Nintendo DS: US vs. Japan

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Originally Posted by avatar

Nintendo isn't making a DS Dictionary.

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So the DS Dictionary that I see in stores and will be buying soon actually doesn't exist?

If you're talking about Touch Dic (teehee), I didn't think that was actually made by Nintendo.

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Originally Posted by StriderKyo

Aside from that, a Japanese dictionary is pointless to bring over - you'd have to build it from the ground up here, it wouldn't be a port at all.

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The reason that I'm buying it - and to answer Joust's question - is for the English <> Japanese function. Currently, there is NO - that I know of - electronic E <> J dictionary released for English speakers. Everybody who has one has a Japanese one and gets by with a still functional, but less useful due to not being made for English speakers, translation dictionary.

This would be a cheap and easy way to have a dictionary that might not be the most powerful thing in the world, but would be good enough for most people. And for anybody travelling to Japan, they might have their DS with them anyhow, so they wouldn't then need to carry a second piece of equipment. Plus, with the ability to write out characters, it makes it easier to use for those people still getting the hang of Japanese.

Would it be a huge seller in the US? Absolutely not. But it would have a market, although small, and while I don't expect it, I'm just saying it would be nice.

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The only other title is Ouendan, which relies heavily on licensed Japanese music. Maybe somebody will bring it over, but the music means it might be a lrager undertaking than its audience here would warrant.
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Ouendan would only work if it wasn't mucked with, and not mucking with it would keep it as a niche title. I think it could work, in the same way Katamari worked, but I'm not sure Nintendo or whoever else would be bringing it over would have enough faith in it to go that route.

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Originally Posted by sethsez

If you're talking about Touch Dic (teehee), I didn't think that was actually made by Nintendo.

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I'm not - I'm talking about DS Rakubiki Jiten.

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Originally Posted by avatar

Isn't games like brain training,Quendan and a lot of the stuff the DS has in Japan to japanese centric already? I can't see anyone here in the states buy a brain teaser game by some japanese guy no one here knows.

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I don't see why the brain training stuff is Japan-centric. Are they the only people who want enjoy giving their minds a workout? Almost everything I've seen so far in both games has had no Japan-specific stuff - it's all memory, logic, problem solving, stuff like that. Anything in the game that isn't Western-friends - kanji stuff or whatnot - could easily be changed.

People in the States like brain teasers just like anybody else does. There's no reason that it wouldn't have some sort of a market.

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Originally Posted by shidoshi

I don't see why the brain training stuff is Japan-centric. Are they the only people who want enjoy giving their minds a workout? Almost everything I've seen so far in both games has had no Japan-specific stuff - it's all memory, logic, problem solving, stuff like that. Anything in the game that isn't Western-friends - kanji stuff or whatnot - could easily be changed.

People in the States like brain teasers just like anybody else does. There's no reason that it wouldn't have some sort of a market.

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How big is that market? Yes a lot of people are used to buying 4 dollar brain teasers at wal-mart, but I seriously think the current market of gamers would care, nor would the demographic that likes this kind of stuff shell out 150 bucks for it.(COnsidering they don't have a DS.)

However bringing it to america couldn't do any harm if it's just to beef up thier release schedule.

Honestly, I'd love to have a game full of brain teasers. Then again, I'm a big Puzzledonkey fan as well.

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Originally Posted by shidoshi

The reason that I'm buying it - and to answer Joust's question - is for the English <> Japanese function. Currently, there is NO - that I know of - electronic E <> J dictionary released for English speakers. Everybody who has one has a Japanese one and gets by with a still functional, but less useful due to not being made for English speakers, translation dictionary.

This would be a cheap and easy way to have a dictionary that might not be the most powerful thing in the world, but would be good enough for most people. And for anybody travelling to Japan, they might have their DS with them anyhow, so they wouldn't then need to carry a second piece of equipment.

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Please post impressions when you get it. The descriptions around the web are pretty vague as to the extent of its functionality.

The US release schedule is 3 months behind the Japanese one, which is typical. In the next few months we get Advance Wars, Nintendogs, Trauma Center, that lawyer game, and Castlevania. I can't even name a PSP game that comes out before GTA. Regardless of sales, the DS will have a much better software lineup than the PSP heading into next year.

The DS drought has been over for a month. It remains to be seen when the PSP drought will end.

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Originally Posted by Kinopio

I can't even name a PSP game that comes out before GTA.

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There's Death Jr. I've seen ads for it all over the place. I haven't read the review yet but it got pretty half-assed scores in EGM (Like 6's and stuff). It's funny that people will buy it no matter what just to have something to play.

I think the last PSP game to be released was the equally lackluster Coded Arms. (Both published by Konami btw)

PSP's game schedule is so bad it makes me sick.

And yet people still buy this thing. :\

There UMD movies take up more space than the games for crying out loud.

I fell in love with the PSP the first time I ever held one, when a friend imported it from Japan. It's such a beautiful little machine.

I held off on buying one since it was so much goddamn money, and now my interest has waned considerably since the release schedule has been so disappointing.

I fully expect a turn around by Christmas, but who knows.

I'm still slowly working to 100% in Kirby Canvas Curse, I can wait.