Game Development Insights

While everyone loves the Simpsons as a cartoon, use of the family’s creative license when it comes to games have been a hit or miss affair over the years, dating back all the way to the 8-bit era when the NES was still king. Electronic Arts wants to make sure that no matter what type of console you proudly own, you will be able to get a taste of the hilarious Simpsons family on the PS3, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS platforms when the Simpsons Game is released later in autumn this year. Hopefully the movie will do well to drive the sales of the game, else a negative movie experience might translate into poorer game sales.

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In an interview with the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto himself, he dropped some hints that Nintendo could be working on upgrading the entire Mii experience in view of what Sony is offering on the LittleBigPlanet and Home fronts. According to Miyamoto, he hasn’t seen the videos of Sony’s attempt and starting a social network of PS3 owners (I seriously doubt that claim - this is Nintendo we’re talking about and they’re normally on the cautious side although one might argue sticking to what is mostly GameCube architecture for the Wii with High Definition consoles as its competitors hardly rank on the careful side of things), but Nintendo’s attempt with the Miis will take a different approach and not offer more of the same thing that is already available in the market.

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Rhythm platform games are a particularly rare breed and it is not as accessible as the rest of the games available in the market since not everybody is musically inclined and have a good sense of timing. Everlasting Love is a quirky homebrew title for the Nintendo DS platform and comes with monochrome graphics that hark back to the golden age of Game Boy. Developer Mia (who can be credited for other efforts Ninja & Zarbi and Oil Panic DS) has come up with a game that features a monkey as a protagonist. This primate will jump in tandem to the single song soundtrack (courtesy of We Love Katamari). There aren’t any complex moves to master - all you need to do is tap the A button according to the beat. The closer you are to the beat rhythmically, the higher the monkey will jump, making it possible to complete certain sections of the game only when you’ve achieved the perfect sense of timing required. The D-pad is used to face the direction where you want to pounce, but other than that your movement is limited to just hopping all the way through.

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Pokemon Diamond and Pearl’s U.S. release date is just looming across the horizon, and fans of the franchise just can’t wait for it. Nintendo has recently issued a press release that ought to drive this rabid group of Pokemon lovers even wilder with news that players will be able to chat with one another before, after, as well as during the battle as long as they remain connected to one another. This function will only be made available to players who have exchanged assigned friend codes, ensuring your child/ward remains safe.

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The team working on the upcoming PC game Mahabharata: The Dawn of Kaliyuga (try saying that ten times over, fast) have been interviewed by Indian game site GameGuru, and we have managed to narrow down certain sections of the interview that we think make for an interesting read. Created by Syncere Arts (what’s with the funky spelling, guys?) that is based in Gujarat, India, the team dropped word that Mahabharata stands a chance of being ported over to the Xbox 360 console in addition to other gems.

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While some people might think Wii and DS owners will experience a drought this year, they would be pleased to know that the Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass will probably be released sometime this year. Making an appearance at GDC ‘07 in San Francisco, the Wind Waker sequel was made available to all and sundry, but only the multiplayer part. That generosity, however, is more than enough to win people over as Link undertakes his latest adventure on a portable handheld in full cel-shaded glory, making it look as if you were playing a cartoon instead of being in a game.

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Citizens of Second Life, be warned! Australian outfit Yoick has now released yet another pointless virtual world called Outback Online. This new game uses peer-to-peer technology which the company claims will be able to meet the needs of up to a hundred times the amount of visitors Second Life currently enjoys. Yoick chief Randal Leeb-du Toit could not help but sneer at Second Life, claiming it is just a village when compared to Outback Online - a virtual world which he describes as Rome.

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Phoenix Wright 2: Justice For All was one of the most highly anticipated sequels on the Nintendo DS platform for quite some time now, and I am happy to say that the game does not disappoint. Of course, having a two-bit lawyer who specializes in turnabout cases at court while saving the lives of many makes for an interesting read, and it is no wonder Mr. Phoenix has already developed quite a cult following here in America. For those of you in the dark, the Gyakutan Saiban trilogy (also known as the Phoenix Wright after the localization process) consists of three episodes (d-uh!), so here’s to hoping Capcom will not rest on their laurels and bring the third instalment across the Pacific.

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I guess when you are a billionaire who has too much money to throw around, the only thing that keeps you going is to preserve your wealth and make even more money. Sir Richard Branson is one of them, and the owner of Virgin has recently lifted the veil on a download platform for PC games, which he claims will be able to ‘replicate the functionality of iTunes’, resulting in a massive growth for the Pc gaming sector. To underline his intent, the subsidiary Virgin Games and Game Domain International (GDI) has announced a new 3D ‘virtual world’ platform known as A World Of My Own (AWOMO). Somehow, AWOMO doesn’t roll off the tongue too easily unlike WoW, but only time will tell whether this project will receive Sir Branson’s Midas touch.

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I am sure by now most of you Wii owners would have had grown tired of beating the living daylights out of the ever-smiling Miis in Wii Boxing, causing you to set that title aside just for the occasional bout. What better way to get your pugilistic dose in a more realistic environment than getting some form of Fight Night Round 3 on the Wii? Gabriel Montoya, producer of Fight Night Round 3, has dropped the ball that a Wii version could very well be on its way and is being discussed by the suits at EA. He claims that they have a very positive feeling about this, combining the realism of the game with the Wii’s capabilities.

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