E3 2008: Spore DS Quick Impressions

Nintendo showed off several upcoming DS games at its E3 2008 press conference, though we were treated only to quick glimpses of most of them. One of the ones that has us most intrigued is the handheld version of Spore, developer Maxis' upcoming simulation games that will let you create your own creature and set it loose in the gameworld. Developer Lucy Bradshaw walked the audience through some of the basic features of Spore for the DS, and we're happy to see that it's on track for a 2008 release.

Unsurprisingly, Spore on the DS will focus more on the creature-creation aspect than will its PC counterpart. Bradshaw stated that the game will focus on two important core elements: creativity and sharing. To this end, players will be able to create their own unique creature by customizing many different physical characteristics, and can then share their creations with friends. Not only will your friends' creatures appear in an in-game zoo, but they'll also populate in the game proper. Bradshaw also stated that the stylus controls will make Spore on the DS a unique experience, and that the platform allowed Maxis to open up its design philosophy.

Nintendo didn't show much footage, and no mention was made of gameplay outside of the creature-creation aspect. We look forward to finding out more about Spore for the DS, and will bring you more impressions when we can get our greedy hands on the game.