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The Nintendo DS is the Top Secret Nintendo Mystery System
Nintendo suprisingly unvieled the name and some details about the top secret new game system that they were developing. As you might remember this machine was supposed to be radically innovative and not a replacement for the GBA or the Gamecube. So what did they come up with. Check out the press release straight from Nintendo.
It is called the Nintendo DS and that stands for dual screen. It is going to be a portable game system with two small LCD screens . And they still might change the name so don't get to set on the Nintendo DS.
Nintendo DS features two separate 3-inch TFT LCD display panels, separate processors, and semiconductor memory of up to 1 Gigabit. It's scheduled to launch worldwide before the end of 2004.
We have no idea how much it is going to cost, what medium the games will be stored on, what games are going to be on it and how powerful it is actually going to be. Also no word on networking, rumble, analog control and just what the hell they are trying to do.
More from the press release
An unprecedented approach to video game play -- holding two separate game screens in the palm of your hand -- hits the scene later this year when Nintendo introduces a new portable game system, code-named Nintendo DS.
From information made available today, players can look forward to being able to manage their game progress from two different perspectives, enhancing both the speed and strategy of the challenge. For example in a soccer game, users can view the whole game on one screen while simultaneously focusing on an individual soccer player's tackle or goal on the other screen.
Players will no longer be forced to interrupt game play to shift perspective, such as moving from a wide shot to a close up, or alternating between a character's ongoing battle and a map of the environment. Nintendo DS makes it possible to perform the tasks in real time by simply glancing from one screen to the other.
The jury is still out on if this is going to be as cool as the Gameboy Advance SP or painfully lame as the Nintendo Virtual Boy. Yeah that is right. I am not going to let them live off the Virtual Boy. Then again I own a Sega 32x and I am not going to let Sega ignore that "Innovative Product"
I can't wait to see what it looks like and I am guessing that it might be like a larger GBA SP with screens on two halves. Nintendo also stated that it will still be revieled at this summers E3 Expo.
In the past we thought it was a classic game emulator or a super cheap game system but that is not looking to be the case.
Update: Check out Nintendo's old Multiscreen Game Watches from the 80s
I will bet you twenty bucks that there will be a Mario, Zelda, Metroid and Pokemon game on it with in six months of it's introduction. It is also going to be interesting to see how having multiple portable game sytems by Nintendo is going to affect Sony with the Playstation Portable.
Jake at January 21, 2004 
Games
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Comments
Aw, but Virtual Boy was so cool. Teleroboxer 4 Life!
Posted by: Bryan at January 21, 2004 7:09 AM
*cough*VirtualBoy*cough*
Posted by: jason at January 21, 2004 7:11 AM
This DS should look like:
Posted by: David at January 21, 2004 9:01 AM
Or it could be side by side with the fold down the center.
Posted by: Jake at January 21, 2004 9:32 AM
Jeeze, I forgot all about the Virtual Boy, and now I want it more than ever.
Posted by: Dan at January 21, 2004 1:22 PM
It could be like the old NES era arcade vs. systems (wish I hadn't dumped mine) but pocket sized. Or possibly the good old dual monitor Playchoice 10 machines:
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=P&game_id=9043
Let's just hope that game developers decide to use the second display to bring some innovation to the table instead of possibly just using it as a status screen. (like the original arcade Punch-Out!!)
Posted by: InsaneDavid at January 21, 2004 5:19 PM
Not sure what to think, I do think it seems like a new step for the big N to actually try and hype this thing instead of waiting until E3 and unveiling it. It also feels a bit like they are already ceding a win to the PSP, it ties in with their "back to basics" and low tech strategies that they will introduce this re-hash of a 10+ year old technology while Sony tries to put out something that pushes the limit of portable technology (until they revise the specs I guess).
I still have my Donkey Kong 2 Game&Watch, btw :)
Posted by: Anthony at January 21, 2004 5:24 PM
Dear Nintendo,
Thank you for making a 300 dollar portable like the PSP. I think I'll stick with my gba.
Posted by: Andrew at January 21, 2004 5:39 PM
Oh I doubt it will be $300 bucks. Nintendo has never made a system that was more than $200
Posted by: Jake at January 22, 2004 8:59 AM
Unfortunately, it does sound like another VB. Also, unless this comes out at a low price point, they're going to cannibalize their GBA business. Hell, this thing doesn't even connect with the other systems, and anyone who ever followed the past couple E3 press conferences know that, with Nintendo, it's all about "konecteeveetee."
Posted by: John at January 23, 2004 9:35 AM
Nintendo's DS: 3D Screen?
Could Nintendo's new platform use Sharp's 3D display technology?
http://www.gmrmagazine.com/article2/0,4364,1457657,00.asp
Virtual Game Boy 2 for real?
Posted by: Anthony at January 27, 2004 10:47 PM
Bah, this doesn't seem viable. I wonder how its going to play out
Posted by: Ray at January 28, 2004 1:38 AM
hey, virtual boy wasnt that bad, i own one! do you think maybe nintendo is going to use the ds like people do with pc's and muliscreen play? just use it for a wider views and such instead of the cramped style theyve had for so long?
Posted by: Shawn at February 20, 2004 1:22 PM
Personally I don't think the screens are going to matter much. What will mater is how powerful and expensive it is and if it will supplement the GBA or replace it.
Or the entire thing might be vaporware designed to keep people from buying Playstation Portables. I am still waiting for my Super NES CD-Rom
Posted by: Jake at February 20, 2004 1:27 PM
If the DS has at least N64 style graphics and connects to all the current systems I think it might be a hit. I would love it if I never had to press pause to change items in zelda again or have my pokedex always on one screen giving me updates and info on pokemon I am fighting on the other screen. It is a great idea.. I just hope they use it right.
Posted by: Timmy at February 26, 2004 10:01 PM
Well we will have to wait until this summer to find out about it.
Posted by: Jake at February 27, 2004 10:00 AM
