Will Nintendo ever have another “third pillar”?

Ever since the Nintendo DS was announced, there have been speculations over what Nintendo’s next handheld system would be. Some game journalists have been going on about what is being called “Game Boy Next”, staying with the “third pillar” philosophy that Nintendo went over with the dual-screened system. Reported to be as powerful as the Gamecube, it’s one of those geek gadgets that should exist, at all costs.

But Nintendo has also reported a long while ago that they already considered the Nintendo DS to be their primary portable, after seeing what a huge success it has become. The DS has become one of their most supported game systems in history, making the title “third pillar” ridiculous. This title is buried into the ground even further with its GBA cartridge slot. Right from launch, having a Game Boy Advance was no longer necessary. They left the legacy of its Game Boy line and continue to put all their energy with the DS. So, will there ever be a new Game Boy? Or, the more interesting question to ask- will Nintendo’s next portable be based on the DS’s technology, or will it be a more traditional portable?

We know that Nintendo has always been king of portable systems, out-fighting all challengers that have come its way. As far as most of us can remember since our childhood Nintendo has always had two venues: home consoles and handhelds. (Maybe except for the uber-vintage gamers that have been around when Nintendo was just doing arcades.) And not counting the transitions that come with introducing new generations of consoles, Nintendo has always put full support on at least two different platforms for the past 20 years. So with the Wii doing surprisingly well, and the DS still not showing any signs of aging, would Nintendo want to throw down yet another game system?

Continuing to support the Wii and DS while pushing forth yet another game system would require a considerable growth in Nintendo’s staff. Otherwise it will put a strain on their company and hurt their R&D and marketing endeavors. But, I’m just a gamer drawing speculations, and secretive Nintendo pulls out a new surprise at us. However we know from experience that even the big Sony has trouble supporting three game systems at a time, which might explain why the PSP’s marketing campaign was so crippled. And a new system would divide or confuse third party developers.

I’d say that for now, Nintendo has put their “GameBoy Next” project on an indefinite hold. They are eager to explore new ideas, but even they know not to put all their eggs in one basket. Or more likely, they would’ve cancelled the project. But as with any good idea-factory, they would salvage the pieces for use in their next true handheld, or other game-related venue. Like a venue that hasn’t been tapped well in recent years and in need of revitalizing. Could their next “third pillar” actually be the arcades? Maybe they will want to conquer the gaming market in that area. But who knows what they’re really up to.

Porta-Bulletin: March 6

A new batch of FF Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates screens have arrived, thanks to French gaming site Wiiz for snatching them up. The game is looking better and more polished by the day!

Sony has just released a demo for PSP puzzle game Echochrome, but it’s only for Japanese players. Or at least, if you’re willing to find it leaked on the net, because it’s officially obtained from Playstation Spot download service.

Nippon Ichi is making waves on the DS platform with additional info of three of its upcoming games. The first one, Rhapsody: In Musical Adventure is based on NIS’s early strategic work, originally on the Playstation. Disgaea: Prince of the Demon World and the Red Moon would likely be their biggest attraction, and it will be an adaptation of the first Disgaea game, just as it was with Afternoon of Darkness on the PSP. Finally, there is Jigsaw World, another PS2 port that was only released in Japan.

A pixelated look at Nintendo’s history

This is a fan-made montage showing a brief history of some of Nintendo’s best characters from basic pixels in 2D to modern 3D renderings. It’s a pretty good look at how far video games have changed, and it’s more amazing when the same thing is happening with portable games before our eyes. When the Nintendo 64 was in its best years, who would’ve thought that people would be playing portable N64-quality games today? The poster’s somewhat inaccurate, however. Most of the recent 3D images shown are software renders made for promotional purposes and not in-game graphics. Nevertheless, today’s graphics can still compare with them.

Porta-Bulletin: March 3

This is the first of a series of a new segment, called Porta-Bulletin, to the site. Porta-Bulletin eschews the usual need to post somewhat minor news individually, in favor of presenting it all to you in small, manageable bits and pieces. Though I’m a bit late on the March 3 date, here’s some news to note…

God of War: Chains of Olympus scores a 9.3 at GameTrailers. Don’t forget, it’s out in North American stores tomorrow. And so soon after my Patapon purchase…

Via GoNintendo - trailer for DS platformer game Dragon Hunters, which looks like it took some key gameplay ideas from Super Mario Galaxy and Sonic. Time will tell if this is worth purchasing.

Tomy has released a gameplay video for their upcoming game, Naruto Shippuuden: Dairansen! Kage Bunshin Emaki. As the title suggests, the game will center around the main characters in the Naruto Shippuuden series. Check for many familiar faces in this one- it should be a hit that would probably make its way overseas.

Agetec has quietly released Puzzle Guzzle for a low price of $19.99, just right for casual puzzle fans. GamingShogun has the full press release.

Finally, Capcom has released their trailer for PSP’s Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G. It will be out in Japan towards the end of March.

DS Game New Releases: March

Aside from a few heavy hitters like Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, there’s not much action going on this month on the DS. Putting aside the obvious B-list titles, there are some new franchises that have potential, but they emit a “try before you buy” kind of aura. Titles that might fall under the radar but are worth looking at are Nanostray 2, SEGA Superstars Tennis, Insectiside, and the out-of-nowhere history-sim, Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery.

Since I can’t possibly write about every single DS game, consider looking into these games this March.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword - (March 28) While Ninja Gaiden 2 will take most of the spotlight, Dragon Sword also looks like it will do quite nicely. To prove that all handheld ports of popular games aren’t totally bad, Dragon Sword mixes up magic and combat in a different style of gameplay, and it can all be controlled with the stylus. And with its nicely pre-rendered backgrounds, the game is also as graphically impressive as its big brother.

Ninja Reflex - (March 4) Ah, another game where you can be a ninja, although in a more trimmed-down package. Though it won’t win any awards for originality, Ninja Reflex provides a series of mini-games mostly meant to test your reflexes and speed. All the dojo-themed events are based around quick maneuvers combining both the stylus and buttons. But six is a small number of mini-games, so hopefully the games themselves will have enough depth to keep you busy for hours.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates - (March 11) Unlike the Gamecube predecessor, Ring of Fates is an FF action-RPG that promises a full, rich single player experience. Multiplayer is also getting some improvements in its 4-player Wi-Fi game. There are again many character classes to choose from, and no one has to carry that annoying chalice again.

Nanostray 2 - (March 11) Another hardcore scrolling 2D shooter is coming our way, with new ways to shoot, blast, and score your way into victory. Co-op play is also available, handy for taking out the extra hard bosses. A particularly nice feature is that the drone weapons you collect are controllable with your stylus.

SEGA Superstars Tennis - (March 18) This game should play just like its console brethren, meaning it is a good attempt to follow Nintendo’s suit of putting its mascot characters in a tennis game, and throwing a whole bunch of Sega-related trappings in it. You can control with either the buttons or the stylus in a variety of court styles and unique game modes. And it fills up the mascot tennis niche well, since there’s no Mario Tennis for the portable system.

Anno 1701: Dawn of Discovery - (March 4) When you already have a SimCity game for the DS, and flashier strategy games like Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, you might wonder what type of person Anno 1701 is for. Well, it’s a PC-based title focused on the Western age of exploration, which actually has made a good transition to the DS. You can settle, build, and discover new lands alone or against three other people via Wi-Fi.