Nintendo DS is selling through the roof!

[figgler]

I think this is great. I am really hoping the DS'll take off as I very much want to see it live up to its full potential. Judging by preorders and demand, the "little system that will" is going to be around for a quite a while. I can't wait to jump on this band wagon

 

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/11/12/ne...ws_6113031.html

[Stingray]

Glad to hear it's doing well. I'm certain to pick one up eventually, but not until well into it's lifecycle. I've never been really big on early adoption.

 

-S

[maibock]

Glad to hear it's doing well. I'm certain to pick one up eventually, but not until well into it's lifecycle. I've never been really big on early adoption.

 

-S

 

agreed! Especially when they'll come out in a few years with the DS SP with all the features they should have had in the first DS

 

[Jess Ragan]

Glad to hear it's doing well. I'm certain to pick one up eventually, but not until well into it's lifecycle. I've never been really big on early adoption.

 

-S

 

That's a wise decision. Early adopters always get the short end of the stick, paying the most money for the opportunity to play launch titles which only scratch the surface of the host system's abilities.

 

JR

[Atarifever]

Early adoption can be a good idea financially. If I had traded in my PS 1 (the big bulky original one) and any 5 games to EB first when PS 2 came out I would have gotten over $130 Canadian off the PS 2 as part of their promotion and could have gotten $5 - 10 for each aditional game (or more if I sold them myself). Instead, I waited a year and was told at that point that my ps one had no monetary value to them whatsoever. I could have goten the PS two for a price it wouldn't be for another two years if I had gotten in early.

[JB]

Glad to hear it's doing well. I'm certain to pick one up eventually, but not until well into it's lifecycle. I've never been really big on early adoption.

 

-S

 

agreed! Especially when they'll come out in a few years with the DS SP with all the features they should have had in the first DS

 

GBA SP adds: light, decent d-pad, AC adapter socket; removes: standard-size batteries, headphone jack, comfortable size + layout. Either/or, really. IMO the original GBA is superior to the SP.

 

And as the DS already HAS a light, headphone jack, AC adapter connector, a good size+layout, and (presumably) decent d-pad, what changes can they make? Hell, it's even got integrated wireless communication.

...

Maybe they'll make it use standard batteries, so it won't be a useless doorstop in 3-5 years when it's LiIon pack fails.

[PuddWakkr]

Since most of it's games so far appear to be N64 games with the -64 suffix replaced by the -DS suffix ( I love Nintendo's naming policy by the way, sometimes I forget which system I'm playing and have to glance at the cart) I'll wait until an analog stick is added. Playing rehashed version of Mario64 and OOT at work sounds cool but not with a d-pad. Those games were great because of the way the analog gave you control of your character. And no running a stylus over the bottom screen does not equal an analog stick in my eyes.

[msaeger]

I think they should have had an analog stick on each side and make them clickable like the PS2 controller. Then they below the sticks they could have had the dpad on one side and buttons on the other. I think that would have been the perfect setup for a FPS which I don't like but I know alot of people want that new metroid game and with the build in wifi it would great for deathmatches.

 

My personal dream would be just to have one analog stick for all the 3D platform games. Although two would mean they could port Katamari .

 

In the end I will buy one anyway because I am one of those crazy collector people and buy every system.

[NE146]

Early adopters always get the short end of the stick, paying the most money for the opportunity to play launch titles which only scratch the surface of the host system's abilities.

 

I'm pretty much 100% early adopter since as long as I can remember. To me video games with their roots in technology have always been about the NEW and Cutting Edge...I just never abandon them after the fact

 

Remember the amazement over Colecovision Donkey Kong? Sure I could buy it now for 50 cents vs. the 50 dollars back in the day... but I think the experience pretty much won't likely be the same I also doubt I'd have the same blast playing Battle Arena Tonshiden now as I did when the Playstation launched... that was one game that was fun only at that time

 

On another thought.. anyone ever notice how drab the DS looks? Nintendo seems to be on the "release it silver and drab at first, then release the black version, then release in in rainbow colors" kick. Oh well. Doesn't matter to me.. Gimme that DS!

[Shannon]

Yeah... silver aint exactly my favorite color either.

 

I got stuck with a silver gba sp, and now this..

[Rockin' Kat]

Yeah... silver aint exactly my favorite color either.  

 

I got stuck with a silver gba sp, and now this..

 

 

That's why you buy the colors you want when they do finally come out with the excuse that you can do multiplayer even if noone else has a system if you have extras.

 

Anyway, I'm going to get a DS as soon as I can.

[shep]

Yeah... silver aint exactly my favorite color either.  

 

I got stuck with a silver gba sp, and now this..

 

Maybe the fine folks at gbaSKIN will start making DSskin

[joshua]

I'll wait until an analog stick is added. Playing rehashed version of Mario64 and OOT at work sounds cool but not with a d-pad. Those games were great because of the way the analog gave you control of your character. And no running a stylus over the bottom screen does not equal an analog stick in my eyes.

 

 

i agree, i think its great to be innovative, however FIRST and FOREMOST i think you should cover the basic needs of the system before you go adding wacky additions like stylus screens. why would ANYONE release a modern 3d gaming system without an analog controller?, or at the very least the option of using an analog controller. however dont expect a version released later with an analog stick added given the fact all the games will have already been made without the option of using analog control.

