R4 DS Reveals Top 10 Nintendo DS Homebrew Applications

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Mar 11, 2010, 08:10 ET

SHEFFIELD, England, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- With Nintendo's successful federal court case in Australia against an online retailer that sold the R4 -- a device notoriously used to store pirated Nintendo DS games -- most of the news around the R4 has been centered on the piracy controversy. But the R4 is also commonly used by hobbyists to create and share their own games for the DS, and one Web site is now acting as a resource for those enthusiasts.

R4 DS (http://www.r4revolutionds.co.uk), which offers an R4 buying guide and general information about the R4, polled hundreds fans of "homebrew," or hobbyist-created, DS games from around the world to find out the top homebrew DS applications. The site has just published the results of that contest, along with interviews with each of the homebrew developers.

So what are fans' favorite Nintendo DS homebrew games and applications? After homebrew developers submitted their work to R4 DS to compete for top DS homebrew honors and a share of the $500 prize the site offered, voters agreed on ten standouts: Remote Touch DS, an application that allows the user to control a computer's mouse and keyboard from a hand-held DS console; Glubies Planet DS, an action game in which the user controls the none-too-bright Glubies; Pocket Physics, which allows the user to draw objects with the DS stylus that then interact with each other; Video Games Hero, a guitar simulation game for the DS; StillAliveDS, a puzzle game inspired by Portal: The Flash Version; Warcraft: Tower Defence, a DS adaptation of the popular Warcraft mod; NitroTracker, a versatile tracker, or music recording, application; Warhawk DS, an update of a game originally released on the Commodore 64; Mario Paint Composer: Paratroopa Release, which allows the user to compose music; and the grand prize winner, Colors!, a sophisticated painting application.

"At R4 DS, we really want to show people the other side of R4 and all it allows hobbyists to create," explained Adam Ulivi, founder of R4 DS. "That's why we conducted the DS homebrew contest. These are games and applications that talented hobbyists make and distribute for free on the Internet. Most people are unaware that they can actually get free, legal games, because the pirating capabilities of the R4 tend to overshadow its positive capabilities."

Those interested in the legal applications of R4 will find a wealth of information at R4 DS. Along with the R4 buyer's guide and list of top homebrew games, the site offers detailed advice on choosing an R4, a review of the DSi XL, an evaluation of alternatives to the R4, and more. To learn more about R4 and its uses for creating Nintendo DS homebrew applications and games, visit http://www.r4revolutionds.co.uk.