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Nintendo Dismisses DS Redesign Rumours

Posted by Zonk on from the untrue dept.

GamesIndustry.biz reports that despite rumours to the contrary there are no immediate plans to redesign the Nintendo DS. From the article: "Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed late last year that a redesign was in the pipeline, and it's thought that there are low levels of DS stock remaining - the handheld has proved a huge hit in Japan, the US and Europe and more than 13 million units have been sold worldwide." IE: There will be a redesign for the handheld console, but not any time real soon.

67 comments

  1. I was hoping there would be one by rednalb · · Score: 2, Informative

    I was hoping there would be a redesign. The buttons on the DS are pretty uncomfortable to use. I'm still using the original Gameboy Advance to play GBA games on. The only games that I like on the DS are ones that don't need the buttons, like Trauma Center.

    1. Re:I was hoping there would be one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They didn't say the DS wouldn't ever get a redesign, just that it wasn't getting a redesign today ...

      The truth of the matter is that, as a company, Nintendo is too busy right now to focus their attention on redesigning a product that is already popular. As a software company they have to produce unique, exclusive, titles for 4 platforms of varying capabilities and userbases (GBA, Nintendo DS, Gamecube, and Revolution [you could possibly also include the iQue and Revolution virtual consoles, but I'm not sure how much new development is going into them]). Hardware wise they have to complete the Revolution, with lots of work remaining on apearance, usability, stability, security and cost; they may be working on further redesigns of the GBA (I've always thought that you could combine the GBA with a phone to make a game playing phone that doesn't suck ass), and the Gamecube (possibly a redesign to sell in developing markets like China or India).

      Ultimately, project 'Redesign the Nintendo DS' has probably been delayed because they're too busy and their just isn't the need for it right now (when you're averaging just under 1 Million consoles a month for the lifetime of your system sales are pretty good).

  2. Well... by trogdor8667 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The DS could definately benefit from a redesign: it needs more than just the traditional directional pad, and could be much easier to hold. The current design causes my hand to hurt after a short amount of time.

    I'm honestly disappointed that Nintendo isn't considering this, as it could definately provide some marked improvement in the length of play per game session (I normally only play for fiteen minutes. If the design were better, I could play for 30 minutes at a time, for example).

    1. Re:Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      They _are_ considering a redesign, and have been since the DS has been released. My guess is that the redesigned model will be announced/released in March, right around the time Tetris DS hits the streets. It will conincide the one year anniversary of the PSP launch, when Sony will release their "sold" units (ie shipped to retailers) figures. Nintendo will take a double-barrel approach by using Tetris and the redesigned DS to counter the hype Sony will try to generate for the PSP.

    2. Re:Well... by Daetrin · · Score: 1
      The DS could definately benefit from a redesign: it needs more than just the traditional directional pad, and could be much easier to hold. The current design causes my hand to hurt after a short amount of time.

      Doesn't cause me any problem and i play for hours at a time, but we're all built different i guess.

      I suppose an analog stick might be a good thing, presuming they could make it work right. I'm really not sure how to stick an analog stick on a handheld without messing something up. The PSP has one doesn't it? How well does that work?

      What _i'd_ really like to see are some improvements to the software/hardware interface. There should be a way to turn the backlight on and off without rebooting your system to get to the main menu. There should also be a way to display the time on top of whatever game you're playing. (Presumably just for a second or two so you could pause and check the time and then go back to playing, but i suppose having a way to leave it up in the corner all the time wouldn't be a bad thing either.)

      And if they were _really_ amazing they'd figure out how to shrink it down to something approaching the GBASP size so it would fit in my pocket easily, but given all the stuff they have to fit in that probably isn't possible.

      --
      This Space Intentionally Left Blank
    3. Re:Well... by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I would like to see it thinner, and with the top screen flipping out much like a Sidekick. Though the rcessed screen may cause problems.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    4. Re:Well... by Fred+Or+Alive · · Score: 1

      I don't think they can easily change the functionality of the device that much in an update, adding an analogue control would effectivley split the platform (I'm guessing the next Gameboy / DS will have one though), and it's not like you can just buy a new controller for the old system.

