Support NeoGAF

[eatyobeans]

A DS redesign? Sure. Maybe this year. Maybe next year.

But based on Iwatas recent "lifecycle" comments, i would be surprised to see a totally new portable any time soon. Same goes for PSP.

 

[rollingstart]

I am actually surprised people don't want anything for a couple of years. Even with the next revision, the chances of having VC on the DS are slim with the current screen and power. I actually wouldent mind it at all if Nintendo put out a VC dedicated handheld for cheap with one screen, six face buttons, and one analog stick.

 

[Tobor]

I am actually surprised people don't want anything for a couple of years. Even with the next revision, the chances of having VC on the DS are slim with the current screen and power. I actually wouldent mind it at all if Nintendo put out a VC dedicated handheld for cheap with one screen, six face buttons, and one analog stick.

A slight redesign of the DS could handle the VC right now. Take out the GBA slot, put in some internal flash memory, tweak the firmware, and voila!

Why on Earth would they want to release a stand alone VC handheld?

 

[batbeg]

A slight redesign of the DS could handle the VC right now. Take out the GBA slot, put in some internal flash memory, tweak the firmware, and voila!

Why on Earth would they want to release a stand alone VC handheld?

Well you wouldn't really be able to play N64 games, but I don't think that's too important. It's the rest of the systems that would make it most awesome anyway.

Not that I see Nintendo doing it until a redesign.

 

[evilromero]

Well you wouldn't really be able to play N64 games, but I don't think that's too important. It's the rest of the systems that would make it most awesome anyway.

Not that I see Nintendo doing it until a redesign.

The conventional wisdom has been that it would be dedicated to portable VC titles- you know, Game Boy, Game Gear, Lynx, etc.

 

[batbeg]

The conventional wisdom has been that it would be dedicated to portable VC titles- you know, Game Boy, Game Gear, Lynx, etc.

Then why would we need six face buttons and an analog stick, exactly?

Spoiler

Boo yah, bitch!

 

[HK-47]

A slight redesign of the DS could handle the VC right now. Take out the GBA slot, put in some internal flash memory, tweak the firmware, and voila!

Why on Earth would they want to release a stand alone VC handheld?

Cept they wont be taking out the GBA slot

 

[EverSoTrendy]

I bought a DS at launch returned it the same day. I'm waiting for a real gameboy, not a low tech spinoff. Show me the goods Nintendo.

 

[Tobor]

Cept they wont be taking out the GBA slot

It's as good as gone. I'll bet money on that.

The conventional wisdom has been that it would be dedicated to portable VC titles- you know, Game Boy, Game Gear, Lynx, etc.

This is exactly what it will be.

Then why would we need six face buttons and an analog stick, exactly?

Spoiler

Boo yah, bitch!

They don't, and the next DS won't have them.

 

[rollingstart]

A slight redesign of the DS could handle the VC right now. Take out the GBA slot, put in some internal flash memory, tweak the firmware, and voila!

Why on Earth would they want to release a stand alone VC handheld?

because I want them to! so dooooo!

and isnt the resolution of most snes games higher than that of the DS screen or something? Also, the DS can't play N64 games on it.

 

[batbeg]

They don't, and the next DS won't have them.

Look at what you were replying to initially.

 

[Tobor]

because I want them to! so dooooo!

and isnt the resolution of most snes games higher than that of the DS screen or something? Also, the DS can't play N64 games on it.

Portable VC, portable VC games.

Look at what you were replying to initially.

When you fire a machine gun into a crowd, you're going to hit some bystanders.

 

[Crushed]

I bought a DS at launch returned it the same day. I'm waiting for a real gameboy, not a low tech spinoff. Show me the goods Nintendo.

What.

 

[Scrow]

Nintendo's next handheld - it can't be far off can it?

built-in tilt detection is next, like wario ware twisted.

i expect an announcement this year, with the release next year.

 

[EvilMario]

I've always wanted one of these. I love the Gameboy Pocket screens, and with a back light. Drool. I suppose you can say, well, just use an SP.. but.. but.. I want this..

 

[Man God]

I've always wanted one of these. I love the Gameboy Pocket screens, and with a back light. Drool. I suppose you can say, well, just use an SP.. but.. but.. I want this..

I have two. It's got about the same screen fidelity as the original GBA SP which is to say that it's allright, but nothing special.

The best portable to play GB/GBC games is still the "Now with a Brighter Screen!" GBA SP's that came out around the time of the Micro's launch. Great pickup that was.

 

[Metal Gear?!]

I've always wanted one of these. I love the Gameboy Pocket screens, and with a back light. Drool. I suppose you can say, well, just use an SP.. but.. but.. I want this..

