The marvellous whimsy of Wonderland brings news today of two new Nintendo DS handheld games that continue their pledge to attract new audiences to interactivity. While they may not appeal to the traditional hardcore elite, they are both extending what interactivity means and how it can be used in a playful way.
Konami's skincare game challenges users to
[mark] a target date such as a wedding in the software [so] DS users can get customized, daily skin care instructions in the run-up to the big day.
How hilarious is that? What would be great is some kind of deal with scary Gillian McKeith, who'd terrify players into submission with her skincare eating tips. And while I've not played it (it's debatable whether it will arrive in Blighty - boo), I would hope that the design engineering will be more game-y than historical attempts at similar products.
A commentator on Alice's article raises the bar even further by announcing Sommelier DS, a product for wine lovers:
Sim City DS producer Hiroshi Murakami said that it was his hope that people would spend the 2950 yen on Sommelier DS and then buy good wine instead of going directly to the cheap stuff.
I'll add this to my wish list along with Cooking Mama and the other recipe game.
I've got to hand it to Nintendo: they make it far more fun to learn to be the perfect housewife than any 1950s Father Knows Best or Donna Reed programmes ever did.
