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Nintendo DS Hands On
The Big N's media event went off well, and people have finally had a chance to experience the playability and feel of the DS system. Penny Arcade has commentary from Gabe and Tycho, and Gamespot gives it a look as well. Quoth Tycho: "The final analysis: I am overjoyed that Nintendo isn't completely nuts, which was my fear initially. This is a pretty cool little machine. But the opening salvo is a little soft in the genres I prize most, and there's no stand-out title that forces my hand on the system."
Built-in lithium battery, buddy. Supposedly with as long a life as the one in the SP (about 8 hours, give or take).
"The system will use a rechargeable battery that's estimated to last roughly 10 hours."
Straight from GameSpot
It does not use AA's it uses recharable like the SP but higher cap.
My understanding is that Nintendo is working on both a hypnotist game - word is it's much better than "Cats" and you'll want to play it again and again - and a game called "Current" which is so involving you involuntary grip your hands on the DS and just can't put it down.
check it out here
like they say, i wonder if they are going to be causing fights in the stores, like the tickle-me-elmo craze..
No AAs involved. From here:
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
" You use the stylus on the bottom screen to look around and double tap it to jump. In just a few minutes I was pulling off classic FPS maneuvers like jumping, spinning around and shooting Tycho in the fucking face."
Shooting people in the face........what people have been longing for in a handheld system.
-Randy
The touch screen opens so many new avenues of gaming, I cannot wait to see what dev's cook up for it. check out the puppy demo for example http://gba.n64europe.com/specials/nintendogsflash. html
Ubuntu- Linux for human beings.
Is it just me, or is this thing really useless? I think the guy from Penny Arcade had it right: The SP is the perfect size.
And the touchscreen? What the hell? Who here owns a PDA? Ok. Out of you, how many have lost their stylus at one time or another? All of you? That's what I thought. And we're supposed to stick this thing in the hands of junior-highers? Yikes...
Nintendo, don't get me wrong... I love you. I love your gold-encrusted Zelda cartridges; I love Mario in a non-homosexual way. But please, lay off the crack in the R&D department, huh? R.O.B.? The Power Glove and Power Pad? Virtua Boy? And now... DS.
Sony ha
Curse you Nintendo! Now I need new pants to hold all the electronic gizmos I own or will soon own. This DS unit is the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back (or in this case his pants). To date I have a Rio Karma to get my Ogg on, a Toshiba e805 PDA to play Sam and Max Hit the Road (love PocketSCUMM), my Nokia 3650 cell phone and leatherman multi tool. Where oh great purveyor of Mario am I expected to put this new porta game system?
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
If they could fit the first five Zelda games onto one catridge, that would be a start. Perhaps even upgrading the graphics of Zelda I and II, but leave the game the same.
SimcitySphere
Batteries in a handheld, how 1990's :P
I guess it means archaic.
Being a left handed person, when I try to use a pen like object with my right hand, it doesn't quite work the way i want it too (I'm sure everyone has tried to write with their other hand once in their lives. This means I will have trouble holding the machine and useing the dpad with my left hand and trying to write on the screen. Any writing would be illegable. I most likely couldnt make precision movements required in an fps if I cant make an uppercase K on paper with a pen.
Are they gonna rerelease Zero Wing?
vicious, untreated political sewage...niche entertainment for the spiritually unattractive...worshipless pap
Can be found here. I recommend them highly.
Be sure to note the insanity that is Pac-Pix and this screenshot.
Also click here to see videos of Mario 64-DS and Metroid Hunters in action.
Especially since it's $150, and I can trade in the old GBA for $25, the old SP for maybe $40... it'll still play GBA games, so it's all good. C'mon, nobody complained about Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Tournament Edition... don't complain about Nintendo Gameboy Advanced SP Dual-Screen Edition.
All this talk of Nintendo being on crack doesn't matter much. Even if the system isn't that great, Nintendo has a star line-up of games. Just the fact that Square is releasing Final Fantasy 3 (which never before came to america) to the handheld will win over thousands from the PSP. With good marketing and a few good games, it'll be fine.
Those poor bastards, they have us surrounded. Now we can fire at them in all directions!
You haven't even looked at the device or the planned apps, all you know is that it has two screens and a pen?