      As for backlight and clock, I don't think the DS "OS" has much say during gameplay, I'd guess it's up to the game to provide that sort of stuff (some games like Mario 64 and Polarium do have backlight controls for example), rather than the hardware itself. Although I suppose it might be possible to hack them on top of stuff.

      --
      10 PRINT "LOOK AROUND YOU ";
      20 GOTO 10
    5. Re:Well... by (A)*(B)!0_- · · Score: 1
      "I'm really not sure how to stick an analog stick on a handheld without messing something up. The PSP has one doesn't it? How well does that work?"
      On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate it about a 6. Comfortable and responsive enough to get the job done but nothing to write home about.
    6. Re:Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Time? Meh, get a watch...

      PSP analog stick is probably the worst I've used, but it's still OK. DS can use the touchscreen as a pseudo-analog stick, see Mario 64.

    7. Re:Well... by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 1

      The DS could definately benefit from a redesign: it needs more than just the traditional directional pad, and could be much easier to hold. The current design causes my hand to hurt after a short amount of time. And how do you propose they do that? They can't very well add one in addition to what's there now; that would lead to games that are incompatible with older DS systems. I can't imagine that replacing the d-pad with one would work either; wouldn't that cause compatibility or playability issues with the existing titles?

      --
      Goo goo g'joob.
    8. Re:Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful
      The DS could definately benefit from a redesign: it needs more than just the traditional directional pad

      Yeah, if there's one thing Nintendo forgot to include with the DS, it's an analog input method that you can operate with your left thumb.

      ...

    9. Re:Well... by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      "The DS could definately benefit from a redesign: it needs more than just the traditional directional pad,"

      Hey, I know what they could do! They could make one of the screens touch-sensitive!

    10. Re:Well... by AuMatar · · Score: 1

      The d pad is just fine. The only thing that could replace it is an analog stick, which is not as good an input device for 2D (the vast majority of games). It would also cause some DS games to only be playable on the new DS- anything which requires the analog stick.

      I do think it needs to be a bit more ergonomic though- I've had my hands hurt trying to hit those buttons as well.

      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
    11. Re:Well... by trogdor8667 · · Score: 1

      When the Saturn introduced the analog controller, it caused the same thing: some games required the newer controller. I believe the same thing happened with the PS1 when they released the Dual Shock controller. Obviously, not every game would need it, but some, like Super Mario 64 DS, would greatly benefit from something other than using the touch screen as a controller, which, at least for me, is not a pleasant task. The DPad, there, is just not a good fit.

    12. Re:Well... by AuMatar · · Score: 1

      You miss the point. I own a DS now. I bought it assuming I would be able to buy and play any DS game I wished. If a new DS is made with new hardware features, causing there to be games I can't play on my DS, I would be seriously pissed. So would most owners. This isn't like a controller where I can pay $20 and get a new one- I'd have to buy a whole new DS. I garuntee it would make me buy the PSP2 instead of the DS2 next generation.

      Also notice that the Saturn, which was one of your examples, was a horrid flop. So has been every game that required a special peripheral- be it a light gun, mat, or Rob the robot. It creates a situation where not only do you piss off old owners, but you set games up for failure too. In other words, a nightmare.

      Nintendo is smart enough to know this though. What I'd expect a redesign to do is a cost reduction on parts and some ergonomic changes- nothing that changes how games are played, but might help the gaming experience. Some current DS owners will end up buying the new one because they like the changes enough, the rest can go on using the old ones without a problem.

      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
    13. Re:Well... by jensen404 · · Score: 1

      I'd like to see an adapter(using the DS port) that lets you plugin a gamecube controller to the DS

      2 of my 3 games would benefit from it.

      Mario 64 needs the analog control.
      Mario Kart DS hurts my hands, because I have to keep my index fingers on the shoulder buttons, and move my left thumb back and forth a lot.
      Kirby is just fine with DS controls, though :-)

    14. Re:Well... by The-Trav-Man · · Score: 2, Funny

      And tail fins.

