The long-running arcade racing series is coming to the Wii and the DS, and we’ve got a hands-on look.

Need for Speed: Nitro isn’t the first Need for Speed game on the Nintendo Wii, but it does hold the distinction of being the first game developed specifically for the Nintendo console. Considering the track record of mediocre ports of previous NFS games, starting from scratch with Nitro is probably a good thing. At EA’s recent pre-E3 press event, we got a chance to check out Nitro on both Nintendo’s Wii and DS to see what the fresh approach will mean for the long-running Need for Speed series.

EA’s Joe Booth takes us through the new features in NFS: Nitro.

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Korean MMORPG gets a portable offshoot for North American release this winter, courtesy of Xseed.

Mark those calenders. The end of the world is coming this winter, and import house Xseed Games is to blame.

Destroying the world, one loathsome beetle at a time.

The publisher today announced that it is prepping Ragnarok Online DS for release later this year in North America. Based on the Korean massively multiplayer online role-playing game Ragnarok Online, the Nintendo DS spin-off will allow up to three players to journey together through randomly generated levels in search of loot.

As in the PC edition of the game, player customization will be a point of emphasis in Ragnarok Online DS, with players able to upgrade armor and weapons either by paying a blacksmith to work on them or by attaching “effect cards” that can be picked up from defeated enemies. Players also earn points for defeating enemies, which can be used to pump up their stats in a variety of job classes, including swordsman, thief, and merchant.

Ragnarok Online DS is being developed by GungHo, maker of PSP games Zero Choaniki and Lunar: Harmony of Silver Star.

Check out the source at GameSpot

Turn-based puzzle installment in Ubisoft’s long-running fantasy RPG franchise arriving on Nintendo’s handheld in August.

Ubisoft’s most recent installment in its venerable Might & Magic franchise–Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements–turned out, well, less than great. Perhaps recognizing that it may be time to switch up the game’s formula, the publisher today announced Might & Magic Clash of Heroes, a puzzle role-playing game for the Nintendo DS.

Might & Magic’s new look.

Ubisoft did not detail Might & Magic Clash of Heroes’ gameplay mechanics, aside from saying that battles will be turn-based puzzles. However, the publisher did note that the game will offer five quest storylines, and will incorporate exploration elements in addition to battle sequences. Players will also be able to customize their army with a variety of fantasy archetypes, including knights, elves, wizards, necromancers, and demons.

According to Ubisoft, Might & Magic Clash of Heroes will also feature a two-player competitive mode. The handheld game is in development at Capybara Games, the Toronto-based developer behind the recently announced PlayStation Network puzzler Critter Crunch, and is expected to be released worldwide in August 2009.

Check out the source at GameSpot

After film delay, EA reschedules boy wizard’s latest game on 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS, PC, Mac, mobile for next month.

Harry Potter has been causing problems for more than just Voldemort as of late. In September, EA announced that it would be forced to delay its game tie-in to Warner Bros’ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, following the film’s abrupt retreat to summer 2009. A day after the announcement, EA said that the delay would result in $120 million in revenue vanishing from its fiscal year–which only aggravated the publisher’s full-year losses of $1 billion.

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LucasArts and Krome Studios prepping Republic Heroes as lead-in to second season of Cartoon Network series; will ship for 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS, and PC.

Last year, LucasArts launched Star Wars The Clone Wars, first as a feature-length film and then as an animated series on the Cartoon Network. To help promote those extensions of the Star Wars universe, the publisher also released two similarly themed games for Nintendo’s platforms, Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels for the Wii and Jedi Alliance for the DS.

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