The Nintendo DS, when you use pen-based games, is set up so that the ABXY buttons on the right side mirror the D-pad on the left. Left-handed people will hold the pen with their left hand and use the ABXY keys as a D-pad with their right hand.
For some reason they won't let you bring them on an airplane. What fun is that? :(
i still think that AA batteries is a good (if not a better) option:
- good rechargeable AA's last almost as long as li-ion
- you can allways carry some extra, especialy when you dont have access to AC outlet for some time. (and those generaly are much cheaper than device-specific exta li-ion batteries)
"Someone made a picture of a "hypothetical" Gameboy spinoff, which would have been far more realistic a goal. Minidisc drive, cartridge port, dual analog sticks, d-pad and twin shoulder buttons."
Minidisc as in Sony? I can see some problems there, quite aside from the technical unsuitability of a minidisc drive as a storage device for a handheld. Dual analog sticks? Do you wonder why pretty much *no* portable has these, even the PSP? They're not very easy to make durable.
"The second screen isn't necessary."
It's the easiest way to get more screen real estate and keep the machine compact. I expect a 'Nintendo DS SP' will turn up at some point with the screens fused back into one (although I'm not sure what the form factor would be. Maybe they'd just up the dpi of the screen).
"If Nintendo had any sense, they would market the DS as a PDA that has the additional bonus of playing high resolution 3D games, which, most PDA/Smart Phone manufacturers have yet to claim."
Gizmondo, Tapwave...
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.. Minidisc drive, cartridge port, dual analog sticks, d-pad and twin shoulder buttons.
Goodbye 10 hours (PSP)
Very little in the gaming world requires you to actually *watch* two screens.
It's called innovation, it's a great idea that's been improperly utilized up to date. I know a lot of people who would love to have multiple views in an RTS, one being a touch interface for troop management. The creative options are endless..
The second screen isn't nessesary. In fact, they probably would have done better to make a portable with a larger screen with a better 3Dchipset.
See PSP. How long you want this thing to run for? Also notice the phenomenon that we're currently playing SNES games at least 2 generations behind on the GBA, and having a hell of a time doing so. Sure it would have been nicer to have at least DC quality, but I'm not complaining.
It's cheap, powerful, innovative, and backwards compatible with the biggest selling video game machine ever made. That's worth something.
PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RTFA! The XYAB buttons are designed to replace the D-pad for lefties. You just use your left hand with the stylus, and the R buttonand Lbutton switch places, and the D-Pad and XYBA buttons switch places. It's that simple. And for the people worried about battery life, again, RTFA. Or go read IGN's interview with Reggie Fils-Aime. Battery life is about what the SP's is. They've come out and said "somewhere from 8 - 10 hours, depending on use, volume, WiFi, etc." And I can't believe people are still using the word "virtual boy" when talking about this thing. This has a better launch/near launch lineup than any system Nintendo has released since the SNES. And it has hundreds of games being worked on right now for it. Virtual Boy had what, 20 in total or something? Everyone knows this will be a big hit. I mean, seriously, wireless multiplayer Sims and Mario Kart and Metroid... Absolutely pure money trees. And rumors of a new Pokemon RPG, plus the movie-downloading stuff, the "go to EB and download demos of new games" stuff, the "whatever warp-pipe is doing" stuff, the "Final Fantasy 3 finally being officially translated" stuff, the "Built in wireless chat" stuff... and it just keeps going on and on... This thing will dominate for sure, and the PSP really isn't any comeptition. Totally different target markets other than age and the fact that they play games. And it's got it's own set of problems... still no word on price or launch specifics, games, BATTERY LIFE, etc. It has the potential to kick ass, but I think it would have better luck if it released for sub-$200 in a few years rather than trying to take over the DS's market. Nintendo is keeping the gameboy brand for the sub-18 year olds, and the DS's demographic is 18-24. PSP is for 21-30. It's a bit of overlap, but the price difference and game styles will seperate them enough that those with good jobs in the overlap will just get both.
Born to Play
Frankly, the fewer games *anyone* sells to clueless nostalgic hipsters, the better.
Preferences > Homepage > Customize stories on homepage > Authors > Zonk > Uncheck
who is zonk? is he new?