    15. Re:Well... by The+Eagle+Maint · · Score: 1

      I have only played the demo a few times, but doesn't the Metroid Prime Hunters demo allow you to customize the controls however you want? I know you can use the touch screen as an analog control device with your right thumb to aim, so if it is as customizable as I remember, I don't see why you couldn't use it. Also, Mario 64 DS (and possibly other games, though I don't know of any offhand) also allow you to use the touch screen as analog input.

    16. Re:Well... by Masami+Eiri · · Score: 1

      The DS OS sets the defaults though. Though I do agree with the GP, a button for the light would be incredibly useful. As it is, I just leave it on, even when I don't need it. This of course, coming from a guy that never bothered to install the on/off button for his Afterburner in his GBA :D

    17. Re:Well... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      link

  3. Milkin' it for what it's worth by binaryspiral · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Big N has sold 13 million DS's... and until sales start to slow down, they won't bother.

    I can play it fine, but my daughter's hands are 1/2 the size and can't hit all the buttons without really giving it a stretch.

    She's not playing with the DS anymore... so it travels with me! :)

  4. A shame by BenjyD · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The DS design could use some tweaking. Make it lighter and thinner, round the edges off, make it less wide so it's easier to use the screen with your thumb without stretching, make the shoulder buttons larger and label the buttons properly.

    1. Re:A shame by Endymion · · Score: 3, Interesting

      ...and a place to store a couple games, please!

      The games for the DS are so incredibly tiny, it would have been easy to make a slot somewhere on it to hold 2-3 extra DS games, kindof like the stylus holder. I'd love to be able to bring just the DS and have the current 2-3 games I'm playing be avaliable.

      I've tried to bring them seperatly, but they get lost easily. Right now I have a box for them, but it's bulky.

      This has never been possible before, as the games were too big. I believe we finally hit a point, though, where they are small enough for this.

      --
      Ce n'est pas une signature automatique.
    2. Re:A shame by BenjyD · · Score: 2, Informative

      I have one of those soft DS cases - it stops the DS getting scratched in my bag, and it has a little zip compartment that fits maybe five DS games.

    3. Re:A shame by Belgand · · Score: 1

      While I agree that it's hard to use a thumb on the screen in the current design it's also far too small to hold the thing comfortably as it is. If anything making it a bit larger would really go a long way to making it easier to hold and play.

      All of the buttons need to be larger, not just the shoulder buttons. At present though it's a literal pain (in my hands) to try to keep my fingers on the shoulder buttons.

      The volume slider is terrible. It makes it very hard to make adjustments to the volume and making a small change is more or less impossible.

    4. Re:A shame by Meagermanx · · Score: 1

      You're just holding it wrong. What you need to do is rest the bottom two corners on your palms so that your hands are sticking out to the sides a little, and then you should be able to reach the shoulder buttons just fine from an angle.
      I'm not sure how this would work with smaller hands, though.

    5. Re:A shame by BenjyD · · Score: 1

      Maybe you're right - I do find the lower corners quite uncomfortable against my palm after a while, though. It would be nice to see the other buttons made larger, to reduce that A-button shaped callus on my thumb from Mario Kart.

      It was clearly a difficult task for Nintendo to layout the two screens comfortably. I tried to play Mario 64 with the touch screen, but I couldn't comfortably reach enough of the screen with my thumb and hold the DS at the same time, so I just used the d-pad instead.

    6. Re:A shame by earthbound+kid · · Score: 1

      Buy a small ziplock bag with a slider. Boom! You gotcher DS games on you for under $3 (and only that much because they won't sell them to you one at a time).

      I actually have a pencil case that also fits all my GBA games in it.

    7. Re:A shame by Endymion · · Score: 1

      yah, I've done that... the ziplock solution, a small plastic case...

      it's all extra annoyance, though. I'd love to be able to just toss the DS in my jacket pocket on my way out somewhere, and not have to worry about an extra bag.

      I'm probably just burned on "always on" networking - having to deal with removable media seems so... archaic.

      meh

      --
      Ce n'est pas une signature automatique.
    8. Re:A shame by earthbound+kid · · Score: 1

      True. It'd be cool if some made a portable game unit with iPodesque hard drive space that games could copy themselves into automatically. To get around the borrowing issue, maybe after the first copy the game sets itself to "no more copying" mode, and needs to be inserted to be played. One step further-- when HD space is low, you can insert the game, then delete it from the HD, and then your game unlocks itself, so you can copy it again later!

