in which you use the L and R buttons to tilt the screen so as to roll through a large blob through stylized worlds. Has frequently been compared to Katamari Damacy for its simple controls, "rolling" mechanic, wacky and cute worlds, and catchy soundtrack. Your blob sings the game music.

North American Release Date: 09/05/06

Hot PXL


"Bringing fast and furious bite-size gaming to PSP system, HOT PXL comprises more than 200 deviously crafted mini-games based on a unique and original story premise that draws inspiration from street culture and the digital lifestyle. In Hot PXL the player is charged with guiding the central character, a skateboarder named Djon, through an extraordinary and colorful journey in a pixellated world. The world of Hot PXL features fast-paced and varied mini-games ranging from eccentrically outrageous to cool and clever, dipping into Atari's rich video game history for inspiration along the way. The rapid gameplay requires players to draw on their reflexes and 2D gaming prowess to get through hundreds of inspired scenarios – whether it's blasting through an old-school style video game, busting tricks on a skateboard or a BMX, stage-diving at a concert, or just trying to cross a busy digital street." (IGN)

WarioWare-style super-quick minigames, but with a skater aesthetic and great stylized graphics. Hot PXL should also have more context to its games, since the various minigames are based around events in the protagonist's daily life ... which also kinda makes me think of Incredible Crisis.

North American Release Date: 02/07

Other PSP games of fall/winter 2006

Super Monkey Ball Adventure - 08/01/06


Lumines II - 10/16/06


Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception - 09/16/06


Death, Jr. 2: The Root of Evil - 10/31/06

Sorry this took me so long ... I actually wasn't all that familiar with a number of these games, so I had to do some quick research. And grabbing all the IGN links took a while :\

And, yeah, there's a ton of DS stuff I didn't include -- apologies! I hope no one was offended that I left out their favorite game. I think I'd like to head to bed now, but I can try to do more write-ups tomorrow if someone else doesn't want to take care of them beforehand.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity; I had fun

Hot Pxl and Loco Roco for PSP!

Great job Greenpanda. Not that I don't appreciate this, but is there any way you could include the release dates as well?

Take Super Monkey Ball Adventure out of the list. I'm a huge Monkey Ball Fan and have the PSP version (as GCN version isn't out yet) and it's shit. Besides the boring Adventure mode, the horrible analog nub controls kill the last bit of enjoyment this game has to offer. No one should buy the PSP version of this game. The 50 new levels are ok, so Monkey Ball veterans might be happy with GCN or PS2 versions, but PSP version is boring and annoying.

davepoobond said:

Hot Pxl and Loco Roco for PSP!

Click to expand...

Loco Roco is September 6th. Just misses Fall.

Yoshi: How do you even have Monkeyball Adventure for PSP yet? Reviewable copy? Anyway, it shouldn't be on the list because it's an August 1 game, not a Fall/winter game. But yeah, Monkeyball Adventure is crap on any platform pass.

davepoobond said:

Hot Pxl and Loco Roco for PSP!

Click to expand...

Crap, I had left out Loco Roco because I thought was already out in the States and now I checked and saw that it's not (just in Europe). My mistake; I don't own a PSP myself, so I wasn't really paying enough attention. I'll get it up there ASAP.

edit: oh, OK. Guess it doesn't fit in, after all, since it's not quite fall

Amir0x said:

Loco Roco is September 6th. Just misses Fall.

Click to expand...

I always considered September as fall...especially since school starts then.

but fiscal quarter-wise, yeah

OK, I added write-ups of Hot PXL (which I'll admit I'd never even heard of before this thread -- but it sounds cool!) and Loco Roco the PSP section. As suggested, release dates seem like a good feature, so I'm going to go through and add those now ... Amir0x, if you don't like any of this stuff, I'm totally cool with you editing any of it I consider this a collaborative project!

i am too exhausted to look at IGN for maybe another week :lol

maybe when I wake up I will, though. Very good effort and i appreciate you keeping the format... I like things organized, I admit!

Greenpanda said:

Lumines II

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We're doing puzzle games too? Then we forgot:

Every Extra Extend


Kangaeru Exit


Gunpey


Gunpey


Touch! Panic


Puzzle de Harvest Moon

Are all these games actually making Fall/Winter 2006 for the US?

Exit 2 won't, will it?

wallet am cry

Amir0x said:

Are all these games actually making Fall/Winter 2006 for the US?

Exit 2 won't, will it?

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Not sure what Ubisoft has planned, Exit 2 is the only one that might not make it this year. The rest is announced for this year.

Offtopic:

nintendo should share some info with 3rd party developers on how they make 3d look good on DS.

Nevermind

DS line up is ****ing amazing so I can't say anything. But PSP has some ****ing gems too especially Ghouls n' Ghosts and the next Capcom Arcade collection.

Sad thing about PSP is if Capcom ever drops their support I won't buy shit for it.


