Nintendo DS Full Specs Allegedly Leaked

sarcastodon writes "Various sources such as GI.Biz are suggesting that detailed specifications of the upcoming Nintendo DS have been leaked. Surprising capabilities contained in the allegedly leaked Japanese-language document for the dual-screen handheld include 3D hardware acceleration, 802.11 wireless support, and the inclusion of a touch screen." However, GI.Biz notes: "Of course, a single leaked screenshot of a Japanese document doesn't constitute hard proof of any description, and this document should be taken with a pinch of salt - but if it is a forgery, it's a rather good one."

Comments

That is a bitching line up.

[Ayanami Rei]

Why don't I just throw out my palm? ... network, touchscreen, hi-res screen, it's got it all! They'd better make a PIM/PDA cart for it with web/email capabilities, or bundle it in the ROM. It'd be a shame not to.

Re:That is a bitching line up.

[Ayaress]

I dunno. It kinda worries me. Sounds like they're shoving too much into it, which is what killed the appeal of the N-Gage for me. I'd just like a nice, small, cheap portable gaming system that I don't have to worry about dropping.

There's just so many non-gaming features included, it sounds fishy to me. Nintendo's historically been about making gaming hardware, not all-in-one, everything-but-sheep-shears media stations.

On the other hand....

[Ayaress]

(yeah, yeah, I know, replying to myself) All those non-gaming features could actually do things for games, unlike the stuff they put in the N-Gage for filler. I've never really thought much of multiplayer on gameboy systems, but now that I think of it, it wouldn't be half as bad as it is now if it were wireless. Of course, this goes against another thing about Nintendo's history: They usually make you buy the add-ons, and if it has wireless, they can't sell you the $15 link cable.

too much press without product

[BlanketLord]

It seems that there is quite a bit of negative views surrounding the DS from readers. In my opinion, the N-Gage's failure can be attributed to all the negative reviews it recieved. It was flamed in Penny Arcade, and other review sites rated it poorly. If it recieved opposite reviews, would it have been a success? Now we are getting a lot of press about the DS, but no product and some are already making judgements, mostly based on the fact that none of us have any idea on what exactly this device will do.
I still have high faith in Nintendo; the Gameboy's proven success gives them a stronger foot that this potentially revolutionary product will succeed. I really am looking forward to seeing what this product really does though, as it has peaked my curiosity.

Re:too much press without product

[Ayaress]

Other systems have gotten bad reviews and still suceeded in the long run. IIRC, the Xbox got mildly flamed on PA, and there was a lot of negative publicity around it before it came out. But look where it is now: It's beating Nintendo, which is a feat that should never be underestimated in the console market.

Re:But what's the thing going to look like?

[Ayaress]

I personally hope they go with the different sized screens like you mentioned. It'll probably be underused by games, but I can think of one major use for the second screen: Menus in RPGs. The text boxes in most console-style RPGs get in the way, and scrolling through the box for a spell usually blocks the action on-screen (which really sucks for those RPGs where the enemy keeps attacking while you're in the menu. FF:CC uses the GBA screen for each character's menu in multiplayer, which aside from being a potentially prohibitive barrier to multiplayer, is a very good thing, since with some practice, you can move through the menus while still keeping track of the action on screen.

Touchscreen's are a poor deciscion

[Sangloth]

I used to work with touchscreen videogames at my old job. While touchscreens do have some advantages for an arcade machine...

1. Simple to understand
2. Difficult to vandalize.

those advantages don't mean anything for portable machines, and they have some fairly severe disadvantages...

1. While using a touchscreen, your fingers will obscure what you are seeing on the screen, especially for the small portable screen.
2. Touchscreen's are weaker then a macintosh mouse. You can only click, it's difficult to drag an object, or anything other then just click on the screen. Your hands could accomplish more on the controller. That way you could hit multiple buttons, instead of just clicking.

Besides, imagine playing an action game, and moving your hand from the buttons to the screen, and back to the buttons. It wouldn't work in an action game, and you can do menu selection faster using the buttons. I'm all for innovation, but this is going to be a gimmick.

Sangloth
I appreciate any comment with a logical basis...it doesn't even have to agree with me.

