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IGN 2005 AwardsIGN recently posted its Best of 2005 Awards and honestly, we agree with most of the site’s choices. IGN’s broken the awards up by console and has created a whole slew of categories - it took a good amount of time just to see all of the different categories for each console. At any rate, a list of the big winners follows…

Click to continue reading IGN’s Best of 2005 Awards

Gallery: IGN’s Best of 2005 Awards


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Pokemon TrozeiAccording to a press release distributed today, Nintendo is set to release a new puzzle game entitled Pokemon Trozei. The title is being described as a “slide-action puzzle game” where players use the touch screen to align titles and clear them from the screen. Four tiles aligned, either vertically or horizontally, is a “Trozei” - hence the title of the game. We’re looking forward to going hands-on with this one. It should be fun and make for another solid title on Nintendo’s handheld. Look for this one to hit stores on March 6, 2006. Full release after the jump.

Click to continue reading Pokemon Trozei Puzzle Game Coming to Nintendo DS

Gallery: Pokemon Trozei Puzzle Game Coming to Nintendo DS


DescriptionNintendo recently released impressive numbers for its Nintendo DS portable platform - 8.83 million units shipped worldwide. Of that figure, 2.37 million have been shipped to the U.S. We’d say it’s impressive - especially considering the portable machine first released around a year ago. Furthermore, 23.8 million units of DS software have been sold worldwide.

Moving onto the Gamecube, the home console just passed 10 million units in the U.S. - bringing the grand worldwide total to 19.31 million. Sony’s PS2 has sold millions more units, but Nintendo’s not giving up on the home console market yet.


Read More | PALGN

Gallery: Nintendo Releases Sales Figures


Reggie Nintendo DSWant to go up against Reggie, Nintendo’s Executive VP of Marketing and Sales, in a game of Mario Kart DS? He’ll be at the McDonalds in Bellevue Square - in Bellevue, Washington - at 4:00 PM on Monday December 19th. Take your DS along if you’re interested in playing. If you don’t have one, Nintendo will have some extra units on hand at the event. Nintendo will also be handing out free gear at the McDonalds event, so even if you are horrible at Mario Kart, you should still stop by. If you don’t live anywhere near Bellevue, WA, try logging onto MK Online at 4:00 PM PST on Monday. Look for NOA_Reggie in the “Worldwide” mode.


Read More | Nintendo Boards

Gallery: Play Mario Kart DS Against Reggie


Not too many surprises in the November sales numbers. Xbox 360 sold around 326k but could have easily sold more had its supply been stronger. The PS2 still dominates the charts but console sales numbers are down compared to last year. We’re a little surprised to see the huge 4:1 tie ratio for Xbox 360 software. (The tie ratio refers to how many units of software are sold per machine.) Oddly enough, PSP sales numbers weren’t included in this analysis’ release.

In terms of the software sales numbers, Activision’s Call of Duty 2 leads the Xbox 360 pack despite an annoying bug. While Microsoft’s Perfect Dark Zero was the third best selling Xbox 360 game, consumers simply didn’t see it as the ‘killer-app’ that many originally hoped it would be. Meanwhile, Mario Kart DS made a fairly strong showing at #10 on the list - especially considering it’s a handheld title. The figures released are immediately below.

Xbox 360 = 326,000
PS2 = 531,000
Xbox = 197,000
GCN = 272,000
DS = 370,000 (approx)

Xbox 360 software sales = 1.3 million units, Tie ratio of almost 4:1.

Overall software sales are down 18% over November 2004. Console software sales are down 33%, even with the Xbox 360 sales contribution.

Hardware sales are down 44% over last year.

