Hip Gear Enters the Nintendo DS Accessory Fray

Hip Gear (part of Hip interactive Corp.) has announced plans on releasing an onslaught on gaming accessories and add-ons to add to the gaming experience. No specifics are really known right now, but this Canada based provider Hip Gear assures that all the essentias will be available; including carrying cases, screen protectors, etc.....

"We are really keyed up about our new line-up of accessories for Nintendo's DS," said Arindra Singh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hip Interactive. "Experts are already expecting the DS to sell like wildfire, not only on the strength of Nintendo's first-party titles, but also because of the DS' unique dual-screen, touch screen/stylus, wireless and voice activation capabilities."

Hip Gear accessories for the Nintendo DS will be available at retailers in time for the holiday season.

SOURCE: N-Philes

Drilling On The DS????

It seems that Famitsu has been able to score the first pics of the new Mr. Driller game heading towards the Nintendo DS.



SOURCE: GBA.N64EUROPE

Nintendo DS Makes New Friends!!!!!

"TGS no-show doesn't hurt Nintendo's share price as Sony says quiet on key points"


It seems that Nintnedo's no show at TGS (Tokyo Game Show) would spell a disaster for the "Big N", but it seems to have turned out differently. TGS allowed Sony to display most of their arsenal for their upcoming handheld PSP (Playstation Portable) to a public audience without the presence of its main rival (Nintendo if you didn't know....LOL).

Nintendo's strategic plans days before TGS (announced a well-recieved price point of $149.99 for the Nintendo DS and Raised their shipment projections), and Sony's hesitance to talk abotu the price and the battery life of their handheld, has sparked many to believe that NIntendo doesn't have nothing to really worry about.

The showing by Sony at TGS has many analysts thinking (about Sony possibly providing a strong third-party line-up for the Japanese lauch this christmas for the PSP), including Kei Oka (UFJ Tsubasa analyst), who openly spoked in an interview with Bloomberg Japan that...

"People who were disapppointed after seeing Sony's PSP and its games may now be anticipating the Nintendo Ds..."

One thing is for sure though, Nintnedo stock rose 2.1% on Monday, following the end of the Tokyo Game Show, and continued to rise on Tuesday. The current price is 13,000 Yen, which is only a few points shy of its 12-month high 0f 13,160 Yen (which was reached in late June)....

SOURCE: GAMES INDUSTRY

An Alteration Is Always Good!!!

It seems that Nintendo had to added a little flavor to the packaging of the DS box. This time around, the box has a cool image of Samus on the front and informs the consumer that the Nintendo DS comes packaged with a demo of the game Metroid Prime Hunters called Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt. Just as another quick note, the DS launches on the 21st of November in North America at the retail price of $149.99






SOURCE: NINTENDO GAMENET


Now who didn't say Nintendo loved its gamers????

"Nintendo DS wireless hub trick up its sleeve?"

Engadget:

"A recent flurry of rumors and pictures has handheld gamers going nuts with speculation over the thought that Nintendo still has a huge trump card up its sleeve. A batch of pictures featuring creepy marionettes with the words “Find(s)me” along with a shot of a lone boy in a forest using a DS as some sort of navigation device seem to point to the possibility of a massive DS wireless network that’s bigger and badder than we previously thought. The DS could act as both a wireless 802.11 device and as a repeater hub. In other words, you won’t need a wireless router nearby to get online with these things - you’ll just need someone close enough to connect to, and he’ll be able to connect you to someone just as close to him even if that person isn’t so near you, and so on. Potentially-huge networks of gamers could appear organically and play against one another regardless of pre-installed routers or proximity. While we worry a bit about the lone boy in the forest (should people know he’s out there alone, and should his DS be announcing as much? Go home, boy, go home!), the possibility of a spontaneous wireless gaming network of multiple hubs is straight up amazing.  Or is it downright creepy?"

-Jeremy Olson

In The Life of The Nintendo DS

It seems that the Nintnedo DS has been around for such a long time, when in fact we only new about the handheld a couple of days before E3 2004. (refering to the actual design and specs, not just the specs). With so much buzz around Nintendo's newest addition to their handheld legacy, N-Philes decided to catalog all the info into a brief, but in-depth editorial entitled..."THE NINTENDO DS SAGA!!" It covers everything from the buzz surrounding the "mysterious new handheld" by Nintendo, to the E3 presentation of the new handheld, to even the complete game list (games that are in production). I fyou think you know about the DS, i suggest you read this editorial, i bet you will find something youd idn';t know about the Nintendo Ds.

Hope you enjoy the read, because i know i did...

"THE NINTENDO DS SAGA"


SOURCE: N-Philes

X-Link & Nintendo DS???

It seems that the masterminds over at Team X-Link have announced today that they would be lending their support for a 3rd party online service for WiFi enabled games. Although, Nintendo doesn't have any plans for any online gaming, it wouldn't be that big of a surprise if Nintendo decided to stick with LAN gameplay only. This is where X-Link steps in. Siilar to what Warp-Pipe did for the Gamecube, X-Link is set on making those LAN based titles into online gaming. All you need is a wireless router and you're good to go.

Details are still being planned out, so we can only direct you to their official website and hope more information is unveiled as the DS launch makes its way.

More info will be given as it is release, so stay near your computers and DS Update for all your future news updates and breaks....

