Reader’s Pulse: Mailbag [12-11-04]

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Brax says:

There is a black Nintendo DS showed at lik-sang.com But alot people are saying it’s fake. Can you confirm or deny it’s fake?

John responds:

As for the black DS, lik-sang is the only site that has reported the “sneak-peek” and appears to be the originator of the single black DS image floating around the net. The image matches one of the first official DS promo pics and could easily have been modified using an image editing program such as Photoshop.

From Lik-Sang: “Here is a first sneak peek at the black Nintendo DS version. Nintendo first intended to release the Nintendo DS worldwide in different color variations, but decided to go with the silver one only for maximum production efficiency.”

Nintendo has not announced the black DS and no release date is listed at lik-sang, leading me to believe that this falls in the “well, duh” rumor category. Is the image official? Nope. Will Nintendo eventually release a black DS? Most likely. As soon as the DS itself leaves the immediate must-buy limelight (I imagine about the time the PSP, which will be spiffy and black, is released), the big N will probably start churning out new DS colors to bring in new customers and encourage second and third purchases from well-off DS fans.

Jason responds:

It’s fake. Just be glancing at it, it’s quite obvious that the black DS is a Photoshopped picture of a normal Platinum DS… The buttons are choppy looking and the overall quality of the picture is pretty bad. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo is planning to release a black DS in the near future. NOA has already stated that more DS colors are coming out sometime next year. So, a black DS makes perfect sense to me.

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Psybro says:

I recently heard about a DS game called Another. It was announced for Japan and I was wondering if Nintendo has any plans to release it Stateside?

Robert responds:

Nintendo hasn’t given any word one way or another (hehe, sorry) as to whether Another will be making its way across the Pacific to us in the States. It sounds interesting with its mixing of mystery, puzzle, and adventure genres.

Jason responds:

Another is currently on track for a release in North America. However, Nintendo is giving it the standard “To Be Announced” release date. I’m guessing (and hoping) that it’ll come stateside sometime in 2005, because it’s listed on Nintendo.com and there’s a blurb about it in the newest issue of Nintendo Power (Vol. 187).

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Daniel says:

I was just wondering how long do you think we’ll have to wait for an
online multiplayer game for the DS? And if/when we do get one, do you
think they’ll use the mic for voice chat? Not the most original use of
the mic but it would be a hell of a lot easier than trying to type on a
software keyboard or something.

Casey responds:

I would say that we’ll see the first truly online games emerge in the first half of next year. Many signs point this way: first of all, Miyamoto hinted to Famitsu last month that Animal Crossing DS would be a “sneak peak” at Nintendo’s online strategy. Second, Warp Pipe’s Demasked project, some sort of online application to the DS, was supposed to launch along with the system; it is now scheduled for sometime early next year. Finally, Square-Enix seems to be paving the way for Nintendo’s DS Online infrastructure. With games like Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles in development, we can only surmise that Square is planning for the DS to be truly online by their release…by the title’s release date of February 7th, 2005.

James responds:

Well I wouldn’t expect it by year’s end. Most of the games will/should feature wireless LAN support. There are many companies working on DS and many people trying to hack the DS Wi-Fi. I would suspect Nintendo to start using it by the end of next year but there are no promises.

For voice chat… see that little hole next to the headphone jack? I’m thinking headset.

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Ryan says:

Hey,

I am thinking of going to Japan sometime this year. While I’m there I’m gonna pick up a DS. If I do will picto chat be in japanese?

Miguel responds:

Region-Free means you can play anywhere you want with the same system. That means that you can play Pictochat in japanese if you’re in Japan, and in english when you’re in the US. DS units have both languages installed in them, so I wouldn’t worry.

James responds:

Japan is cool. Nintendo is cool. Picotchat is cool. DS is cool. Traveling is cool. Everything will work perfect. There will be options for English or Japanese when you boot up pictochat. Also, you can use wireless gaming/pictochat between Japanese and American Machines…

Also, games will all work the same since the Nintendo DS is region free.

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Nemesis says:

1) How do you guys recommend I go about cleaning my touch screen after some idiot “touched” it with his finger?

2) At this point I only have one friend that has a Nintendo DS so we cannot test this theory that I, and possibly others, have devised. Perhaps anyone reading this can put this to the test that has more than 2 DS’s…

Heres my theory and question:

a.- Take 3 or more DS’s set for pictochat.

b.- Space them out in a line with each one about 50 paces (or the max Wi-Fi range for the area) from the next DS in the line.—>

DS———DS———-DS

c.- Obviously, the first and the last DS’s are too far apart to communicate.

d.- However, the middle DS can communicate with both of the others.

3) Question: If a message is sent by the first DS to the Middle DS, will the message carry over to the last DS?

Miguel responds:

1) Hey now! Don’t go insulting your friend. Remember, “touching is good”.

…

In all seriousness though, click here.

2) Interesting theory. We’ll have to ask Nintendo for a solid response though, as none of us have actually tried it. Look for our next update.

James responds:

1) I have just been using my shirt. However, Nintendo recommends a soft cloth. They also say never to use water on the screen. If you want to make it super clean use a Q-tip and that works good.

2) Good thinking, although I think I’ve heard it before.

3) As far as I know, this will not work. I have tested Pictochat with my friend and we went about 150-200 feet away from each other outside before one of us dropped. So I’m assuming once you are out of range on one DS you should not be able to communicate with them. I haven’t tried for sure, though.

Nate responds:

2) You know, I never was very good at story problems…

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Michael says:

Quick question on the games, I am about to get one and wanted to now what one used the features on the DS the best. Also what one do you think is the must fun that has been released already? Thanks in advance!

Miguel responds:

Definitely Feel the Magic: XY/XX, from the geniuses at SEGA. You should try it out. The developers tried to use every possible feature on the system, and it worked brilliantly.

Nate responds:

Feel the Magic by SEGA takes advantage of most of the features of the DS. It is also a very fun game to boot! My favorite game so far for the DS, though, is Super Mario 64: DS. I am loving playing with new characters in one of my favorite classic games, as well as discovering all the new goodies hidden away in the game. The mini-games are plenty of fun as well, and a great way to blow a few minutes of free time.

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Sercan says:

Do you think the Nintendo DS can pictochat and play online against a person from around the globe?

Nate responds:

Once the DS goes online, the possibilities are indeed good! Let’s go online, Nintendo!

James responds:

When Wi-Fi games go into place, then yes, it should be possible. If people tunnel the DS, any game that features LAN should be able to — which would be awesome. Keep a close eye on Warp Pipe and XLink to see what they do.