Gamasutra sister site GameCareerGuide has
announced the winners of its first Nintendo DSi design challenge, which challenged readers to submit original concepts with the DSi's specific hardware in mind.
In addition to offering a larger screen and a brighter display, the Nintendo DSi features two digital cameras, music recording and playback functionality with SD card storage support, and the introduction of downloadable games and content via Nintendo's DSi Shop, accessed via a WiFi connection.So far, though, Nintendo has shown characteristic restraint in exploiting the hardware's new functionality.
Many
GameCareerGuide.com reader responses expressed enthusiasm for the DSi's cameras, and several concepts toyed with the idea of integrating real-world scavenger hunts into gameplay.
Others contributed game ideas that exploited the DS's multiplayer WiFi capabilities, and a few suggested intriguing ways in which the DSi's audio playback could make for compelling gameplay experiences.
What follows are the best and most original entries we received. Here are our top picks:
Best Entries
Matthew Rollins, Systems Analyst, Ultimate Scavenger Hunt
Ultimate Scavenger Hunt's scope pushed it ahead of similar entries, promising gameplay variety aimed at multiple audiences and demographics. Sponsored challenges and downloadable content expand an already robust gameplay offering.
RiCah Anne Vanessa R. Baltazar, Game Designer, Director's Cut
Director's Cut successfully integrates the DSi's many unique hardware features into one complete product that allows users to cut a film using photos, sound samples, and downloadable scripts. Film sharing features ensure that players will seek to hone their filmmaking abilities in order to show off their work to friends and family members.
Vladimir Villanueva, Artist, Beat Box
The DSi's music playback functionality may be one of the device's lesser-promoted features, but it's central to
Beat Box's unique take on the vertically scrolling shooter genre. With simple gameplay and replayability that scales to the size of the user's music library,
Beat Box would make an ideal candidate for the DSi Shop.
Honorable Mentions
Eric Studer, Associate Producer,
Rain or Shine
Robert Gauss, Operations Research Analyst,
Beasts Within
Stuart Lilford, University of Wolverhampton,
Color Catcher
Melissa Manlutac, Indie Game Artist,
Lagumixer!
Michael Danquah,
Where's My Chameleon?
The full GameCareerGuide feature goes in-depth on the winning concepts, each of which utilizes the DSi's functionality in innovative ways --
read it now for all the details!
