Author Topic: Nintendo Comments on DS Redesign Rumors (Read 8779 times)

Jonnyboy117 · « **on:** January 13, 2006, 08:03:50 AM »

Move along, nothing to see here.

You may have heard rumors this week that Nintendo is about to announce the widely expected redesign for its Nintendo DS system. However, Nintendo of America has issued this statement:

"Clearly, Nintendo DS continues to be one of the most popular and talked-about video game systems available. Through 2005, some 13 million units have sold worldwide. Nintendo is always looking for ways to improve its games and systems, but we have nothing to announce at this time."

This vague statement is likely meant to calm potential buyers who may be considering a delayed purchase if they think a redesign is about to be announced. The quote may also be intended to minimize disappointment among fans if an announcement is not made next week as rumored.

The rumors began last year when NOA exec Reggie Fils-Aime mentioned in an interview that the company was always looking for ways to refine its products to look sleeker and more desirable. A more fervent version of the rumor appeared on Internet message boards this week, claiming that the redesigned DS would be officially announced on Monday, January 16th.

Nevertheless, NOA's statement is a weakened reflection of Reggie's own comment last year, making the question of a DS redesign seem more like "when" than "if". Stay tuned to PGC for more information, as we'll be following this story closely.

JonLeung · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2006, 08:51:01 AM »

I'd actually WANT them to redesign the DS at some point.

I've never bought two of the same Nintendo system, and aren't about to. When me and my brother got into Pokémon, we had a Game Boy Pocket and a Game Boy Color. When we got into Ruby/Sapphire (as well as to play Four Swords Adventures and Crystal Chronicles), we had a GBA and a GBA SP.

So if I'm to play DS games with my brother, a redesigned DS would be more worth getting than another DS. Sure, there's nothing wrong with another DS, and now they have red and blue and special edition colours, I'm sure, but if an upgrade is ever to come, I'd rather have that.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2006, 08:57:02 AM »

I haven't heard any redesign rumours. Personally the timing would be kind of sucky since I just bought the Mario Kart DS about a month ago. But then I'm pretty satisfied with the DS as is so it wouldn't bother me as much as the GBA redesign because the originally GBA was severely flawed. I felt like I got ripped off by the original GBA but I don't have any complaints here so I wouldn't have the same feeling with the DS. Still I think Nintendo should lay off redesigns unless there's a huge flaw to address. If this becomes a common pattern people might start to take a wait and see approach before purchasing. After all there's no point in buying the system early on if the "real" version is going to come out shortly after.

Hostile Creation · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2006, 09:08:25 AM »

Nintendo has been denying a lot of rumors recently. Well, two that I can think of offhand, but that's a lot for them.

SUSPICIOUS

GoldenPhoenix · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2006, 09:26:54 AM »

I really doubt people will take the wait and see approach to redesigned Nintendo handhelds. It has yet to happen and redesigns are NOTHING new to Nintendo's handhelds. The new redesigns usually sell just as well as the old designs, in fact the only redesign that I can remember that didn't go over too well was the GB Micro, and even that was a huge failure. People will always have the mentality about getting something early even though it may have flaws, whether it be design or games!

JonLeung · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2006, 09:40:43 AM »

I haven't heard of the Micro as being described as a failure yet, but with the DS being really hot, apparently, and also being capable of playing GBA games, why get one? Not to mention that the GBA/GBA SP had been pretty hot for a long time beforehand, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Micro didn't have the sales numbers as the other GBA iterations. I'm guessing it should've raised overall GBA sales somewhat though, didn't it?

A reiteration of the DS, however inevitable it actually is, probably won't hurt.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:21:38 AM »

The buttons on the DS suck badly so I for one would appreciate a redesign... Well, if I didn't have to pay money again.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:29:10 AM »

"The buttons on the DS suck badly so I for one would appreciate a redesign"

Yeah I'll agree they're not that hot. But it's somewhat of a necessary evil because of left handers having to use the touchscreen. My biggest complaints with the DS are router incompatibilities (I haven't got online yet and I'm pretty annoyed about that) and the fact that Mario Kart DS doesn't let you customize the controls. Using the A button for gas just murders my thumbs.

JonLeung · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:34:44 AM »

I see how it could be necessary, and how the buttons are arranged to allow it, but I haven't actually seen it in use yet. The thing about left handers, I mean. What games require constant control with the D-Pad and the stylus?

nickmitch · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:35:31 AM »

Yeah, and bigger buttons don't condone a redesign. Since there is only that one flaw, the system would pretty much be the same. Nintendo COULD change the shape and make it smaller, but there'd be no point in that.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:42:41 AM »

Using the A button for gas just murders my thumbs.

