Theslammer
Member
I don't know how old you are, but I was in high school when it released. I wasn't paying any attention to the system until years later, so I had no idea this was a picture that made its rounds. =P
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Let's talk launches: Nintendo DS (November 21, 2004)
- Thread starter Theslammer
- Start date
I don't know how old you are, but I was in high school when it released. I wasn't paying any attention to the system until years later, so I had no idea this was a picture that made its rounds. =P
The blue version of the DS phat always had my attention. I remember being mystified by 2 screens and a portable metroid prime. Unfortunately I was way too young to have that kinda money and things were brown family wise so I didn't get one till the DS lite era. I ended up buying the blue phat version eventually and I still prefer that unit over the rest.
I remember seeing this a second coming of N64 tech level graphics and was pretty hyped for it. And boy did it deliver on that level - it was lovely to see all that 3rd party support on that little thing and the blocky low tech 3D was endearing.
Imported a white Japanese DS before the lite came out - I always wanted to pick up a yellow DSi at then end, but somehow never did.
There are so many awesome games on this system - especially ports from western developers you would have never thought of:
a first Person RPG from id software?
Turn based Age of Empires?
Anno?
The Settlers?
Call of Duty?
Everyone was there!
Imported a white Japanese DS before the lite came out - I always wanted to pick up a yellow DSi at then end, but somehow never did.
There are so many awesome games on this system - especially ports from western developers you would have never thought of:
a first Person RPG from id software?
Turn based Age of Empires?
Anno?
The Settlers?
Call of Duty?
Everyone was there!
whyamihere
Banned
Same. It could never get into it because of the camera.
Ein Bear
Member
Do you guys remember ...
I somehow missed that you could play Mario 64 with the D-Pad, so beat the entire game using this monstrosity. It was a very miserable experience.
Using that thing for Kid icarus uprising made that game way more comfortable to play.Do you guys remember ...
The DS will always be nostalgic. My first job was a month long seasonal position and I used the money to buy the red mario kart ds and Final Fantasy III. Wore it down to the point of the hinge being held together with tape.
I've always spent far time with portables than home consoles, but the DS at launch didn't appeal to me at all- neither the hardware or the games were attractive to me. The DSL design was a great move though, it suddenly looked slicker, and by that point the games were coming thick and fast.
sixteen-bit
Member
Of the launch games, I think the only one I have is Mr. Driller Drill Spirits, and it's only because of a Circuit City clearance sale. Great system, but it only took off after MKDS in 2005 and the following year with the DSLite launch.
outunderthestars
Banned
I remember that launch because Nintendo mailed me a severed hand in the mail.
AlternativeUlster
Absolutely pathetic part deux
I didn't get a DS until the DS Lite came out and felt I also mostly only got it because my hype levels for the Wii were unreal. It was my first handheld gaming purchase and honestly, looking back at the library, is probably my all time favorite system.
I have always had a thing for games that were exceptionally different and I felt like the DS library had this in spades.
I have always had a thing for games that were exceptionally different and I felt like the DS library had this in spades.
Family Fry
Member
Will never forget this picture.
Vital Tundra
Member
Didn't get one till the light with Pokemon Diamond. Great system.
Also looking at old threads I have never seen so much crow seedbed out EVER.
Also looking at old threads I have never seen so much crow seedbed out EVER.
The Hermit
Member
the real lauch was the DS lite
Never bough a handheld before, the DS was ugly and I was eyeing the PSP. Then, DS Lite came, looking like an apple product. It was glorious
Never bough a handheld before, the DS was ugly and I was eyeing the PSP. Then, DS Lite came, looking like an apple product. It was glorious
InterMusketeer
Gold Member
The DS really got me into games as a hobby. I played and enjoyed games before then, but was totally unaware of future game releases or systems coming out. A classmate introduced me to the DS's announcement, and I thought it looked so cool. I hadn't had a handheld system since the GameBoy Pocket, so I was really looking forward to its release, looking up video's online, buying magazines and all that. Anyone else remember Nintendo denying DS stood for "Dual Screen?" They kept saying it mean "Developer System" instead.
Anyway, the launch came near, and stores got demo units in. I must've played at least a few hours on those. I'd go to the store after school to get a few minutes of Wario Ware in. At some point someone stole the stylus.