SOURCE: N-Philes

Spider-Man 2 boxart!!! (DS of Course)

It seems that developers have been giving us pictures and videos about the upcoming DS titles, but none have been willing to release the official box-art and packagings for these games until now.....Though this box-art doesn't cure our curiosity, it seems Activision has put something out to show what the box-art could look like (design could change at a later date). So without any delay, I present to you the first Nintendo DS box-art:



SOURCE: N-PHILES

PlayStation Portable Price Revealed???

BREAKING: SOURCES at TGS release the PSP's official price point. Details within.

It seems that at TGS (Tokyo Game Show), the price for the PSP was revealed to be $349.99. But since neither Sony nor any of its Reps have yet to comment on this price point, it is clear that this is still just a rumor. (until it is confirmed)




This announcement seems to be a mistake on the part of the folks at GAMECUBE ADVANCED. But it should be soon when Sony will comment in regards to this rumor and announce their official price point.

More info as it comes.....

SOURCE: GAMECUBE ADVANCED

The NESbelt?????

For those of you who have been fashionable with the Nintendo Powerglove or the Virtual Boy (dont know how you can be....), here is your chance to enhance your wardrobe with the NES-based belt!!!!!








First thought of as just a miere fantasy, NES Buckle decided to make it a reality. Here is a quote from their website about the NES Buckle:

"Once brushed off as merely a myth in the video game world, the long rumored, much talked about NES Buckle is now available to grace your pants. Yes, it's a real Nintendo controller, yes, its a real belt buckle, and yes, it will actually hold up your trousers!"

So for those who felt they needed a little more Nintendo in teir life, shouldn't pass up this opportunity!!!

Puyo Pop DS video!

I found the video at Magicbox. The Puyo Pop Fever video was from the Tokyo Gaming Show. I hope you like it.

Watch it here.

Video: Chronicles of Eden: Vangarde's Tale

It seems that a developer by the name of Light Spire Studio is hard at work on what looks to be an action RPG known as Chronicles of Eden: Vangarde's Tale. Nothin muchh is known about the game, but here is a vid given you a taste of whats in store...

Chronicles of Eden: Vangarde's Tale Video

Screenshots





SOURCE: DS CENTRAL



Just a quick note, this game is not scheduled for a DS release. This title is an upcoming GBA/GBASP release.

Hurding Monster on the DS?

"Monster Farm Jamboree" will be the first, and not the last, in the this creature-breeding simulation series....

Tecmo has announced that they will be releasing a Monster Rancher game for the beloved Nintendo Ds in Japan, known as Monster Farm Jamboree. Unlike the previous Monster Rancher titles, this one will be a standard role-playing title. The details of this title are still undisclosed, but what is known is that this title will take advantage of all the nifty features of the Nintnedo DS.

Stay tuned for all updates in regards to this title heading for the DS.

SOURCE: GAMESPOT




Update: To follow up on Matthew`s news report, I found some pics of Monster Farm Jambaree (Monster Rancher) for DS. The graphics look almost like GCN, but a little lower quality. Enjoy.





SOURCE: GameCube Heaven

Nintendo Loves Television, DO You?

A couple of days ago, NOJ (Nintendo of Japan) launched their Nintendo DS Website with the first Nintendo DS commercial. Well it seems that Nintendo has another commercial up on the site that gives you a look at the backside of the newly, redesigned Nintendo DS.



It's obvious that we all know about the redesigned Ds, when compared to the one shown at E3 this past May.



The commercial also gives us a glimpse at the stylus holding place: a hole near the R button. The pen is inserted perpendicularly to the system.

The bottom of the Nintendo DS also appears to curve outward at the system's edges, which should make the DS more ergonomic.

SOURCE: PLANET GAMECUBE




"A big thanks goes out to the members of Planet Gamecube for their hard work."

Japanese DS List Update

"Following up on its surprise press conference yesterday in which it unveiled the launch date and the pricing of the Nintendo DS handheld system--but stopped short of releasing a launch games lineup or software price structure--Nintendo CO., Ltd. has updated the lineup of the Nintendo DS titles that currently sits on the official website. Of the three title added, one is a brand new title and two are previously announced games from America publishers.

Japanese publisher, Success will be releasing a DS port of Robot Communication`s puzzle game Zoo Keeper, which gas already been released on mobile phones, and also on GBA and PS2 under the title ZOOO. The rule in Zoo Keeper are simple : your objective is to erase the animal symbols that fill up the screen by aligning them three in a row, while trying for a high score by erasing them in a combo. Interested gamers who want to see what the game game plays like can play an online version programmed with Macromedia Flash on Shockwave`s Japanese site.

The other two added titles to the Japanese roster are The Urbz: Sims in the City by Electronic Arts and Robots by VU Games. Robots would seem to be a game based on the upcoming animated movie with the same title. Its PS2, Xbox, and PC editions are slated for release during Q1 2005 alongside the computer-animated film 'Robots', which is also to be timeframe when the DS edition will be released"

The new game sounds interesting.

Source: Gamespot.com

Mad Catz DS Accessories

Looks like Mad Catz will be making DS accessories like Intec.

Mad Catz will be releasing nine Nintendo DS product in conjuction with the launch of the Nintendo DS this November. The products are listed below.

-Protective carry case stylistically designed to keep your DS protected from minor bumps, drops, or scratches.

