The Nintendo DS is NOT as huge as people make it out to be. It fits in my pocket just fine.

The DS has a built in clock, calendar, chat room, alarm, and message holder.

The DS can play DS games or GBA games.

You can plug any headphones into the DS, it isn’t like the SP where you need special headphones.

The touch pad is awesome. It isn’t a nuisance, it’s easy to use and it makes the game more enjoyable. If you don’t like the touch pad, you don’t need to use it. The games all have settings where you can use the a,b,x, and y keys as a second d-pad.

If you used the touch pad at a game store chances are they didn’t have the little thumb nub for you to use. It’s a little strap that you put on your thumb to make movement in the game smooth. If you don’t have the little thumb nub you really can’t move around at all. Don’t worry if you lose the thumb nub (which you can tie right on the DS) or the screen pen (which connects to the DS, plus you get an extra one) you can always buy more for cheap. The touch pad is not just a useless feature Nintendo put on the DS for sales, it really does make the DS experience a lot better.

The graphics look incredible. From what I saw in screenshots games looked overly pixilated and just bleh. Screenshots are worth crap! Metroid Hunters looks amazing, and not pixilated at all (only when the metroids latched onto my face did I notice pixilization)

Many of you are complaining about lack of games. Don’t worry. There are many games coming out in early 2005. Metroid Hunters (Full game), Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, Wario Ware, Viewtiful Joe etc…

I can’t really say much on battery life as I just got the DS today, but according to my friend it’s around 8-12 hours.

You can’t view movies or play music on the DS….so what? It’s a handheld gaming system. I don’t know about you but if I’m watching Lord of the Rings, I don’t think I’m going to want to watch it on a handheld.

The game cartridges for the DS are really tiny. I feel like I’m going to snap the damn thing! It’s really awesome that games can fit on cartridges that small…we sure have come a long way.


Overall the DS is about 50 times better then I thought it would be. The games are fun, the graphics although not as good as the PSP’s amaze me.

Nintendo has been making quality systems and quality games for ages now, and they sure as hell know what they are doing!

I agree on most points.

Except...

The touchpad isn't really used, and won't be used till it's full potential until such a game as that new kirby game that's coming out is released. Really. Till then it's just a novelty item.

The graphics are indeed great, but if you're going to compare it to the PSP...well...:p

It CAN play movies and music, it's just going to take some time for Nintendo to release software, and it's going to be a huge hassle

Lack of games--most of the games that come out seem to be coming out as the PSP comes out or after it. Bad way to launch your system, Nintendo. Not that I'm saying that this is a bad thing, for anyone who doesn't want a PSP, but those who do have to choose between more games and a PSP. :\

Battery life--8.5 hours on average (just reaffirming)

It isn't huge, but it is quite bulky, the PSP being a fair bit smaller (seen comparison shots) but not much thinner.




I only compare it to the PSP because really, that's its only competition (haha, NGage my ***)

The only thing that saddens me is that we won't be seeing a re-make of Perfect Dark for any handheld system... Best. FPS. Ever. Even Halo 2 and Half-Life 2 don't even stand up against it...

Well, I have two points to contend with you. The first is the lack of software; it's still more than what was availible for the N64 on launch, wasn't it? the N64 only had Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64 there when it came. Of course, it was abit different then, as Sony had yet to go beyond 2D with the Playstation, and it would be three years before another console was released...

As for the touchscreen, I've had plenty of ideas for it's use; it makes an item/weapon selection button or menu useless, and can free up all the buttons for actions rather than selections or choices.

Metroid Hunters uses the touch pad to: jump, look around, morph into a ball, switch between guns, switch between missles and selecting options on the menu. Then again some of that stuff you can set to be used on the d-pad.

I'm not sure about other games and the touch pad, like I think Mario DS doesn't use it much, but I'm not sure about other games.

Mario DS uses it in mini-games, but that's it.

and Hunters' controls irk many many people, including me. It just doesn't feel quite right...

Hunters pissed me off at first too, then I realized the L AND R buttons shoot and I didn't have to stretch my hand across the entire DS anymore ^_^.

yeah i agree on most of your points Sajn. My brother got a DS for his birthday and i've got a chance to try it out. Let me tell you, i love the damn thing. I love the screens. Graphics, like you said, suck on screenshots, but are very nice and crisp when you are actually playing the system. I played metroid prime hunters, and it has the BEST aiming on a non PC gaming device that i have ever tried. Metroid Prime Hunters=teh r0x0rz. My brother got Mario DS, which just like the original, ****ing owns. However, it has a lot of new features, so its really pulling me back into the game (i'm already going for all 150 stars!) The other game that my brother got was Asphault GT, which i haven't had enough time to play, cause i can't stop playing Mario. But from what i have played, it was a very solid racing game.

Its not big, and its really not that bulky. i love everything about the little bugger. Can't wait till more games come out! (especially Animal Crossing DS)

Super Metroid DS

thats what they need to make

I'm looking forward to what they'll do with RPGs, this will essentially eliminate stopping your game to work through the menu.

Animal Crossing DS comes out...oh...let's see...that's right, next EFFING SEPTEMBER.

It IS bulky, for a handheld. It's really bulky. But it and the PSP are about on par in that respect, so I can't really complain about it.

that would be a step backwards... DS is more like a portable n64 super metroid would work great as a GBA game

my only problem is NOE (or whichever nintendo supplies Australia with nintendo goodness) decided that we dont get the DS until Q1 2005.





