Nintendo DS (new portable system)

Have you guys heard of this system yet? It looks very promising, it features dual screens, tons of processor and graphics power, and even WiFi! And of course all of the Nintendo franchises will make an appearance. This is the first thing in a long time to make me excited about video games. I might even pre-order one if it doesn't end up being too expensive. Anyway, this page has a pretty good writeup about it:

http://www.fatmangames.com/News/NewsViewer.asp?newsid=1213

Yeah I've seen it....But I don't know if it will be selling any better than the PsP...well we have to wait and see I guess

It looks promising...but i'm still a little unsure. I would think that they would have a hard time selling the idea to developers, but i guess they've got a fair amount of support.

Also, why are they making this in the first place? they already have a perfectly good handheld system out. What market are they going for? are they competing with themselves?

I wish nintendo the best, but i just don't think this is a good idea. Remember the virtual boy?

In any event, they've announced a metroid for it, so i have to buy one.

Critics are already starting to fortell doom for the PSP(something else i'll be getting). They say it's too difficult to develope for, and that no one will support them over nintendo. hmm...that sounds familiar. Probably because they said the same thing about both the PSX and PS2.

july said:

Also, why are they making this in the first place? they already have a perfectly good handheld system out. What market are they going for? are they competing with themselves?

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Well, I'd imagine they've had this system in development for quite some time... these systems don't just spring out of nowhere. They're probably hurrying it out, though, because of PSP. Look at the current projected USA release dates:

PSP = March 2005
"NDS" = Christmas 2004

That way, all the little children will get a Nintendo DS from Santa this year and have a few months to get acquainted with it... and by the time PSP arrives there will be a fair number of people who might say, "Ehh... I've already got this one. Why bother?"

Don't think for a moment that having a "perfectly good" system on the market is the measure of success... IMHO, Sega's console systems were always the best of any systems on the market in their respective times, and look where it got them...

I'm quite sure, though, that both systems will do just fine... both sound like interesting leaps forward in tech, and both will have heavy-duty software support.

i'd argue to that, that Sony aren't selling the PSP to 'kids'.. same as they didnt' aim the Playstation at Nintendo's younger market.

ehh.. i want both.

Yeah, but do 'younger kids' really matter?
To a point maybe, but in reality it's more focused on adults for the most part(maybe high teens who 'work').
The PSP is more for high teens to adult. It plays games, as well as DVDs(on these mini-discs), wireless connection, a memory card attachment, etcetc.
The DS? A stupid touch screen and 'somewhat' better looking games but smaller?
I think nintendo also should stick to the gameboy advanced. Why? Because it's good.
I have a feeling nintendo is: A)Desperate B)Trying to be "better" than Sony graphics wise which they will fail big time with doing and C)try to look better for the fact Nintendo Gamecube is lagging in the game department for the mean time. I mean it looks more like a desperate act to stay in the game then a "new idea".
In the long run I belive it's the year for sony. They will be big with the PSP(and let's not forget how big sony is over in japan), the new expansion for the online world of Final Fantasy 11, and Final Fantasy 12 which looks very promiseing. Let alone other works they are throwing in that looked good at E3. I truely think Sony has the upper-hand this year and the next, and that the DS is a desperate act for nintendo to stay in the game.

july said:

Critics are already starting to fortell doom for the PSP(something else i'll be getting). They say it's too difficult to develope for, and that no one will support them over nintendo. hmm...that sounds familiar. Probably because they said the same thing about both the PSX and PS2.

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Oh and this thing about the whole critic thing(If you all don't mind me adding^^; "They say it's too difficult to develope for, and that no one will support them over nintendo." Really funny for the fact that alot of people love them and back thier idea up, also how is it difficult? They already shown movies on it at E3(So they proved it handles the mini-disc movies) like the new Final Fantasy 7 movie, and they shown a few demos of games. I mean really critics are useless to go by. I have a feeling the reason PSP is a bit later in release date is because they are really working hard on making the full games for it. You can see they put their hearts into it and that it will be great when completed.

Just to clear something up, since many people made reference to it in replies... when I say "little children" receiving NDS systems, I'm not referring literally to little children, but just using the image of children getting gifts from Santa. I'm just saying that Nintendo's thought process is probably to get their systems in stores before the Christmas holiday because LOTS of sales happen then, and consequently the people that bought/received those NDS systems might be satisfied with that system by the time the PSP comes out. I'm not saying Nintendo's correct in thinking that... I'm merely speculating at Nintendo's motivation since the question was asked why Nintendo would bother to bring out a new handheld system.

To say that a company is "desperate" is to imply that somehow these companies are able to develop game systems at the drop of a hat with absolutely no R&D time or development time whatsoever, which is ridiculous. Both Sony and Nintendo have each spent years developing the PSP and the NDS... and so they were going to come out now whether or not there was any interest in them. These weren't thoughts that just sprung into someone's head and could immediately come to market. The only thing that could ever be changed was slight adjustments in release dates... which was my point.

Since I don't own any stock in either Sony or Nintendo, I really could care less which system sells better... I merely thought I could give a reasonable explanation why Nintendo might put out a new system. None of the console manufacturers ever got ahead by resting on their laurels, and both Nintendo and Sony know that well.