    9. Re:A shame by Forbman · · Score: 1

      It would be nice if they either put the label on the "cartridges" on the other side, or flipped internally the socket, so you can click out the game to see what's in it. Minor step, yes. And, yes, I could open it up and turn it on, too.

      I'd almost argue that the chips are too small.

  5. Article Relevance... by kraiger · · Score: 4, Funny

    Anyone else love how the quoted section of the article was more in favor of the redesign, not actually supporting the title of the article?

  6. Bad summary by VickiM · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Reading the article, I understood that Nintendo is saying that they are not announcing a redesign this week.
    Given how they keep redesigning the GameBoy, I think a DS redesign is pretty likely, personally. But Nintendo likes to keep us all guessing, so we probably won't find out 'til they're almost done with it.

  7. Wireless capabilities by Ekarderif · · Score: 1

    Is it too much to ask for Nintendo to add WPA capabilities? I mean, seriously, WEP is as secure as Windows Me.

    1. Re:Wireless capabilities by ivan256 · · Score: 1

      God forbid sombody can sniff your packets and see how much you suck at Mario Kart.

      All your important traffic is probably encrypted at the application layer anyway, right? So why bother with WPA? Especially on a gaming device.

    2. Re:Wireless capabilities by goodenoughnickname · · Score: 2, Informative
      WPA encryption was added to the PSP in Firmware v2.0. Why doesn't Nintendo offer downloadable firmware upgrades? I searched around for an answer, but this is all I found:
      We have no plans for WPA at this time.

      If your concerned about WEP, turn your computers are OFF after you've switch to WEP for the DS. I don't care if The Lone Gunmen are parked outside your door with a van full of equipment trying to bust in your computer files, they can't do it if your computers are off. And, yes, your wireless router will still work if your computer is off. Um, unless it's plugged into the same power strip and you power the whole strip off.

      If that's not an option for you, you may want to get the Nintendo USB WiFi Connector, as it works ONLY with the Nintendo DS, and you can leave your other WiFi router with WPA.

      NOTE: The reason the Nintendo DS is compatible with WEP, and not WPA, is that we found WEP to be the most prevalent standard for securing wi-fi connections.

      "NOA_GREG" in the Nintendo Forums
      And that's dated November 15, 2005. You can read more here. Basically, get a $35 DS Wifi USB key to share the connection, and leave your computer on all the time. Thanks, Nintendo.
    3. Re:Wireless capabilities by FriedTurkey · · Score: 2, Informative

      I got the USB adapter. It was easy to setup and works well. It doesn't leave a hole in the network because only an authorized DS works.

    4. Re:Wireless capabilities by Jerf · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      That's not the point. Your wireless network can't be both WEP and WPA, so one non-WPA device means you have to drop the entire network down to WEP... or below. At the moment, my stickler is actually my Linux laptop, where I can't quite get all the kernel patches I want in at once, and WPA working with my wireless lost out.

    5. Re:Wireless capabilities by ivan256 · · Score: 1

      My point was that you shouldn't need WPA at all, ever, if you already have application layer encryption. All it does is lower the compatability of your network with available devices. Why encrypt traffic that is already encrypted? Mildly informed pseudo-geeks seem to get their jollys off of feeling like they have things "secured", even if it means that they're spending a ton of CPU time re-encrypting already encrypted data.

    6. Re:Wireless capabilities by Jerf · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      My point was that you shouldn't need WPA at all, ever, if you already have application layer encryption.

      Ah, yes, the "hypothetical that proves my point is true if my point is true". True, you don't need encryption if you already have encryption. However, since a lot of traffic is not encrypted, especially over the web, what's your point again?

      There are people with a valid desire for WPA, and suggesting that they should just wait for all web traffic to go over SSL and all their other applications to start using application layer security... well that just a "mildly-informed psuedo-geek" making up reasons to look down on putatively "mildly informed psuedo-geeks".