I had two games; Mario 64 DS and the First Hunt demo. I'd never played Mario 64 in its entirety before, and it was just really cool to me to be able to play a 3D game like that on a handheld. The D-pad never bothered me to be honest. When the drought happened, I purchased some GBA games to play instead. You kinda needed to have at least one anyway, to fill that gaping cartridge slot.
When the games started coming, I think the DS really became something special. A fantastic system. I even pre-ordered a DS Lite from Lik-sang. There was so much demand for them that they raised their prices by a significant amount, which my parents paid for me thankfully. Too bad its younger sibling, the 3DS, sucked, and continues to suck till this very day.
Anyway, the launch came near, and stores got demo units in. I must've played at least a few hours on those. I'd go to the store after school to get a few minutes of Wario Ware in. At some point someone stole the stylus.
I had two games; Mario 64 DS and the First Hunt demo. I'd never played Mario 64 in its entirety before, and it was just really cool to me to be able to play a 3D game like that on a handheld. The D-pad never bothered me to be honest. When the drought happened, I purchased some GBA games to play instead. You kinda needed to have at least one anyway, to fill that gaping cartridge slot.
When the games started coming, I think the DS really became something special. A fantastic system. I even pre-ordered a DS Lite from Lik-sang. There was so much demand for them that they raised their prices by a significant amount, which my parents paid for me thankfully. Too bad its younger sibling, the 3DS, sucked, and continues to suck till this very day.
Jacknapes
Member
I didn't get one at launch due to my wages in my new job being messed up, however i got one once they were corrected in April. Picked up SM64 DS with it, loved being able to play it portability. Didn't have that many games for it over it's lifetime, think i only picked up 4 or 5 other games. I used it mostly as an alternative to the GBA.
i got the thing on the friday before launch. gamerush (blockbuster) was selling them and sm64 ds early, at roughly $45 to me thanks to some game-trading deals taking place there at the time.
over the weekend my sister convinced me to keep it, so i played sm64 ds, never beat it, and played first hunt a little as well.
i've never owned or seen another platform go from such a soft start to such wide acceptance. it was probably the most toxic i'd seen fandom around the launch of a platform too, with blood in the water surrounding nintendo as a whole and sega's departure from hardware being a recent memory.
over the weekend my sister convinced me to keep it, so i played sm64 ds, never beat it, and played first hunt a little as well.
i've never owned or seen another platform go from such a soft start to such wide acceptance. it was probably the most toxic i'd seen fandom around the launch of a platform too, with blood in the water surrounding nintendo as a whole and sega's departure from hardware being a recent memory.
Theslammer
Member
Hahaha, what the heck?
sixteen-bit
Member
People thought the same thing with Vita and 3DS. They were so wrong.
tkscz
Member
Do you guys remember ...
Bought one of these for Kid Icuras Uprising. Works so damn good after all this time.
To be fair, at launch PSP had everything going for it.
Nintendo struck gold after but it was hard to predict.
Edit: Also, I gave Nintendodogs to my little cousin last month (she is two) and she totally loved it. The damn game totally holds up 12 years later. Mostly thanks to the touchscreen since kids are used to that these days. Funny enough it took her time to get that the top screen was not touch. Nintendo was ahead of the curve.
Nintendo struck gold after but it was hard to predict.
Edit: Also, I gave Nintendodogs to my little cousin last month (she is two) and she totally loved it. The damn game totally holds up 12 years later. Mostly thanks to the touchscreen since kids are used to that these days. Funny enough it took her time to get that the top screen was not touch. Nintendo was ahead of the curve.
Bending_Unit_22
Member
I bought one within the first year but recall not having Wi-Fi for a few years after. One of 2 times I can think of that Nintendo was ahead of me when it comes to the internet.
Yup. I kept it for my DS Lite, really impressed all the kids I knew since they got DS' after Nintendo stopped shipping those. I almost never used it though.
They were mostly right, for the first year, and in the West.
Do you guys remember ...
Yup. I kept it for my DS Lite, really impressed all the kids I knew since they got DS' after Nintendo stopped shipping those. I almost never used it though.
They were mostly right, for the first year, and in the West.
Do you guys remember ...
