Nintendo DS is coming very very soon!

[irateplatypus]

http://ds.ign.com/articles/549/549919p1.html

Official Nintendo DS Launch Details
Nintendo of America reveals all. Release date and price!

September 20, 2004 - Today, Nintendo finally broke the news on the Nintendo DS system.

The Nintendo DS, it's upcoming dual-screen handheld system, will launch in North America on November 21st for a retail price of $149.99.
PictoChat, the software program that enables DS owners to sent text and pictures wirelessly to nearby DS systems, will be embedded in the system hardware. The DS system will spring to life out of "sleep mode" if it senses any other systems in the area, giving gamers the opportunity to chat spontaneously with each other.

More than 100 companies have signed on to create games for Nintendo DS, while Nintendo itself is already developing its first 20 titles. Electronic Arts' Madden NFL, The URBZ: Sims in the City, Need for Speed Underground, Tiger Woods and GoldenEye are being made for the system. The complete lineup of games planned for the launch of Nintendo DS will be announced in the near future.

Nintendo has confirmed that the system will be backward compatible with Game Boy Advance games, but will not support system-link multiplayer in GBA games due to the DS' lack of link cable port.

Nintendo chose the United States to lead the worldwide launch of Nintendo DS because of overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic reaction from consumers and to take advantage of the holiday sales season. After the subsequent launch in Japan, the system will be available in Europe and Australia in the first quarter of 2005.

"Nintendo's mission remains unchanged: expand the game experience," says Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd. "Nintendo DS is the road map to the future of video games, and most clearly demonstrates the type of innovation that players demand."

-- Craig Harris

wow, this is really coming up quick. i'm pleasantly surprised that nintendo is actually this close to getting it out the door on time. cool.

[stonegrody]

Nice, but I think I'll wait for the Sony PSP

[Rdr4evr]

I never got into handhelds, I will give the DS a shot though for sure. PSP I could do without, Sonys gimmicks are starting to bore me.

[Lasereth]

I'll probably buy it or ask for it for Christmas. If my parents are still into that sorta thing (I'll be moving out at Christmas).

-Lasereth

[crossova]

Originally Posted by stonegrody

Nice, but I think I'll wait for the Sony PSP

same here, the psp looks way better

[Fremen]

I'll probably get this one.
Haven't had a handheld since Gameboy Pocket.

[irateplatypus]

i'm just surprised nintendo is still sticking to their original release date. i mean come on... how rare is this? the n64 was over a year and half behind the original schedule... and it launched with TWO FRIGGIN GAMES. ridiculous. hopefully a change of leadership (Yamauchi --> Arakawa) has had a "swift-kick-in-the-ass" effect on Nintendo.

[Lasereth]

Originally Posted by crossova

same here, the psp looks way better

I prefer my handhelds to have a battery life of over 3 hours.

-Lasereth

[sadistikdreams]

Oh, I'll buy the DS.

But did nintendo ever say anything about a new gameboy? Or is this the new gameboy? What about Gamecube compatibility? Wasn't it like... FF Crystal Chronicles that you use the Gameboy SP and the cord with? What about what would be TOTALLY awesome, is using the DS as a controller with the Gamecube?

^That was supposed to be a only a few questions.

[BuddyHawks]

Gah, ,, , I have an SP, i probably wont buy one.

[Fritzmitz]

Nintendo DS, here I come!

[irateplatypus]

apparently they are including pictochat and a multiplayer version of metroid prime:hunters with the system. if i understand correctly, the ds auto-detects other ds systems within its wireless range. additionally, multiplayer games will have the option of being designed so that only one cartridge is necessary.

this would be a killer travel handheld. imagine autodetecting all the live ds's on the same airplane flight. you could race a stranger in mario kart or take them on in a game of chess on the fly. the pictochat embedded in the system's hardware would make it easy to set up.

i think embedding the chat program in the system's hardware is a great idea. that plus the wireless autodetect will really add a new dimension to the sytem that can't be found anywhere else if it catches on.

[omega2K4]

I find it highly doubtful you would be able to the DS's wireless capabilities on the plane, considering all of the government restrictions on electronic equipment.

[irateplatypus]

yeah... after posting that i was thinking the same thing

is there any precedence? do they ban N-gages? i thought those had wireless, but i could be wrong.

also, cell phones are the main banned item... their range is considerably more than the 30-90 ft. the ds has for the things we're talking about.

i'll be interested to see how it all pans out. either way, the same principle i described above would work for boring lectures, trains, airports, bars, coffee shops etc.

[Bim]

Gah! I just recently traded in my GBA and a bunch of stuff for a GBA SP. Ohh well. I wondered why Nintendo droped the price recently of the GBA SPs. Now I know, and knowing if half the battle.

