Preview Weekly 30/9/06
As the name suggests, Preview Weekly previews each and every game that will be hitting the shelves over the coming week. The feature previews every game from the Sunday to the next Saturday, meaning you know what to buy and what to leave well alone! Each game will receive a brief synopsis of the storyline and then will be previewed/reviewed by a variety of people/companies. At the moment I will be doing a preview along with the new look Nintendo The Official Magazine (taken from the magazine), GAME stores and Nintendo of Europe (rating will be taken from the current opinion section on the NoE game page. This may or may not reflect how good the game is). Over the coming weeks and months, I will add more people and companies who will review the games. But you can help! If you wish to review the games of the week, please leave your username and e-mail address at the bottom of this page and I will contact you with instructions of what to do or you can e-mail me at mailmrnintendo@gmail.com.
Quite a lot of games out this week, including the much anticipated Nintendo DS Browser…
Nintendo DS Browser (DS)
Open Season (GC, GBA, DS)
RebelStar Tactical Command (GBA)
CLICK READ MORE TO READ ABOUT THIS WEEK’S GAME SELECTION AND REMEMBER TO VOTE FOR YOUR GAME OF THE WEEK!
GAME OF THE WEEK 23/9/06
Last week’s game of the week was
FIFA 07 for the DS!

Nintendo DS Browser
DS
6/10/06
The Opera browser for Nintendo DS is a version of the Opera browser for logging onto the internet with the WiFi-enabled Nintendo DS. Using the DS card, you can connect to a network via a HotSpot or wireless router, and begin browsing on two screens. With an on-screen keypad and stylus, users can easily navigate the Web from their Nintendo DS with PDA-like functionality. The two screens are used for multifunction purposes -- both can show one web page together, or one can show a zoomed-in view of the page, and when typing, the bottom screen shows the text being entered while the top shows the webpage you are on.
MY VIEW: Do you really need me to preview this? If you don’t know what this is, you don’t deserve to be a Nintendo fans. The DS Opera Browser allows you to surf the net on your DS, so you can always log onto the site wherever you are! Practically flawless, but the small screens may be a hindrance. 96%
Nintendo: The Official Magazine: N/A
Nintendo of Europe: Turn your Nintendo DS into a fully-functioning web browser with the Nintendo DS Browser. Surf websites, check and send emails, bank and shop online - all wirelessly!

The DS Browser features a built-in history function allowing you to bookmark your favourite sites and its fast start-up time makes it quick and easy to connect to the internet, at home or away. With the DS Browser you can connect wherever there is a wireless internet connection: at home, at a public Wi-Fi hotspot or at one of Nintendo's free Wi-Fi Connection hotspots located around the country.

Thanks to the Nintendo DS touch screen you can surf the web the same as if using a keyboard and mouse. The stylus is used to activate hyperlinks and click around pages. Also, an onscreen digital keyboard and built-in handwriting recognition makes it easy to type in URLs and fill in complicated information.

Websites can be viewed with two modes: Overview Mode shows the complete site on one screen and you can highlight areas to enlarge on the other screen, while Small Screen Rendering Mode adjusts websites to fit inside the two Nintendo DS screens - eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling.

The Nintendo DS Browser software comes on a standard DS cartridge. To allow image or multimedia-heavy web sites to load quickly, it comes bundled with a Memory Expansion Pak which boosts the system's power. This pack fits snugly inside the DS's Game Boy Advance slot and comes in two versions: one for the classic Nintendo DS and a smaller version to fit the slimmed down Nintendo DS Lite.