-Screen protector, with a texture surface, adheres instantly to your DS screen to protect against scratches and to eliminate glare.

-game case protect the media slots of the Nintendo DS game [card] from pocket dust and dirt at all times.

-Car changer plugs directly into into your vehicle`s standard light/power socket, providing power as you travel. You can use your DS while it is charging, or switching it off and charge the battery even faster.

-AC adapter allows you to charge or power the new DS by plugging into a standard power outlet. Use your DS while it is charging, or switch it off and charge the battery even faster.

-Earphones are attached to a band that rest comfortably at the base of your head. These compact, portable headphones are designed to give maximum comfort an snug fit for your active lifestyle.

-Stylus is a replacement unit that allows you a to take advantage of the revolutionary, touch screen input technology for the DS.

-DS II Mobile Kit comes with essentially everthing to connect and enjoy your DS while on the go. The DS II Mobile Kit come completely with with a hard carry case, 6 game cases, earphones, a Y cable and a car and AC adapter.

-DS kit provides the nessecary accessories to protect protect and enjoy your DS. The DS kit includes a soft carry case, 6 games cases, car dapter and earphones.

'We are excited to be creating and offering the first thrid-party accessories for the new Nintendo DS," said Darren Richard, President and CEO of Mad Catz, Inc. "With its revolutionary new features such as touch screen input, voice recognition and wireless communication, we are confident that the new DS will generate an excitement for the new accessories Mad Catz has to offer.'"

Source: Nintendo Insider

The BOX That Houses The DS!

It seems that Nintnedo has already released the box art to the upcoming Handheld/portable known as the DS.



Not futuristic in design, but great on the eye and great at capturing the essence of ths dream machine by NINTENDO.

SOURCE: GAMECUBE ADVANCE

SPIDER-MAN 2 DS!

In an announcement made earlier today, Activision offered Spider-Man 2's services to the Nintendo DS. It seems that this title will be a launch exclusive for the Ds, come this November, and will be packed with some dual screen action.

"We are excited about the Nintendo DS and are working closely with Nintendo to bring the Spider-Man 2 video game to this innovative new platform," said Kathy Vrabeck, president of Activision Publishing. "The nature of the dual-screen technology allows us to deliver more interactive and intuitive gameplay experiences on the hand-held than ever before."

SOURCE: NEOWIN

Good-bye long passwords

The DS introduces standard saving. Good-bye long passwords!


"Last week, Nintendo held a Nintendo DS developers conference and revealed that publishers will no longer be given an option of including a save feature in the [cards]. With the Nintendo DS, every DS [card] - no matter what the size, will include RAM for saving.

Ever since the dawn of of Game Boy, many publishers habe cut down cost of cartridges by not including battery save in their games, thus resulting in long codes for the gamers to write down to 'save' their progress. The [Nintendo] DS is now setting the [card] standard with RAM save in every [card].

Withe Nintendo DS having different size [cards], the size of the card will depend on how big the save RAM is in the [card]. Ram sizes will vary between 4 kilobits (standard GBA save size0 or all the way up to 512 kilobits for those upcoming masive Nintendo DS games. Of course the larger the [card], the larger the prices.

for we can all say goodbye to those pesky password."

Source: GCAdvanced

First shot of Metroid Prime: First Hunt

I found this on IGN, click here for Hi-res pic.

DS Specs

Found this on IGN:

"Launch Date and MSRP: Nov. 21, 2004, in North America ($149.99), Dec. 2, 2004, in Japan (Â¥15,000). Q1 2005 in Europe and Australia

Size (when closed): 148.7 millimeters (5.85 inches) wide, 84.7 millimeters (3.33 inches) long, 28.9 millimeters (1.13 inches) tall

Top Screen: A backlit, 3-inch, semitransparent reflective TFT color LCD with 256 x 192 pixel resolution and .24 mm dot pitch, capable of displaying 260,000 colors

Touch Screen: Same specs as top screen, but with a transparent analog touch screen

Wireless Communication: IEEE 802.11 and Nintendo's proprietary format; wireless range is 30 to 100 feet, depending on circumstances; multiple users can play multiplayer games using just one DS Game Card

Controls: Touch screen, embedded microphone for voice recognition, A/B/X/Y face buttons, plus control pad, L/R shoulder buttons, Start and Select buttons

Input/Output: Ports for both Nintendo DS Game Cards and Game Boy Advance Game Paks, terminals for stereo headphones and microphone

Other features: Embedded PictoChat software that allows up to 16 users to chat at once; embedded real-time clock; date, time and alarm; touch-screen calibration

CPUs: One ARM9 and one ARM7

Sound: Stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, depending on the software

Battery: Lithium ion battery delivering six to 10 hours of play on a four-hour charge, depending on use; power-saving sleep mode; AC adapter

Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Italian

Color: Silver and black"

PSP: $300-$450

If found this article on Ferrago:

"Sony Europe boss Chris Deering has been having a good old chin-wag once again, this time with industry magazine MCV concerning the pricing of the rather exciting Sony PSP. Deering suggested that the UK launch price would be "closer to £200 than £300", with the Japanese price-point of 48,000 Yen translating to about £240, or a hefty $450.