Yeah I still have mine and use it for hunters and Kid Icarus Uprising. Works like a charm, but doesn't strap onto the N3DSXL properly
Mass Effect
Member
Only one of two systems I ever got at launch (the other being the Wii). Got it day one with Super Mario 64 DS and Asphalt Urban GT (and the Metroid demo), and I played the hell out of all of them.
I remember playing 4-player multiplayer on that First Hunt demo all the time since a lot of my friends ended up getting DSes too. We even got to do 8 player Mario Kart local play once too, and it was one of the craziest things ever.
this was really great for FPS games on the DS (i.e., Metroid Prime Hunters)
I remember playing 4-player multiplayer on that First Hunt demo all the time since a lot of my friends ended up getting DSes too. We even got to do 8 player Mario Kart local play once too, and it was one of the craziest things ever.
Do you guys remember ...
this was really great for FPS games on the DS (i.e., Metroid Prime Hunters)
Diddy Kong
Banned
Seeing Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi flying around Peach's Castle was amazing..
it was a mannequin hand. you were supposed to use it and create a fan-generated marketing ad around it. it was before social media was a thing, but it behaved like a social media campaign.
You seem to forget the 3DS's launch. That was a true shitshow and I love the 3DS. It was pretty obvious shareholders pushed Nintendo to release early because people got hyped by the 3D. So we had a model that felt unfinished, lack of games and the eShop wasn't even ready yet. It was rushed and it bit them in the ass. It was only saved because of what Iwata did.
Graphics Horse
Member
No, it was always announced for the following financial year way back in March 2010 before anyone knew anything about it.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390930
So clearly Nintendo rushed it to fit the financial year by themselves.
the 3ds's launch was a direct result of the wii u being the true shitshow. i think nintendo wanted to launch 3ds in the holiday season for 2010, but because the wii u demanded so much attention to get out the door in (and i assume they were originally targeting holiday 2011), that many 3ds projects fell by the wayside. most notably is a link between world's three-man team being disassembled in 2010 so one guy could direct nintendoland and another guy could direct new super mario bros. u.
the thing apparent about 3ds to me is that nintendo felt like they could coast on their success, that releasing a featureless overpriced platform with no rock star launch title in march would work because of the branding and the gimmick.
Reminds me of Japanese laptop design, like Panasonic's "rugged" laptop line. Maybe it was meant to inspire confidence that the average Japanese kid wouldn't be able to break it?
McMoneyman
Member
Dr. Feel Good
Banned
First 9 months with the system were rough but I had a lot of fond memories around them.
Super Mario 64 DS and Feel the Magic were the obvious hits at launch. Yoshi Touch and Go and Wario Ware Touched came soon after (although both were very light in content). Pac-Pix, Meteos, and Kirby Canvas Curse in early Summer was a great relief. And then the storm of Advance Wars , Nintendogs, Pac n Roll, Castlevania and the next Holiday hits just steam rolled.
I did beat Sprung as well which was a launch window game. Anyone remember this game? What a piece of shit.
Super Mario 64 DS and Feel the Magic were the obvious hits at launch. Yoshi Touch and Go and Wario Ware Touched came soon after (although both were very light in content). Pac-Pix, Meteos, and Kirby Canvas Curse in early Summer was a great relief. And then the storm of Advance Wars , Nintendogs, Pac n Roll, Castlevania and the next Holiday hits just steam rolled.
I did beat Sprung as well which was a launch window game. Anyone remember this game? What a piece of shit.
YES!! I remember this. Nintendo sent me one too.
Mister_Ruck
Member
My launch DS got stolen out of my car and I went without one until the Lite came out. Never got a DSi. I was really bummed for a while about losing my DS but the GBA was still going strong so my SP got a lot of use while I waited for some games to actually come out.
Will never forget this picture.
man seeing this picture makes me feel soooo dam old lol, simpler times.
Theslammer
Member
I remember making jokes to my friend when I was in high school when we were playing those simplistic games on our phone like frogger and dots. I said, "Hey, wouldn't it be hilarious if I could play Final Fantasy X on my graphing calculator?!"
While those calculators haven't changed, the concept of playing what was a huge game, but on-the-go, ended up being what happened and sooner than I thought.