The date is Dec. 28, 1979. Disgraced New York detective Kyle Hyde checks into the seedy Hotel Dusk in Los Angeles and suddenly finds himself embroiled in a 30-year-old murder mystery. This is the story of Hotel Dusk: Room 215, available exclusively for the portable Nintendo DS on Jan. 24. The dual screens of a player’s Nintendo DS display stylized sketch animation evoking a comic-book-like film noir. Conversations with more than a dozen characters help players piece together different story elements as the mystery deepens. Players decide where the story goes next by weighing their options and tapping their decision on the touch screen using the stylus.

“Hotel Dusk: Room 215 could be considered a new genre for both video games and storytelling,” explains George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “Just as audio books brought the printed word to a new medium, so does this new ‘video game book.’ ”

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 features deep characters, grown-up themes and an engrossing plot. It has more in common with a gritty crime novel than a video game, and appeals to mystery lovers and video game fans alike. As the plot develops, players must make choices before they begin each conversation, like deciding whether to strong-arm a subject or play it cool. Players hold the portable Nintendo DS system sideways like a book, and the touch-screen controls make it easy for newcomers to pick up and play, even if they have never played a video game before. Nintendo’s aim is to expand the world of video games to new audiences through creative new interfaces. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is available on Jan. 24, and is Rated T for Teen. For more information about the mystery, visit HotelDusk.com.

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F.E.A.R. and World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade. Enough said.

F.E.A.R. (Sierra) - PC, PS2, Xbox 360

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (Blizzard) - PC

Bullet Witch (Atari) - Xbox 360

The Precursors (Play Ten Interactive) - PC, Xbox 360

Brian Lara International Cricket (Codemasters) - PS2, PC, Xbox

Garfield’s Nightmare (The Game Factory) - DS

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D3Publisher of America, Inc. today announced the release of Fossil League Dino Tournament Championship exclusively for the Nintendo DS™. Fossil League follows the epic journey of boy action-star Taiga as he travels back in time to historic jurassic eras to recover his stolen and most personal treasure, the “Big Mother” fossil. Fossil League offers classic turn-based RPG play with players adventuring as Taiga to battle, tame and collect realistic 3D dinosaur models each with their own special powers. A “dinopedia” will give players true dinosaur facts as they engage in fun mini-games, utilize special attacks and experience cool archeological digs. Fossil League (DTC) is available now in retail stores across North America for the suggested retail price of $29.95.

Developed by MTO and rated E by the ESRB, Fossil League allows players to adventure across 6 historic dinosaur eras to collect and battle more than 100 different 3D dinosaurs, each with their own effects. Players will utilize the dual screen capabilites of the Nintendo DS to experience fascinating archeological digs and collect as many dinosaurs as possible to utilize wireless mulitplayer mode for up to two players to compete in the Dinosaur Grand Prix at the end of the adventure.

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Namco Bandai Games announced today the that well release the brain teaser game Quickspot to the Nintendo DS later this spring. The game will have players attempt to quickly spot the differences in seemingly identical pictures. Players use the touch the screen to circle those differences in the shortest time possible. Quickspot offers three single player modes (Rapid play, Focus play, and Today’s Fortune and three multiplayer modes (Time Bomb, Scramble Mode, and Download play.)

Rapid play is the main single player mode and contains five levels with ten stages and a boss challenge for each. The player competes for medal earned through a point system called Brain Activity. Brain Activity rates a players intuition, concentration, recognition, stability, and judgment with higher scores earning more points.

Focus play has 140 unique pictures with 10 differences between them pairs to spot. Time Bomb mode is a mode for up to eight players to pass one DS back and forth between turns a la Catchphrase. Scramble Mode and Download Play allow gamers to compete against each other on separate DS systems. Today’s Fortune gives players health, study, romance, and money fortunes for the day.

“QuickSpot offers hours of fun for those with quick minds and fast reflexes, as it takes a simple concept and turns it into an exciting and addicting brain game perfectly suited for gamers on the go.” said Makoto Iwai, Executive Vice President and COO at NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “Everyone remembers playing this game as a kid, and now it’s re-imagined as a simple and addictive video game that anyone can play.”‘

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Bloomberg reports Nintendo raised it’s earning forecast 20% on the strength of DS sales and Wii targets. The new estimate predicts Nintendo to reap $120 billion yen, about $1 billions for the fiscal year ending March 31.

On top of DS and DS games sales, Enterbrain Inc., a Tokyo-based research firm., said he company has gained ground in home console market after the Wii doubled PS3 sales in Japan during the launch and holiday period.

Nintendo sold 989,118 Wii units in Japan since the console became available on Dec. 2 according to Enterbrain. Sony sold 466,716 PS3 machines in Japan since its Nov. 11 release.

“Nintendo is going like gangbusters, and the Wii consoles are selling like hotcakes,'’ said Edwin Merner, president of Atlantis Investment Research Corp. in Tokyo. “They have momentum, and I think you can expect them to surpass earnings estimates for the next year or two.'’

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Tomy Corporation and D3 Publisher announced that Naruto: Ninja Council 3 would release this spring on the Nintendo DS. The game will feature over 40 missions and 20 playable characters and will support four-player multiplayer. Game modes will include Timed Mode, Scroll Collection Mode and Head-to-Head Versus Mode.

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THQ announced Paws & Claws Pet Vet for the Nintendo DS has shipped to North American retailers . Published by THQ’s ValuSoft division, Paws & Claws Pet Vet is rated “E” for everyone and is available at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Paws & Claws Pet Vet is the brand’s debut on the Nintendo DS. The GBA release Paws & Claws Pet Resort from 2006 helped establish the franchise. Paws & Claws Pet Vet utilizes the unique voice command feature of the Nintendo DS as animals within the game respond to voice commands, which impact various aspects of the game including increasing the speed of horses and calming pets visiting the examination room. In Paws & Claws Pet Vet, players will become the owners of their own Pet Clinic, staring off treating rabbits and guinea pigs and moving on the over ten available animals as skills develop. Players will also have to manage business responsiblities such as purchasing food from the store and medicine from the pharmacy, looking into alternative homeopathic remedies and investing in further education by obtaining additional credentials from the vet academy.

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As we head into New Year’s weekend, we’re going to kick off the weekend with some more new trailers. Many of which are in Japanese, but they are impressive no less. Highlighting today’s batch include Enchanted Arms, Armored Core 4 and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates.

Enchanted Arms (Software) - PS3

Armored Core 4 (SEGA) - PS3

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (Square Enix) - DS

Spectral Diario (Idea Factory) - Xbox 360

Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology (Namco) -PSP

Puzzle Quest (D3 Publisher) - PSP & DS

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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the park….

….there were trailers. What else were you expecting? Highlighted by the Jump Festa trailer for Dragon Quest IX, here are some of the latest trailers to help get you excited for 2007.

Dragon Quest IX (Square Enix) - DS

Halo 3 Video Documentary: “Et Tu Brute” (Bungie) - Xbox 360

Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI (KOEI) - PS2, PC

Tomb Raider Anniversary (Eidos) - PS2, PC

NBA Street Homecourt (EA Big)

Crazy Frog Racing (Neko Entertainment) - PS2, PC

Gran Turismo HD (SCEA) - PS3

Rafa Nadal Tennis (Codemaster) - DS

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Final Fantasy Tactics fans can rejoice as Square Enix has announced a new Tactics for the DS. The new tactics will be titled Final Fantasy Tactics A2 Fuuketsu no Guurimore. Japanese media have reported the title to be a sequel to Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.
Square had already announced Final Fantasy XII Revnant Wings and a port of the original Final Fantasy Tactics for release next year.

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