NINTENDO DS

The 'Nintendo DS' (sometimes abbreviated 'NDS' or 'DS', also as 'iQue DS' in China) is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in 2004 in Canada, U.S., and Japan. The console features a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP, with two LCD screens inside - one of which is a touch sensitive screen. The Nintendo DS also features a built-in microphone and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards,^[3] allowing players to interact with each other within short range (10–30 m, depending on conditions) or online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. The system's code-name was 'Nitro'. This was the first Nintendo console to be released in North America prior to Japan.
The console's name officially refers to "Dual Screen", the system's most obvious feature, and "Developers' System", in reference to the new game design the system was meant to inspire.^[4]
On March 2, 2006, Nintendo released the Nintendo DS Lite, a redesign of the Nintendo DS in Japan. It was later released in North America, Europe and Australia in June 2006. The DS Lite is a slimmer and lighter version of the Nintendo DS and has brighter screens. Nintendo of America now refers to the older model as the "original style" Nintendo DS.^[5]

Development and launch

In November 2003, Nintendo announced that it would be creating a new console for release in 2004. It said that it would not be the successor to the Nintendo GameCube or the Game Boy Advance SP. On January 20, 2004, the console was announced under the codename "Nintendo DS". Nintendo Announces Dual-Screened Portable Game System Nintendo chose to release very few details at that time, only saying that the console would have two separate 3 in. TFT LCD display panels, separate processors, and up to 1 gigabit of semiconductor memory.^[6] Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said "We have developed Nintendo DS based upon a completely different concept from existing game devices in order to provide players with a unique entertainment experience for the 21st century." In March, the codename was changed to "Nitro" and a document containing most of the console's technical specifications was leaked.^[7] In May, the codename was changed back to "Nintendo DS" (DS standing for Dual Screen) and the console was shown in prototype form at E3. All of the features of the console were released by Nintendo at E3.^[8] On July 28, 2004, Nintendo revealed a new design, one that was described as "sleeker and more elegant" than the one shown at E3. The codename "Nintendo DS" became the official name of the console that day.^[9]

The ''Donkey Kong'' version of the Game & Watch.

The Nintendo DS bears a striking resemblance to Nintendo's first handheld, the Game & Watch, specifically the multi-screen versions such as ''Donkey Kong''.
On September 20, 2004, Nintendo announced that the Nintendo DS would be released in North America on November 21, 2004 for US$149.99.^[10] It was set to release on December 2, 2004 in Japan and in the first quarter of 2005 in Europe and Australia. The console was released in North America with a midnight launch event at Universal CityWalk EB Games in Los Angeles, California. The console was launched quietly in Japan compared to the North America launch; one source cites the cold weather as the reason.^[11] In January 2005, the Australia release date of February 24, 2005 and the Europe release date of March 11, 2005 were announced.^[12] UK's Midnight Madness Launch Regarding the European launch, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said:

Europe is an extremely important market for Nintendo, and we are pleased we can offer such a short period of time between the US and European launch. We believe that the Nintendo DS will change the way people play video games and our mission remains to expand the game play experience. Nintendo DS caters for the needs of all gamers whether for more dedicated gamers who want the real challenge they expect, or the more casual gamers who want quick, pick up and play for fun.

Hardware

Input and output

The Nintendo DS stylus used for games played on the touch-screen

The lower display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid with a pressure-sensitive touchscreen, designed to accept input from the included stylus, the user's fingers, or a curved plastic rectangle attached to the optional wrist strap. The touchscreen allows users to interact with in-game elements more directly than by pressing buttons; for example, in the medical drama game '', the stylus may be used as a scalpel to cut an incision in a diseased patient, or in the included chatting software, PictoChat, the stylus is used to write messages or draw.
Traditional controls are located on either side of the touchscreen. To the left is a D-pad, with a narrow Power button above it, and to the right are the A, B, X, and Y buttons, with narrow Select and Start buttons above them. Shoulder buttons L and R are located on the upper corners of the lower half of the system. The overall button layout is similar to the controller of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Famicom in Japan and Europe).
The Nintendo DS features stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound (depending on the software) located on either side of the upper display screen. This is a first for a Nintendo handheld, as the Game Boy line of systems has only supported stereo sound through the use of headphones or external speakers.
A built-in microphone is located below the left side of the bottom screen. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including speech recognition (''Nintendogs''), chatting online between gameplay sessions (but not during gameplay) (''Metroid Prime Hunters''), and minigames that require the player to blow or shout into the microphone ('', '' etc).

Technical specifications

★ 'Mass:' 275 grams (9.7 ounces).

★ 'Physical size:' 148.7 x 84.7 x 28.9 mm (5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 inches).