The US price-tag then will be especially interesting, given that $450 is traditionally far more than most US gamers are willing to pay for a piece of gaming hardware - though we expect it be somewhat lower than this in reality. This new pricing conjecture will however bring a smile to Nintendo's face, the GBA having already beaten more advanced but more expensive competition from the N-Gage. Not that the PSP won't be an altogether stiffer challenge you understand, but perhaps one that appeals to a somewhat older audience than Nintendo's baby."

Cubed 3: NDS Analysis | Nintendo's Date with Destiny!

(Nintendo Box Shot from Nintendo.com)

Here is a very positive article from Cubed-3:

"So there we have it, the final release date and pricing details have been released for the world to see. But just what does this mean? Exactly how will this affect the world of gaming? And will Nintendo and the DS portable be able to obtain a large enough market share before the Sony PSP hits the streets? So many questions, so many speculative answers that can be provided.

First of all let us look again at those release dates. Straight away we find there is the major surprise of Nintendo deciding that for the first time ever, the West is deemed more important than the East and is releasing the Nintendo DS in the US on the 21st of the eleventh month for the amazing price of $149.99. This is a major step in the right direction. Many companies have highlighted that the Eastern market has been in somewhat of a rut lately and the Western side of gaming is definitely on the rise. Nintendo has been realising this slowly and has obviously spotted the key US holiday of Thanksgiving as the perfect opportunity to put this new way of thinking into motion.

(Image from Nintendo.com)

So not only will the NDS be launched at a prime buying time of the year in the States, but will also be coming it at an entry-level price-point. Anyone wanting to make an impulse purchase would have normally bought the GBA: SP for $100, but that has now been reduced to make way for the low-priced NDS (clever move by Nintendo to avoid the price clash and many millions of complaints from fans everywhere). The sub $150 mark is at least $50 less than many analysts were predicting and several of the websites and stores that had already begun taking pre-orders will have to rectify their price estimates extremely sharpish to adjust to the shockingly low cost. Just think about it, you will soon be able to get something more powerful than the Nintendo 64 and yet dainty enough to squeeze perfectly into your sweaty little hands for what is pocket money to parents in the seasonal spirit!

But what of the Sony PlayStation Portable? What has happened with regards to that? Well, the latest news is that apparently it will hit the Land of the Rising Sun before the DS's début over there (2nd December for the Nintendo system at a paltry ¥15,000), but will definitely slip to the First Quarter in North America. That is why Sony's primary focus in today's Press Conference (which occurred after Nintendo's massive unveiling) was none other than the smaller version of the PS2, which has yet to be officially dubbed the PStwo, and after looking at the prospective packaging might not actually end up with that mantle. Whilst looking sleek, the dinky PS2 has garnered criticism right from the offing, with its lack of extension for an external HDD, top-loading software (á la PSone) that will encouraging hot-disc-swapping to spur on the pirates out there and the fact that Sony has paid no regard to its userbase that have been crying out for four-player fun out of the box. Instead, to rub salt into the wounds, you are required to buy a completely new multi-tap as the previous ones are now rendered useless with this new model.

Anyway, the PSP has barely been touched upon today really, with the light shining brightly over the NDS and PS2's mini-me. Nintendo has only shown one slight fault with its newly released specifications sheet - and it is one that Sony is having trouble with as well - battery life. Yes, Nintendo has revealed that from a four-hour charge you can get between six and ten hours worth of play time out of your DualScreen's, depending on what they are being used for. Now, in all honesty, this is being viewed as a cop-out by Nintendo. A cheap way to get systems into houses before releasing a battery pack upgrade early next year that will boost the lifespan to around the fifteen hour mark. But hey, that is mere hearsay as of now, so do not hold your breath (or us accountable, hehe) if it proves to be false.

(image from Nintendo.com)

Finally, another brilliant surprise, for since good old 1989 there have been no games bundled with Nintendo portables, but now all is about to change and in a huge way as well. First of all there is the one that everyone had basically guessed about, the fact that PictoChat will come installed on the system so that players can interact with their friends by sending them messages via the wireless connection that stretches from thirty to a hundred feet depending on 'circumstances' (live in a lead box anyone?) or locating one of the increasing amount of Wi-Fi hotspots that are popping up around the world. Just think - Nintendo's proprietary wireless network and the 802.11b network that is already in place (anyone complaining about the lack of 'g' so far can shut the hell up right now...not the time!) - perfect for every situation! The DS Phone, it is about time Nintendo did something like this...

And to top it all off, we get a demo of Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt thrown into the bundle. Could you really spend $150 on anything better than this? A Nintendo DS, PictoChat and a taster of a new Metroid Prime game all in one mega-package. Amazing! Admittedly we still do not know if the Metroid game will be any better than the ropey game that was shown off at E3, but the chances of NST ruining such a strong franchise are slim to zero."

Jeremy: To answer your question, Gamespot: "Metroid Prime: Hunters, a first-person shooter featuring four-player wireless multiplayer, will feature a number of improvements on the E3 version. As Nintendo software impresario Shigeru Miyamoto said in an E3 interview, the final game will feature a standard D-pad-and-buttons control scheme in addition to the stylus control shown off at E3. First Hunt should reflect this as well. "We've improved the playability and have done different things from the player-control standpoint," Fils-Aime said this morning. "The game has changed modestly for the better."

"You will get to try out the single-player first-person mode and sample the multi-player levels with up to three other friends via wireless and from just the one DS card. Magical...

