NDS Ok, now I'm pissed -- Miami-style

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

You know what the worst part about digging for treasure is? Sometimes you just fall down a hole.

So... Apparently Gameloft were understandably pissy at Ubisoft for mauling Miami Nights on the DS, taking it from being one of the quaintest offerings on the mobile phone scene (and whose only real limitations were inherent to the platform it was released on) and turning it into a very cheap SIMS clone with awful pseudo-3D graphics and horrendous gameplay that failed to impress across the board. Seeing this, they then decided to handle the next attempt themselves, releasing a sequel on the DSi.

This sequel did what Ubisoft's attempt should have: making a larger, meaner version of the mobile game -- graphics returned to their charming, cartoony style, music (which was always suffering on phones due to a lack of space) was greatly expanded upon and gameplay was changed to give a super-sized version of the original game, but with a new story.

What's the problem, then? Apparently, Ubisoft's fiasco poisoned the well so throughly that people largely ignored this one and it has since been delisted by Gameloft.

Emulating DSi stuff is always a pain, but I can't even find a complete ROM now (only the prototype).

What a mess.

As a fan of this series, it really hurts seeing them fumble what should have been the definitive version of it -- no more casual, bite-sized adventures in South Florida, we had the real deal right there.

Damn it!

/Rant over.

 

[Jayonnaise6105 Jayonnaise6105]

You could tell me that the Ubisoft DS version was a tie-in game for like Mary-Kate & Ashley, or Hannah Montana or something and I'd believe you. It looks like that kind of generic 2000s licensed game marketed for girls.

The DSi one does look much nicer to me

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

You could tell me that the Ubisoft DS version was a tie-in game for like Mary-Kate & Ashley, or Hannah Montana or something and I'd believe you. It looks like that kind of generic 2000s licensed game marketed for girls.

The DSi one does look much nicer to me

That's a pretty perfect description of it right there.

I'm starting to really dislike that era of Ubisoft because it keeps feeling like they just fought for licenses, then adapted games to whatever engines they had already in-house, regardless of how ill-fitting they could end up being -- just look at what they did to Lunar around the same time.

Will probably still give the game a fair shake, but it's not looking good.

 

[Bakuma1997]

Hey! i used to play one named NY nights in a phone that was just like that, it was more "Scripted" but it was a fun ride

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

Hey! i used to play one named NY nights in a phone that was just like that, it was more "Scripted" but it was a fun ride

Same series, yeah.

Really, really good games.

Gameloft used to knock them out of the park.

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

Well it’s Ubisoft we’re talking about here. I’m surprised that they didn’t shove New York Nights 1&2 in the DS as well.