Nintendo DS - finally revealed!

[Caustic Saint]

[Unspoken]

It's a nice idea and I'm sure Nintendo will come out with some novel games that use both screens (especially the touch-sensitive nature of the second one), but it seems like right now everyone's still afraid that it will turn into a another VirtualBoy.

[yellowlightman]

I've been a long-time Nintendo supporter, but I just don't get this one. The two screens... seem pretty pointless. That said, a lot of journalists at E3 seem to be loving the DS, so maybe i'm just missing something.

[DjMitch_UK]

I've been a long-time Nintendo supporter, but I just don't get this one. The two screens... seem pretty pointless. That said, a lot of journalists at E3 seem to be loving the DS, so maybe i'm just missing something.

Does seem pretty stupid. Lately it seems as if these game developers are so hooked up in improving their hardware that they are forgetting about the software.

[Caustic Saint]

Check out [url=http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Media/Media.htm?CS_pid={727D0C9E-2850-4725-A3FE-9426E5B40104}]these videos[/url] over at Game Informer. They're the best look at the DS and some of the demo software I've found.

A fair bit of the DS isn't even finalized yet. They don't know what variant of 802.11 will be included. The demo units don't even have internal speakers or a place to stash the stylus. The final look should be similar to what's on display, but there will be some changes between now and when it's released.

[DjMitch_UK]

What are the link up options gunna be like?? Can we now have 16 client mini-lans!?!?!?

[Caustic Saint]

What are the link up options gunna be like?? Can we now have 16 client mini-lans!?!?!?

It's going to use two different wireless protocols. One will be some flavor of 802.11 and the other will be Nintendo's own system. Games will be able to support up to 16 people at a time for multiplayer stuff.

[Welleweirdo]

This is the real deal.
You can play games on two screens. One of the screens is a touch screen so you could easily play a shooter on your DS.
I also have seen some innovative games so this one is a keeper.

[DjMitch_UK]

One of the screens is a touch screen so you could easily play a shooter on your DS.

I dont get it. How will a touch screen help you play shooters (first person??) better?

[Caustic Saint]

One of the screens is a touch screen so you could easily play a shooter on your DS.

I dont get it. How will a touch screen help you play shooters (first person??) better?

Go to [url=http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Media/Media.htm?CS_pid={727D0C9E-2850-4725-A3FE-9426E5B40104}]this page over at Game Informer[/url] and watch the #3 movie. It's Metroid Prime: Hunters and shows how they've set it up to work on the DS.

[DjMitch_UK]

Yeah looks like it would work really well.

That guys voice is V. annoying though. :P

[kenchan]

I went to LA's E3 and played the DS myself. Former Coworkers of mine had worked on the Metroid DS demo in a period of 6 weeks! I was a bit of a sceptic about the dual screens, but the Metroid multiplayer played well. There were also a bunch of tech demos, and there was a game with Sonic the Hedgehog where moving the pen faster allows him to run faster.

Working for a game company which pursues this faster processor technology, I hope our consumers will not get tired of our games, but I do understand what Iwata is trying to get at in terms of innovation in gaming. Nintendo has always been good on innovation, and sort of lagging in hi poly and hi res textures in their games.

Anybody else work in the Games Industry here in this forum? I'm based in Seattle, WA...so I'm really far from where most of ya'll are located I'm assuming....

[Taro Toporific]

What are the link up options gunna be like??

Wetware!

The two new [Nintendo] trademarks are "Ningen-copy" (Ningen means person) and "Manebito", which means "someone who impersonates"

http://www.vgpro.com//img/screenshots/2004/06/01/398720.jpg
http://www.vgpro.com//img/screenshots/2004/06/01/398721-t.jpg

Via
http://www.mblog.com/gamenews/

[Caustic Saint]

Okay, that looks better than the E3 prototype, but they're not showing what the back looks like or where the stylus stows away. The stylus isn't too critical for me, but I want to know if it's got a GBA link port in the back, or just the power connector like the E3 ones had.

If it's got the link port, I can get rid of my SP and use the DS for GBA-Cube linkups. If not...

Either way, I'll still grab one on launch day - whenever that turns out to be.

[Skankster]

-
-
I think Japanese spaceships in the year 3300 will have that same interface.

[kotatsuneko]

sure to be fun, tho looks hard to custom spray the case tho..

now where the hell is my fftactics ds then?!

nice, will buy one, but theres a lot of msx games to catch up on via the gp32.. not to mention some lucasarts sweetness to revisit..

