After a slight miscalculation by O~3 Entertainment, Konductra - the new puzzle game for DS - is now finally available across North America. Konductra is a touch-based game where players have the options of engaging the computer or other gamers in a battle of wits. The object of the game is to create and destroy lines with colored tiles to either earn points or attack an opponent.

To beat the opponent, one must fill up the rival’s board as quickly as possible by destroying lines on the player’s own board and sending them to the opponent’s board. In order to destroy lines, players must match tiles and use the stylus to trace from same colored conductors running along the four edges of the screen.

Konductra offers four different gameplay modes where players can challenge other players using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Not ready to compete with other humans? Players can also complete gameplay tasks or practice for future matches by sparring with the computer. Either way Konductra is guaranteed to offer hours of brain-curdling entertainment for puzzle-lovers.

Buy: [Konductra DS]

For people who are on the look-out for new games they can pick up from the game store shelves, here's a quick list of games that have been released or are going to be released very soon in the USA:

Xbox 360:

• 8/15 - Ninety Nine Nights
  
• 8/22 - Madden 07

PSP:

• 8/15 - Payout Poker Casino
• 8/15 - Super Monkey Ball Adventures

Nintendo DS:

• 8/15 - Deep Labyrinth
• 8/15 - Konductra
• 8/15 - Freedom Wings

With these in mind, get ready to make that dash to the mall! Or for those who pre-ordered it, you can start harassing your mailman within the next week or so...

The website for Konductra is now up. By O~3 Entertainment, Konductra is an interesting new puzzle game that challenges players to destroy AND create lines by matching up coloured tiles! Using the touch screen and stylus, it seems to be a game that fits in very well with Nintendo's Touch Generations brand of gaming. The DS game's website is filled with features and is definitely worth checking out.

The official website will feature up-to-date news on the game. It will also have downloadable ringtones and wallpaper. The most interesting part will be the scoreboards for stats in both the Nintendo WiFi Connection mode and single-player mode. O~3 will also be featuring contests where you can win prizes and even play against the creators of the game. Look for them to happen later this month!

When oeFun President Ian Dunlop first got his hands on a DS, he knew he just had to make a game for Nintendo's handheld. And he realizes that desire with Konductra, which will add to the number of puzzle games piling up for the DS. This Dunlop-directed/designed/programmed game, however, promises a different gaming experience with the omission of gravity prevalent in most tile games nowadays.

Sliced Gaming's Nick Schaedel sat with Dunlop and unearthed some info about the upcoming DS title. Asked why oeFun decided to make another puzzle game for Ninty's handheld, Dunlop shared that a puzzle game had really been playing around his head for quite some time now. When the DS came into the gaming scene offering different gameplay opportunities with the touch screen, Konductra came into play.

Development of Konductra began even before Dunlop was able to secure a publisher. When the developer finished work on Ion Storm, he decided to run his own company. And although he knew he needed funding to get the Konductra project moving, he still decided to push through with realizing the game using his own funds - he was under the impression that outside financial problem just might bring in unwanted influence on the game's output. He explains:

"I didn't really want anyone controlling my property. After all, if someone funds you then take a vested interest in how the game turns out and sometimes that relationship can cause unwanted friction. So... I skipped all that part and funded the game myself. I have a vision for where I want to take my company and it is a road that has risk marked on every sign post."

But that's not to say that Dunlop was thankful to have forged a relationship with O~3 Entertainment which is now funding Konductra. The oeFun President says that the publisher "has been great" for letting him get his way with how Konductra will play out.

Further into the interview, Dunlop described the process of making Konductra as "it's been an exciting journey to this point, but we're almost at the end." Schaedel was quick to catch on and asked the inevitable question "When is the game hitting our shelves?" Dunlop says he is not yet sure of the exact date but he did promise that he won't leave DS puzzle lovers hanging for too long.

A self-admitted Nintendo fan, Dunlop also revealed dreams of developing for Wii. He says he is 'absolutely' interested in making a game for Ninty's next-gen console 'if [he's] allowed'.

Check out Sliced Gaming's full interview with Ian Dunlop by clicking on the link below. If Dunlop's new insights got you interested about the game, you might want to check out the gameplay video available for download right here at QJ.

Download: [Konductra Gameplay Video]

If Polarium, Meteos, Zookeeper and Magnetica aren't enough to fulfill your portable puzzling needs, O~3 Entertainment's new title should be able to help you out very soon. Called Konductra and developed by independent game studio oeFun, the game will offer fast-paced puzzles relying on the DS Touch Screen. Players match colored tiles, create patterns using special conductors, and work to block opponent’s lines. When they destroy their own lines, they'll be sent to their opponent's screen.

Four different game modes will be provided, Task, Score, VS. CPU, and VS. Human. The last mode takes advantage of the DS' wireless features, allowing players to challenge people from all around the world as well as local friends.

Chris Jelinek, president of O~3 Entertainment, says about Konductra: 'Konductra’ is a game that is perfect for the entire family, and a must have for those long summer road trips. With simple, fun, addicting gameplay, ‘Konductra’ is one of those rare games that you’ll find yourself playing for hours and loving every minute.

The game will be heading to stores later this month.

Konductra is a new and original puzzle game for the DS. We're here to bring you a glance at this upcoming title with 11 screenshots. The goal is to place and remove colored tiles by grouping them and then chaining them together with conductors on the edges of the screen. Once you have a few chains of colors that go across the screen, you can use the stylus to draw a line from one conductor to another and if you keep it held down, you can go from one color to another by moving to another conductor.

It might sound difficult, but seeing it in action makes it so much easier to explain. Simply put, you place the blocks down and clear them out, but you want to create as long of a chain as possible to get as many points as possible.