Nintendo DS: Price and Date Annouced!

[Andre]

Time to bring back these forums with a slur of topics...

Nintendo DS will be released on November 21st at the price of 149.99!

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 20, 2004 - From the very start, Nintendo DS™ broke the existing rules of video game play. Two screens, not one. Wireless connection for game play and personal communication for the sheer entertainment of it. Flexible game control by voice and touch, not just with buttons. Nintendo's newest innovation, Nintendo DS, will make its worldwide debut in North American stores on Nov. 21, and then in Japan on Dec. 2. It will sell at an MSRP of $149.99, making it an immediate mass-market attraction. Nintendo DS will become the company's first system ever to make its sales debut outside of Japan.

"Nintendo's mission remains unchanged: expand the game experience," says Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd. "Nintendo DS is the road map to the future of video games, and most clearly demonstrates the type of innovation that players demand."

Nintendo DS is the dual-screened, hand-held video game system redefining the idea of interactive entertainment. One screen allows for touch input using a stylus, while the unit includes both voice recognition and multiplayer wireless features. The sleek silver-and-black system sports a sharp, angular design.

Consumers immediately will be able to pick up and play the new system, as it comes with a free software feature, PictoChat, embedded in the system hardware. PictoChat allows DS owners to write messages with an on-screen keyboard or the stylus and send them wirelessly to other DS users nearby. Users can text chat, draw artistic messages or share secrets, all without saying a word. And a Nintendo DS in sleep mode will spring to life if it senses another DS in transmitting range, alerting users to each other's presence and setting the stage for an impromptu conversation or game session.

More than 100 companies have signed on to create games for Nintendo DS, while Nintendo itself is already developing its first 20 titles. Electronic Arts, the world's largest independent software developer and publisher, already has announced that its powerhouse franchises of Madden NFL, The URBZ: Sims in the City, Need for Speed Underground, Tiger Woods and GoldenEye will support Nintendo DS.

"Each time Nintendo creates a hand-held, it introduces new elements of play and sets a new standard for mobile gaming," says Larry Probst, EA's chairman and CEO. "The DS is no exception - Nintendo has another big winner with the DS."

The complete lineup of games planned for the launch of Nintendo DS will be announced in the near future. In effect, Nintendo DS already boasts a library of more than 550 games because it is compatible with single-player modes of games made for the world's best-selling video game system, Game Boy® Advance SP.

Nintendo chose the United States to lead the worldwide launch of Nintendo DS because of overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic reaction from consumers and to take advantage of the holiday sales season. After the subsequent launch in Japan, the system will be available in Europe and Australia in the first quarter of 2005.

Nintendo DS has a flip-top cover that protects both screens. Two speakers on the unit's face let users hear virtual surround sound, while its dual screens open games to a multitude of possibilities. Nintendo DS sits 148.7 millimeters (5.85 inches) wide, 84.7 millimeters (3.33 inches) long and 28.9 millimeters (1.13 inches) tall with the cover closed. The new media format for games means that Nintendo DS has no moving parts that could be misaligned if the unit is dropped or jarred.

Source of Information: Nintendo.com (http://www.nintendo.com)

[Hakey Wake]

Have you heard about how Metroid Prime: First Hunt is going to be packaged with each system?

If that's the full game and *not* a demo, then....... :cool:

[Andre]

Yes, Hakey Waky is correct, the Nintendo DS will come with a demo of the action-packed FPS/Adventure game. It will include a single player campaign and a wireless multiplayer demo.

[Hakey Wake]

So it is a demo then? Oh well, can't be too picky. :D

[Andre]

Hakey- Notice that we are the only people that seem to be left making posts?

:(

[Gold Jinjo]

Who would have thought a Nintendo system would be released in North American before Japan. :cool:

I'm not sure if I'm getting one right away. Depends on whether or not I want to wait for a bigger selection of system colors.

[Gaming Master2k]

I'll be getting one straight away. But I have to wait till first quarter 2005.

*Bangs head on computer desk repeatedly*

That didn't help... at least i can use any money I get for christmas towards it.

[Hakey Wake]

Who would have thought a Nintendo system would be released in North American before Japan. :cool:

I'm not sure if I'm getting one right away. Depends on whether or not I want to wait for a bigger selection of system colors.

Avast ye, how can thou not appreciate the splendour of white/silver?

[BlueBreegull]

Heheh...seems like people like the DS around here much more now then when we first got wind of it, I included. I don't think I'm going to go out and buy it right away, though. I'll wait till the price drops, and yes, maybe comes in more designer colors.

[Gold Jinjo]

Avast ye, how can thou not appreciate the splendour of white/silver?

Well there's nothing wrong with the Silver w/black base scheme of the launch system, but.... when the GBA SP came out, there was simply Cobalt and Platinum. Shortly after came Red and Black. Then there's the NES GBA SP, and the Zelda Minish Cap GBA SP (Europe Only).

