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Kolzig

Official Name and Design for the DS

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http://www.cube-europe.com/newsgfx/DSopen_final.jpg

http://www.cube-europe.com/newsgfx/DSclosed_final.jpg

http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=6784

In preparation for the launch of Nintendo DS in North America and Japan later this year and Europe in Q1 2005, Nintendo today announces major global developments for the innovative dual-screen, wireless, hand-held video game system.

Nintendo DS, originally chosen as the code name, has been selected as the official product name. The Nintendo DS name evokes the idea of a portable system with dual screens, providing the rationale for the final name. The hardware also has been redesigned to sport a slimmer, sharper look. The retooled Nintendo DS features a thinner, black base and an angular platinum flip-top cover. The face buttons and shoulder buttons are larger, and some have been reconfigured for optimum use. The unit includes a new storage slot for the touch screen's stylus, and the speakers now broadcast in stereo sound, with or without headphones.

EDIT: Sorry, couldn't find smaller pics :)

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Much better. And if the standard of manufacture matches the GBA SP, then it might just outclass the beauty-is-skin-deep PSP

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Frankly, Nintendo never meant much to me and it probably never will. I'm not much of a console gamer at all, although I do own an X-Box. ... Like I said, I'm not much of a console gamer at all.

--Erwin

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Nintendo is great, its seems like the only large company that doesn't strive to make the next 'adult themed' game, and instead just make fun games with bright colors and crazy character designs.

Granted, it milks its franchises quite a bit, and doesn't change the games too much in between iterations...but if the games are awesome every time why bother?

And another thing about Nintendo games, they give that warm feeling inside. When you play a game like GTA you just look at it and see a team has created an effective money machine, any kind of individual input or innovation has been blurred into the dreary slop...a game that would rather push half-hearted movie cliches into your face then make you smile. Nintendo games are much more personal. There are other developers out there, but none as large as nintendo.

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I feel guilty for only consciously wanting a DS more now that theres a re-design... I mean granted the other one was a bit embarassing looking but tis basically the same system just with more sexy angles. Why does the new semi-wanting-of-one make me all guilty and retarded feeling?

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Probably because you're a Commie Rat-Bastard.

A true Capitalist would never feel such trite things as "feelings" when it comes to slapping the Mighty Benjamin on the counter for your shiny, new toy.

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Granted, it milks its franchises quite a bit, and doesn't change the games too much in between iterations...but if the games are awesome every time why bother?

Oh man, I really want to offer about fifty reasons for why I disagree with that statement, but I am far too lazy. Just let it be known that I disagree big time with that statement.

The Nintendo BS is hilarious by the way.

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Oh man, I really want to offer about fifty reasons for why I disagree with that statement, but I am far too lazy. Just let it be known that I disagree big time with that statement.

Character, plot, style and theme wise they don't change at all; the gameplay has evolved however, and been revolutionary at times, like Super Mario 64 and Zelda on N64. But the core concepts in those franchises are leveling off, waiting for the next big shift in how games are played. But until that shift the small steps they take in betwen games now is good enough. Besides, how a game is actually played may not have anything to deal with its greatness. Grim Fandango is in most ways exactly like any other adventure game, but it's different where it counts, and is therefore the best game of all time.

And actually, with the DS, nintendo is the first platform-maker that's really trying to evolve rather than leaving it to the developers. So Nintendo's pretty great all over.

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Character, plot, style and theme wise they don't change at all;

Isn't that logical with sequels like this?

It's like criticizing Monkey Island 2 because it still features Guybrush Treepwood, it's still got a story and theme about pirates and it's still located in the Carribbean.

I think GTA changes more in these aspects than Monkey Island did.

--Erwin

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As a game creator, Nintendo is very good. However, as a console-creator, they are not the best. Their inability to get third-party deals rally hurts them, and while their "innovative hardware"-thing sounds good on paper, they usually fail where it counts. Take the GameCube-GBA link stuff. Yes, true, we've seen some quite fun stuff, like Four Swords and that Pac-Man game, they haven't really done any serious stuff with anything else (Okay, they have, but I'm too lazy to check it up, and it still isn't far enough).

But the DS looks kinda neat. I hope they just use their harware this time...

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Well I'd say the connectivity feature is much different than the DS because the touch pad comes with the intital hardware and requires the user to pay nothing more to experience the games. I mean the thing has wireless capabilities and a microphone...there's really not much Nintendo could create to "add-on" and dilute their fan base with (for certain games atleast). This lets developers change the once exclusive add-on aspect into something any one can use and enjoy.

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Oh, yes, that's an important difference. Hardware with "extras" sold separately are rarely popular, not only beacuse it's clunky to go out and buy extra stuff, but the developers rarely put in good features for the "extras", beacuse they want to lay their work and effort on things they know everyone want to enjoy. Extras aren't a high priority.

Yes, all features should always come with the initial hardware. Would X-Box Live have been that big if the online components hadn't already come with the console?

And the DS is certainly something I'm keeping my eye on. Comparing to the PSP, I think the DS is superior (So far).

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Well, third-party developers seem very eager to create something unique for the DS' unique abilities. Atlus' surgey action game seems wildly unique, for example. And kind of fun, too.

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Their inability to get third-party deals rally hurts them [...]
While that may be true for the GameCube, it isn't for the DS and the GBA. Nintendo has more third party development going for the DS than Sony has for the PSP.

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Nintendo has more third party development going for the DS than Sony has for the PSP.

Is that really true? Beacuse then I see no real reason to get the PSP, except for better graphics and movie/mp3-stuff.

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http://forums.idlethumbs.net/showthread.php?p=9102

(last bullet)

It's funny how it's somehow automatically assumed that Nintendo is behind on everything. The GameCube sales are generally being made out to be far worse than they are (the GameCube isin fact competitive and 2nd or 3rd place in the race depending on which figures you look at) and for its handheld devices Nintendo seems to have no trouble gathering support despite people on most gaming forums assuming their weak GameCube support automatically transfers to their other hardware.

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I feel bad now, Marek. How could I have missed that piece of news?

In case anyone is wondering, I'm not a Nintendo hater, I do in fact own a Game Boy Advance and I love most of the games they make, but it can be hard when they are so stubborn about this whole "Online" concept and keep messing up their Image so it seems so "kiddy". I do not think the are kiddy , but I can actually understand if others do.

Speaking of things being kiddy, it's a huge difference on games being childish and games being childish. I mean, look at Harvest Moon. The Game(s) have relatively "kiddy" graphics, the gameplay isn't very challenging, its no blood, no gore, no sex, drugs or anything like that. Therefor, many people automatically assume that This game was made for Children, I will not find it Funny.

But that is not true! Harvest Moon (And Animal Crossing and practically any other similar game coming from Nintendo) are all very entertaining, both for kids and adults alike (as anyone who has ever played the games can tell). But many people refuse to realise it. Their loss, maybe.

Then the other kind of kiddy. That's those kinds of games that were actually made for kids and kids only, like all those pokemon games with little or no plot and/or gameplay which mostly contain of pictures of happy pokemon. Those are childish, ni the sense that I and ninty percent of the population above fifteen find no enjoyment in playing them.

But the rest! Harvest moon and Super Monkey ball! Those aren't childish!

Those are fun! Huge difference, people!

Oh, and the reason Nintendo currently got so good third-party-support on the GBA is propably beacuse they dominate the entire market for handheld.

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