Skett
Sep 21, 2004, 03:57 PM
Nintendo has finally shown several important bits about their new handheld, including launch date and price.
Nintendo DS's official American launch date is 11/21/04.
Nintendo DS's retail price will be $150.
"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."
Somewhat unusual, Nintendo has announced that the American launch of DS will be before all other territories. The Japanese launch is on December 2, while the Europe and Australian launch will accure sometime early 2005. There choice to release DS in America first is because of consumers positive reaction towards the system and the upcoming holidays.
"We're really excited about the price," says Nintendo vice president of marketing and corporate affairs Perrin Kaplan. "That kind of pricing makes DS immediately attractive to the mass market, and that is where Nintendo needs to be."
Also confirmed, PictoChat, the IM-like software device, will be programmed into DS. A demo of Metroid Prime: Hunters is also going to be packed into the game upon purchase. This signals launch release of Metroid Prime: Hunters is not likely, but this has not been confirmed.
At this time, over 100 developers have signed on and are creating games for the DS, with around 20 games developed by Nintendo.
"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." EA currently has several games being developed, including Urbz, GoldenEye, Need for Speed, Madden, and Tiger Woods.
"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."Which means that DS will recieve the same durability as the Game Boy line.
And now the offical specs:
Launch Date and MSRP: Nov. 21, 2004, in North America ($149.99), Dec. 2, 2004, in Japan (15,000 yen), 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
This is truely the real successor to the Game & Watch handhelds. Look ALARM.
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 [/small
[small]Color: Silver and Black
This is actually one model, not two. Check out the newest screens to see.
Discuss.
SOURCE(S): GameCube Advanced
Nintendo DS's official American launch date is 11/21/04.
Nintendo DS's retail price will be $150.
"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."
Somewhat unusual, Nintendo has announced that the American launch of DS will be before all other territories. The Japanese launch is on December 2, while the Europe and Australian launch will accure sometime early 2005. There choice to release DS in America first is because of consumers positive reaction towards the system and the upcoming holidays.
"We're really excited about the price," says Nintendo vice president of marketing and corporate affairs Perrin Kaplan. "That kind of pricing makes DS immediately attractive to the mass market, and that is where Nintendo needs to be."
Also confirmed, PictoChat, the IM-like software device, will be programmed into DS. A demo of Metroid Prime: Hunters is also going to be packed into the game upon purchase. This signals launch release of Metroid Prime: Hunters is not likely, but this has not been confirmed.
At this time, over 100 developers have signed on and are creating games for the DS, with around 20 games developed by Nintendo.
"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." EA currently has several games being developed, including Urbz, GoldenEye, Need for Speed, Madden, and Tiger Woods.
"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."Which means that DS will recieve the same durability as the Game Boy line.
And now the offical specs:
Launch Date and MSRP: Nov. 21, 2004, in North America ($149.99), Dec. 2, 2004, in Japan (15,000 yen), 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
This is truely the real successor to the Game & Watch handhelds. Look ALARM.
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 [/small
[small]Color: Silver and Black
This is actually one model, not two. Check out the newest screens to see.
Discuss.
SOURCE(S): GameCube Advanced