November Top 25 Software Sales

US Top 25 Videogame Titles
Rank Title Publisher

Rank Title Publisher
1 XBX STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT II LucasArts
2 PS2 STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT II LucasArts
3 360 CALL OF DUTY 2 Activision
4 PS2 MADDEN NFL 06 Electronic Arts
5 PS2 WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2 THQ
6 360 MADDEN NFL 06 Electronic Arts
7 PSP GTA: LIBERTY CITY STORIES Take 2 Interactive
8 PS2 TONY HAWK AMERICAN WASTELAND Activision
9 GCN MARIO PARTY 7 Nintendo
10 NDS MARIO KART Nintendo
11 PS2 50 CENT: BULLETPROOF Vivendi
12 PS2 CALL OF DUTY 2: BIG RED ONE Activision
13 360 NEED FOR SPEED: MOST WANTED Electronic Arts
14 PS2 SOUL CALIBUR III Namco
15 PS2 DRAGON BALL Z: BUDOKAI TENK Atari
16 PS2 NBA LIVE 06 Electronic Arts
17 PS2 BLITZ: THE LEAGUE Midway
18 PS2 NEED FOR SPEED: MOST WANTED Electronic Arts
19 PS2 RATCHET: DEADLOCKED Sony
20 PSP STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT II LucasArts
21 360 PERFECT DARK ZERO LTD ED Microsoft
22 PS2 SOCOM 3: US NAVY SEALS Sony
23 PS2 GUN Activision
24 PS2 THE MATRIX: PATH OF NEO Atari
25 XBX CALL OF DUTY 2: BIG RED ONE Activision

Source: The NPD Group/NPD Funworld, POS

Gallery: NPD November Sales Numbers


2005 Hardware Review Xbox 360

Next Generation published an article earlier today that does a good job summarizing what the big three have been up to this year regarding hardware. The article mentions everything from PS2’s $149 fixed price to the Xbox 360’s launch shortages. And naturally, the article also includes talk of Nintendo’s Revolution controller.

While the article doesn’t feature any new content, it’s certainly interesting to look back and see what Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft were up to this year. Reading about what unfolded at this year’s E3 does bring back some fond memories but in all honesty, it just makes us anticipate E3 ‘06 that much more.


Read More | Next Generation

Gallery: A Review Of 2005 Game Hardware News


Gameboy DS

Now this is just plain cool. Chris got bored at work, so instead of actually finding another task to do, he decided to customize his DS to look like something most of us remember hauling around like the brick that it was: the classic Nintendo Game Boy. More pictures are available on the LiveJournal Nintendo DS group.


Read More | LiveJournal Nintendo DS Group

Gallery: Gameboy DS: A Blast From The Past


Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

This past Saturday, we received an advanced look at the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector. As soon as we saw the packaging, it immediately became apparent that Nintendo is getting behind their Wi-Fi Connection service in a big way. In fact, I am at a loss as to why Sony didn’t think of something like this for the PSP. Basically, the Wi-Fi USB Connector allows anyone with a computer and a broadband connection to log in to Nintendo’s Wi-Fi gaming service. That means that there is no need to pay for a wireless router and configure a wireless network. This is really, really a smart move by Nintendo. Even better, one USB Connector allows up to five Nintendo DS units to connect to the Internet at once. The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector can be purchased for $34.99 USD.

We snapped a couple of images of the contents, which you can check out after the jump.

Click to continue reading Unpacking The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector

Gallery: Unpacking The Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector


McDonald's WiFi DSNintendo and McDonald’s have announced a deal to offer DS gamers free Internet access for gaming in restaurants across the United States. The service will allow users of the Nintendo DS console to play their games against other people the world over, all while stuffing their faces with Happy Meal goodness. About 6,000 McDonald’s chains currently offer wireless access for laptops, but there is a fee involved. Wayport will be providing the access points. Look for the service to go live on November 14th here in the states, and on the 25th in Europe as they try to capitalize on the Mario Kart DS and Tony Hawk SK8Land releases.


Read More | IGN

Gallery: McDonalds To Provide Nintendo DS Wi-Fi Connection For Free


DS Mario Kart Bundle

Here comes another bundle from Nintendo, once again for the Nintendo DS. If you have yet to pick up a DS, it doesn’t really get much better than this. For $150 USD, you get a “Hot Rod Red” Nintendo DS along with the Mario Kart DS cartridge, decals to pimp your DS, and a checkered wrist strap.


Read More | Kotaku

Gallery: Mario Kart DS Holiday Bundle In Hot Rod Red


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