Ready Your DS - MechAssault: Phantom War is on the Way

[fitbabits]

Thanks to Gamecloud (http://www.gamecloud.com) for the news (http://www.gamecloud.com/article.php?article_id=3529).

Majesco sent over a press release announcing that they will publish MechAssault: Phantom War for the Nintendo DS. It's the first game from the popular Mechwarrior franchise to appear on the DS console. Developed by Backbone Entertainment, the game will feature 20 mechs,use of the touch screen to "sneak into enemy territory, hijack enemy ‘Mechs and wield the most secret weapon in the Inner Sphere" and wireless multiplayer for up to four players. The game is due out later in 2006. Here is a snip:

Developed by Backbone Entertainment, a division of Foundation 9 Entertainment, MechAssault: Phantom War brings the future of interstellar combat to today’s handheld gamers in a third-person futuristic shooter. Players assume the role of a MechWarrior, an elite fighter trained to control the ultimate war machine of the 32nd century...the BattleMech. Gamers experience fast-action, 3D ‘Mech combat on the top screen, while the lower touch screen positions them inside the cockpit at the controls.
Color me very interested!

[Kamalot]

?!

Where can we find out more?

[drakkarim]

its too bad this site doesn't have a system where i can filter stories out by which system i don't own or care about. or perhaps even by which genre. like ignoring any news that deal with consoles or mmorpgs :)

[Nite_Moogle]

Gleeeeeeeee!

[bapenguin]

ooooooooooooooooooooooooh. nice!

[Harlan Hoyt]

while the lower touch screen positions them inside the cockpit at the controls.
That could either be really cumbersum or really cool. I'm not quite sure yet. I'd be curious to see what it looks like running. 3D multiplayer MechAssault on my DS? Okay, consider my interest piqued.

[YoungAlCapone]

Please, for the love of all that is good in this world, let this turn out as good as it potentially can be.

[Bone]

With the DS's polygon limitations, I actually hope it's NOT fully 3d. A pseudo-3d overhead map with elevation changes is all I need- save those polygons to make the 'mechs look good.

Really, I just want the original PnP Battletech game, complete with mech customization, heat sink placement, critical hits, etc. Give me that with a top-down view and I'd be a happy guy.

[Harlan Hoyt]

Really, I just want the original PnP Battletech game, complete with mech customization, heat sink placement, critical hits, etc. Give me that with a top-down view and I'd be a happy guy.

I concur. Don't worry about fancy graphics as much as allowing me to fiddle with heat sinks 'til my heart's content. Turn based would be even better. Sadly, I think "fast paced" puts paid to that notion.

[agentgray]

Wow. The DS is getting so much love.

A web browser, possible TV tuner, a mech game, metroid, and tetris.

[Serapth]

WOW, wouldnt Microsoft have to have given this there blessing, being the heir to the Fasa Interactive legacy?

Very odd.

[Sion]

btw, where are the guys who were saying PSP>DS all the time? Where have they gone?

[Nite_Moogle]

The enemy of Microsoft's enemy is Microsoft's friend.

Really, consider it. The 360 and Revo are in only rough direct competition, much less so than the PS3 will be in competition with the 360. Microsoft lacks a hand-held... so....

[ChaosDent]

Microsoft has also blessed the Age of Empires franchise, recently published by Majesco and several post-buyout Rare games. They have no competing handheld product--besides Pocket PC--and a ton of sellable franchises.

[Riproar]

A Very good new DS title indeed for us strategy gearheads. With the “wireless multiplayer for up to four players” It has got to be killer. I now want a DS…although you’ll have a hard time trying to pry that GBA mico from my gaming death grip.

Definitely a upgarde DS title for me certainly. The orginal large DS has always been a no no in my circles of dignitaries. My GBA mico or my PalmTX never raise that much undo attenttion. Which in my case is very good.

[emperordahc]

Whoa. This is developed by Backbone. These are the guys that did Death Jr. for the PSP, which I was actually rather impressed by.

The DS could pull off a true 3D mechwarrior. Think back to the original Mechwarrior and Mechwarrior 2. It had absolutely basic 3D, easily comparable to any N64 (lower than DS hardware) game you've ever played. Heck, they could pull some awesome stuff off as an FPS sim.