These are indeed the things that dreams are made of and now all we have to do is wait to see if they all come true in just a few months time."

DS release date november 21st, price $150, pictochat built in! Not rumor!

(image from Nintendo.com
I can't believe it, I wake up and the biggest news we have seen in a long time is in my inbox. I am to excited to write an article about it, maybe later. Here is an article from Business Wire:

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 2004--From the very start, Nintendo DS(TM) 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(R) 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.

The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy(R) Advance, Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo GameCube(TM) systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.9 billion video games and more than 170 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario(TM) and Donkey Kong(R) and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid(R), Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com."

Cubed-3: "The battle lll Nintendo DS VS Sony PSP"

I found this article on Cubed-3:

"So far C3 has looked at the War of Words and the game line-ups for the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable, whilst saving the best for last – the specifications. Which of the new platforms is technically superior overall?"

Read the full article here!

DS Commercial: Final Version

A big thanks to GCAdvanced for the final version of the Japanese DS commercial.


Watch it!

Enjoy!

Express your thoughts on this forum thread

-Falco8

Game Informer: "Nintendo DS News Tidbits"

Here is some news I found on Game Informer. At some points I will unquote and make some comments:

DS release date and price
"According to our sources inside Nintendo, we’ve learned that the Nintendo DS will in fact be released sometime before Thanksgiving.  We’re assuming that the system will be released in the first or second week of November.  While a price point is still technically up in the air, we’ve heard that the retail reports that came out last week with a $199 price tag could be incorrect.  Nintendo isn’t all that thrilled with retailers putting up the information, but we’re assuming the unit will launch somewhere in the $150-$200 range."

Jeremy: Seems realistic enough.

DS Colors
"For those of you hoping for a slew of colors to be available at launch, the Nintendo DS initially will be released with only one color choice: silver - or in Nintendo-speak - platinum."

Jeremy: Not great news but knowing Nintendo more colors will be available within a few months of the launch.

Titles
"As far as launch software numbers, apparently there will be around 5 third party titles available initially, with a number of other titles streaming out on a regular basis after.  As far as how many first party titles will be ready for launch is still unknown, and until Nintendo holds their Nintendo DS press event on October 7th, we don’t expect to hear anything solid."

Jeremy: I think there will be around 5-10 3rd party titles.

Software Size
"Initial Nintendo DS software will clock in at 256MB, which is comparable to the current larger sized Game Boy Advance titles available today (the upcoming Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories will be the largest Game Boy Advance game at 512MB), but future Nintendo DS software will be able to be as large as 1GB."

Jeremy: 1 Gigabyte... Impressive. At least it is more then we thought.

DS Video?
"With the success of the Game Boy Advance video software Majesco already has on the market, they are working on Nintendo DS video as well.  The Nintendo DS video software will be able to hold between 90 minutes to two hours of video content.  Currently, Majesco has two already announced video titles in the works which include Nanostray, and Moonlight Fables.."

Jeremy: Last time checked, these were games, not a videos

"Our sources at Majesco have told us that they are also in talks with major movie houses and are working on agreements on future Nintendo DS video products."

Jeremy: Thats great!

"So when will John Q. Public be able to get their hands on the Nintendo DS?  Shouldn’t be too long, as we’ve heard that there should be Nintendo DS interactive kiosks hitting major retailers in the not-too-distant future."

Jeremy: Very interesting article. I would like to know who their sources are.

Nintendo Press Conference Update

Yesterday there was some confusion on the date of the Nintendo DS press conference. With different sources reporting different dates. One said it would be on October the 7th and the other said it would be on October the 17th. I sent a few emails and can now conclude that there is definitely more support for the story saying that it would be held on the 7th of October. Of course we can never really tell for sure until Nintendo officially announces the press conference.

Soul Calibur DS?

I found this on Nintendo Evolved

"According to certain people in close contact with Namco, the prestigious development and publishing company has plans to port over the Dreamcast version of SoulCalibur to Nintendo's new handheld, the DS.

The source claims that the DS version of SoulCalibur will look and sound every bit as good as its Dreamcast counterpart.

This is due to both new compression technologies and techniques, and the fact that the less complex that textures, character models, and environments are, the less space they consume. Since the DS's screen resolution is quite a bit smaller than a TV's resolution, that means lower res textures and less polygons can be used to create highend visuals.

If this one does indeed come true, the DS's dominance over the PSP may infact come to fruition."

As always we will keep you updated on this story.
-Falco8

Nintendo Press Conference 7th or 17th of october?

In one of our previous news post we posted that the Nintendo Press Conference will begin on October 7th as that is what our first source: Planet GameCube told us. But now we hear from Gamespot that the press conference will actually begin on October the 17th. We will let you know once we have confirmed which date it is.

Another SEGA Game Coming to the Nintendo DS?

Sega, Sega, Sega.... seems like they are taking a liking to the Nintendo DS.

"Word has it that Sega is working on another Nintendo DS title, called Fist of the North Star. No details are available, as far as we know, the title is unconfirmed, but we`ll keep you updated."

Source: Gamecube Heaven

-Falco8

All DS questions will be answered October 7th

I found the news on Planet GameCube:

"Nintendo has just announced that they've scheduled a press conference to show off the Nintendo DS and its games to retailers and the public on October 7, less than a month away.

