Oh boy a true ds successor

[Dr. BUGMAN]

http://www.siliconera.com/2010/03/14/ru ... eal-at-e3/

-As powerful as the Gamecube
-even bigger screens than the DSi XYZPDQ
-an accelerometer -- touch AND waggle!


I'm really starting to get disenfranchised with Nintendo portables. I guess I deserve being burned for not waiting for something worthwhile to show up on the DSi. That said, come the 3rd model of the 2nd iteration were they clear up the obvious flaws of the original, I just might consider picking it up.

[Crowbar]

while DS2 will retain the dual screen format, both screens will be bigger and much closer to each other, essentially giving off the illusion of a single large screen.

Not sure what I think of this (also doesn't match the picture in that article, but I assume that's a mockup).

Although maybe it'll help remedy that thing Nintendo seeme to insist on doing where games with a transition between the two screens would treat the gap as if it didn't exist (whereas Sonic Rush, for example, had it properly accounted for).

Also this feels kinda sudden. I'd have expected another 6 months out of the DS, at least, maybe even a year (then again I've been paying no attention to the gaming press lately outside of sc2blog.com).

[Crazy Penguin]

Didn't they do the exact same thing with the Game Boy Micro, by squeezing one last "upgrade" out of the current hardware before releasing a proper new handheld?

Except then it was cool to make the things smaller rather than larger.

[plasticwingsband]

I like my Game Boy Micro! It's the only handheld I still own. I'd kind of like to get a Game Boy Pocket for original Game Boy games, though.

I had a DS which I sold along with all of my games to a used game store (got 170 dollars in credit which I then turned around and built up my Genesis collection with). I also had a PSP which kind of broke (a couple of the face buttons started sticking, etc.) which I didn't care enough to fix, that I ended up selling to $40 to an internet acquaintance of mine. Neither of them could really hold my interest, I guess.

[Locit]

I think in a way this is actually sort of a pity. 2D and hardcore in general was experiencing something of a revival on the DS's crappy old hardware. I wonder if the graphical power will lead to an increase in titles that are more expensive to produce and draw support away from the smaller projects that would otherwise never have existed, e.g. Shantae DS?

[FlashTHD]

I'd kind of like to get a Game Boy Pocket for original Game Boy games, though.

Why not a Color? Got a lot of AAAs on you?

[j-man]

Why not an Advance, even? I've had mine for nearly seven years of my life and I've treasured every day. I sleep in the same bed with it. I have its name tattooed on my arse.

I mean, like, we're close, man. Good handheld and all that.

[Team Mecha]

Didn't they do the exact same thing with the Game Boy Micro, by squeezing one last "upgrade" out of the current hardware before releasing a proper new handheld?

Except then it was cool to make the things smaller rather than larger.

Funny that Apple's doing the same thing.

Anyway I'm ready for a next-gen handheld. The DS has been out for 5 years now, 6 at least by the time the new thing comes out. Plus I want portable SSB already so it better have dual nubs.

I think in a way this is actually sort of a pity. 2D and hardcore in general was experiencing something of a revival on the DS's crappy old hardware. I wonder if the graphical power will lead to an increase in titles that are more expensive to produce and draw support away from the smaller projects that would otherwise never have existed, e.g. Shantae DS?

There'll always be low budget products, that's a fact of life. I would hope that the DS2 will have much better support for downloadable software than the DSiware ever did.

[plasticwingsband]

I'd kind of like to get a Game Boy Pocket for original Game Boy games, though.

Why not a Color? Got a lot of AAAs on you?

I like the monochrome, man. And yeah, I actually have quite a few rechargeable AAA batteries that I'm not using for anything else.

Why not an Advance, even? I've had mine for nearly seven years of my life and I've treasured every day. I sleep in the same bed with it. I have its name tattooed on my arse.

I mean, like, we're close, man. Good handheld and all that.

I like Game Boy Advance! It's just I have this awesome black Game Boy Micro that is just super slick and neat and the resolution is higher than regular GBAs I think? Anyway I like the way it fits in my pocket, so that's what I use for GBA games.

