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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[E308: Hamtaro tries extra hard to scare off older gamers]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-hamtaro-tries-extra-hard-to-scare-off-older-gamers/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-hamtaro-tries-extra-hard-to-scare-off-older-gamers/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-hamtaro-tries-extra-hard-to-scare-off-older-gamers/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/news/" rel="tag">News</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/screens/" rel="tag">Screens</a></p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/photos/hi-hamtaro-ham-ham-challenge/926489/"><img hspace="4" border="1" align="right" vspace="4" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/hamchallenge_cs_front_0716.jpg" /></a>You shouldn't be ashamed if you're an adult (or even just a non-elementary schooler) who's played a <em>Hamtaro</em> game. People who've tried <em>Ham-Hams Unite</em> for the Game Boy Color or the GBA's <em>Ham-Ham Heartbreak</em> know that the sickeningly cute series can translate into a fun adventure game. Even <em>Ham-Ham Games</em>, which strayed away from the adventure formula and landed itself in minigame territory, wasn't half bad. <br /><br /><em>Hamtaro's</em> handheld history was enough to make us consider picking up <em>Hi! Hamtaro Ham-Ham Challenge</em> once it released on the DS, but E3 swiftly changed our minds. Throwing up and spitting out everything that made <em>Hamtaro </em>bearable in the first place, the new game is not only a collection of minigames, but it features <em>educational</em> ones designed <em>for young children</em>. Basically, it looks like <a href="http://dsfanboy.com/tag/brain-age"><em>Brain Age</em></a> for five-year-olds, with cute little hamsters taking the place of <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/kawashima">Dr. Kawashima</a>.<br /><br />Don't fret, though, <em>Hamtaro</em> fans. There <em>is</em> another title based on the license that came out in Japan last year, which seems to return to the adventure-like goodness we know and love. Unfortunately, <em>that's</em> not the game releasing this summer, and <em>that's</em> not the game Natsume <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/e308-we-fit-into-natsumes-niche/">decided to show off at E3</a>. Hopefully we'll see it get localized soon enough, so that we can forget <em>Ham-Ham Challenge</em> ever existed.<br /><br /><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-hamtaro-tries-extra-hard-to-scare-off-older-gamers/">E308: Hamtaro tries extra hard to scare off older gamers</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-hamtaro-tries-extra-hard-to-scare-off-older-gamers/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/1257896/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/e308-hamtaro-tries-extra-hard-to-scare-off-older-gamers/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>alphadream</category><category>alphadream-corporation</category><category>children</category><category>e3-2008</category><category>e308</category><category>educational</category><category>ham-ham-challenge</category><category>hamtaro</category><category>hi-hamtaro-ham-ham-challenge</category><category>kids</category><category>minigame</category><category>natsume</category><category>training</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Candace Savino]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:30:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>