Linux as a Gaming Platform?

I'd like to think more and more companies are looking into Linux as a viable platform.  Ubuntu is making a significant push for this and Valve is on their side as of the moment.  If Ubuntu is pushing for a Gaming Platform, I think it makes sense to make an edition that uses a rolling release system.  This ensures that there is only 1 configuration that publishers and developers aim for, and all the rest is just upgrading versions instead of major overhauls that has been happening with every major Linux distro release.  This also makes it easier for maintainers because all of this is just open source software, so they'll figure out just what a game needs to work for their system.  Lastly, this helps gamers who just want to bump up the packages they need to get something to work.  Doing the distribution upgrades takes a lot of time to do and is very risky as well.

If a manufacturer targets a single Linux platform, everyone in the open source community can pick up the slack and figure out how to make it work elsewhere.  This is the open source community at its best and brightest.  Adding a rolling release on top of it, in my opinion, just makes the entire process easier for everyone, gamers and developers alike.

The Nintendo Wii - DS Connection

I had a previous blog post about how the Gamecube and GBA connectivity was severely underused but had tremendous potential. It's something that I had hoped the Wii and DS could pick up and really take to the next level but with the system nearing its death for the Wii U, it looks like this is about it. I figured I'd put the spotlight on the one game that I think took this particular feature and implemented it really well, Driver: San Francisco.

Driver: San Francisco seemed to be an incredibly multiplayer-oriented game and surprisingly, it's not really touted all that much. A second player can pop in and out to provide some support via an extra aiming reticule but what seals this multiplayer package is the intricate gamplay provided by the DS connectivity.

With the DS, you can provide support by stunning AI cars as well as put up blockades. You also get a map to help figure out routes and look for objectives in the current map. Here's a basic rundown of the feature as well as how to get it working.

Start the story mode, turn on the DS and go to download play. Driver: San Francisco should show up and tapping it will download the software.

The DS player gets a few gameplay options:

1. City Map where you can view cops location as well as points of interest.
2. Roadblock deployment. This allows the player to drop police roadblocks, but you cannot deploy it too close to Tanner.
3. Mission Support. Depending on the mission, you are able to stun enemy cars.
4. Felony hacking to drop the felony levels of the Wii player.

You can check out more by heading to this excellent article from Wired.

I figured I'd also give a definitive run down on games that do support this feature.

Guitar Hero 5 / Warriors of Rock /Band Hero (Here, Here and Here)

Mii Channel with My Personal Trainer: Walking (Here, Here and Here)

Pokemon Battle Revolution with Pokemon: Pearl and Diamond (Here and Here)

Castlevania Judgment with Castlevania Order of Ecclesia (Here)

My Pokemon Ranch with DS Connectivity (Here)

Animal Crossing City Folk with Animal Crossing: Wild World (Here)

DS Download Service (Here)

My Word Coach (Here)

Naruto Shippuden Ryujinki and Naruto: Shinobi Rumble - This is ONLY for the Japanese version! (Here and Here)

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time for both the Wii and DS games (Here)

Geometry Wars: Galaxies for both Wii and DS (Here and Here)

Big Beach Sports (Here)

Batman: Brave and the Bold for the Wii and DS (Here)

Ultimate Band (Here)

Jam with the Band (Here)

At the end of the road, we only have a few games that use this feature. I hope this article can help those who want to find games that utilize this unique and incredible feature. The original forum thread discussion I had can be found here.