For DS Owners (or Nintendo fans)

[Todd Robinson]

As most of you know already, I own a Nintendo DS system. I love playing it and really enjoy the games I own for it already. The wireless feature is a nice addition, which has great potential. I consider it innovative and an excellent product.

There's just one major problem I have with Nintendo regarding the system's capabilities. On their website, they state that the DS has the ability to connect through a LAN and connect to other DS consoles through the internet (through 802.11b). They even go so far as to say to never give out any personal information through PictoChat. Yet Nintendo hasn't announced ANY wireless internet services available AT ALL.

My problem with this is consumers are buying a system with great potentials that are labeled but are not used. People are buying into this thing saying, "Wow, this system has internet connection abilities! ....okay, I bought it. Wow, this thing is cool! Hey, Nintendo! Nintendo? Hey! Nintendo! What's going on with internet connectivity? You there? Hey!" So now, as a consumer, I've got this great little piece of technology that Nintendo promises can do SO much more than be a standalone unit. That's wrong. Figure it all out and then release the system.

What do you guys think? Am I off track completely or am I hitting on something?

[Grey]

You're right on the button, Todd. Nintendo has had a long history of failed add-ons to consoles.

Everyone should remember when the original Playstation came out. Just a few years earlier, Sony was developing a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Nintendo that was to be similar to the Sega CD, except that the SNES add-on was supposed to upgrade the original console. Nintendo, however, really hit a sour note when they told Sony that they went to another company to develop the add-on as well. Sony broke contract and the Playstation was born.

Then for the N64, there was supposed to be an external Disk Drive add-on. This was an in-house development project, but it never really caught on in Japan. As a result, they did not bring it to America. There were a few games that were developed solely to be used with the 64DD, among them was a 3D version of Mario Paint.

And now we have these beautiful modem and broadband adapters for the Gamecube that aren't even used in 10 games. On top of that, Nintendo won't focus on development for online/LAN games because the president of Nintendo of Japan (Satoru Iwata) says that there "isn't a demand" for them.

Personally, I think Nintendo got a bad focus group and probably didn't get a focus group outside of Japan. So a word to the wise from Nintendo's recent history: Don't expect everything said on the box to actually come true, because it simply won't happen.

[Todd Robinson]

Don't get me wrong, though. I love the DS. The dual-screen format is a great idea and works well I believe. I just don't think you should sell your product based on theorietical information. Nintendo hyped up their product with one of the listed features as "wi-fi capable" and the gaming media has relayed that hype to us, the consumer.

The bottom line is Nintendo pushed out their product too quickly. Not enough games, games of low quality (the Mario 64 game is complete only because it's a port-over with additiona), and no word on wi-fi internet support.

My hope is that a month or two down will give Nintendo and third parties enough time to develop games, finalize strategies that should have been finalized by release date, and develop an online system. That's more than likely what will happen as Nintendo has recently put a lot of money into their R&D department for the DS.

[WesternEstates]

I'll try to make my explanation as short as possible but bascially Nintendo is really afraid of two things 1) Flops (They became even more cautious after realeasing the virtual boy vowing never to realease anything like that again) and 2) Piracy (They purposly design all of their systems so none of the games can be copied).

Nintendo is a very cautious company by nature. Grey brought up a great point. The reason that they dropped the CD add-on for the SNES was because they saw what was happening to Sega and their Sega CD.

Because of all of the problems that I mentioned above it takes Nintendo awhile to warm up to new ideas which explains why they are 3rd in the console race.

In regards to the DS question I'm still hearing that there will be games that will use that feature however I wouldn't count on any of those games being made by Nintendo.

[bmhedgehog]

From what ive heard that Nintendo was (or is) very skittish about online games, i mean that they are very afraid of the idea despite the fact that they have a modem/broadband adapter.

The reason that Nintendo dropped Sony (or vice versa) was the fact of the idea of having Sony entering the Console war arena.

[hotchocolate]

I really want to buy nintendo ds or maybe their
new console unit what is expect come out later this year

;D

plus really enjoy nintendo game expecelly

1. mario kart double dash
2. mario power tennis