Two AA? Nah this comes with a set of jumper cables so you can hook it up to a car battery.
Very little in the gaming world requires you to actually *watch* two screens.
Perhaps, or perhaps you just have no imagination. People once thought that a mouse would be useless as well.
// file: mice.h
#include "frickin_lasers.h"
whoa...get over yourself why don't you...
Ever think about just not buying that one game rather than give up on the whole concept of "Nintendo"?
Username taken, please choose another one.
Blame it on the 3D polygon chips. Whenever they are embedded into consoles, the games devolve into first person shooters.
Sure it would have been nicer to have at least DC quality, but I'm not complaining.
All I have heard is that it has better graphics than the N64 and less than the GameCube. Therefore it could be better graphics than the ps2. ^_^
I think Metroid Prime was one of, if not the most fun game I played last year. I'm already psyched to play "Echos," and take it out for a multiplayer spin when I've finished the single player.
If some "lesser" version of the revived franchise is bundled with a DS, I'm already sold.
The key difference between a Programmer and a Senior Programmer is that one of them is Mexican.
Try as I might, I was unable to find any pictures of the game cartridges, or "game cards", as nintendo refers to them. Can anyone help me out?
SCOTTeVEST (SeV) designs functional and fashionable clothing that's so innovative that it's worn by the Secret Service. SeVs have up to 42 hidden pockets and a patent-pending Personal Area Network (PAN). The PAN allows you to carry and use your electronic devices such as cell phones, PDA's, and MP3 players, without the mess of dangling wires. Our unique design allows you to store all of your gadgets and gear without looking like a geek. With removable sleeves, you can also wear as a vest. Click here to see our latest product line. Our products are also used as a better solution for concealed carry weapons (CCW) and tactical vests.
every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
Two games:
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Zelda: Four Swords.
Only now no longer limited to a TV, and (possibly) only four players, and needing to buy like ten accessories.
I realize these games are basically at "rumor" stage for the DS now, but if and when they come out, I WILL buy a DS. Maybe two.
They thought of this. you can switch the functions of the D Pad and the ABXY pad. They are the exact same shape, so you would hold the stylus in your left hand, and hold the device in your right.
Sorry, you're about 2 years too late for this particular gripe. People said the same thing about Metroid Prime, and it turned out perfect. It's a metroid game, and I have no doubt Metroid Hunters will be as well.
I use a Dual-screen setup at work. While few games use both, it is very convienient to have data open in one window and a game going in another. There are lots of times when I wish both were available for games. And don't forget, two smaller screens are cheaper than one larger one... Nintendo was probably partly being cheap.
The problems with the hyper-advanced Gameboy with Minidisk (or some optical format, minidisks don't actually hold much anymore), dual-analog sticks, etc, etc is that they don't fit the portable model well. Which is to say instant on, instant off, with a high durability, a long battery life, and just generally cheap. The PSP is skewing the other direction, with high power, high cost, and low battery. We'll have to see how it does, but so far it's following in the footsteps of the Game Gear, Nomad, and Turbo Express Portable.
Nintendo knows better than to market a dual-use system. The second use never goes anywhere. Remember the hype around the Saturn as an internet browser? Remember game.com? CDI?
On the other hand, the ghost of the Virtual Boy is hovering over the DS, but the Virtual Boy died on it's own merits, or lack thereof. The Virtual Boy had the power of a Gameboy in a non-portable system that was rediculously expensive and made player nauseous (the owners manual points this out on every single page, along with twice mentioning that it may permanently destroy young kid's ability to see depth.). There is grounds to hope that this won't be as spectacular a failure as the Virtual Boy... Though on the flip side this means you won't be able to pick one up with a full library of games for 50 bucks like the Virtual Boy.
On the other hand, you're totally right in that it is about the games, and neither Nintendo nor Sony has shown anything that could be considered killer. While the old system makers, Square, have thrown their weight behind the PSP, that doesn't carry as much mindshare as it used to. Who will get Halo, or GTA, or HL2?
Time will tell.
The ______ Agenda
You are mistaken. What you descripe would be the PSP...
HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
Comment removed based on user account deletion
All it will take to make the DS a 'must have' is one killer app in each of couple of genres. A killer RPG that uses the second (touch) screen for all the menu's and whatnot. The FFIII remake has that possibilty. A RTS game using the touch screen and extra space for the obvious things would make all of the thousands of RTS junkies to go and buy what is possibly their first console system. Metroid may just be the killer FPS that handhelds have been waiting for. Adding a good MMORPG to the system would be the icing. I think the DS's odds are a lot better than the Virtual Boys...
Gamespot Movie
In this movie, it's incredibly clear that not only does the device work, but Metroid Hunters actually has more PC like control than any console based FPS I've seen - essentially, the stylus acts as the mouselook, and the d-pad works like your standard WASD keys. I'm convinced; that's all it comes down to. I can also see things like Flight sims, which, with the stylus, will now have enough area for complete controls, and can do more than one plane. For more "innovative" games, I'm sure we can rely on Sega and Nintendo, but I'm happy if this is what we get.
you can always play the GBA Metroid games if you want the same gameplay experience ... if you want to take part in a fantastic series evolving then you can join the rest of us with the newer games.
vote with your dollars.
Chewie does not get a medal. Come on, George. Can a Wookie get a medal?
The DS can't play non-GS games multi-player.
I agree that the two screens are unnecessary to keep separate if just used for display purposes, just make one big screen and save on production costs and allow a much larger viewport.
However, the real reason they were split is probably to do with the touch sensitive bottom screen. Too expensive to make them both sensitive, or make one big sensitive screen.
One nifty thing about the split screen is that it gives the DS a similar aspect to the old Nintendo dual-screen arcade games, like the original Punch-out!! and Playchoice 10. I wonder if that's where they got the idea?
True, but why have two screens rather than one screen twice as large? For instance the PSP will have a screen as large as the combined DS screens - so if the two screen idea is such a great one, the PSP developers could opt to use the display in that way. However if the screen idea is not a great one, there is nothing the DS developers can do about it.
As far as I see it, the two screen idea is basically a result of two decisions Nintendo made. Firstly they wanted a touch-screen, and a large touch screen would likely be prohibitively expensive. Secondly they needed to put in the existing GBA processor in order to provide backwards compatability, so why not use it?
If you notice, one screen will be able to display GBA quality graphics, whereas the other screen will be able to display graphics closer to a n64 (although the developers can toggle which screen does which - instantly I think). So basically it seems that Nintendo are putting the dual-processors to use in this thing... And why not?
I really think the two screen idea is about the least innovative, and possibly the worst thing about the DS - although in light of the above considerations I can see why they did it.
However my real excitement over the DS comes from the touch-screen, the wireless networking, the microphone (voice chat in multiplayer?), and the fact it is by Nintendo.
I will definitely be getting a DS, but that decision has nothing to do with the two screens.
I kind of agree with you in some ways - I have a portable storage device for photos that is rechargable, but happily I can take along a second battery and have made use of it from time to time.
:-)
But I have to say, that with a portable game player with a 10 hour battery life it's probably not going to be an issue very often - and how many people would really remember to keep spare batteries with them anyway? And they really can get a lot more life out of a custom rechargable solution, you might only be looking at six hours with AA's which might make it mandatory to carry extra with you.
The scneario that does suck is when you forget to charge the thing before you go somewhere for ten hours. That's invariably how I end up breaking out the extra battery on my portable storage device, I had thought it a waste until that happened to me. It's pretty rare though.
Instead, always carry two DS's!
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Has anyone mentioned the Japan site yet?
...along with Hikaru Utada (I guess they are going for the global thing, since she speaks English and all, LOL)
http://www.touch-ds.jp/fla.html
The demo video is kinda neat... it shows it in action...
Goodbye 10 hours (PSP)
Indeed, indeed. The PSP, according to analysts (who have apparently heard, in turn, from game developers), is apparently only managing a battery-life of around 90 minutes or so ( http://www.n-philes.com/index.php?Id=346 ). @_@
A RTS game using the touch screen and extra space for the obvious things would make all of the thousands of RTS junkies to go and buy what is possibly their first console system. :D
Does Advance Wars DS count?
http://www.n-philes.com/index.php?Id=356
Given that the GBA can already emulate the NES and kinda-sorta emulate the Super NES, and the Nintendo DS CPU runs at four times the clock speed of the GBA CPU (67.1 MHz vs. 16.8 MHz), I see a Sega Genesis emulator for Nintendo DS as a possibility should somebody outside of NDA-zone figure out how to get arbitrary code running on the thing. Run Zero Wing on that, and all Toaplan's base will be belong to you.
