NEW Nintendo DS pics and info!!!!!

[GleefulFarewell]

http://ds.ign.com/articles/564/564540p1.html?fromint=1

[GleefulFarewell]

lol...check out this pick of the thumd strap thing...lol

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035134691.jpg

[Viper]

Nice pic but no swearing in thread titles.

[Sandman]

I don't understand the purpose of the thumstrap... Is it to help support the DS in your hands?

[Michael]

The thumbstrap is suppose to be for analog controls...I'm guessing because the Ds doesn't need a analog, it can use the touchscreen for them instead. THe thumbstrap would just make it feel, and work smoother.

[Dwhitten]

Thats pretty cool then.

[GleefulFarewell]

I don't understand the purpose of the thumstrap... Is it to help support the DS in your hands?


read the article... :tardbang:

[Flaccid Acid]

Itd also has a little platic knob at the end so your finger tips dont great up the screen. I like idea I just hope it looks natural and is easy to use.

[IEatFriedPikmin]

great. This is going to be a LONG 2 weeks.

[Vishus]

Nintendo DS In Our Hands
We've got the final boxed system! Photos galore.

November 08, 2004 - Well, it's official, folks. The Nintendo DS is being prepared to ship out to retailers for its November 21st launch. We were able to get our hands on the final, boxed units two weeks before the system's official release date, and we wasted no time ripping the packaging to shreds to show you exactly what you get in the box. And it's always oh-so-satisfying tearing into a new gadget, let me tell you.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108052738114.jpg

For 149.99, you get a rather sleek box packed with goodies. Along with the system that's nicely packed up in a poly-bag (with a pink styrofoam cushion), there's an AC adapter, a wrist strap, a copy of Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt boxed in a cardboard sleeve and protective plastic pouch, two stylus pens, as well as tons of paperwork you're sure to read from cover to cover about epileptic seizures, charging the system, warnings about not taking the system in with you during a bath...that sort of thing.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035136894.jpg

The wrist strap actually doubles as the "thumb strap" that Nintendo's Chris Campbell revealed at the Nintendo Gamers Summit during his presentation of Super Mario 64. On the end of the strap is a little centimeter bit of plastic that rests on the tip of your left or right thumb. It's slightly rounded, but not pointed like a stylus. The intention is to give players an alternative way of touching and sliding across the screen without using the player's greasy thumb smearing the plastic.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035149268.jpg

The pack-in game, as previously announced, is a demo version of Metroid Prime: Hunter. It doesn't come packaged in the usual plastic "keep case" of the retail games, instead, it's in a cardboard sleeve keeper with a slot for the cartridge itself, as well as a pocket for the instruction manual. The cartridge, much smaller than a GBA cart, also comes in a sleeve, not unlike a smaller version of the sleeves you'd put a trading card in for safe keeping. Notice the three letter codename for Nintendo DS cartridges: NTR. Remember "Nitro"?

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035132831.jpg

The AC adapter isn't any different than the GBA SP unit's AC adapter, except with Nintendo DS printed on the unit instead of Game Boy Advance SP. There's a good reason for this: both systems can use either adapter. And as an added bonus, if you have Game Boy Advance SP headphones, they can plug in and use the Nintendo DS' adapter port. The system recognizes the headphones plugged in back there, turning off the Nintendo DS speakers so you can listen to the audio through the ears. Interesting that this happens since the DS already a standard headphone jack as well.

Out of the box, the system has enough charge to get you started, though Nintendo encourages owners to give it a full charge before using it. Boot up at the start brings up the usual start-up screen of the Nintendo DS:

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035129941.jpg

The first time, though, players will have to adjust the user's language, enter in the system name, the current date, time, as well as the player's birthday. All this is used in Pictochat, and if it's the player's birthday, PictoChat will tell everyone in the current network that it's time to celebrate.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035144909.jpg

Once all the settings are in place, the system must shut down to save the settings. Any time players adjust any setting on the Nintendo DS, the system will prompt users to shut down the system. I figure this is Nintendo playing it safe so that people don't lose their data.

Once all this is done and the system boots back up again, players can go right into the system's main menu. This menu offers up items such as playing a Nintendo DS game (shown via icon and name), the option to start up PictoChat, to download a file wirelessly (used for single cartridge multiplayer games or other unannounced features), or boot up a Game Boy Advance cartridge, if one is in the slot.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035137769.jpg

Keep in mind, all of these menu options are easy to navigate touch screen compatible. The system can simply boot to the Nintendo DS game automatically without going to this menu system, but that has to be selected in the options menu.