To allow parents to have more control over their children's internet access, a password can be enabled to activate the browser.
90%
GAME: Forget the scrollbar - Nintendo DS Browser users prefer panning. When in either browsing mode, simply touch the screen and drag your stylus to move the screen up or down.
Some web pages do not feature a "submit" button after filling out a form. Never fear, you can keep filling out those forms at lightning speed by simply selecting the text field, entering your information and touching the handy "send + proceed" button on your on-screen keyboard.
Sick of the stylus? Use the buttons on your Nintendo DS to control the browser. For example, press the +Control Pad to navigate the screen or to move between letters on the keyboard, then press the A Button to enter or the B Button to delete.
If it takes too long to add the .com onto the URL, the Nintendo DS Browser features "Speed Type" to speed up your surfing. Simply touch one of the five available buttons that matches your desired tag, such as .net or .com, and it will be added to your Web address.
To make your browsing experience even faster, disable the images (third button from the right on the toolbar) while surfing in SSR mode to avoid a long loading time.
Keyboards are so old school, try handwriting on your Nintendo DS. To really speed things up, handwrite your URL and then tap with the stylus on one of your "Speed Type" buttons to add your tag. This is a good way to practice on-screen writing so that you're ready when the delivery man comes by.
Wondering what the buttons on the browser toolbar are for? If it's knowledge you seek, touch and hold the stylus over the particular button in question and a brief explanation will pop up.
Add different search engines to the quick search toolbar. Simply go to the page that you would like to add as a search engine with Opera 9 on your desktop, right click on the search field, select create search, click on the details, and then copy the address to the settings in your Nintendo DS Browser. Make sure that there is a %s in the address you copy, otherwise it will not work for your desired search engine.
Average Rating: 93%
 
Open Season
GC, DS, GBA
6/10/06
Open Season is a riotous romp in the great outdoors, where the rowdy brood of forest animals turns the tables on a bunch of unsuspecting hunters. When a domesticated grizzly named Boog gets lured into leaving the creature comforts of home by a fast-talking mule deer named Elliot, he finds himself lost in the woods just three days before hunting season. Forced to "rough it" in the great outdoors, Boog goes native, rallying all the forest animals to take back their home and send the hunters packing. The Open Season video game allows players to relive the movie experience by playing as Boog and Elliot. Throw skunk bombs, hurl rabbits, use acorn-firing squirrels and pull outrageous woodland pranks to scare the pants off the hunters in this action-adventure romp through the forest.
MY VIEW: Another movie tie in, which is on all platforms. Not a great game, although the GC graphics are quite good. Hardly uses the DS’s features, and the GBA graphics are pretty bad, but if you saw the film, then you might get it. 46%
Nintendo: The Official Magazine: N/A
Nintendo of Europe: N/A
GAME: Open Season is a riotous romp in the great outdoors, where the rowdy brood of forest animals turns the tables on a bunch of unsuspecting hunters. When a domesticated grizzly named Boog gets lured into leaving the creature comforts of home by a fast-talking mule deer named Elliot, he finds himself lost in the woods just three days before hunting season. Forced to "rough it" in the great outdoors, Boog goes native, rallying all the forest animals to take back their home and send the hunters packing. The Open Season video game will allow player to relive the movie experience by playing as Boog and Elliot.
Average Rating: 46%
 
RebelStar Tactical Command
GBA
29/9/06
The Arelian empire has been in control of Earth for far too long. A new recruit, Jorel, has organized a rebel force that just might be able to crush the Arelian empire in Rebelstar: Tactical Command. Players must use the environment to their advantage in this turn-based strategy game that utilizes destructible terrain and true line of sight in eight directions. Players can also equip their squad with a variety of weapons including grenades, sniper rifles and missile launchers to take down the Arelian empire.
MY VIEW: One of the first decent GBA games for a while, even though it took a year to get here from the US. A good graphical style, and look set to be a good game. 67%
Nintendo: The Official Magazine: N/A
Nintendo of Europe: N/A
GAME: The year is 2117. The evil Arelian Empire has been in control of planet Earth for 70 years. Initially, the Arelians brought peace and prosperity to a world ravaged by war, disease and ecological devastation. Later, they controlled Earth's inhabitants through fear, using their henchmen, the Zorn, to abduct people when they turn 30. Now, a band of rebels rises up to fight against the Arelians. A new recruit, Jorel, quickly advances through the ranks and becomes their leader. He organizes the rebel forces and builds a powerful global army. Soon, he'll challenge the Arelian Empire for control of planet Earth.
Average Rating: 67%