[Kamalot]

I concur. Don't worry about fancy graphics as much as allowing me to fiddle with heat sinks 'til my heart's content. Turn based would be even better. Sadly, I think "fast paced" puts paid to that notion.
I'm in! I have been looking for a faithful and fun rendition of the original Battletech game for years. So far, nothing has come close.

Granted, I'd also like all of the original mechs from the game, but I don't think they have the rights to use them any more; many were from Macross.

[Kamalot]

Whoa. This is developed by Backbone. These are the guys that did Death Jr. for the PSP, which I was actually rather impressed by.

The DS could pull off a true 3D mechwarrior. Think back to the original Mechwarrior and Mechwarrior 2. It had absolutely basic 3D, easily comparable to any N64 (lower than DS hardware) game you've ever played. Heck, they could pull some awesome stuff off as an FPS sim.

Or, if you compare it to Metroid Prime: Hunters, it could turn out being very cool!

Here is a VIDEO of what it could look like... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyoQGnAaz6U)

[agentgray]

Or, if you compare it to Metroid Prime: Hunters, it could turn out being very cool!

Here is a VIDEO of what it could look like... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyoQGnAaz6U)
Friend code fiasco or not, that games looks fracking awesome.

[Steve_Erhardt]

Oh, I am all over this!!! Personally, I'll be the first in line to say the Mechassault games on the Xbox aren't anywhere near what a proper Mechwarrior simulator game is... but I love them anyway for exactly what they are... beautiful, slightly slower-paced shooters with a Battletech motif, no pretenses otherwise.

Really, I just want the original PnP Battletech game, complete with mech customization, heat sink placement, critical hits, etc. Give me that with a top-down view and I'd be a happy guy.

I'm in! I have been looking for a faithful and fun rendition of the original Battletech game for years. So far, nothing has come close.

MegaMek. :D

http://megamek.sourceforge.net/idx.php?pg=main

Drawingboard mech editor (and a small update) for those who delight in homegrown designs:

http://www.bs-interactive.com/tdb2_0_10b.zip
http://www.bs-interactive.com/tdb2_0_23.zip

Of course, this would be awesome for the DS or PSP (oh yeah... PSP>DS? Yep. But that doesn't mean the DS is junk by a LONG shot. If nothing else, the DS will rule with an iron fist where FPS on handhelds are concerned), but oh well.

[Atepsflame]

I'm a hardcore Battletech fan (I own most of the original series of novels), but I've always been kinda leary of the Mechassault series. It's always read like a bastardization of the universe to me. Maybe it's time I let bygones be bygones and give it a chance.

[Nite_Moogle]

Whether or not you like Mechassault depends on how closely you cling to the fluff. If you're ok with abstracting the game down to the console shooter level that Mechassault is, it's still a hell of a lot of fun. It is not, however, "accurate" by any means due to the fact that you plow under an entire regiment or more by yourself over the course of the game. I enjoyed it a lot, the sense of destruction that the game conveys is fantastic and I think it's a worthy arcade-style adaptation.

WRU Advance Wars: Battletech 3049 :(

[Veloxi]

Wow. The DS is getting so much love.

A web browser, possible TV tuner, a mech game, metroid, and tetris.
This is why I more and more consider getting one, but now I'll wait for the DS Lite. ;)

[Xerxes]

These things is why MS has no desire to join the handheld game. Nintendo could come out with that first gameboy and still get people to buy it... So why not help them whenever and however possible with making Sony sorry they did. Sure the games they have licensed so far hasn't made large waves, but what if a handheld Halo strategy game or some shit was released on DS.

[agentgray]

March 20th is going to be a bad day for my wallet.

[Nimos]

If Microsoft were to release a handheld console, would you buy it ? A handheld more powerfull and more expensive than the DS + PSP combined , with a dedicated and fast gfx accelerator, but with also questionable ergonomics, size and battery life, and of course Microsoft Handheld 2008 as the main OS... would you buy it ?

[Xerxes]

MS wouldn't do it...

[51|RandoM]

If Microsoft were to release a handheld console, would you buy it ? A handheld more powerfull and more expensive than the DS + PSP combined , with a dedicated and fast gfx accelerator, but with also questionable ergonomics, size and battery life, and of course Microsoft Handheld 2008 as the main OS... would you buy it ?

No. Hardware means nothing without the games. DS vs. PSP should make that obvious.