★ 'Screens:' Two separate 3-inch TFT LCD, resolution of 256 x 192 pixels, dimensions of 62 x 46 mm and 77 mm diagonal, and a dot pitch of 0.24 mm. Note The gap between the screens is approximately 21 mm, equivalent to about 92 "hidden" lines. The lowermost display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid with a resistive touchscreen, which registers pressure from one point on the screen at a time, averaging multiple points of contact if necessary.

★ 'CPUs:' Two ARM processors, an ARM946E-S main CPU and ARM7TDMI co-processor at clock speeds of 67 MHz and 33 MHz respectively, with 4 MB of main memory which requires 1.65 volts.
The system's 3D hardware performs transform and lighting, texture-coordinate transformation, texture mapping, alpha blending, anti-aliasing, cel shading and z-buffering. However, it uses point (nearest neighbor) texture filtering, leading to some titles having a blocky appearance. The system is theoretically capable of rendering 120,000 triangles per second at 30 frames per second. Unlike most 3D hardware, it has a limit on the number of triangles it can render as part of a single scene; this limit is somewhere in the region of 4000 triangles. The 3D hardware is designed to render to a single screen at a time, so rendering 3D to both screens is difficult and decreases performance significantly.
The system has two 2D engines, one per screen. These are similar to (but more powerful than) the Game Boy Advance's 2D engine.
The unit has compatibility with Wi-Fi, and a special wireless format created by Nintendo and secured using RSA security signing (used by the wireless drawing and chatting program PictoChat for the DS). Wi-fi is used for accessing the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, where users can use the internet or compete with other users playing the same Wi-Fi compatible game.

Media specifications

Nintendo DS games are on small, thin "game cards", as opposed to the larger cartridges used by the Game Boy line and other previous Nintendo systems.

Games use a proprietary solid state ROM "game card" format resembling the memory cards used in other portable electronic devices such as digital cameras. It currently supports cards up to 2 gigabit (2048 Mb or 256 MB) in size.^[13] The cards always have a small amount of flash memory or an EEPROM to save user data, for example progress in a game or high scores. The game cards are 33.0 × 35.0 × 3.8 mm (approximately half the width and half as thick as Game Boy Advance cartridges) and weigh around 3.5 g (1/8 ounces).
Based on a blog on IGN by the developer of the game ''MechAssault'', larger (such as 128 Mb) cards have a slower data transfer rate than the more common smaller (such as 64 Mb) cards. However the specific rates were not mentioned.
The system's code-name was Nitro, which is where the letters NTR in the serial number written on the back of game cards and the system itself come from. NTR-XXX indicates the model numbers found on the original Nintendo DS and its accessories.

Firmware

Nintendo's own custom firmware boots the system (first requiring the player to read health information, but it is easily skipped by pressing any button on the system or touching any place on the screen): from here, the user chooses to run a Nintendo DS or Game Boy Advance game, use PictoChat, or search for downloadable games. The latter is an adaptation of the Game Boy Advance's popular "single cartridge multiplayer" feature, adapted to support the system's wireless link capabilities (players without the game search for content, while players with the game broadcast it. The game host is able to set the rules of the game).
In November 2004, Nintendo announced that there could be some sort of "download kiosk" that would transmit a signal for a Nintendo DS in the area to pick up, and download a demo of a game (Just like the "Download Play" feature that it in fact, uses). As of 2006, there are now download kiosks placed in select EB Games, GameStop, Game Crazy, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, and Target stores.
The PictoChat program, which is permanently stored on the unit, allows users to communicate with other Nintendo DS users within range over the wireless network by text, handwriting, or drawings, using the DS's touchscreen and stylus for input, or a small visual keyboard on the screen.
The DS's main menu also features an alarm clock and the ability to set preferences for boot priority (booting to games when inserted, or always booting to the main menu), Game Boy Advance game screen usage (top or bottom), and user information (name, date of birth, favorite color, time, etc.)

Battery life

The Nintendo DS contains a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. On a full four-hour charge, the battery life can last about 10 hours.^[14] Battery life is affected by multiple factors including speaker volume, use of one or both screens, back lighting, and use of the built-in WiFi. The biggest effect on battery life is caused by using the backlight, which can be turned off in the main menu screen, or on selected games (such as ''Super Mario 64 DS'').
The battery is designed to be removed only when it expires and should be replaced. It is removable with the use of a Phillips-head screwdriver. Removing the battery will cause the Nintendo DS to prompt the user to re-enter all of the unit's settings (user's birthday, user's name, etc.), but it will not affect saved data on Nintendo DS Game Cards or Game Boy Advance Game Paks.
To sustain battery life in the midst of a game, users can close the Nintendo DS system, which will then put the DS in sleep mode with the game you were playing paused. A system in sleep mode can run for several hundred hours without completely draining the battery. However, closing the shell while playing a Game Boy Advance game will not put the Nintendo DS into sleep mode; the game will continue to run normally including the back light. Certain DS games (such as ''Animal Crossing Wild World'') also will not pause but the backlight, screens and speakers will turn off. When saving the game in ''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl'' and Zoo Tycoon DS, the DS will not go into sleep mode.
Replacement batteries are available from select electronic stores and Nintendo's website.

