Categories: Originals

Nintendo DS: Official Name & Design

Today, Nintendo has formally announced the official name of their next handheld, and “third pillar”. First there was the Nintendo DS, then we found out about the name the “Nitro”. Then it was back to the DS again.

Contrary to all the past confusions, Nintendo has officially gone on record to say that the new system’s name will be the Nintendo DS. The name was chosen because it represents the product as “dual-screen” so natively. The name also hints to it’s second meaning towards development studios, being touted as a “developer system”.

“The Nintendo DS will change the future of hand-held gaming,” says Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd. “Dual screens, chat functions, a touch screen, wireless capabilities, voice recognition —
these abilities surpass anything attempted before, and consumers will benefit from the creativity and innovation the new features bring to the world of video games.”

The hardware announcements that came may also come to make people happy:

Redesigned to sport a slimmer, sharper look

Features a thinner, black base and an angular platinum flip-top cover

Face buttons and shoulder buttons are larger, and some have been reconfigured for optimum use

Includes a new storage slot for the touch screen’s stylus

The speakers now broadcast in stereo sound with or without headphones

Nintendo also announced that the developer support list for the DS is now 100 software companies strong. There are over 120 titles currently in development, with at least 20 of them coming from Nintendo themselves.

“The innovative functions make Nintendo DS a superior game device, while the chat feature and ability to detect other DS units make it a social device as well,” says Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. “We’ve figured out the magic of what makes portable game play so attractive to consumers. We’ve defeated nine challengers and once again we’re prepared to win.”

The launch date, launch price, and launch game line-up are still to be announced at a later date.

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