    7. Re:Wireless capabilities by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      They probably didn't want to say "The DS can't handle WPA encryption AND gaming".

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    8. Re:Wireless capabilities by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I like getting hit with untracable man in the middle attacks too.

      For the fun that can be had on an open/WEP network see the defcon story about all pictures turned into Goatse's for example. I doubt it happens often, but still not something I want to invite on myself.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    9. Re:Wireless capabilities by ivan256 · · Score: 1

      Ah, yes, the "hypothetical that proves my point is true if my point is true".

      What?

      [...]especially over the web[...]

      You're sending the data out into a series of unencrypted networks that you have no control over, and you're worried that your access point doesn't have WPA? You have some interesting priorities. If the data you're transporting is sensitive you should be encrypting it at the application layer so it stays encrypted when it leaves your network. If it's not, then why should you care that it isn't encrypted over your wireless? Your security is only as secure as your weakest link, so add all the encryption you'd like to your wireless access point... You're not making your transfers any more secure.

    10. Re:Wireless capabilities by Gojira+Shipi-Taro · · Score: 1

      Perhaps so that he doesn't have to run WEP on his wireless access point and provide free internet to anyone who cares to crack it? (not to mention potential access to his network...) Yea WPA isn't perfect, but if there's easier networks around, it's less likely to be the target of choice. ... that being said, I wound up putting wireless on a seperate segment of my network for my PSP, since I couldn't get WPA to cooperate with me there. I just turn off the antenna on the router that handles that segment if I'm not using the wireless. I could care less if people see my game packets, but I'm not providing a connection for others on my dime :)

      --
      "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
    11. Re:Wireless capabilities by Ekarderif · · Score: 1

      With WEP or unsecured. wireless, anybody can just jack onto my wireless network. I'd still like to prevent people from connecting to my router, thank you very much. Sure a secure data stream is fine, but I'm not too concerned with people sniffing my data in all honesty. Unsecured doesn't give me a secured router. WEP tries but fails after about three minutes. WPA may not be the best, but it sure as hell beats the shit out of WEP. Now Nintendo is wanting me to bring down my computers AND reboot my router just to use a DS online? Please. I hope the Revolution does not have this much bullshit.

    12. Re:Wireless capabilities by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      "Why doesn't Nintendo offer downloadable firmware upgrades?"

      I was under the impression the games did this, not the firmware. Maybe I'm mistaken, but I have never touched a WEP setting until I ran Mario Kart, and that was done in the game. The game even remembers my settings. I should remember to clear those if I ever sell the game.

      Alternatively, what about the USB device they sell? Is it a simple WiFi router, or is it a Nintendo only connection? If it's the latter, then you could get it, plug it into your machine, and use whatever encryption you like for your wireless router. So long as the Nintendo USB connection isn't creating a significant security problem, that should work just fine. Worst case scenario: Only plug in the USB when you're ready to play etc.

      Yeah, I know, I haven't totally addressed your concern. Sorry, I can't ignore that Nintendo created a bit of a problem here. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if more games coming down the pipeline use WPA. I just hope I'm not horribly misunderstanding how the DS works with wireless. (i.e. if the encryption is done via firmware.)

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    13. Re:Wireless capabilities by ClamIAm · · Score: 1

      I think the more glaring problem is that this NOA_Greg guy, who is supposedly up on these types of things, can't wrap his brain around the idea that you can support both WEP and WPA.

    14. Re:Wireless capabilities by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While the new games allow you to change the WiFi settings, I still think the basic settings are saved on the DS itself. Case in point: I got Animal Crossing, and set up the Wifi link for my home router. I later got Mario Kart, and when I went to set up the wireless settings, my network was already set up (as one of the three available).

      I think the DS has a block of memory set aside for the Wifi settings, it just took a game with the applicable configuration software to access and store the data in it.

    15. Re:Wireless capabilities by buffer-overflowed · · Score: 1

      If you seriously care about security you shouldn't be using wireless. Period.

