Topic: Backwards Compatibility: What Gameboy generations are playable on the Nintendo DS?

[Shecky]

Generations:
GB = Gameboy in all interations up to ....
GBC = Gameboy Color
GBA = Gameboy Advance
NDS = Nintendo DS

I was under the impression that the DS played all 4 generations.

However I've heard that it may only play NDS and GBA titles.  (and after going to the Nintendo site, they word the bottom slot as a GBA slot).   I figured they start chopping off at the tail soon enough, so if GB and GBC games weren't playable then it wouldn't be a huge surprise.

Anyone certian on the answer?

[Artimus]

GBA games.

[Ness_the_Mess]

Gameboy and Gameboy colour run off of a different processer, which the GBA included.  However, the DS has only a correct processer for the GBA.

I'm sure you can expect future GAMEBOYs to play old gameboy games.  But the DS is the 'third pillar.'

[Hybrid Hunter]

NDS is the start of a new generation, thus the 'thrid pillar' thing.
GB and GBC games will still be playable, through the Game Boy handheld consoles so don't panic!

[KDR_11k]

I resent the idea that every console has to have a TLA. Why say NDS? DS is enough. Same for NGC/GCN, GC is a unique identifier for a console.

[PaLaDiN]

Somebody edit the first post so it says NGB.

[Shecky]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ness_the_Mess
Gameboy and Gameboy colour run off of a different processer, which the GBA included.  However, the DS has only a correct processer for the GBA.

I'm sure you can expect future GAMEBOYs to play old gameboy games.  But the DS is the 'third pillar.'

If they did come out with a next generation Gameboy, I would be surprised if it did play the old GB and GBC games.  At some point you have to start cutting the older generations.

Now if they would bundle Tetris into the DS from the get-go they could solve the problem plain outright

As for the whole NDS thing... I was looking for an answer to my question and kept seeing NDS, so when I posted I used NDS not even really thinking.

Edit: wouldn't / didn't -> would / did.... silly double negatives

[KDR_11k]

Well, at some point you'd have to cull the older hardware, yes, but you could opt for software emulation after a few gens.

[Bloodworth]

Why don't we all just start calling it the NTR since that's the abbreviation on the packaging.

[Rancid Planet]

It doesn't really matter that the DS won't play ancient GameBoy games. I mean how many potential customers will Nintendo lose by not allowing the DS to play Tetris?

[Switchblade Cross]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bloodworth
Why don't we all just start calling it the NTR since that's the abbreviation on the packaging.

The same reason we don't call the GamesCube the DOL, or the N64 the NUS, or the GBA SP the AGS