Although I may not get it immediately.

also, about launch games, they need to see how people react to see what sort of titles they make.

Imagine if they had a huge amount of titles at launch for the virtual boy (or whatever it was called). They would have lost a lot more money on it. It is a bad idea to overmarket something that has a number of never-before-seen features as you can't know how well they will be recieved by the public.

Can it play oldskool game boy games? (IE: gameboy color, or gameboy pocket / original cabbage green game boy)


4 words:
Super Mario 64 DS

WOoooooOOooo now if only I could afford one ..

[Oh yeah, in Mario DS you can opt to use the touch pad instead of the dpad as to emulate using an analog stick .. some (most) have told me that this is much more comfortable, although complaints of fingers running off the screen suddenly have been noted)]

no

What are you talking about? PS was almost entirely (90%) 3d games.

I finaly found and bought a gameboy player (long story, filled with tradgedy, hardship and romance :p ) so I can play all my oldschool games on that.

Ah... If only they'd do a new Perfect Dark at all...:(

yeah sony was a tad iffy about allowing a 2d game to be released on the playstation

I think it sucks that they didn't allow it to play old game boy games. Like GB and GB color. I still have some of those that I enjoy playing, and it sucks to have to buy the "new" version and it sucks to have to have more than one system - especially since they have us all hooked on backwards compatibility. For example, the game boy zelda game really rocks but guess what? You'll have to buy the remake when it comes out because the DS won't play it

or you could just play it on one of the gameboy systems...

Perfect Dark Zero is a potential XBox 2 launch title. If you didn't know, Microsoft acquired Rare.

I have a question:

Will the DS work with the GBA/GC link cable? I want to get a DS, but I'd feel so much better if I could get it to use the link cable as well.

SO? That's like complaining because GameCube won't play N64 games... Its a fact of life...this is a brand new system and you can't just expect them to incorporate old games because thats not going to make them any money really...Not to mention it may have been impossible technically.

I'm waiting for a RTS game to come that uses that touch screen as a means of selecting and moving units.

I don't think I need to tell you how awesome that'd be.

Especially if they made it especially easy to drag a square and select multiple units or select just one unit at a time.

Two hands are better than one mouse.

But they've always made it backwards compatitable whenever they made a new game boy system. This is the first time they decided to stop that trend, which is sad to hear. Brian was only expressing bit of sad news that in his post.

Personally... I consider that good news for me since I've been wanting to get a Game Boy Advance and now I don't have to worry about holding out to buy a Game Boy DS instead. Its nice that the GBA SP only costs 80 bucks now which makes it a tad more than half the price of the DS.

I wouldn't pay 80 bucks for an SP. They're okay machines and all, but seriously...I wouldn't pay more than 50-60 for one.

Rob--if something like that ever comes out for the DS, trust me, I'll be on it like white on rice.

Why? It's wireless ..

I think he means can he hook up the DS to the GC. Since the DS can play GBA games..and since some GBA games you can connect with GC games....it would only make sense to be able to connect a DS to a GC. If I find my GBA connector I'll tell you.

Well let's hope for multiplay MS doesn't screw it up by not letting them make it better than Halo 2.... like the original PD was. That was the best, most elaborate multiplay I have ever found. If they copy that, with some new age graphics and such.... oh yes, the possibilities are endless.

Well, it would have made them at least another $150, because I would have purchased one.

I think I heard that Microsoft bought the company that developed Perfect Dark. :Crosses fingers for XBox remake of game:

No, you don't. If Blizzard decided to, say, re-make StarCraft for the DS, or somebody made a good-quality RTS for the DS, then forget the PSP. Sorry, but the touch screen, when developers make proper use of it, is a huge advantage.

Well, it should be well-known that Rare is currently developing Perfect Dark Zero, and it's all but confirmed that it's platform will be the XBox 2; taking a look at the screenshots would show this, as the Xbox would choke on such high texture and model detail levels. However, as Microsoft seems to be holding an iron grip on Rare, (and it's game quality has also noticably gone down since MS purchased it) it's unlikely that there might be are-make of Perfect Dark, let alone what's really wanted, which is Perfect Dark for the DS.

Yes, one good game always dictates which system is better.

Not that I disagree with you--a remake of StarCraft or some other such awesome RTS for the DS would be unbelievable. But really, like I said earlier, for most games the touch screen is a novelty, one that can easily be sidestepped in favor of better graphics, better controls, and a better screen (PSP), albeit at the cost of battery life.

At least, to me.

As much as I hate to do it, I'm going to have to agree with Yoshi here. PSP just seems better...

Right, what he said. I ask because I have a normal GBA, and I never really wanted to shell out another $60+ at least for what I consider a waste of money (GBA SP) since I already own a GBA and the added perks don't justify buying it for me. HOWEVER, I do own Four Swords Adventure for the Gamecube, and I have 2 GBA/GC link cables (one I bought for Wind Waker, one I got with Four Swords), and it sucks that I only have 1 GBA (thus little multiplayer gets used from it).

In short, if the DS works with the GBA/GC cable, I can use it for the second player, as well as just having a DS in itself, and would never have to worry about considering an SP.

I don't much care until they announce a Civ port to the DS. Or maybe a Total War port. :p

It is entirely possibly for starcraft to end up on DS easy peasy, as there was a Starcraft port for Nintendu 64.

Once again, I need not say how much that would rock.

But I probably won't buy either handheld.

And I'll only buy a DS if a worthwhile game comes out that uses the touchscreen feature to actually enhance gameplay.