I'm pretty sure they got the idea from the original folding two-screen nintendo pocket games, which you apparently don't remember. I only knew a couple kids whose family was willing to buy them for them, though, and I lived in an area primarily filled with kids whose parents had money. Regardless, they enjoyed essentially the same form factor and were sold all over the place, for example at Longs Drugs where they were put in the camera department. I think they might have had clocks built into them or something.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The sad fact that the parent got modded up and the grandparent was modded down is testament to the complete and utter fucking idiocy, incompentence, and downright uselessness of the mods and the entire moderation system.
The parent post was brainless enough, but the modding was the icing on the cake.
"Square, have thrown their weight behind the PSP"
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Square announced they will be remaking FF3(JPN) for the DS.
I was a bit cynical at a touchpad being better then a mouse keyboard combination so after reading the article I got the idea of plugging in my Wacom and having a couple of goes of Quake 3 just to see if it was any good. After all we've see these type of things come and go for years - From the rather lame Fragmaster to that weird orb thing that owned in Descent.
Sweet Jebus it was actually better. This has to be the first time that I have *ever* used any interface has actually been better then a mouse for a FPS.
So much so that I will probably be using a keyboard trackpad setup in the future. You really have to just try it. It's a similar experience to when you first used a mouse/keyboard combination in Terminator:Futureshock from the old keyboarding days of doom hexen etc. It's just that good. Just give it a go. The difference is amazing. And this is coming from someone who is a total FPS junkie.
That someone has been able to crack a mouselook, that it was a handheld and that it was from a Japanese company just blows my mind.
It looking like PC's may have to just have mod's and graphics over consoles in the future. Because even if the DS falls flat on its arse, which is not looking likely, Someone copy the interface for the next generation of console just like everyone copied D-Pads. It's killer for FPS's.
One other thing. This may just be me, I don't really know, but if one were to take the two screens and fuse them, side-by-side or top-by-bottom, I can guarantee that I would have trouble focusing on either of them. It would take a good long while for my eyes to adjust to that. If there was a game like Hunters, with the map on half the screen all the time, I would barely be able to play it. Physically seperate the screens just a tad though, and I have no problem.
You are correct. In fact it is the 6th game Squarenix has announced for the DS while they have said they currently have no plans to produce ANY games for the PSP. The only thing they are developing for PSP is a movie which will also be available on a regular DVD.
...are geniuses and deserve every Dollar or Yen they earn, imho.
The DS has just enough features to pass as an inovation and offer enthusiasts a reason to by it, but unobstrusive enough so n00bs on mobile gaming can join the fray.
Apple does things very much the simular way. The japanese call it "Kuy-Zen". Copy the things or rebuild them, and then start improving them bit by bit.
Their philosophy shows in every thing they do nowadays. No wonder Nintendo is doubling its revenue on something like a half year basis.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
Given that Mario DS is a ported Mario 64 (and other N64 ports will be coming soon), I'm curious what the control layout is like given the...unique nature of the N64 controller which was essentially designed for the game. Does the stylus replace the analog stick? Is there a Z-trigger type button on the underside of the unit?
"Very little in the gaming world requires you to actually *watch* two screens"
Bullshit. Plenty of console games would benefit dramatically from dual screens. Zelda comes to mind. You have to pause in order to equip yourself with whatever weapons you want to use. In the same vein, so does Final Fantasy. Now you can have that screen up + have a much better interface for changing things around. Panoramic views are not the only thing you can achieve with multiple screens. Since the bottom one is a touch screen, it's actually very intuitive. Don't believe me? Go look at an ATM or a telephone. Display up top, interface right below. Not a biggie, and not unimportant.
"This looks like a future Virtual Boy, truth be told. "
No it doesn't. How can you compare the VB to a system that's an enhanced GBA?
"Instead, add a simple IR eye tracking monacle that would do the job of the touch pad..."