Oh yeah and Metal Slug Anthology FTW!

lamotia said:

Offtopic:

nintendo should share some info with 3rd party developers on how they make 3d look good on DS.

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Impossible. Just tell them to stick to 2D! All these 2D games on DS fill my heart with joy.

Amir0x said:

Yoshi: How do you even have Monkeyball Adventure for PSP yet? Reviewable copy?

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Yup. (Here in Euope the game comes out earlier than in the USA.)

Yoshi said:

Yup. (Here in Euope the game comes out earlier than in the USA.)

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Reaaally... IGN has the European version of Super Monkey Ball Adventure slated for December 31, 2006 - even later than US version. That's cool though. **** Monkey Ball Adventure for all platforms, it sucks.

Amir0x said:

Reaaally... IGN has the European version of Super Monkey Ball Adventure slated for December 31, 2006 - even later than US version. That's cool though. **** Monkey Ball Adventure for all platforms, it sucks.

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they must really like him.

or its a preview build?

OK, release dates are now added for all games.

jj984jj, I am sorry for leaving out so much stuff, but it's now 3 AM and my hands are about to fall off, so I don't think I can write much more :\ I can do another round tomorrow, but if you want to add any info. in the mean time, that would be great too =)

davepoobond said:

they must really like him.

or its a preview build?

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No, apparently IGN is wrong. I checked Amazon UK and the game IS shipping currently.

Greenpanda said:

OK, release dates are now added for all games.

jj984jj, I am sorry for leaving out so much stuff, but it's now 3 AM and my hands are about to fall off, so I don't think I can write much more :\ I can do another round tomorrow, but if you want to add any info. in the mean time, that would be great too =)

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I think the PSP is missing some games like Killzone and SOCOM, other then that the list is fine.

jj984jj said:

I think the PSP is missing some games like Killzone and SOCOM, other then that the list is fine.

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Which is pretty big oversights considering those are some of the biggest games for PSP. That said, PSP needs to get Silent Hill Origins and Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops over to the US stat.

Amir0x said:

No, apparently IGN is wrong. I checked Amazon UK and the game IS shipping currently.

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durn that IGN.

oh yeah, Killzone: Liberation is another one

davepoobond said:

durn that IGN.

oh yeah, Killzone: Liberation is another one

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IGN always gets everything wrong...

Amir0x said:

IGN always gets everything wrong...

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i know. :lol

Amir0x said:

Which is pretty big oversights considering those are some of the biggest games for PSP. That said, PSP needs to get Silent Hill Origins and Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops over to the US stat.

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Yeah, we need Matix back to help us with the PSP list. I'll try, but I doubt I can do it justice.


Killzone: Liberation


Sonic Rivals


Bomberman


Bounty Hounds


Marvel Universe


SOCOM: FTB 2


Traxion


Capcom Puzzle World


Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Tony Hawk's Project 8

Edit: I dunno if these are 2006:

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops


Silent Hill Origins


Earthworm Jim


Vahalla Knights

Greenpanda got Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

and ew @ Tenchu and Yu-Gi-Oh. Get that shit off :lol

portables >> consoles

i would have to disagree, but whatever your choice everyone gets good games this year! Hurray for gaming.

traxion sounds REALLY cool from what i've seen of it.

That bomberman PSP game, is it a REAL Bomberman game?

I know a PSP game we all forgot: Mercury Meltdown!

Amir0x said:

That bomberman PSP game, is it a REAL Bomberman game?

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Yes, online bomberman is coming out for both DS and PSP.

jj984jj said:

Yes, online bomberman is coming out for both DS and PSP.

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oh wow that's awesome i will get bomberman then. I was hoping it wasn't some lame puzzle bomberman game or mini-game bomberman :lol

Should be nice for my PSP, needs a decent online title.

I hate this thread. Anyone know a good bank I can rob?

Amir0x said:

Greenpanda got Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

and ew @ Tenchu and Yu-Gi-Oh. Get that shit off :lol

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I just noticed he didn't miss it. :lol

All those screens look so vibrant. I like how handheld developers are allowed to use color, instead of allways going for boring realism.

I don't have a PSP, but Hot PXL, Lumines II, Kangaeru Exit and Traxion looks (and I bet, plays) fantastic!

Few more DS games:
Konductra


Harvest Moon DS


Spectrobes


Mage Knight: Destiny's Soldier


Clubhouse Games


Chibi-Robo Dark Patrol


Scurge:Hive


Panzer Tactics DS


Custom Robo Arena


Donkey Kong King of Swing 2


Drawn To Life


Honorable Mentions:
Diddy Kong Racing
Meteos Disney Edition

I couldn't find pics of those 2, seems they haven't released pics of them and only a video of Diddy Kong racing. :/

Konductra is a summer game, same with HM.

Here's a screen for DKR:

It's an awesome moment to be a portable gamer. And we should all start considering prostitution if we want to play everithing good that's coming for the DS.