More DS non-games get announced.

August 13th, 2006, 01:21 Posted By: wraggster

News from IGN

Another week, another flood of non-game announcements. This week, everyone from Hudson to Marvelous Interactive got in on the non-gaming act -- you know, the one where someone sees the success of Nintendo's Touch Generations lineup of titles, says "me too," and makes its own simple/non game which is doomed to failure from the start.



This week's lineup doesn't have as many games as our last update from Japan, but there are some database breaking titles in the bunch. I encourage slow, regular breaths when reading this, even when presented with a title consisting of over 50 syllables.

First, the simplest game of them all: a jigsaw puzzle! Hudson is updating its largely unsuccessful Jigsaw Puzzle Series with Jigsaw Puzzle Series: Odenkun. You use the stylus to assemble a jigsaw puzzle themed in the popular Odenkun anime. The game includes a storyline, through which you progress by clearing the puzzles. Once you've cleared a puzzle, you're presented with a QR code that can be scanned by your cell phone to gain access a website containing background art. A release is set for October

Hudson isn't the only company keeping an unsuccessful series going. Starfish SD has announced plans for Kodomo no Tame no Yomi Kikase Ehon De Asobou 4. That wild bunch of kana translates to Play Using a Speak and Read Picture Book For Kids, with the "4" meaning that this is the fourth installment, making this the DS's first quadrilogy. We don't have a release date or details on what stories will be included. But wait! Parts 5 and 6 have also been announced, meaning the DS also has its first septilogy and sectilogy! Part five will include three books, including Alice in Wonderland.

The next title isn't really a non-game, but we're putting it here anyway because like a non game, no one really cares about it. Marvelous Interactive is bringing Ciao Dream Touch! Happy Anniversary to the DS. What is Ciao and why should you care about its anniversary? Ciao is a Shogakukan Comics girls comic that started back in 1977. I'm not sure why you'd care about its anniversary, but here's what's in the game. Twenty characters from nine different comics will appear in the title, and you'll be able to converse and play mini games and puzzles with everyone. A release is set for December.

Finally, we come to this week's database cruncher award, given to games who attempt to break the 255 character name limitation in your ordinary game database. IE Institute takes the honors this week for this whopper: Zaidan Houjin Nihon Kanji Nouryoku Kettei Kyoukai Koushiki Soft 200-Man Nin no Kanken -- Tokoton Kanji Nou. Set for release on 11/19, not sure if Zaidan Houjin Nihon Kanji Nouryoku Kettei Kyoukai Koushiki Soft 200-Man Nin no Kanken -- Tokoton Kanji Nou has anything to do with Rocket Company's Zaidan Houjin Nihon Kanji Nouryoku Kettei Kyoukai Kounin Kanken DS, although both appear to be kanji learning titles with the stamp of approval from the Zaidan Houjin Nihon Kanji Nouryoku Kettei Kyoukai group. Zaidan Houjin Nihon Kanji Nouryoku Kettei Kyoukai Koushiki Soft 200-Man Nin no Kanken -- Tokoton Kanji Nou includes over 7000 questions from past kanji tests, covering levels 1 to 10. When you're tired of the kanji training, you can try out a selection of mini games.

Non-games are this year's Street Fighter, Doom and Tetris all in one, without any of the intense button-pressing gameplay. Expect more announcements soon, unless someone gets the message that only a handful of these non-games -- specifically ones that are made by Nintendo -- ever actually sell.

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