The Daily Commute: Ninjatown

I have to make time for handheld gaming, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon with the plethora of games.

I haven't played a portable game in a long time. There are too many great console games that I have yet to even start. I don't travel much so that even limits the times that warrant portable games. 

I played the demo of Ninjatown from the Nintendo Channel, and I found it to be quite fun.

I still love my PSP, gotta love playing Star Ocean on the go.

I play my DS plenty at home and whenever travelling with family or friends. I take the train to school every morning, so that would give me an hour both ways, but I don't take my DS. I usually read, because the only types I ever see playing games on the train aren't the types I want to be associated with. I'm horrible, I know.

@BoG I completely agree. There's this stigma that comes with gaming that makes even those of us who arent complete nerds feel that way. Sure it's wrong to feel that way but its true.

I rarely play my DS "on the go", but I still love the portability of it. I'll take it to friends' or families' houses when I visit, or on vacation, or just wherever. Then when I have some time to kill at these places, I'll pull it out. In other words, I always play it in situations where I could theoretically play a big console, but the portability of handhelds allow me to always have it handy, without having to lug a console with me wherever I go.

But yeah, I still generally only play at home. Though I have played my DS while cooking before... might as well save the world while waiting for some damn rice to boil.

I am one of the few people on Giant Bomb who have played Ninja Town, and I must say that it is quite fantastic.

I have to figure out where I put my DS so I can play some more Princess Debut.

I ride a moped to work so I've no reason for portable gaming.
When i held a temp job at a game store, i saw Ninja Town and it looked kinda trippy. heh.

The majority of my DS playing is done at bedtime. Especially if I am going to bed earlier than normal, 10-15 minutes of puzzle or mini games helps me wind down.

I play my DS regularly on the bus to college.  Most of the time I play RPG's because they don't take coordination, and are easy to jump in and out at my stop. Just on the bus alone, I've played to completion Final Fantasy 4 (GBA), Final Fantasy 4 (DS), and I just finished Chrono Trigger (DS).  Chrono Trigger definately deserves another playthrough, but next I'm thinking Final Fantasy 3 (DS) or maybe Ninja Town :D

Gaming system? I guess not but Fieldrunners and Enigmo for my iPod is fine for killing 20-30 minutes.

I brought my PSP with me to college, since the N64 is the only console properly built for a dorm. It's nice to play some Wipeout Pure or Burnout Legends during some downtime in my room or if I'm taking a bus somewhere.

You should also play Lock's Quest if you haven't already @.@.

Hmmmm, maybe I'll try it out. My DS seems to be my go to system these days. I guess that's the years and a hectic schedule catching up with me.

I find myself playing my DS more often than my consoles, simply because it caters to shorter play sessions.  And it rarely leaves the house because I never ride the bus or train.

I've actually been playing Ninjatown on the commute, too.

If I can get a seat on the 38, CrossworDS is a fucking life-saver.

I recently re-bought myself a PSP for the train commute to Uni, where there is a backlog of thousands of games to keep m33 interested.

;].

I have my DS next to the bed so that I can play Pokemon whilst listening to podcasts. It's a good thing to be doing with one side of my mind while paying attention to the conversation with the other half.

It is a really good game but near the end it lost my interest, it might be really funny and it throws new units, powers, and enemies into the game as you progress but since the enemies always take the same patch it is not to hard to figure out how to place your houses. I think this is more me not liking the genre though the game itself is really cool.

I have an hour and a half transit each weekday to school but for that I usually just listen to podcasts. I play DS and PSP games quite a bit when I'm traveling but when I'm just going around I usually won't play games. It's also kinda because the DS and PSP games that I play aren't really bit-sized, or they give me a headache during my bumpy bus ride; although, Ninjatown seems like a great game for my daily bus ride.

Ey Brad...
might wanna check out Riff for the PSP
it's like Geometry Wars... but different.
and for just a couple of bucks... it's a no-brainer really.

 DS >>>>>>>>>>> PSP

Would love to play some DS games I have wanted to play for a long long time, but I just don't have the money right now, although I may pick up the first Castlevania game for the DS soon.

-- God Bless.

TWEWY kept me busy for a while on commutes to university, but I'm pretty sure I've lost my DS (with TWEWY and FFT:A in it)  :/

I just finished Chrono Trigger on the DS not too long ago. I was playing that a ton either at my house, or while I'm getting a ride somewhere. The DS is great for classic games like Contra 4 and the Final Fantasy remakes which is what really draws me into the platform.

I play my DS and PSP when I'm at my girlfriends or families house or after I finish listening to all my gaming podcasts at work. Right now I'm playing Professor Layton.

I played NinjaTown on the bus as well. Awesome game.

Im one of those who primarily plays their portable consoles in their homes. It's fun because when i bought my DS i pictured myself playing all kinds of games on the bus or on the train, but when i acctualy got it i started to see that it is portable in another way. I mean that even if i play it mostly at home, it is still sweet to sit in your bed or sofa. Or even playing when your sitting at the breakfast table or doin your duties on the WC. So for me, portable consoles are portable in the sense that i can carry them wherever i want in my home. 

Meteos used to be my go to train ride to uni game, until the day I got too involved in a campaign, missed my stop and was fined £20. Until recently I've thrown in my headphones and played Rhythm Tengoku Gold, but having just completed that last week, I'm not sure the expert difficulty levels can keep me interested enough to play them through.

Oh, and buy Rhythm Tengoku Gold...it's bad ass as all hell, and stupidly good fun.

I have an hour commute to work and back every weekday.  I manage to get in some DS gaming, elite beat agents and Professor Layton, but i mainly read.  Holding the DS with one hand whilst using the stylus in the other can be a pain sometimes.

Looks like a fun game, Brad. Glad that we might get some more DS action on the site here. The last time I played a handheld game on rides and commutes was Professor Layton, in which I would get one or two puzzles done each way. I might pick up this Ninjatown though if you are raving about it. I look forward to the review.

when i lived in chicago, my gameboy advance sp always rode the cta red line with me. more than a few times, people would lean in and watch me play or whip out their cell phone and play some remedial game in response.

My DS is basically a travel companion.  Any time I do any kind of traveling, be it for work or pleasure, my DS and a Steve Erickson book are my stalwart companions.  When I'm home, its either my PC or the 360.  I recently finished Professor Layton, I really enjoyed that title.  I am currently working my way through Chrono Trigger.

EDIT:  I would also appreciate a review of Ninja Town, you have piqued my interest.  :)

portable gaming for me is luxury on top of luxury. a portable system just isn't something i would buy first, it would be after i own a console and then games and peripherals for said console, and THEN a portable unit. looks good though.

The more epic, story driven games I can only play at home on the couch or bed. But on the go, it needs to allow for distractions. It needs to be big on technique and light on story.

At the moment I've been sticking to the Advance Wars games, Castlevania: OoE and Space Invaders Extreme for portable gaming. Even though there is a narrative on the first two, it's pretty inconsequential to the experience.

I was skeptical about Ninja Town, but I keep hearing good things. Even my younger sister (who never expresses interest in RTS games) was raving about it. I intend to check it out.

I bought a DS at launch, played it for 2 weeks and put it in a box under my bed.

I'm currently playing Professor Layton, Ninjatown is next on my list.  I play it from the parking garage at work until my computer gets booted up and vice versa at night.  Oh, and a lunch also.  That is about 10 minutes for each back and forth to the garage and 20 minutes during lunch.