That is less Virtual Boy'ish than a tried and true stylus interface that has single handedly made PDAs a common item?
"If Nintendo had any sense, they would market the DS as a PDA that has the additional bonus of playing high resolution 3D games, which, most PDA/Smart Phone manufacturers have yet to claim."
What kind of sense would that be? Why would they leave the portable market with a device that plays their current lineup of games to a market they have no business being in where they wouldn't sell that many games? Sorry for the run-on sentence, but that's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. I suppose you've never heard of the CD-I?
"Derp de derp."
"Indeed, indeed. The PSP, according to analysts (who have apparently heard, in turn, from game developers), is apparently only managing a battery-life of around 90 minutes or so ( http://www.n-philes.com/index.php?Id=346 ). @_@"
I hate to spoil the fun, but n-philes is a Nintendo fan site. I've never really visited there until now, but I wouldn't trust it for reliable PSP info.
"Derp de derp."
"So, did anyone else want to cry at seeing that Nintendo has finally taken the most wonderful game series ever created by Humankind (ie, Metroid), and made it into a multiplayer death-match-style FPS?"
And that's a bad thing because....?
"Derp de derp."
Dual analog sticks? Do you wonder why pretty much *no* portable has these, even the PSP?
It's true that the PSP doesn't have dual analog controllers, but it does have one, even it it's not a stick. It's the disc in the lower left corner. Unfortunately it looks to be in an ankward place, judging from the pictures.
If they could just upgrade the graphics in Zelda I, II, and IV. And no other modifications, period. Perhaps even have a speech mode for when characters talk, but optional at start of the game. The classics stay good through the years. I'm sure they'll keep creating more Zelda and Mario games. But if they could take the time to upgrade the classics with better graphics, keep everything else exactly the same (except for my speech idea). In other words, bring the graphics up to the SNES standard, 32 bit, like you said. As for Zelda V, I have no idea how big that is, but I guess they'll be able to fit it onto DS (if DS is 64 bits). I haven't done my research on DS yet.
It's just the stylus. Really, modern controllers *are* left-handed. In the old days you had to hit the buttons really fast and the D-Pad was suited for the less coordinated task of just leaning back and forth. Or whatever. I think it could have gone either way. Now we have the subtle and touchy anaolg stick under the thumb of the left hand. The less intense camera view stick is under the thumb of the right. Then again in an FPS the intensity is reversed again... The result is that if you play a game like Super Monkey Ball which requires extraordinary precision you really notice how clumsy your non-dominant hand is. In the end when playing it, I just held the controller funny in my right hand alone. No buttons are involved. The DS stylus must be located in the dominant hand, so they've designed to deal with handedness, but there's really no reason to complain on a normal console pad. In some games the control is right-handed-ish and in some left-ish. Either way you're using a whole set of learning that isn't really hand based. After all, what handedness has a keyboard? :)
can I run Matlab on this thing?
I hate how Nintendo wants all their characters to be girly whiners with really annoying voices, screaming your ears off every time you do anything. (I collected a coin, YAHOOOOOO!!!!!)
This just ruins the whole game for me, there's no way I can play the GBA port of A Link To The Past now.
Of course, I don't have a GBA...
meh
So what you're saying is, without the Power Pad, there would be a lot less people looking like retards at the video arcade. I don't know if that's good or bad!
Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
Actaully the ds reminds me of these a lot. I remember owning one of these - they were fun.
I'm glad they are coming back, 2000 style. Perhaps I can have my children have the same kind of fun I used to. :-)
YHBT. HAND.
Im sure you could make an external battery pack of you own to supplement the DS internal batteries when your on a loong journey. this would be kinda like the guy who made a spare external battery pack for his IPod which was the subject of a slashdot story some time ago...
How many computers are too many?
...the OP doesn't like FPSes, same as I don't? ...Metroid is about *exploration* first, shooting things second. You FPS-lovers would have doubtless complained had Doom 3 been a kart racer ;)
That's a couple of reasons off the top of my head.
Regards,
Tim.
All they are doing is reporting what is widely known in all the other media outlets. That's like a PSP site reporting that the DS has dual-screens. Both examples are well known facts :-P
Several companies make spare battery packs for the SP, as well as "extended life batteries." I don't see why they wont move into the DS market in six months to a year.
