DS in 2008: the future is now

2007 is now done for, and as far as the Nintendo DS is concerned it was a fantastic year. Throughout ‘07, many anticipated DS titles saw release and stood up to gamers’ expectations. We were also treated to a great amount of new surprises, titles that remained nice and quiet but became cult classics soon after release. Big franchises, such as Zelda, Pokémon and Contra, made strong appearances, and many games for many genres kept us playing late at night. With the year gone, what can DS players expect in 2008? Read along as we take a look at this year’s list of promising DS releases to look forward to.

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
We won’t have to wait long to get a stellar DS release. The second Advance Wars game for DS is set to release this January, and it promises to deliver quality strategy gameplay with tons of value. Not only that, but many aspects of the franchise are being re-structured. This time around, the game will offer a deeper, more drastic storyline, as well as a more mature and sophisticated art style. A few tweaks to the formula will likely improve the already impressive gameplay, and the introduction of online play, complete with voice chat, will keep us busy for weeks, if not months.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
The first three Ace Attorney entries featuring the courtroom adventures of Phoenix Wright taught us something; law games can be fun. And fun indeed; with intricate storylines and cases, varied (and often hilarious) characters, and addictive courtroom proceedings, it’s hard to put down an Ace Attorney title. A new attorney will keep the law going for DS gamers in Apollo Justice. No need to worry; the quality gameplay from the previous games remains and is expanded upon, and many characters will make a return playing different roles. Be ready for more law action this February.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village
The DS continues to open the doors of creativity for developers in 2008. Layton’s first DS title is a mix of an adventure-style mystery story with brain-twisting puzzle solving. As you explore the town and chat with residents of St. Mystere, you will often encounter a variety of brain teasers and puzzle mini-games, for a total of over 120 challenges of increasing difficulty. As you succeed in puzzle solving, the flow of the story continues, and apparently some puzzles will really get you thinking. Look out for this title on February, and hopefully the rest of the three-game series makes its way to North America soon thereafter.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Skipping its Winter 2007 initial tentative release, Ninja Gaiden will hit the DS this March. Touch screen controls take some time to master, but after a while you will be slashing the throats of multitudes of enemies with ease. Intuitive stylus controls are complemented by very impressive and smooth graphics and environment designs, as well as good audio / sound effects. You can try a demo of the game using a DS Download Station at your local GameStop.

Final Fantasy IV
This classic RPG is coming to the DS complete with an impressive 3D makeover similar to its predecessor, Final Fantasy III. Voiceovers, expanded gameplay options, and crisp new characters and environments are among the game’s improvements, while the tried-and-true battle system remains, complete with Active-time meters for each character on your party. We expect this epic role-playing adventure sometime this fall.

Castlevania DS (name pending)
Not content with the two excellent DS Castlevania iterations, series director Koji Igarashi has confirmed development of a third DS Castlevania title. Details are scarce at best, but we know Igarashi hopes to take the art style in a whole new direction. The quality of the franchise on the DS speaks for itself; we can safely expect a superb side-scroller, perhaps around November.

Dragon Quest
This well-established RPG series from Square-Enix has found a great home on the DS. A remake of Dragon Quest IV just broke the million sales mark in Japan, and 2008 will see Dragon Quest V and IX in that region, with Dragon Quest VI also in the works. We would love to see at least two of these installments make it stateside throughout 2008, and Dragon Quest IV looks like a sure bet.

Fire Emblem DS
Fire Emblem is set to invade Japanese DS systems sometime in 2008, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the title made it stateside shortly after. It has been confirmed that Fire Emblem DS is an upgraded remake of Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryu to Hikari no Tsurugi, the very first Fire Emblem title released back in 1990 for the Famicom, a game that never made it to America. WiFi play has also been confirmed, allowing players to battle online with raised characters of their own or ‘rented’ ones for good measure. This seems like a great opportunity for strategy fans not familiar with the franchise to jump in and join the fight.

This is just the start of a great year for DS. Other titles that should launch throughout 2008 include:

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates

Etrian Odyssey 2

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

Viva Piñata

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

Guitar Hero DS

Assassin’s Creed DS

Kirby Super Star DS (working title)

Best of all, these are the games we know of at the moment; who knows how many titles will be announced in the coming months, especially during E3! This year will keep us gaming, with a good variety of titles and some well-anticipated releases to look forward to. Indeed, 2008 is looking like a great year for the Nintendo DS!