      --
      The key to the enjoyment of pop music is to replace any instance of "love" with "C.H.U.D."
    16. Re:Wireless capabilities by buffer-overflowed · · Score: 1

      Yea, and they can jack in to your wireless network regardless of whether you use WPA or WEP. It's not like WPA is unbreakable, or takes much longer to break. All wireless gets torn apart like tissue paper, it's the nature of the freakin' beast. You encrypt at the application layer and for the most part go, eh, fuck it and leave your wireless ap pretty much open apart from maybe some MAC filtering. And you don't do that to secure it from people who know what they're doing(because you can't!), you do that to secure it from the people that don't.

      --
      The key to the enjoyment of pop music is to replace any instance of "love" with "C.H.U.D."
  8. GBA2? by mrgreen4242 · · Score: 2, Informative
    So whatever happened to the GBA2? Nintendo always said the the DS WASN'T the new GameBoy and that they were working on one... so where is it? Any rumours even? Perhaps the GBA2 will be the DS redesign? Make a new handheld that is backwards compatible with the DS and GBA?

    As far as design goes, I was somehting that is like a T Mobile Sidekick. The "basic" buttons (d-pad, 4 face and should buttons) on the outside with a screen in the middle. The screen would be a pivoting/rotating/flipping deal so that the touchscreen below it could be exposed for DS play, or covered for other games that don't need it. You could alos rotate it out and then flip it down so the LCDs were facing each other, potecting them from damage. I think it would be a cool design at least.

    1. Re:GBA2? by ArwynH · · Score: 1

      The new GBA they where talking about was probably the GBA Micro, which is probably the last GBA. The DS is mostly backward compatible with the GBA, so personaly I don't see much point in having a GBA and I suspect a lot of consumers will agree.

      As for a DS re-design it would be nice if the added an extra OS button. To the game it would look like you closed the lid, but it brings up the clock and pictochat. No more annoying rebooting!

    2. Re:GBA2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      So whatever happened to the GBA2? Nintendo always said the the DS WASN'T the new GameBoy and that they were working on one...

      Didn't you see the new GBA.micro? Its smaller, lighter, has yet-another obnoxious charging dongle non-standard battery thing, and one of the "main features" is they dropped original Gameboy cartridge support.



      "GBA.micro - All the goodness of your GBA without playing your old favorites."

    3. Re:GBA2? by Jerf · · Score: 1

      No, they were quite clearly talking about another full generation of Gameboy, not just another GBA model.

      My guess is that it was simply a hedge against people not liking the DS, so if it was a flop, they could say "Oh, well, that wasn't a GameBoy. Here's what you were looking for!" Whereas if it was a success, as it now is, those statements can be quietly thrown into the Memory Hole, which is where they seem to be now.

      (On a side note, I wish people in general were better about following up on things. We now live in a world, and have for a while, where marketers/politicians can simply expect things to fall in the memory hole, and they make plans based on that. And no, this isn't a dig at any "obvious targets"; if the accusations and charges leap immediately to mind, then they obviously weren't in the Memory Hole, were they?)

      The full announcement of the Revolution will probably be the deciding point. If the Revolution's remaining unannounced "secret weapon" is anything other than the next generation of GameBoy (and I expect that it will be something else, though I have no idea what, except maybe just a full announcement of the emulation deals they've cut (Sega Genesis games?)), I think we can safely guess the "This isn't a gameboy" talk was just CYA.

    4. Re:GBA2? by mrgreen4242 · · Score: 1
      I know some people don't like the micro. A lot of people do, though. The nice thing, which I think that should keep people who dislike it from biatching, is that they not only didn't discontinue the SP, but the upgraded the LCD on it. Apparantly that isn't enough to satisfy some people.

      Also, regarding the GBA SP/micro rechargable battery and proprietary charger dongle... well, sure it sucks to not be able to use standard batteries, but the SP's built in battery was a great performer for me and I can't see how they would have packed as much performance into the device in the size they did with standard batteries. Plus, the SP, micro, and DS all use the same adaptor, so at least they are keeping things standard internally.

    5. Re:GBA2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My take on this is that the DS isn't a gameboy (they said so), it's a seperate line - designed around its interfaces rather than its graphics power.
      If GBA2 happens, it'll be something to compete directly with the PSP rather than being a different type of device. So I expect a GBA2 to come out when Nintendo can build a handheld with significantly more power than a PSP for around the launch price of the DS.