I dunno.

[Icy Guy]

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 20, 2004 - From the very start, Nintendo DS™ broke the existing rules of video game play. Two screens, not one.
What happened to the Game & Watch?

Anyway, I'm not sure if I'll buy one. I want to see the lineup of games that actually interest me before I part with my dough. Or, if it's a Christmas present, my parents' dough. ;)

[Yoshi Killer]

I'll grab one as soon as it comes out, I like that you can play GBA games on it aswell.

[Mystery Man]

has anyone heard about that jump super stars game coming out for the DS? seems like a rival to SSB DS if it ever comes out.

Edit: are you two reading my sig? to make this edit relevant, i'll just add that i've preserved my DS at the local EBgames, all 214$ of it. if you're wondering why that's above the normal 150, that's american, i'm canadian... yeah i've said it before, but hey, if sub and gold read it, they'll be sure to do some editting to this post.

[Gold Jinjo]

I like that you can play GBA games on it aswell.

I don't. For a system that Nintendo has been pimping as a "third pillar", adding Game Boy compatibility doesn't really give it that image. There has to be something better Nintendo could replace the GameBoy cartridge slot with. How about a motion detector? Just anything else. I don't care if it's a bottle cap remover...

[Mystery Man]

i think nintendo wanted to allow people to play GBA games on their DS if they were to trade in their SP or advance. by the way, in some interview i've read, I heard nintendo talking about possibly implimenting special features for playing GBA games on the DS, similar to the capcom legend of zelda 'oracles' games.

has anyone heard speculation as to multiplayer between GBA/DS with/out cords?

[Hakey Wake]

has anyone heard speculation as to multiplayer between GBA/DS with/out cords?

Yes, and you can't play GBA games via link cable because the DS doesn't have a cable socket.

It also ONLY plays GBA games, not GB or GBC.

[EvilPsycho]

sorry everyone if this is a repeat question, but i am too lazy to read every thing.

so does any one know how much money each game would cost?

[Banjzooie]

I wonder why it doesn't play GB and GBC games?

[EvilPsycho]

it doesn't?

it has to, if it can play gba games.

[Mystery Man]

actually, it doesn't play GBC and GB games. don't quote me on this, but there involves modification of the game slot in the gameboy advance for it to be able to play earlier generation games. it wasn't included on the DS because it would've meant trying to program 1 system to play 4 generations of games.

as for the price, it was recently announced at the gamers summit today, that first party games are priced at 29.99 US.

[Gold Jinjo]

don't quote me on this, but there involves modification of the game slot in the gameboy advance for it to be able to play earlier generation games. it wasn't included on the DS because it would've meant trying to program 1 system to play 4 generations of games.

Actually, in order to ensure backward compatibility, the DS would need the GB and GBC chipsets built in (like in the GBA), but that would increase production costs and time, so they left it out. Nintendo are already in a rush to release the bloody thing -- that's why there won't be any launch colors other than the silver with black base configuration.

But yeah, you could easily pop in a GB or GBC game into your Nintendo DS, but it won't play. I imagine it would be like popping in a GBC game into a Super GameBoy ;)

[Hakey Wake]

But yeah, you could easily pop in a GB or GBC game into your Nintendo DS, but it won't play. I imagine it would be like popping in a GBC game into a Super GameBoy ;)

That's weird, my Super Gameboy plays Pokemon Trading Card fine and that's definitely a GBC game.

[Banjzooie]

That's weird, my Super Gameboy plays Pokemon Trading Card fine and that's definitely a GBC game.
He means GBC exclusive games don't work on Super Gameboy. Pok'emon trading card game is for GBC, but not GBC exclusive.

[ELISHA]

So, It's like my Super Gameboy won't play GBC only games, the DS won't play GBC and GB

[R Hunter]

Dude! That is not cool at all! :mad: :mad: :mad:

[White Jingo]

Oh come on, It's not like you would've used it anyway.

Why would you play a game with Just above NES graphics

When you could play Just above SNES graphics

or Better Than N64 Graphics.

[ELISHA]

so true

[OmegaPirate]

I don't think they're better than N64 Graphics. Mario 64x4 looks toned down. But that's judging from screenshots (It's gonna be 60fps i think!)

But Metroid Prime Hunters is fully new so, i be gettN it fa sure! It will be bundled as a Demo...

OFFICIAL:
Nintendo DS™ to launch on February 24th at $199.95 in Australia.

[Hakey Wake]

For all those in Europe Nintendo are letting some of us get the DS early:

Being a VIP and all (http://www.nintendovip.com)

You have to cough up 1000 stars and £129.99 which gives;

One DS
One copy of Mario 64 DS
One Metroid Hunters : First Hunt Demo
One Wario Ware: Touched Demo
Free Ds T-Shirt! :eek:

That is all.