Nintendo DS : Specs

[Last Exile]

Hey,
Here are the specs and list of games for the DS.
UPDATED 10/7/04
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Features-


* Dual Screens
Two LCD screens offer one of the most groundbreaking game-play advances ever developed: experiencing a game from two perspectives at once. Imagine the possibilities. In a racing game, drivers might see their own vehicle's perspective on one screen and an overall track view on the other. In a role-playing game, the action could take place on the first screen while the second provides a reference for a player's tools inventory. Game play also could use both screens at once, offering a giant boss for heroes to defeat. In the future, games could be created allowing users to play games on one screen while text messaging other DS users on the other. Each 3-inch screen can reproduce a true 3-D view and is backlit to assure comfortable play in any lighting condition.

* Touch Screen
The lower screen will offer something never before provided by any game device: PDA-like touch capabilities. Players no longer have to rely on just buttons to move characters or shift perspectives. They can navigate menus or access inventory items simply by touching the screen with stylus or fingertip. A software-based keyboard might even allow the screen to be used as an input center for games and messaging. The possibilities arelimited only by developers' imaginations. The screen will have a tougher film cover for durability, and will come with a stylus.

* Microphone
An available microphone port means that in the future, players might need only to tell their games what to do. DS software could identify everything from voice commands to hand-clapping. Players might be able to move their characters simply by telling them which way to go. The voice capabilities also could allow gamers to chat with one another over the Internet while playing.

* Wireless
DS users will be able to connect with a local wireless network of up to 16 players. Nintendo's guaranteed range is 30 feet, but will extend far beyond that depending on circumstances. It assures highresponse rates required for real time game play, and will make use of both IEEE 802.11 and Nintendo's proprietary communication protocol, which provides low battery consumption. Players will be able to chat and play games without any connecting cords,completely untethered. The DS technology also provides for a wireless LAN connection, which could allow a theoretically infinite number of players to connect at a hot spot and compete at a central game hub on the Internet, even if they're thousands of miles apart.

* Wireless Game Sharing
If software developers desire, multiple players can compete in wireless games, even if only one person has a game card inserted. Players could also test-play games for themselves as long as they stayed connected.

* 3-D
With the newly developed graphics engine, DS can reproduce impressive 3-D renderings that can surpass images displayed on the Nintendo® 64. Games will run at 60 frames per second, and allow details like fog effects and cel shading.

* Sound
The 16-channel sound allows for greatly expanded use of voices and music, and a richer, more immersive game experience. A plug for headphones transmits stereo sound.

* Battery & Power Management
The battery is rechargeable and the unit features a low-energy-consumption design. The DS also has Power Management functions of Sleep mode and Standby mode. In Sleep mode, players can stop and resume game play whenever they like. If the user receives a message from a friend or user nearby, DS activates itself from Standby mode.

* Processing
The unit will run on two processors, one ARM9 one ARM7.

* New Media
For its compact cards, the unit uses newly developed semiconductor memory, which allows for lower cost, shorter manufacturing time and memory capacity of more than one gigabit of information.

* Dual Slots
Nintendo DS makes a vast library of Game Boy® Advance games readily available. Developers could find ways to make new connections between GBA games and DS games. The GBA port could be used for new hardware, enormously expanding the functional expandability of the DS.


____________________________-UpDate- ____________________________

10/07
RF Micro Devices announced today that it has begun production shipments of the 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver that will be built into the Nintendo DS handheld system. The chipset will enable the DS to link wirelessly to other DS units in range, allowing users to transmit text messages and drawings to each other using the PictoChat software, which will also be embedded in the system.


A leading provider of low-cost, high-performance RF chipsets, RFMD currently partners with most of the world's leading cell phone manufacturers, from Motorola to Nokia to Sony Ericsson. Its partnership with Nintendo represents a major move into the video game realm for the company. Kris Rausch, product line director of wireless LAN products at RF Micro Devices, said, "We are extremely excited to be working with Nintendo, the world's leading name in the gaming industry."