As a regular Blender user I'd say any prolonged holding of buttons should be abolished. In the case of MK they could easily invert A (not pushing A accellerates) because otherwise you're holding it down 99% of the time.

vudu · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2006, 11:46:19 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: JonLeung
I see how it could be necessary, and how the buttons are arranged to allow it, but I haven't actually seen it in use yet. The thing about left handers, I mean. What games require constant control with the D-Pad and the stylus?

Metroid Prime Hunters

ShyGuy · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2006, 12:00:58 PM »

what do you think of the DS directional pad Ian?

ThePerm · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2006, 12:37:43 PM »

redesign gamecube and make it 50 bucks. Xbox is dead... time to take second place

Ian Sane · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2006, 12:38:49 PM »

"what do you think of the DS directional pad Ian?"

I like it so far though I've never used it for something like Street Fighter II and that's usually the big testing point. Nintendo typically makes good d-pads and this seems to follow that tradition (the Cube one wasn't bad for the GBA it just was too small for a console). I like how it's less rough then the classic Nintendo d-pad. I can't say for sure but it looks like getting blisters with it would be much harder since it has a pretty smooth surface.

joshnickerson · « **Reply #15 on:** January 13, 2006, 01:41:06 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k

As a regular Blender user I'd say any prolonged holding of buttons should be abolished. In the case of MK they could easily invert A (not pushing A accellerates) because otherwise you're holding it down 99% of the time.

They did. They called it Kirby's Air Ride.

IceCold · « **Reply #16 on:** January 13, 2006, 02:32:13 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
Using the A button for gas just murders my thumbs.

As a regular Blender user I'd say any prolonged holding of buttons should be abolished. In the case of MK they could easily invert A (not pushing A accellerates) because otherwise you're holding it down 99% of the time.

Well, you feel more in control when you're pushing it down. And also, it would feel very unnatural; it goes against the tradition, and people who are used to holding it down would have a tough time adjusting. Besides, when you drive a car, you hold the accelerator down, right?

KDR_11k · « **Reply #17 on:** January 13, 2006, 10:11:12 PM »

It's natural to hold down the trigger in a shooter yet I had to switch to "simple" (i.e. toggle) fire mode in Gunstar Super Heroes. A car's accellerator isn't placed as badly and isn't operated with your thumb.

Chozo Ghost · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:10:12 AM »

The feature the DS needs most of all is MP3 and movie playing capability. Think about it... if Nintendo released a DS SP that could play MP3s and movies (and maybe e-books and homebrew games) on some removable memory cards then that would eliminate a huge edge that the PSP has over it. Oh yeah, and maybe the ability to play old gameboy and color games as well. Perhaps a USB port and a web browser, while we're at it.

mantidor · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2006, 01:48:45 AM »

Im left handed and I can play the Hunters demo fine, maybe the only inconvenient is that the "virtual" buttons to change to missiles are on the right side of the screen and thus somewhat difficult to reach, but for right handed people the morph ball is also on the oposite side. The big problem as Ive mentioned in another thread is sidescrolling when the sidescrolling occures in the touchscreen and the stylus is the main method of input, in other words, Im afraid I wont be able to enjoy Kirby Canvas Curse.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2006, 03:41:09 AM »

I played Kirby left handed on the DS just fine

kirby_killer_dedede · « **Reply #21 on:** January 15, 2006, 01:10:24 PM »

NO REDESIGNS.

FIRMWARE UPDATES PLZ.

GIMME DSPEAK/ONLINE PICTOCHAT.

OK T/Y.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #22 on:** January 16, 2006, 04:16:40 AM »

A firmware update won't fix the A button horribly violating my thumb.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #23 on:** January 16, 2006, 06:54:33 AM »

"A car's accellerator isn't placed as badly and isn't operated with your thumb."

If the accellerator was B it wouldn't matter. F-Zero: Maximum Velocity has the same problem but it had control options so I just changed accelerate to B and there was no problem. There's no need for them to rethink how a driving game works they just need to offer more flexibility. Realistically every game should allow you to customize the controls even if they only let you swap face buttons with face buttons.

I am quite surprised that the severe agony of using the A button didn't come up in testing. I imagine it would take like ten seconds of coding to assign a function to a different button (unless they did REALLY crappy coding where they hardcoded "A" to a million places) so you figure once all the testers started having to put ice on their thumb they would address the issue. Stuff like that always blows me away. How does a team of proffessionals miss something that is incredibly obvious to everyone else ten minutes in?

kirby_killer_dedede · « **Reply #24 on:** January 16, 2006, 07:00:13 AM »

I really have no problem with the A button being the accelerator and I've played Mario Kart for at least 20 hours by now.

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Author Topic: Nintendo Comments on DS Redesign Rumors (Read 8779 times)