[shep]

I'll wait until an analog stick is added. Playing rehashed version of Mario64 and OOT at work sounds cool but not with a d-pad. Those games were great because of the way the analog gave you control of your character. And no running a stylus over the bottom screen does not equal an analog stick in my eyes.

 

 

i agree, i think its great to be innovative, however FIRST and FOREMOST i think you should cover the basic needs of the system before you go adding wacky additions like stylus screens. why would ANYONE release a modern 3d gaming system without an analog controller?, or at the very least the option of using an analog controller. however dont expect a version released later with an analog stick added given the fact all the games will have already been made without the option of using analog control.

 

Yes, lets get adapters to use controllers on our handhelds. The point of the stylus in the case of wanting analog is to replace the joystick. The DS has an analog joystick basically.

[Flojomojo]

I'll wait until an analog stick is added. Playing rehashed version of Mario64 and OOT at work sounds cool but not with a d-pad. Those games were great because of the way the analog gave you control of your character. And no running a stylus over the bottom screen does not equal an analog stick in my eyes.

 

 

i agree, i think its great to be innovative, however FIRST and FOREMOST i think you should cover the basic needs of the system before you go adding wacky additions like stylus screens. why would ANYONE release a modern 3d gaming system without an analog controller?, or at the very least the option of using an analog controller. however dont expect a version released later with an analog stick added given the fact all the games will have already been made without the option of using analog control.

This isn't true. The DS's touch screen serves as an analog controller. With the wrist strap's little plastic nubbin on your thumb, you will have a greater degree of analog control than the original Nintendo 64, along with the added benefit of no moving parts. It's the best combination of mouse and joystick I've ever seen in implementation, and I expect it will change the industry and show up in unexpected areas, just like the original GB's link connectors were adapted into standard USB ports on every modern computer device.

 

In short, don't knock it until you've tried it. DS is cool, and if it tanks, it won't be for design reasons.

[NE146]

Yeah why do you need an analog stick. Holy cow that stylus gave me the best analog control I've ever felt in an fps game when I tried out that Metroid demo Lemme tell you I struggle moving around and aiming in Xbox fps games. On the DS Demo?... It was no problem!

[msaeger]

I actully use handhelds as a protable gaming device so i'm not usually playing it where having to use a stylus or carry an extra piece would be convenient.

[Mock]

more hype from the machine...eat it up guys...eat it up.

[keilbaca]

Glad to hear it's doing well. I'm certain to pick one up eventually, but not until well into it's lifecycle. I've never been really big on early adoption.

 

-S

 

agreed! Especially when they'll come out in a few years with the DS SP with all the features they should have had in the first DS

 

GBA SP adds: light, decent d-pad, AC adapter socket; removes: standard-size batteries, headphone jack, comfortable size + layout. Either/or, really. IMO the original GBA is superior to the SP.

 

And as the DS already HAS a light, headphone jack, AC adapter connector, a good size+layout, and (presumably) decent d-pad, what changes can they make? Hell, it's even got integrated wireless communication.

...

Maybe they'll make it use standard batteries, so it won't be a useless doorstop in 3-5 years when it's LiIon pack fails.

 

I already did that with GBA SP... did you know that if you cut the connector for say, a car battery adapter, go to radio shack, get a 4 AA holder, solder the hot to hot on the holder, ground to ground, and the gba will last like 8-10 hrs on it.

[keilbaca]

Glad to hear it's doing well. I'm certain to pick one up eventually, but not until well into it's lifecycle. I've never been really big on early adoption.

 

-S

 

agreed! Especially when they'll come out in a few years with the DS SP with all the features they should have had in the first DS

 

GBA SP adds: light, decent d-pad, AC adapter socket; removes: standard-size batteries, headphone jack, comfortable size + layout. Either/or, really. IMO the original GBA is superior to the SP.

 

And as the DS already HAS a light, headphone jack, AC adapter connector, a good size+layout, and (presumably) decent d-pad, what changes can they make? Hell, it's even got integrated wireless communication.

...

Maybe they'll make it use standard batteries, so it won't be a useless doorstop in 3-5 years when it's LiIon pack fails.

 

I already did that with GBA SP... did you know that if you cut the connector for say, a car battery adapter, go to radio shack, get a 4 AA holder, solder the hot to hot on the holder, ground to ground, and the gba will last like 8-10 hrs on it.

[Stingray]

keilbaca, you beat me to the reply I was going to make. Although I have not done it on an SP, I was going to say that building your own battery pack (in the event that replacements do become unavailable) would be child's play for any electronics hobbiest. Well done on making your own!

 

Using the touch screen as an analog controller seems pretty clunky to me, but it seems that some of you have tried it and it works well, so I'll reserve my own jugement on this until I actually get a chance to try it.

 

-S

[Avid Fan]

Try it dude, it feels great. Anyways, I think an analog stick would get dirty and break being in someones pocket

[PuddWakkr]

Try it dude, it feels great. Anyways, I think an analog stick would get dirty and break being in someones pocket

 

Wouldn't the analog stick be protected by the top half when it's in your pocket. This is assuming you close the DS before sticking it in your pants . I just find it hard to believe they are gonna use this platform as an N64 port station and not give gamers analog control.

[Avid Fan]

It would, but it'd be a small analog. If they could do it, I'm all for it. But the touchscreen did kick ass, and I was afraid of it

[shep]

This isn't true.  The DS's touch screen serves as an analog controller.  

 

Yep