The system is Game Boy Advance compatible, and the system can display the game on either upper and lower screen depending on the user's input. Since the Game Boy Advance uses 240x160 resolution, and each Nintendo DS screen is 256x192, the image is slightly bordered. The GBA games look fabulous on the Nintendo DS screens since the system uses backlighted LCD screens instead of frontlighting as on the Game Boy Advance SP. Colors are bright and vibrant played on the Nintendo DS system...and in full stereo without headphones thanks to the system's built-in speakers.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035147221.jpg

We've already discussed PictoChat in depth previously, and without having multiple systems to link up to, all we could do was create messages to ourselves. Important messages, of course, but no one but us could see them.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035150002.jpg

Since we got the system late in the day today, we didn't have much time to put into Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt, but since the game is identical to the version we played at Nintendo's Gamers Summit, our impressions haven't changed much. Except for one important factor:

The game is SO MUCH MORE PLAYABLE with the Thumb Strap.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035142221.jpg

Yes, you heard that right. The game is awkward to play using the stylus since you have to support the system entirely with the same hand that's manipulating five of the control buttons.

But when you actually get the Thumb Strap on and slide the plastic bit with the tip of your thumb, the game controls much more naturally with very little discomfort. I will say that your thumb will wear out from overuse, but not nearly as much as your entire left or right hand would by playing using the stylus. Playing with the Thumb Strap has completely changed my opinion on Metroid Prime Hunters and first person shooters in general on the Nintendo DS, because the control is so much better using it.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/564/564540/nintendo-ds-in-our-hands-20041108035134691.jpg

The Demo doesn't seem to have a setting for "sensitivity" so that players can adjust how much or how little Samus turns and looks around sliding your thumb along the screen. Hopefully when the full version hits the scene next year, we'll have a sensitivity adjust.

I'll admit that the Thumb Strap isn't the most conveniently designed device, and I'm expecting third party companies to come up with their own thumb "cap" design to be more comfortable or convenient. And since the DS screen gets confused when it senses more than one element touching it, if players accidentally have any part of the strap resting on the screen while using the Thumb part, the game may freak out or not turn/jump when you want them to.

I'm looking forward to playing games that have controls designed specifically around this Thumb Strap...Super Mario 64 DS and Ridge Racer DS specifically.

We'll have tons more on the Nintendo DS, leading all the way up to the system's official release on November 21st.

-- Craig Harris





Draygus: I wish my DS rumbled everytime I rub a girl touching game. The rumble strength would increase on girl sensitivity. HUHUHUHUHUHUHU

[Cofey]

^I'm glad to hear that the thumbstrap is actually doing what it's supposed to.
This is going to be a LONG 2 weeks.
You said it brother

[Hylian-Advocate]

I'd also recomend watching the videos..........the second one in particular looks amazing....

I too am glad to see that the thumb strap actually makes it easier to play... IGN seems to be very pleased with how MPH works now that they have it. They even went as far as saying that all FPS will be so much better now... makes me more excited to get my DS.

[GTATrumpet]

MPH looks so awesome.

[Kliq]

Great pictures

Not sure if I'll get a thumbstrap, depends. I've heard that the D-Pad is doing great.

[Serene Samus]

This is great news. It also makes the wait more painful.

[koten]

^ That it does... that it does... I so wish I had money for this :(

[Hyrule_Dude]

Great pictures

Not sure if I'll get a thumbstrap, depends. I've heard that the D-Pad is doing great.

Thumb/wriststrap is included in the initial package.

[Nights]

That's what I thought.

[speed stick]

^Thats great that they are including a thumb strap. I can't wait until Christmas now! The DS has went to the top of my list.

[GleefulFarewell]

http://ds.ign.com/articles/564/564977p1.html?fromint=1

heres the Metroid Prime Hunters First Hunt review...

[Michael]

^preview, preview!

[GleefulFarewell]

^ review...because they have the demo...and they've played it...and there reviewing it...right?

[Michael]

^no, reviews are there final impressions...they have not yet realsed there final impressions of the game.

[GleefulFarewell]

^ the game or the demo?

[Vishus]

Its not a review Blurp it clearly says preview. No one writes reviews on demos, only hands-on, previews, and impressions.