[American Oyaji]

Talk about release titles

Looks like a major console line up for the whole dang year

[Caustic Saint]

STOP! Rumor time!

Nintendo DS to launch in North America before Thanksgiving - reports
Tom Bramwell 11:05 12/08/2004
Sources "confident" of suggested date.

Nintendo DS will launch in North America in late November, according to unconfirmed reports quoting publishing sources at the Ziff-Davis Electronic Gaming Summit.

Third-party publishers are reportedly "confident" that the portable will be on store shelves in North America in time for Thanksgiving and the traditional start of the US Christmas rush.

This seems to tally with what Japanese retail sources were saying in mid-July. At the time, this website [reported] comments indicating that the DS would launch in the US on November 11th at $179.95 (?145) following a November 4th launch at 19,000 yen (?140) in Japan.

However, reports this week also had publishers citing concerns over the as-yet unknown launch line-up, with some worried that most of the system's big titles were expected in Q1 2005. Japanese retail sources in July suggested that 11 titles would be released by the end of 2004.

But, in the absence of official confirmation from Nintendo, for the moment it's impossible to measure exactly how things will unfold. The last word from the platform holder was that the DS would be released in Japan and North America in "late 2004".

I'd like to see it come in at $150 (and in October), but I suppose I can wiat a bit longer and pay a little more....

[kotatsuneko]

http://www.megahouse.co.jp/products/namcore/index.html

some namco plastic for the desk

[kotatsuneko]

hopefully nin will stop bloody outsourcing now?

http://www.freewebs.com/gamecubeheaven/nintendods.htm

http://www.spike.co.jp/tendo-dokuta/system/system3.html

http://www.spike.co.jp/tendo-dokuta/system/system2.html

[Oradea]

I'm not really into portable gaming (I assume thats what this new NDS is for)
But I do have a little cousin screaming at me for info on a handheld playstation, I'm sure some of you guys could give me the gen on that, unless this thread is a nintendo only......am I off target here? too early in the morn.

[Caustic Saint]

OH, HELL YEAH!!!!

December 2nd, 15,000yen

Sweet-ass sweet!

But could somebody tell my why the hell they chose that "easy breezy Japanesey" song for the teaser ads that are running on TV now?

For those of you in the US, you can get it slightly earlier, on 21 November, for $149.99 plus tax.

[Goldman]

Yeah great news about the DS-much cheaper than I expected. I was wondering the same thing about that song being used when it hit me. I think its used cause at the end it says "the way you touch me" or whatever, and since the DS is all about touch screens and shit, well, guess it sorta fits. Doesn't make the song any good, however.

[Caustic Saint]

I was wondering the same thing about that song being used when it hit me. I think its used cause at the end it says "the way you touch me" or whatever, and since the DS is all about touch screens and shit, well, guess it sorta fits. Doesn't make the song any good, however.

I noticed the line at the end when I saw that spot again today, and I guess that's the angle they may be going for. I doubt they'll use in in the US though.

I'd recommend Joan Jett's "Do you wanna touch?" instead.

[Caustic Saint]

I just saw a second spot on TV. They're using "Touch!" as the tagline for the ad campaign. There's also a flash site up with the commercials and some other stuff.

[kotatsuneko]

there are now 3 cms.

good images of the us press launch here:

http://gbatemp.m4d.sm/index.php?act=ST&f=16&t=21288&st=40&

[Caustic Saint]

Great Slashdot post regarding the announcement.

In a press release today, Nintendo announced that pretty much every game anyone would want will be available at launch. When asked what this would mean for future launches, a spokesperson told reporters, 'Instead of trickling out good releases once or twice a year, we're just going to release them all at once.'

In other news, the PSP is still delayed, due to unreasonable ambition and poor planning, including low battery life and a poor selection of launch titles. Sony spokespersons remain optimistic despite the facts.

Reports are now coming in that Nintendo of America has been sighted travelling in the direction of the bank; witnesses in several areas reported laughing, however it is not clear whether Nintendo was laughing all the way, or merely a good portion of the way, to said bank.

--Dan

December 2nd can't get here fast enough...

[Caustic Saint]

US commercials have begun. They're different from the Japanese ones, but about as informative.

Check out the first one on this page.

[Caustic Saint]

Yeah, I just saw that on Slashdot too.

Hmm, wonder what I'll blog about today....

[DonMarco]

It's amazing what some people can get away with. But hey, have you guys heard about these new games? The Ikaruga DS looks promising.