All that's currently known about what Nintendo plans to do at this conference is to have President Satoru Iwata and a certain Shigeru Miyamoto present to explain the new handheld and to answer any questions about the unit that might arise.

The Tokyo Game Show, an event that Nintendo will once again not attend, still might shed some more light on what exactly the DS will be all about, with third parties likely to share some of what they've got to offer for the Nintendo DS. TGS runs from September 24 through the 26th this year."

SOURCE: Planet GameCube

Did Someone Spill The Beans????

Apparently, Wal-Mart has leaked the price and the release date of the Nintendo DS. According to the Wal-Mart website, they have the price listed at $199.82 and will ship out to all pre-orderer's by November 30th.. This information hasn't been confirmed by Nintendo, but it seems to be authentic. If this bit of info is in fact correct, we can all say that...

"Wal-Mart was ahead of Target!!!"

SOURCE: PROJECT COE

DS Media Explosion!!!

While we're still a good few weeks away from Nintendo unleashing cold, hard details on the Nintendo DS system launch and game line-up, we're constantly lookin for something new to keep us glued to our screens.

Though nothing much, here is an significant update of pictures and demos that were from upcoming games that were mentioned at Nintendo's showing at E3 2004.

Hit the links below to go straight to the updates.

1.Nintendogs--

2.Mario's Face--

3.Balloon Trip--

4.Submarine--

5.Special Effects--

6.Table Hocky--
7.Carving--


SOURCE: IGN

First Real DS Commercial

The first ever Nintendo DS commercial. Enjoy.

"With launch of the Nintendo DS looming, many people are wondering where all the advertising and commercial hype for the system is. Nintendo has kept insisting on the launch in Japan soon, and a North American launch soon after-right before holiday shopping season.

Your anticipation can start to calm. Recently, there was a coverage of the first commercial shoot aired in a piece in Japanese TV news.

Nintendo has hired Utada Hikaru, of Kingdom Hearts theme song fame, to star in it with one of her latest English release called 'Easy Breezy' playing in the background. The last part of the clip after the voice over is part if not allof the actual commercial. It will start airing in Japan on September 18th."


Watch it here

SOURCE: GCAdvanced

Note from Jeremy: beware, it is quite weird ;).

-Falco8

Puyo Pop Fever to DS

After announcing the creation of Puyo Pop Fever for the PSP, Sega has decided to come out with the game also for the Nintendo DS. Just like the PSP version, on the DS, you will be able to have two player battles on the lower screen (while on the same unit). Each player will control their pieces using either the directional-pad and L button (player one) or the A/B/X/Y configuration and R button (player two). As of now, there is not set release date.

SOURCE: Nintelligent




Edit By Jeremy: Wow, this will certainly be interesting. Two players using one device, I am sure Sega will also include wireless multiplayer features as well. If anybody has any thoughts on this or any other subject, email them to me here

ENVY

"you see that guy tinkering with the DS? Thats me....." Ahhh its only a dream. Found the picture on IGN.

New game engine for DS, PSP and other portable devices

Looks like Extreme AI is up to innovating the portable gaming industry again. I found the news on Games Industry:

"Extreme AI is proud to announce the PunkTM Mobile Game Engine, its latest and most exciting innovation in the mobile video game market. Punk is the first console quality multi-platform 3D game engine available for mobile devices and is based on the Torque Game Engine from GarageGames."

"Punk is an elite, fully-featured AAA game engine with award-winning multi-player network code, seamless indoor/outdoor rendering engines, state-of-the-art skeletal animation, drag and drop GUI creation, a built-in world editor and a C++-like scripting language. Punk supports cross-platform compatibility for mobile-to-mobile and mobile-to-console/PC play. It works with popular mobile platforms including Sony PSPTM, Nintendo® DSTM, Tapwave® ZodiacTM, and other OpenGL® ES-enabled devices."

"Punk allows developers to rapidly create new and innovative straight-to-mobile titles. Punk contains all the features of a major PC game engine, including a client/server network architecture, advanced rendering and shading, and compatibility with the TorqueScript scripting language. The game engine's tools include support for Maya®, 3ds Max®, Milkshape plug-ins, a Quark and WorldCraft converter, integrated World Editor, GUI Editor, Terrain Editor, and Terrain Generator. Game studios using the robust toolset available through Punk can easily integrate mobile development into their latest PC or console projects."

"The revolutionary Punk platform delivers a console-quality experience to gamers everywhere they choose to play. "Punk represents a major step forward in mobile gaming," said William Klein, Extreme AI founder and president. "Developers can now reproduce the console experience on handheld devices using the same high quality tools they have come to expect on console and PC projects."

"Extreme AI is creating Punk in cooperation with GarageGames, the makers of Torque, to present a platform that will support both the independent and professional development communities."

(image of Think Tanks, Extreme AI's latest game for the Tapwave Zodiac.

Source: Games Industry

DS and PSP Appeal for young consumers

Note: This article was written for Sony PSP News so that is the angle it was written in. I decided to post it here as some of you may enjoy the read.


Introduction
My good friend Sony-PSP (the webmaster of this great site) asked me to write up an article about the DS a few weeks ago but my time has been limited as I am in the middle of a move to California and have been upgrading my site (DS Update) with a new design, a new server, and a new domain name. But I have managed to find some spare time today and yesterday so I am happy to write up this small article for your reading pleasure.