[Zaro]

Screenshot here: http://ds-x2.com/index.php?id=4860

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Now wait, is this a MechWarrior-esque title, or will it be like the Xbox MechAssaults? There's obviously a HUGE difference there, but the description makes it seem like it could go either way. Many of you guys seem to be assuming that it will be more like MechWarrior.

I'll be very excited about this if it is like MechWarrior, but if it is really MechAssault then count me out. I don't need another fast paced shooter. I'd much rather have something slower and more strategic with the sense of scale that the MechWarrior series had.

[Magnanimous Gnome]

Wow those shots are nice. Count me impressed.

[Nimos]

These shots remind me of Mechwarrior 2 ! I loved Mechwarrior 2 !!!

[emperordahc]

Those shots sold me. If it's classic MW *or* XBox MA style, I'm in.

Gotta trade my DS and my wife's DS in for DS Lites. Oh WHY do I love thee, Nintendo?

[Kamalot]

Wow those shots are nice. Count me impressed.
Agreed. Very nice. I can't wait to see it in motion.

DS games always look so much better in motion compared to stills.

[Royal Fool]

Please don't suck. Please don't suck. Please don't suck. Please don't suck.

[Kyle Jones]

With the DS's polygon limitations, I actually hope it's NOT fully 3d. A pseudo-3d overhead map with elevation changes is all I need- save those polygons to make the 'mechs look good.

Really, I just want the original PnP Battletech game, complete with mech customization, heat sink placement, critical hits, etc. Give me that with a top-down view and I'd be a happy guy.

Agreed! Needs a King Crab too, and some LRM trucks. ComStar forevers!

[Neosho]

OMG. I think after the display of jaw dropping amazing in this thread i'm going to have to break down and buy a DS and hunter and mechwarrior

[Nite_Moogle]

The King Crab was wicked ugly. There are a few really recognizable Mechs that are virtually guaranteed ins (Atlas, Mad Cat, Vulture, Cougar) but hopefully they give us something new. The Uziel was a nice addition in MW4, I hope they can come up with as good of a new mech for this. I'd really like to see either the Thunderbolt or Crusader designs dug up, but I doubt that will happen. The 65-75 ton classes were always great favorites of mine. The Archer, Marauder, Warhammer, Axeman, Catapult...

Good times.

[Xerxes]

Neosho... Don't forget your nintendogs...

[Sl1pstream]

Or, if you compare it to Metroid Prime: Hunters, it could turn out being very cool!

Here is a VIDEO of what it could look like... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyoQGnAaz6U)

Reminds me of Unreal Championship 2.

[31 Flavas]

Wow. The DS is getting so much love.

A web browser, possible TV tuner, a mech game, metroid, and tetris.Well it is very popular, has an already large install base, and supposely really easy to program for. Also, according to that Lost Garden article less expenisve to develop for then GBA, on average. (what the exact cirteria are for this claim, I dunno) But, regardless, and as you point out, its quite apparent Developers are very happy to work on the DS platform since its getting such obvious love.

[Nite_Moogle]

Probably has something to do with the fact that everything on the GBA is sprites and requires a lot more art work than a 3D model.

[PixelSamurai]

Brand new story drawn from the popular BattleTech series which spawned highly successful games like MechWarrior & MechCommander for the PC and MechAssault & Crimson Skies for the Xbox video game system.

Uh.. is this a mistake? Crimson Skies was in the Battletech universe?

Anyway.. anyone else remember that online Battletech 3025 game that was closed a couple years ago? Good times.

[Nite_Moogle]

Crimson Skies had nothing to do with Battletech, but it was the only other game Fasa Interactive has done in a coon's age.

[aversion2k]

Mechassault is a watered down Mechwarrior. But I'm still looking forward to getting it on DS :D

Anyway.. anyone else remember that online Battletech 3025 game that was closed a couple years ago? Good times.

A Battletech MMORPG would rock.

[TrackZero]

Sweet!!!! I can't wait.

[Frogleg Special]

<off-topic rant>Mechwarrior 5 please!</off-topic rant>

[Bone]

MegaMek. :D

JOY!! :D

I'm going to see if they need artwork help- the project is open source. Nice find!

[nonchalance]

Holy awesome.

I am so happy I could just cry.

[Neosho]

Neosho... Don't forget your nintendogs...


I didn't like nintendogs. Do i have no soul or something? It was cute, but i got tired of yelling at the stupid asshole after a little while. I mean, he was cute but damn he was a bitch sometimes.