    6. Re:GBA2? by cowscows · · Score: 1

      I think you're probably right, Nintendo was partially making sure they left a path out as they possibly painted themselves into a corner. But I also think they didn't want to declare the GBA a dead platform, so they positioned the DS as a non-replacement. Then the updated screen and the micro sort of reasserts that Nintendo is still pushing the GBA, and that developers should continue to make games for it. It seems to be working pretty well, they're apparently moving SP's at a good rate.

      --

      One time I threw a brick at a duck.

    7. Re:GBA2? by Pendersempai · · Score: 1

      They were lying to you. The DS supersedes and replaces the GBA. Their protests that it did not were always kind of unbelievable.

  9. Yeah, sure... by ivan256 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    IE: There will be a redesign for the handheld console, but not any time real soon.

    More like: "Even if there was a redesign coming, we would lie and say there wasn't until the last second so that people don't stop buying the current version."

    1. Re:Yeah, sure... by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      "More like: "Even if there was a redesign coming, we would lie and say there wasn't until the last second so that people don't stop buying the current version."

      Possibly. Probably even, considering everybody's reaction to the 360 announcement about the HD-DVD capability. But knowing Nintendo, they're going to wait until demand subsides to release the new unit. By the time that happens, prices come down, and they make the upgrade relatively cheap. The SP comes to mind. I remember some bitching that the SP should have come out, skipping the original GBA. I'm sitting here thinking "And what.. release it at $200?"

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    2. Re:Yeah, sure... by ivan256 · · Score: 1

      Wow, did I call this one. :)

      http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/01/26/ 148249

    3. Re:Yeah, sure... by Roxton · · Score: 1

      Good catch, man.

  10. For all of those that do want a redesign... by rubberbando · · Score: 1

    While I am up for seeing an improvement of the design myself.

    As someone who already has a DS, I have to ask those of you out there that have one too, would you actually rebuy your DS if a better one came out?

    I, personally, can't justify buying another one based on ergonomics. I stuck with my 1st gen GBA until the price of the DS dropped. I was tempted from time to time to get one of the GBA SPs because of the lit screen to avert those headaches recieved by my old GBA. But I couldn't justify the cost when mine played the same games just fine.

    If I didn't already have one and a newer one with a better form factor came out, then I could see buying the better one. But then, if the old one dropped significantly in price, I could see people buying up the older one instead.

    --
    DEAD DEAD DEAD DELETE ME
    1. Re:For all of those that do want a redesign... by myster0n · · Score: 1

      Not knowing what the improvements will be, I'd still probably buy one. I've been looking for a reason to justify buying a second one. For some strange reason I've never even met another person who owns a DS. So pushing a second DS in someone's hands and threaten to kill him unless he plays against me sounds rather appealing.

      --
      Nobody believes the official spokesman, but everybody trusts an unidentified source. -- Ron Nesen
    2. Re:For all of those that do want a redesign... by g_hill · · Score: 1

      I'd buy a redesigned DS if I thought it was an improvement, only so my girlfriend can have the old one to play Nintendogs! Buying that might have been a mistake! If I don't like the new one I'll buy the old design one, since they'll be sold off cheaply.

  11. what?! No DS2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No DS2 like this one?

  12. Volume lack of control by fwitness · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Yeah, the DS, although I love it, has some very small design flaws.

    My biggest is using the touch screen as an analog pad, it's not possible for me to stretch my thumb comfortably. Luckily, few games use this feature.

    My second biggest is volume control. You're right, it's impossible to get something that you can hear, but is not too loud. Or any tiny change for that matter. The same thing was true of my GBA SP though really. What ever happened to notched-dial wheels? They worked just fine.

    Lastly, is the overall comfort of the device. Sometimes, I'd like to lay on the couch or bed and play, but the damn thing can't be held in any sideways manner (while on your side.) Actually, the *only* way that works is directly in your lap or in front of you, preferably with a pillow or something taking the weight of it.

    --
    -- I have fans? Wow.