"RFMD's energy-efficient wireless device enables Nintendo to include wireless technology in the Nintendo DS handheld at a low cost," said Satoru Okada, general manager, research and engineering, at Nintendo. "The embedded wireless functionality will enable developers to create rich game designs that were not considered possible in the past, further expanding the fascinating world of the Nintendo DS."




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Announced Titles for the Nintendo DS:

Nintendo
Animal Crossing DS (on video)
Mario Kart DS (on video)
Metroid Prime: Hunters
NEW Super Mario Bros. DS (on video)
Nintendogs (on video)
PictoChat
Super Mario 64X4
WarioWare Inc. DS

Activision:
Spider-Man 2

Atari:
Title TBD

Bandai:
ONE PIECE
MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM SEED
Several Titles

Banpresto:
DRAGONBALL Z

Capcom:
Mega Man Battle Network (New Game)
Viewtiful Joe (New Game)
Gyakuten Saiban (New Game)

Electronic Arts:
Need for Speed (New Game)

FromSoftware:
Several Titles

Hudson Soft:
BOMBERMAN
Several Titles

Koei:
Dynasty Warriors

Konami Corporation:
FROGGER 2005
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Several Titles

Majesco:
Title TBD

Namco Limited:
Pac-Pix
Pac'n Roll
Mr. Driller
RPG Title (New Game, TBD)

Sega Corporation:
Sonic E3 Demo
Project Rub

Square Enix:
Egg Monster Heroes
FINAL FANTASY: Crystal Chronicles (New Game)
Dragon Quest Monsters (New Game)

Tecmo:
Monster Rancher
Team Ninja Title (New Game)

THQ:
SpongeBob SquarePants

Ubisoft:
Rayman TBD

Vivendi:
Title TBD (New Game)

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Ill update more games and system stats in this topic on this page 1.

-LE

[Schultz]

Sweet.. wow i am supprised i didn't know it will have two processors in it. Also that it will have a new flash type for games that can hold 1 gigabit of information.. i still can't wait for this system..

[ouijaouija]

sounds good, but I hear battery power is 10hours, comparable to the psp. And you know how they exxagerate battery life. Knock off a few hours and you have the real battery life. I think maybe they could've made the console look a little more cooler?

[Last Exile]

its not really a consloe its a handheld. mobile gaming not stationary like consoles.
also it really depends on what you are doing with the system. that will tell you how long you have. also i think the psp will die faster the battery that is cause of the big screen and the media type it uses it will have to propell the disc on the back to play the game which in the long run takes a bit more power to run, so its hard to say untill we have them in our hands and can do the tests.

-LE

[wrxh8r]

nintendo are normaly reasonably good with bat times.I read somewhere the 2 processors are done one for each screen and thats why one screen is always lower quality.could of course be a load of crap.

[Last Exile]

Box Art for Super Mario 64 DS


-LE

[morgorath]

sounds good, but I hear battery power is 10hours, comparable to the psp. And you know how they exxagerate battery life. Knock off a few hours and you have the real battery life. I think maybe they could've made the console look a little more cooler?

Wait a minute... are you saying that Nintendo is lying about the battery life. Of allt he companies that gives us details the big is anything but a liar. THey said the SP would have 2 different battery lifes, and it was true. Comparable to the PSP... hell the PSP is saying it will have a 2 hour batery life. Compare what apples to oranges. If nintendo says it will have a 10 hour life it will. Because let's face it with the little info nintendo gives the one thing they wouldn't do is give false info.

[ouijaouija]

Well we have all bought electrical stuf once in a while. I am not saying they are lying. Usually a company will give the maximum battery life in perfect conditions. For example, many minidisc player companies can state their battery life at 50hours but this is when the volume is set on 0 and when using decent batteries and in the optimum temperature. I only have to look at my minidisc handbook by Sharp, and it states that the battery life of 72hrs is when alkaline batteries are used, in temperature of 20celcius and with no volume on.