But before I hop on the plane out of here for the year, I've offered up an update to the mailbag. And if you're really good, maybe I'll do another one from my remote location before Christmas.

-- Craig

Hey, Craig. You've said before that while the DS lineup looks a little thin for the future right now, more companies would announce new projects and solid release dates for existing products not long after launch. When do you expect to get a more firm sense of which games will be available when next year? Any interesting release dates you already know?

John Martin

Anything I know publicly would be noted in a story or in our release dates. Anything I know off-the-record with companies remains off the record until they say, "Okay, Craig! Go with it! Writewritewrite!" And unfortunately, I haven't been given a lot of go-ahead from publishers and developers yet. So all of those secret dates and projectsremain locked away in my bald little noodle until then. I'm expecting Nintendo to make some announcements in January as they've recently started doing. The SP was announced in January 2003, the DS in January 2004...what's next? We'll see!

-- Craig

I just finished reading you review of this game. I thought you were a little harsh. I think the problem stems from the fact that you insist on comparing the DS title to the console titles. That isn't very fair. It is fair to compare it to other handheld versions of the game, though. I had fun with this game from the first moment I started playing it. I also think that the touch control on the swing, while not perfect, is actually pretty intuitive. This is just my opinion, but I think this game is a solid 7 out of ten.

David Barton

Great! That's why we have reader reviews. Your mileage may vary from mine. I'm a huge fan of portable golf. Tiger Woods is a better than average title, but its definitely not what you'd call a polished product. Give the developers time with the hardware and a bit more padding in their dev cycle and I'm sure they'll put out a much, much better Tiger Woods experience. The first one out of the gate is just "meh." And "meh" isn't quite 7.0 worthy on my review scale.

-- Craig

have noticed with the DS system so far there has been good games and rushed games with potential but no "killer applications" per say. What current or future release do you see as being the "killer app" in the DS early life?

Chris

Craig Harris is the Editor-in-chief of the IGN DS channel.

-- Craig

Since I can't really find a straight answer online or at my local video game stores I figured I would ask you....can you play the DS against anyone else in the world using ur wireless internet at home or certain places or do we have to be right next to each other..I kinda need to know ASAP b/c my store is getting only 2 tomorrow and if its wi/fi i will be gettin/it.

Mike D

The system has both capabilities built in, but only the "right next to each other" mode has been enabled by current software. Here's to 2005 where developers will hopefully tap into the "against anyone else in the world using ur wireless internet at home" mode. Nintendo should trademark that name.

-- Craig

I was wandering what it takes to be on your team? really what I want to know is what it took and what it takes to get there?

Randon

Funny story...I stumbled into the office because I heard IGN had some kickass honey-roasted peanuts in their vending machine. When it got lodged in between the Junior Mints, I gave the machine a shake and got a free bag of Doritos out of it. Peer has a thing for Doritos, you see...and he hired me right on the spot when I gave him the bag

Truthfully, I've been at this gig for nearly eight years now. Way longer than Peer. I just applied at the right time. Chris Charla, now at Digital Eclipse/Backbone working on Death Jr. for PSP, hired me because, according to him, "I liked your dad."

And that's the true story.

-- Craig

"At the very least, the writers push the limits of the Teen rating with uncensored "a--hole" namecalling and the hint at homosexual and bisexual encounters in several of the games dating "missions.""

Er, what? Let me see if I'm reading this right - by saying that 'hints at homosexual and bisexual encounters' push the limits of the Teen rating in a game which, by your acknowledgement, is heavy on heterosexual encounters, you would appear to be suggesting that any given type of sexual encounter is entirely fine for 'Teens' so long as it's in a heterosexual context, but in a bisexual or homosexual context it suddenly becomes 'not suitable' or 'pushing the limits' of suitable. Surely you can see that this is simple prejudice? Shame on you. Please reconsider this position.

Adam Williamson

I've learned many things at my near eight years at IGN. 1) Never use the word 'gyp'. 2) Don't call wrestling fans "white trash wifebeaters." And 3) Don't argue homosexual or bisexual semantics with any reader. Ever.

Nice day we're having, isn't it?

-- Craig

Send your letter to Nintendo DS Mailbag