Slashdot Mirror
Nintendo Announces DS Lite
Conradq writes "Via Joystiq: 'Nintendo President Satoru Iwata today announced Nintendo DS Lite, a slimmer version of the best-selling Nintendo DS. Also featuring brighter screens, Nintendo DS Lite will launch in Japan on the 2nd of March. Nintendo DS Lite will be less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter. Nintendo will announce more information about the availability of Nintendo DS Lite in North America and other territories in the future.'" Additional: by Z : Commentary available via Gamasutra, Next Generation, and The Game Chair. A good move, right on the heels of the news that Nintendo's profits more than doubled in Q3 as a result of the DS's sales success, and that they've hit 3 million online connections via their online component. Also, for the record, they snowed us earlier this month.
See, now I might pick one of these up to complement my PSP. One of the things that kept me from getting a DS was how big and clunky it looked. I'm starting to think that Nintendo intentionally de-sexys their first version of any portable, so they can release a hotter version a year later.
"Stumble before you crawl"
If not, I'm not interested. I love Nintendo and the games they make, but if they can't adopt a given STANDARD for security reasons... I have no reason to buy their products.
I am looking forward to Revolution though... and this coming from a PURELY PC gamer. I don't own any consoles.
The price is always right if someone else is paying.
I'm an unabashed Nintendo fanboy, but I have to admit the DS struck me cold at first. Now that the DS has a far better game selection than the PSP, a lineup which is only getting stronger, it's a perfect time to catch all those hesitant buyers like myself. The PSP seems to be intent on being a media platform and not a game console, and this redesign will only help Nintendo cement their portable superiority.
Nintendo seem to have chosen the 'Lite' name because it is smaller and brigher than a standard DS.
It sounds to me more like a name for a cut-down version, rather than an improved one.
On the one hand , I already have a DS , I love the form factor , the weight is perfect for me , it brings back nostalgic memories of Game and Watch and I have big pockets. So really I can't justify getting a new one
.. wow that thing looks gorgeous and would really go with my iPod and being perched next to the mac.
On the other hand
Unfortunately I am not that shallow and unless I get an injection of cash I can't justify it .
I really think that this could boost sales in the Gadget/ fashion conscious markets though
The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
I wonder with the size reduction and everything if it will still play gameboy advance games.
Very good point, but I wouldn't want to buy a used DS, what with scratched touchscreens and all.
First off a disclaimer: I own a DS, no PSP and am a total Nintendo fanboy.
That said....
The PSP has its distinct andvantages. The screen is just brilliant and it lends itself to being a great media viewer _in addition to_ a game system. Now here a the point of contention. Which is its primary position? If it is truly supposed to capture the video game and not media view space then I think its fair to say Sony really needs to get their shit straight. If that means headhunting Nintendo employees and turning out some 1st class in house wares it certainly wont be the first time we have seen someone buy their way back into things. But again the PSP still has its overwhelming edge as a personal media viewer that is unmatched.
The DS is an amazing machine and does what it is designed to do almost perfectly. But it does not have the built in added bonus of being a media reader although it has the physical capacity to do so. I know of movie players from lik-sang and the like but it is confusing and clunky even to someone like myself and not in the minds of the average gamer when looking at this purchase. Now in japan there is a movie media cart for the GBA SP I believe - and they already sell the official Big N wireless adapter for the DS. They NEED to fill this gap with what they already have and just sell the SD reader / software etc done with Nintendo quality and at least take back some of that market. For a cheaper price than the PSP you get games that are unmatchable and 90% of the PSP's function. While you certainly dont have the PSP screen you still the best of the media reader value by not being hampered by disk drive movement and size while using SD cards.
I mean they have to see this too right? Sell it in a crispy package right next to the broadband adapter. $100 for the software to convert down movies to DS screen dimensions - use the tap screen for the menus, use the internal headphones for mp3, and a 256? meg SD card that fints into the GBA slot cartidge. They can sell it at shitty margins and they will still win in the long run by taking market from sony. Its the one thing the ds doesnt do and its huge.
IMHO
---- The real Slashdot is still here. You just have to browse at -1 to read the comments.
I really didn't find it awkward to play Mario 64 DS.
DS + Thumbstrap = Analog Controller.
Did you not look inside your DS box and see the thumbstrap?
But then you'd have two different consoles, not only two different versions.
Are the PlayStation bundled with a digital controller and the PlayStation bundled with a Dual Shock controller "two different consoles"?