First of all, who am I? I am the webmaster of a growing site called DS Update (previously known as the Nintendo DS news Blog) that I have been running for a few months now. Me and Mr. Anonymous (Sony-PSP) have been partners for a while now and have been helping each-others sites grow. DS Update was created as an experiment as I saw the demand for a good source for DS News was enormous and at that point no one had started a site that gave up to date info and news about Nintendo's Dual Screened handheld. The experiment worked and now my DS community is growing every day.

Young Consumers?
When I talk about young consumers I mean teenagers (13-19.) I am focusing this article on young consumers because it is a targeted market for both the DS and the PSP and I think that young consumers sales will be crucial to both portable systems. I want to keep this article focused on young consumers because once I start talking about child consumers or adult consumers everything starts to get more complicated and I want to keep this article simple.

Nintendo DS Overview
Alright, now lets talk about the DS. If you don't know by now what the DS is, the DS is Nintendo's answer to Sony's new gaming handheld the PSP. The first thing you will notice about it is that it has two screens, each about the same size as the GBA SP's screen. One of the most important features about the DS is that one of the screens is a touch screen, this means DS games may use a stylus or your fingertip to control the action. Another notable feature is that it can play GameBoy Advanced Games which includes hundreds and hundreds of games. So those are the basics, if you want to know the details I suggest you go to Nintendo's DS site.

PSP Overview
Now lets talk about the PSP, Sony's upcoming gaming handheld aimed at taking away Nintendo's hold on the handheld gaming market. I am assuming since this is a PSP focused site, I won't have to describe the PSP much further.

Appeal
Now lets talk a little bit about appeal which is by the way the subject of this article. Will the PSP appeal to the average young consumer? From what I have seen I think that the thirteen through nineteen crowd will get very excited when they see the PSP and the graphical power it possesses and after they notice that it will be able to play movies and music, they will get even more excited. But I have noticed that young consumers usually look at the eye candy and the looks of products first, after they see how sweet the PSP looks and the graphical power they will get very excited then they go on the web, research it, find out all the features sometimes get disappointed at downsides but the eye candy keeps them excited. Then..... They look at the price. The PSP's price may not be so appealing to many of them. I have noticed many young consumers talking about the PSP and how great it is going to be but they talk about it as if it were a juicy steak that is always out of their reach. I think that after seeing the price of the PSP, many young consumers may research what else is out there and see the DS. They will see that the DS is a cheaper alternative and may realize that with the PSP they will get the same game-play experience as with the PS2 and some consumers may find that appealing but I believe many will look at the DS and see that the DS offers a completely new and exciting experience. Personally, I think that many young consumers will be excited about having a new game-play experience but many will not be excited about it, preferring better graphics to new game-play.

DS Young Consumer Appeal:

Game-play 4/5
Graphics 3/5
Features 4/5
Price 4/5
Over all 4/5

PSP Young Consumer Appeal:

Game-play 4/5
Graphics 5/5
Features 4/5
Price 2/5
Over all 4/5

Conclusion
My conclusion is that both portable systems will appeal to a certain extent to most young consumers but it will really depend on the individual. Some teens may be turned off by the PSP's higher price and lower battery life but many teens may be turned off by the DS's different game-play. Personally I think (although preferring the DS myself) the PSP will appeal more to the average teen then the DS will but the DS may be able to fill in the gap with child consumer sales (ages 7-12) where the PSP will not be able to reach. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.


Jeremy Olson
(webmaster of the DS Update)

Modified template

Not a major site redesign but the template has been modified a bit. What do you think? Talk about it on this thread.

Nintendo DS Development Emulator Revealed!!!!!

It seems tha the sources over at Planet Gamecube were able to aquire the first pic of the Nintendo DS Development KIts., which is a rare piece of hardware that will be implemented in the development of DS titles.



The unit in the pic is a more advanced version of the Dev Kit originaly released to some developers. But the difference between the two is that this version allows for the touchscreen feature to be tested out. (how is unsure , but is speculated that the touchscreen image is displayed on a connect PC and can be manipulated by a mouse or touchpad)This is a more advanced unit than the bare chipset originally released to some developers. Regardless, this newer emulator accepts direct touchscreen input just like a normal, production DS, making it easier for developers to understand=how players will interact with the touchscreen.

Just as a quick side not, in the development community, the unit is still being called "Nitro". The "IS: on the emulator stands for Itelligent Systems (responsible for Paper Mario, Fire Emblem, and the Advance Wars series), the development studio where the Ds and GBA emulators are developed.

The white sticker on the emulator case says "Confidential". On top of the case are two slots, one for DS game cards and the other for GBA cartridges.

SOURCE: Planet Gamecube

-Matthew Prunty

Naruto DS at TGS

"Tomy has released new infomation on Naruto DS, on the Nintendo DS,as you may have guessed. The infomation on Naruto DS is this....The game will be revealed at Tokyo Gaming Show! get ready Naruto fans, you will be having alot of fighting action on your way!"

Source: Gamecube Heaven: http://www.gamecubeheaven.tk/

-Falco8

Sponsor

I recommend you check out DS Update's sponsors, if you see something interesting, click it and you will be supporting DS Update at the same time.

DS Accessory line up announced!