Re:Touchscreen's are a poor deciscion

[Anonymous Coward]

Besides, imagine playing an action game, and moving your hand from the buttons to the screen, and back to the buttons. It wouldn't work in an action game, and you can do menu selection faster using the buttons. I'm all for innovation, but this is going to be a gimmick.

I agreee. An 3d action game wouldn't work... But imagine have the RTS Warcraft II on the Nitro. You can now drag and select multiple units and direct them to a specific area on the map that you can see on the other screen. Buttons can be used as quick keys much like the keyboard was used in Warcraft. The mouse was the primary tool, remember? If you have a stylus then you don't have to worry as much about obsuring the screen with your hand. With touch dual screens, RTS becomes very possible and useful. Imagine Diable II where you have all your spells lined up on the second screen read at your command. Yes, it's thinking differently, or maybe just using an old game and placing it in a new system with new ideas. It wouldn't be that hard.

For all the bad press that Nitro gets, you would think that some of them would have given thought about RTS style games and what could happen with two screens. I thought the sport title example that I first heard (close up view and map view) was okay, but the RTS example just sets my imagination on fire with possibilities that are much better than any turn based fighting game was(Advance wars).

Re:Translation Corrections

[yRabbit]

I think PSG stands for "programmable sound generator", the Sega Genesis had one, as well as FM.

if they make is backwords compatable

[cyrax777]

with the GB series then Ninento will slaughter Sony just like how they slaughtered every other handheld thats come out. Same with Sony and ps3 if ps3 is compatible with the early PS series they will continue to dominate the market. Both Companys have shown supirer tech doesnt = owning the market Compare Phantasy star 1 for master system to Final Fantasy 1 for NES. The Master system was a supieor system tech wise but nintendo slaughtered genesis. also I think if Sony hadnt made ps2 backwords compatable with ps1 therefore giving them a huge advantage in number of games avalible to there system Nintendo might have had a chance of retaking over the console market oncd agien.

Or ... it could have been a terrible product

[*weasel]

Or... the NGage was just a bad product. It got flamed because it deserved to get flamed. It failed, because it deserved to fail.

As a gaming system:
. you have to remove the battery to change the game. wtf?

. it cost more than 2x what a GBA SP did, even if you include the price of a seperate 3G phone.

. it had very little developer support. (likely due lame SDK, bad design, pricing)

As a phone:

. it looked absurd. (taco-phone is a deserved critique)
. it's friggin huge.
. the button layout and centrally located screen made it awkward to hold and manipulate effectively one handed (common use for a phone).
. battery life is unacceptably short, unless you never, or rarely, use it for gaming - which obviates its dual functionality and makes the added cost unjustifiable.

The press around the DS revolves around legitimate concerns.

. lack of perceived purpose for a second screen
. effect of 2 backlit screens on battery life
. resultant unit pricing from added screen, necessitated battery
. lack of certainty on backwards compat.

Any handheld that Nintendo announces, but won't confirm backwards compatibility for, is going to be met with heavy skepticism imo. If the DS truly isn't meant to be a successor to the GBA SP -- then what market could they possibly be aiming at? Why have 2 incompatible handheld products? Particularly when facing Sony's PSP, which will be its first legitimate challenge in the mobile arena in years.

The sketchy details, the possibility of no backwards compat and the lack of consumer demand for its key feature (the second screen) are valid concerns.

The notable failure of the pseudo-portable Virtual Boy is still rightly fresh in the minds of consumers and investors when they see a 'potentially revolutionary' functionality that no-one has really been asking for. Nintendo's strength and first party developers/licenses cannot make a success out of a bad product.

Re:delusions of grandeur

[Anonymous Coward]

Nintendo needs to stop deluding itself. Saying "it's not a competitor to the GBA" a million times doesn't make it any less of a competitor to the GBA.

I think you're wrong. With a touch screen, 3D graphics, larger or two screen version, wireless capability, etc, this could be GBAs older more refined PDA cousin. With the possibility of PDA characteristics with a simple drop in cartridge (or built in), plus possible backwards compatability with the GBA games, you have a more expensive machine that may have everything that kids and adults like (a wealth of good games that appeal to a large group) plus what adults want (a machine that does more while not losing functionality or features). I would love to have a PDA with all my GBA games on them and a well designed PDA interface. If Nintendo can sell that at a reasonable price, then I'm sold whether it has two screens or twelve.