I had one. I nearly beat Final Fantasy Adventure on it. It was great back in the day but the SP is far better today, especially in contrast and backlight.

If you really want one they're pretty cheap on eBay or at GameStop-type stores.

 

[JoeMartin]

I'm expecting a DSlite+ to be announced relatively soonish, released between late this year

Spoiler

I wish

to Q2 '09.

A completely new platform, however, I don't see coming for another 2 years. Handheld tech doesn't need to be super extreme. If I want to play console-esque titles I'll play them on a console. The power the DS has services me just fine with the titles it can produce.

 

[rollingstart]

I'm expecting a DSlite+ to be announced relatively soonish, released between late this year

Spoiler

I wish

to Q2 '09.

I hope it is later this year. Actually, I hope nintendo pulls an apple and announces it at E3 only to reveal that it is out next week.

 

[POWERSPHERE]

Gameboii: A cheap & small flash memory based gameboy with no game slots that downloads VC gameboy/gameboy colour games from the Wiis VC, perhaps even other VC content like NES / SNES games & a GBWare channel... Unless that functionality is built into the DS2 though.

That said, I think i'm giving Nintendo way too much credit in even saying they'd do this. It'd be nice though.

 

[Slavik81]

What.

As wrong as he might be, he made the right move.
The DS launch really sucked. Far better to wait until about a year had passed. That was when there was mountains of awesome software, like Kirby:CC, Meteos, Castlevania, Ouendan, Phoenix Wright, & Trauma Center out. Or, if you were really patient, for the DS Lite.

 

[NotWii]

To me, the trickling of 1st party DS releases indicates to me that they're starting to write software for DS2.
Now realistically the DS2 would release in 2009, which means they'd have to show it this year.

 

[rollingstart]

As wrong as he might be, he made the right move.
The DS launch really sucked. Far better to wait until about a year had passed. That was when there was mountains of awesome software, like Kirby:CC, Meteos, Castlevania, Ouendan, Phoenix Wright, & Trauma Center out. Or, if you were really patient, for the DS Lite.

I bought Ridge Racer DS because I had nothing to play.

Sometimes people launch a game, don't know what is for (Bishnesh)

 

[Christine]

The Gameboy Colour was a new generation of hardware. It is twice as powerful as the Gameboy. The confusing aspect stems from it's form-factor, which is shared with the Gameboy Pocket (which was not new hardware)

It is also backwards-compatible, like the GBA and the DS, which confuses things... but it shouldn't be confused with revisions like the Play It Loud and the Pocket.

It doesn't share the GameBoy Pocket's form factor at all, though. It's definitely new hardware because it plays games that the original can't.

The backwards compatibility isn't confusing by itself - like I said, the confusion comes from the GBC enhanced games that could take partial advantage of the new hardware yet would still play on an original GameBoy.

Play It Loud wasn't really even a revision, it was just colors.

 

[Stumpokapow]

To me, the trickling of 1st party DS releases indicates to me that they're starting to write software for DS2.
Now realistically the DS2 would release in 2009, which means they'd have to show it this year.

They're still doing quite OK, even if it isn't quite the powerhouse it was in 2007 in terms of a release list--

2008 DS 1st Party Releases:
Mario and Sonic (J)
Soma Bringer (J)
Beautiful Character Training (J)
Pokemon Ranger 2 (J)
We Are Fossil Holders (J)
Glory of Heracles VI (J)

Professor Leyton (U)
Advance Wars DS2 (U)
Crosswords DS (U)
Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon 2 (U)

Upcoming DS 1st Party Releases:
Fire Emblem DS
Wander Donkey
Kirby Superstar Deluxe

2006/2007 DS Games yet-to-be-localized-but-still-could-be:
Cooking Navi
Project Hacker
DS Air / Jet Impulse
Kurikin Nano Island Story
Archaic Sealed Heat
DS Novel Collection
Card Hero

Rumoured DS Games:
Kirby Pinball

 

[Slavik81]

Play It Loud wasn't really even a revision, it was just colors.

Really? Marketing FTW. :lol

 

[Shogmaster]

wow that's the most pathetic set of "dream console" specs i've ever seen.

processor speed bump is stupidly low, inexplicable use of a second processor, ARM11 at a speed that doesn't actually exist, ram bumped disproportionately to processor creating a major bottleneck, buttons in an unconventional order, no screen protection, aspect ratio that's not used by anything ever...

:lol

Dream console specs? How about realistic specs, bud. It's all about BC with DS, not HOOHA! FASTER THAN PS3 LOLZ!@!!

 

[Pimpbaa]

Goddamnit. I plan on getting a DS Lite tomorrow. They better not come out with a new revision this year.