Here is the current DS accessory line up:

"Road Power Kit ($7.99) – plugs into a car's cigarette lighter/power outlet

Power Max ($8.99) – a lightweight AC adapter

Dock It ($11.99) – an angled display/charging cradle (AC adapter sold separately)

Safe Case ($11.99) – aluminum case with autolocking slide, nylon strap, and cushion molding

Leather Hipster ($14.99) – black leather carrying case with magnetic close button and belt clip

Stylus Pen Set ($8.99) – three heavy-duty stylus pens

Safe Screens ($4.99) – disposable transparent film liner that protects the DS screen

Game Buds ($7.99) – stereo earbuds with volume control, mute button, and retractable cord

Starter Kit ($14.99) – includes Game Buds, Safe Screens, and Road Power Kit"

I found the news on Gamespot

DS Games at TGS

Looks like the NDS will be shown at TGS event after all....will they be using the E3 model or the final model?

"1up.com is reporting that Square-Enix and SEGA plan to show off 1 game each at the Tokyo Gaming Show-- the already announced Egg Monster Heroes from Square-Enix, and the [announced] 'Kimi no Tame Nara Shineru', or loosely translated, 'I Would Die for You,' from SEGA. I Would Die for You, being developed by what was formerly the Sonic Team studio, is described as a '2D digital-comic dating simulation in the Tokimeki Mermorial mold'; no other specific details on the game are available."

Source: Nintendo Insider

-Falco8

Nintendo DS tour in Japan

Looks like Nintendo will be doing a tour for the Nintendo DS instead of showing the Nintendo DS in the big shows.

"Nintendo annouced today [a] tour called 'Touch DS', where the new innovative handheld Nintendo DS will be made playable to the general public for the first time. The event will be held in the following venues across Japan, all of which will be open from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM:

-November 3: Nagoya
-November 7: Osaka
-November 13-14: Tokyo
-November 23: Sapporo
-Novmeber 28: Fukuoka

The event are free of charge and Nintendo intends to showcase a total of 80 games which include software for the Nintendo Gamecube, the Game Boy Advance, and of course the first-ever playable 'games' for the [Nintendo] DS itself.

For more infomation, click the link below and head on over to the official page for the tour. We will of course be monitoring these events very closely as they come up."

Source: GCAdvanced

New Nintendo DS image

Until now Nintendo has only given us one image of the Nintendo DS after its facelift. Well, the wait it over, here is an all new juicy image of the Nintendo DS in its full redesigned glory. Clickhere to view the image full size. Thanks to Image Shack For hosting the image for us.

-Falco8

SNK considering making games for the Nintendo DS

"In a interview with Kikizo, Shinya Morishita of SNK states that SNK is very interested in the Nintendo DS, but they are waiting as a company, to see how it does when it is released, before they jump on the ship. Could we soon see Metal Slug or another SNK franchise on the duel-screen handheld? Only time will tell"

Source: Gamecube Heaven: http://www.gamecubeheaven.tk/

Dating sim coming to DS

Dating sim + Sega + Nintendo DS = DS relation machine?

"Sega has announced it is developing a dating game for the Nintendo DS. Famitsu magazine published the infomation along with the first images of the game titled 'I Would Die for You'.

The game is being developed by the Sonic Team. 'I Would Die for You' allows you to play as a young man trying to use evry trick in the book in order to hook up with women.

The scan below show the first images taken from the game."

http://www.cube-europe.com/newsgfx/fam-foryou1.jpg

http://www.cube-europe.com/newsgfx/fam-foryou2.jpg

http://www.cube-europe.com/newsgfx/fam-foryou3.jpg

Source: Gamecube Europe: http://www.cube-europe.com/

-Falco8

X-Men Legends DS

According to a report at GamesAreFun, Activision is working on a brand new game for the Nintendo DS: X-Men Legends.

GAF is stating that an insider at Activision has confirmed to them that they've got two games in development: X-Men Legends and 'another game', which remained unknown according to GAF.
However, during E3 2004, Nintendo released a press release stating a few games in the works for the Nintendo DS. We already knew what the 'other' game was gonna be: Spider-Man 2.

Activision hasn't officially commented on the X-Men Legends rumour yet, but you can expect an official statement in the near future...

SOURCE: GBA.N64.EUROPE

-Matthew Prunty

I'm back

Well, I am finally back but I am extremely busy as I am solving problems with my new computer, moving into my new house and updating the site with a new look, new server and new domain. So, sorry if the news isn't so frequent in the next few days.

DS.... to have cellphone capabilities???

(Calls Matt on his DS) "Hey MATT!! how it`s going man?..... Man I`m chillin
over here oh i got to do somethin catha on the flip side!!!" (ends call)


"In short, Nintendo plans to use the DS`s include 802.11 WiFi capibilities
to create free voice-over-ip calls. The recent mystery surrounding the
microphone and headset port does include extend into grander things

'The implementation of this feature will '''help drive adoption among the
increasingly connected youger gaming audience,''' said TNI Securities, an
institutional brokerage firm specializing in sales and trading'

With such a feature, DS consumers can potentially call someone over
broadband without paying for long distance fees and other various hassles,
such as heavy signal distrubance.As well, more than two individuals can
participate in such a conversation at once. More as it breaks."

SOURCE: Nintendojo

-Falco8