I'm sure both systems will be good in their own way, and more than likely both will have solid consumer support...

No, you see the Gamecube has given us jackshit.
At E3 what have they shown? A new Zelda game?
Whooptie-do.
It's not even coming out anytime soon.
So in the gamecube department yes they have been lagging and are desperate to stay in the game as this year and the next PS2 and XBox "own the court".
They have the Gameboy advanced which is doing great, so why do this?
It's easy: They wanna try to be better than the PSP idea.
Why? Because the visuals for the PSP blow GBA away, thus comes the bullshitted DS.
Trust me they are hanging by a string here with the lack of games being made on the Gamecube.

Arekkusu said:

They have the Gameboy advanced which is doing great, so why do this?
It's easy: They wanna try to be better than the PSP idea.

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This is exactly what I've said twice, just in a less "Nintendo sucks" tone.

I'm not sure what you're so stressed out about...
It's inevitable that both systems will be brought to market.
Both systems are unique.
If I like a system, I'll buy it.
If I don't, then I won't.

Personally, I think the new functions of the NDS look interesting, and I think the functions of the PSP look interesting. I'll wait and see what software comes out and then I'll buy either one of the systems, both systems or neither of the systems... but I won't base my decision to purchase simply on who manufactured it, or on the relative merits of the company's other systems.

In the end, they're just video game systems. They don't mean that much in the grand scheme of things...

In the smilie words of Bobby McFerrin... "Don't , be now."

all im gonna say is, its about time nintendo put 4 buttons on the their portible system, shoulda thought of that with the GBA especially since they port so many games to it.

"new functions"?
The DS has nothing really "new".
Touch screen? Wow so "new".
Two screens? Nothing really new here.
Just because they have more high end graphics games for it doesn't mean this thing is really new. It's more or less many ideas from other things put in one.
The PSP now has new ideas. Mini DVD discs to watch anything?
I think that is rocking for a handheld(and the screen looks great).
A memory card for it? You don't relize how happy I am with this idea. I wouldn't have to worrie about people deleteing or playing my files for a game!
I love the memory card idea.
Only reason I am ticked is because I think nintendo should have focused more on the Gamecube because I like the GC system...just wish it had some more games.x.x

I think they should all just take a step back. I was a huge, huge gamer....I had everything from NES, SNES, GENESIS, 3DO, Turbograph 16, Sega CD, etc.. I mean, I had them all. Then I stopped with Playstation. Because on the majority...who was really putting anything else out worth playing...nobody. I still have my Super Nintendo and I go to the local pawn shop places in Japan to pick up Famicon games (I got the key to open them up and play on SNES). Anyway, this is exactly why I game up the console gaming business and graduated to PC (but I'm still not the hard-core gamer that I used to be).

I just miss the challenging games (the one next to impossible to finish unless you bought a game genie or game shark, etc.)...it just seems to me that the gaming business should take a step back (out of the box) and get back to the basics.

Well, that was my two yen and it's worth less than that but I get frustrated sometimes with the gaming business and there so-called "creative ploys".

Arekkusu said:

"new functions"?
The DS has nothing really "new".
Touch screen? Wow so "new".
Two screens? Nothing really new here.

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Oh, that's right... I forgot they were just copying all the other two-screened handheld game systems which feature touch-sensitive screens, voice recognition and wireless networking.

Just because you don't like a function doesn't mean it isn't new.

Just because they have more high end graphics games for it doesn't mean this thing is really new. It's more or less many ideas from other things put in one.

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But in terms of actual game playing ability, this is exactly what the PSP is. It's going to play the same as any other handheld, just with better graphics.

The PSP now has new ideas. Mini DVD discs to watch anything?
I think that is rocking for a handheld(and the screen looks great).

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Maybe I'm old-school, but I'm more concerned about the system's ability to play games. Mini-DVD is fine, but I can't really see myself watching movies on a tiny little screen when I can watch them just fine on the DVD player on my TV with its much larger screen. This is more of a "whiz-bang" feature of the system... I can see pulling out my handheld to play a quick round of a game, but not because I was at work/school and suddenly got the urge to watch "Shrek" in its entirety.

A memory card for it? You don't relize how happy I am with this idea. I wouldn't have to worrie about people deleteing or playing my files for a game!
I love the memory card idea.

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I agree with you here, though not for the same reason. The memory card's good to give my handheld essentially limitless memory... speaking personally, I haven't been passing my GBA around for others to play, so I haven't worried about other people messing with save files.

Only reason I am ticked is because I think nintendo should have focused more on the Gamecube because I like the GC system...just wish it had some more games.x.x

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I agree with you here... I like my Gamecube too, and wish there were more games for it. But I doubt the NDS can be blamed for that... I'm quite sure Nintendo's big enough that independent departments handle each console. Also you'd have to take third party developers to task for not supporting the Gamecube as well...

What I'm saying is this: I'm not going to pass judgment on either the PSP or the NDS until they actually come out with their first compliment of games... until then, all we can do is speculate. Both systems DO have new functions for me at least, as I've never played a mini-DVD handheld before nor have I played a system with a touch-sensitive screen.

I'm looking forward to them both coming out to see how good/bad they really are...