I Browse at +4 Flamebait
Open Source Sysadmin
Possibly, but the GP32 is much better for that sort of thing.
And not available at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Toys "Ya" Us, or any other major American chain of video game stores. In practice, I've found that parents are more comfortable importing accessories (such as a flash card) than consoles because a console purchased at Wal-Mart will typically have official games for sale at Wal-Mart, at least for a few years.
I hate to spoil the fun, but n-philes is a Nintendo fan site. I've never really visited there until now, but I wouldn't trust it for reliable PSP info. ;P
I hate to spoil the fun, too, but the info came from game developers and industry analysts, not the N-Philes site staff - it had been reported in multiple places, that was just the only link to hand at the time.
A killer RTS game for the DS can't be a grid based game, because that wouldn't exploit the touchscreen to it's fullest, an area of control where other console RTS games are sorely lacking.
Ah, but I do remember them, they just didn't spring to mind at that moment. They had clocks because they were part of Nintendo's Game & Watch series, even though they were a little too unwieldly to wear on your wrist.
Apparently those Game and Watch things were really popular for Nintendo, considering that G&W homages keep popping up in such places as Smash Bros. Melee and WarioWare, and there are six Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance compilations of those old games.
Personally, I think $3-5 per classic (NES/SNES) game would be fine. So if they were to put 10 classics on a cartridge, $30-50 would be fine. As for N64 games, that's probably a bit more difficult, and too new still.
Even if they weren't really popular (they were sold all over the place, so they must have been) the nostalgia factor would promote them. I figure it's only a matter of time before we start seeing virtual boy minigames, even, since now both the current Nintendo handheld (DS, upcoming anyway) and their console platform both do 3D. I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The fact that it has a multiplayer option, doesn't mean the exploration part has been lefty out!
This isn't "Metroid: Arena". In single player, there are not bots to kill instead of humans.
If nintendo adds a proven game style to an already existing game, more power to them. They have some of the best multiplayer games around; mario kart, smash bros, mario party, wario ware, zelda four swords; it was time they added some good deathmatch.
Yeah, you are right about n-philes (great site for nintendo fans, by the way).
However, they are only repeating something that gamespot and gamasutra announced. The truth on those announcements depend on how much we can trust a couple of analysts outsiders to the industry. Do note that, after Sony passed the battery life ball to the developers, not one of them has announced an "expected battery life" figure. EA Sports CEO refused to talk on that topic.
Makes you wonder...
I have to point out that, since the psp is expected to play movies, it should have a battery life of, at least, 2 hours, with the disc always reading.
However, the FF7 movie, advent children, was already announced to last 70-90 minutes.
I think that the psp will have a battery life that depends on the game, like Sony said (since developers can make a game that loads a full game, and never touches the UMD again). However, this will take away from developers a favorite technique to cut on load time; dinamic load during gameplay (some people call it streaming).
So the psp will take sony fanboys back to the time of the original load station! yay! Perfect for a quick game before classes start!
We might, but I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't advertised as Virtual Boy games. Nintendo barely mentions the VB these days, though there *is* a five-second-long reference in WarioWare....
A gamers PDA would be a good way to market the DS to an adult crowd
All Nintendo really has to do is license the PalmOS and stick it on a cart. The PalmOS runs on ARM processors, and that's exactly what's going to be in the DS. It would take some tweaking, but I imagine that they could pull it off. They would need to stick at least 2 megs (or preferably 8+) of flash in the cart, though.
You've got the touchscreen function. Two screens could display more info than one screen. With wireless sync you wouldn't even need a cable.
It's totally doable and I, for one, would buy it.
Right here.
And of course if you only want to see the new carts.
It's basic HTML people, and it's not that hard!
It would be interesting to see some companies who are not video game makers or not console game makers get together and do a DS for adults marketing campaign. Perhaps go as far as for Palm (or I'll say it again) or a reborn Visor to license the DS from Nintendo and just change the case and the box and bundle PalmOS cart with it rather than Metroid. Maybe incluse a thicker stylus for larger adult ahands and a nice leatherish case or something too. Sell applications for it via their website to wireless load onto your DS, and get other companies in on it to make some "Rated: M" games. :P