I like the GBA's design but did they ever come out with one that was backlit? The GBA SP was cool but I didn't like the shape or the buttons/d-pad.

[j-man]

GBA SP is your only option, really, unless you know someone that does handheld mods. Never had comfort issues with mine; it fits my hands perfectly. Maybe I have small hands?

[MiraiTails]

Yes. GBA SP is where it's at. I find using the triggers a bit uncomfortable because of the square shape, though.
Look for one of the backlit ones (model AGS-101). They have a much brighter screen, like the Micro's.

[The Turtle Guy]

Another DS. Really. *sigh* Go to hell, Nintendo.

I'd kind of like to get a Game Boy Pocket for original Game Boy games, though.

Why not a Color? Got a lot of AAAs on you?

Where did you find a GBC that runs on triple A's?

[CM August]

He's referring to the pocket, and the rate they burn through AAAs.

[gr4yJ4Y]

Looks like Nintendo is worried about competition from Apple's gaming compatible whatsits. If they were just up against the PSP they could probably coast through to E3 2011 before announcing anything new. It does feel too close to the DSi launch though.

I have a DS Fat and I rarely ever play it. When I do it's usually still right in front of my TV screen, so I don't even take advantage of the portable aspect of it. I'll probably pass on DS2 until a game I really want is announced for it.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

When I do it's usually still right in front of my TV screen, so I don't even take advantage of the portable aspect of it.

Pretty sure that's where ninety-nine percent of handheld owners play theirs.

[G.Silver]

It's certainly where I play mine.

[j-man]

I play with mine in bed. Hur hur.

[gr4yJ4Y]

My TV is in my bedroom, in front of my bed.

[Team Mecha]

The 3DS is announced.

[James McGeachie]

I have a DS Fat and I rarely ever play it.

It amazes me that anyone still sticks with the fat system. The Lite alone definitely had enough improvements (especially weight, screen brightness options and battery) to warrant a purchase but jumping from Fat to DSi I'd consider a pretty huge improvement.

The DS has the best library of any handheld system ever for me too. That's because I enjoy quirky ass games though and still love sprite based gaming, so I understand they're not everyone's cup of tea.

I have to admit though if I still had a DS fat I probably wouldn't want to be playing it often as it's not very comfortable and is very outdated.

Anyway 3DS sounds interesting. 3D tech doesn't exactly offer many new gameplay opportunities but if it's also combined with the accelerometer, Gamecube level tech, multi-touch screens (they better be!), screens supposedly much closer together (it'd be cool if they could design the system so when it's fully snapped out they'd form one giant screen) and likely the SD card slot and download service of the DSi, in total this would have enough new to warrant it being a full successor to the DS.

[Protodude]

I knew they had some 3D TVs in the works, but I didn't think it would end up on a handheld so soon. I don't know, all I really see this doing is adding a sense of "depth" to games, kind of like the DSi game GG! linked to. Some 3D movies would give me a headache after a while, but I don't know if that has to doe with the size of the screen or not.

[Neo]

Of course you know this has nothing to do with 3D movies in the sense that each of your eyes is given a different picture, and you get a sense of depth from it, but rather it tracks the position of your eyes relative to the system, and actually lets you see the same thing from various different angles, right?

This is in fact much more interesting with a handheld system, because you can easily move it around, while with a home console YOU have to move around, because the TV is presumably static.

[Team Mecha]

Why market a new system around something already possible on DSi? There are technologies that allow for "movie 3D" without eyewear.

However I got a lazy eye problem & can't actually see 3D because of it so none of this matters much to me anyway. There better be an off switch for this.

[Crisis]

I don't know anything about this technology whatsoever. Is it anything like the kind of 3D you have to wear glasses for in the cinema? Because that shit is a constant source of irritation. I'd rather not watch a movie at all than do it in 3D.

[James McGeachie]

It's exactly that, but without the glasses. Also probably not as effect since it's Nintendo and it'll be done on the cheap.