[Fremen]

Does anyone have any knowledge about the possible prices of the games?

[irateplatypus]

ebgames.com has them all listed for fifty bucks... but i'm certain they'll come down to the current GBA levels. $30-40 for new blockbuster titles... $15-20 for the budget ones.

[xepherys]

Originally Posted by irateplatypus

additionally, multiplayer games will have the option of being designed so that only one cartridge is necessary.

Do you have a link about this? It doesn't make sense to me since it isn't like multiplayer on a PC that can do this because the game is installed and the disc is just to prove ownership. This would mean that the DS would need enough memeory to play AND store the entire data from a cartridge to run. That doesn't seem to be in line with it's specs.

[irateplatypus]

sure do.

http://www.nintendojo.com/infocus/vi...php?1095794391

BREAKING: Complete Nintendo DS Fact Sheet Ahoy!
Nintendo has released a comprehensive DS Fact Sheet, down to every technical measurement, spec, and detail.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Launch Date and MSRP:
Nov. 21, 2004, in North America ($149.99)
Dec. 2, 2004, in Japan (15,000 yen)
Q1 2005 in Europe and Australia

Size (when closed):
148.7 millimeters (5.85 inches) wide, 84.7 millimeters (3.33 inches) long, 28.9 millimeters (1.13 inches) tall

Top Screen:
A backlit, 3-inch, semitransparent reflective TFT color LCD with 256 x 192 pixel resolution and .24 mm dot pitch, capable of displaying 260,000 colors

Touch Screen:
Same specs as top screen, but with a transparent analog touch screen

Wireless Communication:
IEEE 802.11 and Nintendo’s proprietary format; wireless range is 30 to 100 feet, depending on circumstances; multiple users can play multiplayer games using just one DS Game Card

Controls:
Touch screen, embedded microphone for voice recognition, A/B/X/Y face buttons, plus control pad, L/R shoulder buttons, Start and Select buttons

Input/Output:
Ports for both Nintendo DS Game Cards and Game Boy® Advance Game Paks, terminals for stereo headphones and microphone

Other features:
Embedded PictoChat software that allows up to 16 users to chat at once, embedded real-time clock, date, time and alarm, touch-screen calibration

CPUs:
One ARM9 and one ARM7

Sound:
Stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, depending on the software

Battery:
Lithium ion battery delivering six to 10 hours of play on a four-hour charge, depending on use; power-saving sleep mode; AC adapter

Languages:
English, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Italian

Colors:
Silver and black

i'm pretty sure even the GBA could do this.

[BuddyHawks]

Originally Posted by irateplatypus

Size (when closed):
148.7 millimeters (5.85 inches) wide, 84.7 millimeters (3.33 inches) long, 28.9 millimeters (1.13 inches) tall

God thats going to be sexy.

[Rabid Bunny]

Why in the hell are we(meaning us North Americans) getting it before Japan? Isn't it usually the other way around?

Oh well, I won't complain. Now, to get a job...

[Reese]

The DS is Backwards compatible and 150$ cheaper than the PSP's estimated SRP. I could get the DS just for the GBA games, I'm not getting a PSP until I see some badass games.

The touch screen has potential to be great for games where you need a map and/or inventory screen.

[twister002]

re: multiplayer games off of one cart.

The GBA already has at least one game that can do that, Puyo Pop. You can connect up to 4(?) systems and only use one cart.

I still have a GBA original, not the SP. I wonder if I should just trade in my GBA for a DS or go ahead and trade in for an SP then trade the SP in for a DS later?

[irateplatypus]

oh yeah... the plot thickens my friends.

slashdot linked to:

http://www.engadget.com/entry/4182100443364188/

we already know the ds autodetects other units within its wireless range... there is talk of each ds acting as a repeater, so an ad hoc network could be established as far as a chain of ds's would stretch. in urban or other highly populated areas the chances for a new level of multiplayer experience would be likely if the ds catches on as well as the gameboy has. also, with the microphone installed in each and every unit, VOIP is nearly a certainty.

quite honestly, i'm most excited with what the mod community will think of w/this little machine. not that i condone anything that would void your warranty...

[sadistikdreams]

AW HELL NO!

I just heard that it only plays GBA games, not any GB Color, or GB original games.

Is this true? Because if it is, I won't get it.

[skinbag]

Never got into handhelds..even though my son's is available. Too fuckin' small. Maybe the DS will make it worthwhile.
I wanna see wireless Linux clusters on these babies! (Not that I would know what to do with it, I just want to set it up and see the cluster running!)

[shipofshame]

[irateplatypus]

i'm getting wood over here.