GDC 09: Nintendo Shows Off Downloadable Games, Sends Game-Boy to Rhythm Heaven

Nintendo certainly started this year's Game Developer's Conference off with a bang! While the HCSD-card enabling system update and announcement of a new DS Zelda were unexpected and great to hear, they also used this as a chance to talk up a few smaller projects that we will be seeing in the near future.

The nicest perk that Nintendo decided to share with developers was an early copy of Rhythm Heaven for DS. As the sequel to the similarly named import-only GBA title, the series' US and Euro debut features over 50 rhythm minigames that have a bizarre logic all of their own. Expect impressions on this divine game in the very near future.

Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata also used his keynote to show off the company's line up of up coming downloadable games. Nintendo of America showed off a WiiWare game titled Rock and Roll Climber that uses the Wii Balance board in conjunction with the remote and nunchuk to simulate scaling tall cliffs... and then rock out with a lime green flying V electric guitar when the player reaches the cliff. While the game itself won't impress in the visual department, the game's adaptive character animations looked fluid and the control appeared to accurately reproduce the climber's "battle against gravity." I'm not sure where the whole "Rock and Roll" part fits in with the rest of the game, it looks like this is going to be a WiiWare game to keep your eye on.

Nintendo choose to display two DSi Ware titles: Moving Memo and WarioWare Snapped. This wasn't the first time that insiders got a look Moving Memo, but has never been featured this prominently. As a small application that allows users to sketch and animate, much of the fun of this title may depend on how much artistic skill you have. It was surprisingly fully featured. Crucial animation techniques such as onion layering were only a tap away, users can add sounds to their animations, and the final version promises players the ability to download other people's animations.

WarioWare Snapped in the latest in the now long running minigame collection series and focuses on the DSi's new camera as the primary control input. After players line up their face and hand to the camera, players are suddenly taken through a roller coaster ride of manic minigames. The games that we saw in the demo had players grabbing coins with their hands, pouring water by tilting their head, and my personal favorite... shaking your head as a wet dog. The most unexpected feature of the game is an automated slideshow at the end of every level that shows the player just how ridiculous they look while playing the game. Think of it as a stranger version of Singstar's golden moments or Burnout: Paradise's online crash pics. I fear that Snapped won't be as portable as some of the other titles in the series, it looks like a lot of fun.