 

[Chris Michael]

A slight redesign of the DS could handle the VC right now. Take out the GBA slot, put in some internal flash memory, tweak the firmware, and voila!

Why on Earth would they want to release a stand alone VC handheld?

As far as I know, the current DS could handle a VC-type service. Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't Nintendo just sell blank DS cards that can connect to the internet and to the VC database for purchase? They could sell different size DS cards, some that have more space than other cards. The SNES/NES/Genesis/Gameboy/whatever games could be put on those cards. Unless I'm wrong about something I don't see why that couldn't be done.

 

[Meier]

The DS Lite is still like a giant cock fucking the sales charts

Amazing analogy.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

DS revsion = 2009/2010
DS successor = 2011/2012

Nevah lies, mang.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Dream console specs? How about realistic specs, bud. It's all about BC with DS, not HOOHA! FASTER THAN PS3 LOLZ!@!!

i like how the ts does not emulate the gap between the ds screens so hypothetical backwards compatibility won't work for any game that takes into account the gap (the screen doesn't seem to have enough resolution to make the divider large enough to match the actual ds divider). also i guess that explains the 1.5:1 aspect ratio. :lol

 

[Nexus Zero]

I kinda see them doing something with Apple for their next handheld. The iPhone + DS = win, and while I imagine it'd be expensive it would totally shit on Sony's market and be popular with Nintendo's.

 

[Shogmaster]

i like how the ts does not emulate the gap between the ds screens so hypothetical backwards compatibility won't work for any game that takes into account the gap (the screen doesn't seem to have enough resolution to make the divider large enough to match the actual ds divider).

You're over thinking it. As long as their is some gap, the same illusion works. The gap between screens in DS and DS Lite ain't in the same distance and ratio, but no one complained.

also i guess that explains the 1.5:1 aspect ratio. :lol

1.5:1? Oh teh noes. iPhone is doomed. Nintendo portables never needed to conform to aspect ratio standards. Whatever Nintendo wants, Sharp or whoever will be doing the LCD will make them to their demands.

 

[Pureauthor]

GBA slot will not go, people. Nintendo isn't stupid enough to do that.

 

[Mato]

Nintendo are so stingy and careful. They spent all that money and hard work launching a system. They did a wonderful job with the DS. The ship is finally sailing smoothly, the production costs must be down, so now it's time for them to make the easy buck. The will not announce or launch anything until it makes sense financially speaking.

 

[Son.Ralph.Funk]

I really do want another handheld. I hope they will at least tease it at E3 (no need to release until 2009, just want to see what they are going for).

I mean, DS was made when Nintendo was in the red and now that they are rolling big, they could really do some crazy awesome stuff with this handheld (not virtual boy crazy). I am curious to see how they go about it considering that if they do make it graphically on par or better with PSP, it will start getting close to the Wii in terms graphics (well, Iron Man DS looks better than Iron Man Wii, but that is just one of those things.)

Nintendo was never in the red.

 

[Stumpokapow]

1.5:1? Oh teh noes. iPhone is doomed. Nintendo portables never needed to conform to aspect ratio standards. Whatever Nintendo wants, Sharp or whoever will be doing the LCD will make them to their demands.

I'm sorry if I offended you with my criticism of this future system concept.

To me, when I see a system with an obvious hardware bottleneck and by extension frivolously overpowered in one area, an easy-to-physically-break form factor, a processor that does not and will not exist (the lowest clock ARM11 in general circulation right now is 400MHz--also, with Cortex architecture being so cheap, you'd basically have to be a loon to opt for ARM11 for a new project) , an aspect ratio not used by any piece of hardware ever, I don't get excited.

I get excited when I see a viable concept or render or specs that actually give me something to look forward to.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

This post is full of insanity.

The GBP is probably the worst remodel of a system yet.

What does the GBP have over the brick boy?

Slightly improved picture.

What are some of the other "features" of the GBP?

No battery indicator on the first few production runs.

Worse sound.

Less than half the battery life with the two AAA as opposed to the four AAs.

The GBC however is a great remodel. Runs about as long as the original on two AAs. Full color screen. New games, silly infra red port.

Some of the end game GBC games are fuck amazing. Mega Man Xtreme, Metal Gear Solid, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis. None of these could be done on the pocket or brickboy.

Back on topic though.

Yes they are obviously working on the next gen system. That's what they do.

We ain't seeing it this decade though. I'm thinking early 2011.

The GBC is not a remodel, it's it's own hardware (And it actually lasted as long as the GBA!)

 

[Evander]

It's as good as gone. I'll bet money on that.

