Carmack: iPhone a serious threat to other hand-helds

In an interview with Chris Morris for CNBC, id Software founder and chief programmer John Carmack said that Apple’s iPhone may be a serious threat to the hand-held gaming market - specifically Nintendo’s DS and DSi.

It’s a pretty interesting comment if you consider that earlier this week a prominent analyst (who I won’t name here) said that the iPhone - in the long term - will not be a viable game platform. Carmack sees it another way - and he should know, he’s been working on the platform and selling his games via Apple’s app store for quite some time.

Earlier this week it was announced that there are now 100,000 apps available on the iPhone, and while not all of those are games, a good portion of them are and many of them sell for anywhere from 99 cents to $9.99 USD.

“I think mid- to long-term it’s a significant threat,” he says. “I don’t carry a DS or a PSP around, but I’ve got my iPhone everywhere. So if it plays good games, I’m less likely to pick one of the others up. … I think the stars could align and it could start to eclipse those other systems in terms of unit sales.”

While Carmack is a PC guy through and through, he has fallen in love with developing games for the iPhone. He describes his time developing games on the system “fun.”

“I wouldn’t be shocked if someone has one in development right now, though they probably don’t realize it will run that high yet,” he told CNBC. “If a title could do well at $9.99, you could put [Nintendo] DS level development expenses into it.”

id Software has made it their goal to release one iPhone game every quarter over the next year. Most recently the company released an iPhone remake of the classic DOOM game called “Doom Classic.” iPhone versions of one of my favorite id Software titles - Quake - and a follow-up to the popular Doom RPG are also in the works. id Software is also planning on having its latest game, RAGE, ready to go for the iPhone when it is released in 2010.

Source: CNBC

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey announced

Atlus U.S.A. announced Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, the very first first-person science fiction RPG for Nintendo DS set in the ultra popular Shin Megami Tensei RPG game universe. Strange Journey is set in the near future, where a mysterious and ever-growing, black void appears at the Earth’s southern pole. Unsure of what to do about this void, humanity sends an elite team of explorers (four ships carrying humanity’s finest soldiers and most cutting-edge technology) into the heart of the phenomenon in hopes of stopping its deadly expansion. Obviously this rift, black hole or whatever you want to label it as demonic and otherworldly in nature.

According to Atlus, Strange Journey’s game mechanics and presentation herald a return to the series’ roots. The game feature a first-person view, the ability to team up with more than 300 types of demons, plenty of options to build your party and party strategy and a mature rated storyline that long-time fans should appreciate.

When the black spot appeared in the Antarctic, mankind became nervous; when it began to spread, that anxiety turned to panic. The Joint Project, convened to discuss how to deal with the expanding anomaly, decided to send in four ships carrying humanity’s finest soldiers and most cutting-edge technology. The mission: to investigate what lay on the other side of what had been dubbed the Schwarzwelt and find out if there was a way to stop it from eventually covering the Earth.

You play as one of the many elite soldiers hand-picked for the Strike Team, but you are outfitted with a Demonica environment suit and posted to the Red Sprite under Commander Gore. Upon entering the Schwarzwelt, or pocket world, the crew finds itself forced to deal with harsh conditions, supernatural interference, and throngs of demons populating within the world.

Go ahead, Press Your Luck

I wish the name of this game, and the game show it was based, on was called “Press your F***ING Luck,” because I think youngsters might be more inclined to play it. But for those familiar with the popular game show, well now you can amuse yourself with the home game. You know, the game they give you when you lose as a contestant? It used to be a board game, but now we are in the digital age. Wow, technology is simply amazing isn’t it? Where was I? Oh yeah, Ubisoft has released Press Your Luck 2010 Edition for the Nintendo Wii, DS and Windows-based PCs.

Press Your Luck is a digital remake of the game show from the 80’s where players assume the role of one of the three contestants competing to win by answering a series of trivia questions correctly to earn “spins” on the Big Board of cash and prizes. Press Your Luck 2010 Edition features single- or multiplayer modes and the ability to design and customize a personal avatar. The game has been created by Ludia and is licensed by FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME).

Find out more about this home game by visiting www.gameshowvideogames.com.

Crystal Defenders now on PSP go

Crystal Defenders has been released on PSP go this week via the PlayStation Network. The game from Square Enix is based on the job classes and locations from the popular Final Fantasy Tactics game and is being billed as a “defensive simulation.” Does that mean when someone say that it sucks that it somehow gets defensive and storms out of the room or something? I’m not really sure, but it is only $10.00 USD. More likely is that it is a tower defense style game. In it you deploy units to defend crystals of wave after wave of bad guys. The game is based on the WiiWare game of the same name released in Japan at the beginning of this year.

According to Square Enix the game is easy enough to understand: monsters an area in waves until they are defeated or reach an exit; if they make it that far, they steal some crystals. Players have to decide where to deploy various jobs such as Black Mages or Soldiers that will attempt to defend the party’s crystals. Factors such as map terrain, monster strengths and weaknesses, job attributes, and more will play a role in determining what actions a player should take.

Look for the game on the PSP go via PlayStation Network, right now.

Rocking your blocks off: LEGO Rock Band released

Warner Bros. Interactive has released LEGO Rock Band, much to the delight of kids and adults alike - assuming the game is good, of course. Combining Rock and Roll with the popular building blocks, LEGO Rock Band adds LEGO style into the Rock Band formula. The game features 45 songs and at launch and lets players of all skill levels play bass, drums, guitar and mic to such songs from Queen, Foo Fighters, Jackson 5, The All-American Rejects, Jimi Hendrix, Good Charlotte, Tom Petty and more.

Unique to LEGO Rock Band is the introduction of Rock Power Challenges, where players can harness the power of rock to pull off killer riffs that have the ability to do crazy things like demolish a building, stop an angry octopus or send players on wild missions. Naturally the game promises build-and-play elements that let players customize their own experience by creating a minifigure avatar, band and entourage.

The game will also be supported by the Rock Band Store’s regular release of weekly content as well, with some tunes already ready for purchase. LEGO Rock Band is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and various incarnations of the DS.

Need for Speed NITRO released

Need for Speed NITRO is now available in North America and will be available on November 6th in Europe. Developed specifically for the Wii and Nintendo DS, Need for Speed NITRO brings arcade racing to Nintendo’s platforms.

Besides a NFS branded arcade racing experience for Nintendo platform owners, the game features a soundtrack with such artists as k-os, Placebo and Crystal Method. EA’s NFS NITRO promises arcade racing for all kinds of players - from the casual to the hardcore - by offering accessible controls, and competitive multiplayer events.

For more information on the game check out www.ea.com..

James Patterson’s Daniel X becomes a game

THQ today announced its plans to bring James Patterson’s book series, The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, to the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS in January 2010. The books revolve around a boy named Daniel, who has special powers that allow him to create things - a power he inherited from his alien parents. Meep, meep. Daniel also inherited a Wanted List of aliens that are bent on destroying planet Earth. It is up to Daniel to use his powers to stop them.

Daniel X allows players to create objects out of thin air and implement them to overcome obstacles, save friends and prevent the aliens on The List from taking over the world. As Daniel traverses an alien world, that skill will be vital in solving puzzles and battling enemies so that he can return home to Earth.

The game is being developed by Griptonite Games and will be available for the Nintendo DSi and DS for a suggested price of $29.99 this upcoming January.