I don't know. The GBA slot allows the DS a bit of modularity, with ram packs, and rumble packs, and fret buttons, etc. Allowing the DS to be modular keeps it more in like with the Wii, in that it opens up different ways of playing with it. Admittedly, the modularity of the DS is under used right now, but I don't think that stripping away that possibility "just because" makes any sense.

Why remove the slot and add flash memory, when you could just release a flash memory cart?

 

[Pureauthor]

I don't know. The GBA slot allows the DS a bit of modularity, with ram packs, and rumble packs, and fret buttons, etc. Allowing the DS to be modular keeps it more in like with the Wii, in that it opens up different ways of playing with it. Admittedly, the modularity of the DS is under used right now, but I don't think that stripping away that possibility "just because" makes any sense.

Why remove the slot and add flash memory, when you could just release a flash memory cart?

It's not a 'I don't know', it's a 'Never going to happen unless Sony test runs their Stupid Ray on Nintendo HQ'.

 

[Zaangamer]

I pretty much expect SONY to launch a new handheld way before Nintendo does this time around. Nintendo is making to much money right now to care about the next gen yet. Here in Holland DS's are still sometimes a pain to get a hold of in stores, especially round holidays.

Sony on the other hand, not so much.

 

[AniHawk]

I pretty much expect SONY to launch a new handheld way before Nintendo does this time around. Nintendo is making to much money right now to care about the next gen yet. Here in Holland DS's are still sometimes a pain to get a hold of in stores, especially round holidays.

Sony on the other hand, not so much.

The problem with that is, Sony is just starting to lessen the blow the PS3 delivered. Making a new handheld would not only help kill the profitable current one (even though the software doesn't sell), but it would add to the R&D costs. Also, I'm not sure how realistic their chances are with not one, but two systems with very poor or lukewarm sales for higher-budget games when looking for third-party support for such a thing.

The only way I see Nintendo budging before 2011-12 is if Sony brings out another handheld. I guess Microsoft could do it too, but they just started making a profit in the gaming division.

 

[Evander]

I don't imagine MSoft bringing out a dedicated gaming handheld until after seeing how XNA works out on the Zune.

 

[PolyGone]

I don't imagine MSoft bringing out a dedicated gaming handheld until after seeing how XNA works out on the Zune.

MSoft won't bother with a portable gaming device, because virtually all the best portable games are developed in Japan. They would find themselves in the same boat as before, only with less developers on the western side, since most western developers with talent focus on big budget console/pc titles and couldn't care less for lower end tech (those that do make good portable games are already mostly in bed with Sony).

I hope the DS/PSP generation lasts another 5 years. Its sickening how many great looking titles are on their way.

 

[Shogmaster]

I'm sorry if I offended you with my criticism of this future system concept.

Offended? I think you've overestimated the value of your opinion.

To me, when I see a system with an obvious hardware bottleneck and by extension frivolously overpowered in one area, an easy-to-physically-break form factor, a processor that does not and will not exist (the lowest clock ARM11 in general circulation right now is 400MHz--also, with Cortex architecture being so cheap, you'd basically have to be a loon to opt for ARM11 for a new project) , an aspect ratio not used by any piece of hardware ever, I don't get excited.

Nintendo took ARM9, which was generally clocked around 166MHz and above, and gave us 67Mhz in the DS. I think looking at Nintendo's past utilization of processors, clocking ARM11 @ 200MHz is about right. As for Cortex? Are you nuts? Do you really think after 67MHz in the DS, Nintendo wants to shoot for 600MHz~1GHz?

Also, 1.5:1 has been sold to millions on Palm devices (Clies and Palm TX etc.) and now the iPhone and the iPod Touch. That's pretty decent amount more than "no one".

I get excited when I see a viable concept or render or specs that actually give me something to look forward to.

Don't tell me: GC portable or bust, right? lol

 

[zigg]

It's as good as gone. I'll bet money on that.

The makers of Guitar Hero: On Tour would not be amused.

 

[Zaangamer]

Don't tell me: GC portable or bust, right? lol

To be quite honest, thanks to the PSP and the expectations that brought around regarding handhelds, a portable gamecube would be a massive, massive dissappointment, to me at least.

 

[Evander]

The makers of Guitar Hero: On Tour would not be amused.

That reminds me, is red octane making that fret thingy, or are they farming itout?

 

[Shogmaster]

To be quite honest, thanks to the PSP and the expectations that brought around regarding handhelds, a portable gamecube would be a massive, massive dissappointment, to me at least.

And Nintendo couldn't give a shit about what PSP nor PSP2's specs would be. All Nintendo will care about is A). easy BC with DS, and B). low cost and profit on hardware from day 1.