Features

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

Main articles: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is an online service run by Nintendo to facilitate free Internet play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games through the use of Wi-Fi connection. The service was launched in North America on November 14, 2005 with the release of ''Mario Kart DS'', ''Tony Hawk's American Sk8land'', and on December 5, 2005, ''. The new release of the Nintendo DS Browser which is the size of a regular game card allows the user to browse regular web pages through Wi-Fi connection.

Download Play

With selected titles (such as ''Mario Kart DS'', ''New Super Mario Bros.'' and ''Meteos''), it is possible for users to play multiplayer games with other Nintendo DS users using only one game card. The distance for this to be effective is about 60 feet (18 m). The Nintendo DS unit downloads the necessary data from another unit running the game. There is also a multiplayer ''Wi-Fi'' feature. At certain hotspots, or Wi-Fi enabled areas, users can hook up and play with DS owners around the world. Many stores that sell DS games have DS Download Stations where users can download demos of games (although the demo is not permanent).

Compatibility

The Nintendo DS is compatible with Game Boy Advance (GBA) cartridges; the smaller Nintendo DS cartridges fit into Slot 1 on the top of the system, while Game Boy Advance games fit into Slot 2 on the bottom of the system. The Nintendo DS is not compatible with games for the Game Boy Color and the original Game Boy, due to a slightly different form factor and the absence of the Zilog Z80-like processor used in these systems.
The handheld does not have a port for the Game Boy Advance Link Cable, so multiplayer or GameCube-Game Boy Advance link-up modes are not available in Game Boy Advance titles.
The Nintendo DS only uses one screen when playing Game Boy Advance games. The user can configure the system to use either the top or bottom screen by default. The games are displayed within a black border on the screen, due to the slightly different screen resolution between the two systems (256 × 192px (approx. .05 megapixels) for the Nintendo DS, and 240 × 160px (approx. .04 megapixels) for the Game Boy Advance).
Nintendo DS games inserted into Slot 1 are able to detect the presence of specific Game Boy Advance games in Slot 2. In many such games, extra content can be unlocked or added by starting the Nintendo DS game with the appropriate Game Boy Advance game inserted. An example of this can be seen in ''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl'', which allows the user to send his or her Pokémon from a Game Boy Advance ''Pokémon'' title to the DS title. Also available are expansion paks, such as the Rumble Pak released by Nintendo that rumbles the system during a rumble-compatible game, and the Nintendo DS Memory Expansion Pak, which supplies extra RAM for certain games as well as for the Nintendo DS Browser.

Regional division

The Nintendo DS is region free in the sense that any console will run a Nintendo DS game purchased anywhere in the world; it is the same system everywhere. However, the Chinese version games can only be played on the Chinese iQue DS, whose larger firmware chip contains the required Chinese character glyph images. Nintendo DS of other regions cannot play the Chinese games, while iQue DS can play games of other regions. Also, as with Game Boy games, some games that require both players to have a Nintendo DS Game Card for multiplayer play will not work together if the games are from different regions (e.g. a Japanese Nintendo DS game may not work with a North American Nintendo DS game, though some titles, such as ''Mario Kart DS'', are mutually compatible). With the addition of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, certain games can be played over the Internet with users of a different region game.
Some Wi-Fi enabled games (e.g. ''Mario Kart DS'') allow the selection of opponents by region. The options are Continent and Worldwide, as well as two non-location specific settings. This allows the player to limit competitors to only those opponents based in the same geographical area. It is unknown whether this is based on the region code of the console in use, the region of the cartridge, or geolocation of the IP address.

Accessories

Main articles: Nintendo DS accessories

Game Boy Advance game slot on Game Boy Advance (above) and Nintendo DS (below).

Although the secondary port on the Nintendo DS does accept and support Game Boy Advance cartridges (but not Game Boy, and Game Boy Color cartridges), Nintendo has emphasized that its main intention for its inclusion was to allow a wide variety of accessories to be released for the system, the Game Boy Advance compatibility titles being a logical extension.
Nintendo announced at E³ 2005 that it would launch "headset accessories" for voice over IP (VoIP) enabled games. (This will plug into the VoIP plug next to the ear phone jack, ''not'' the Game Boy Advance slot.)

Rumble Pak

Main articles: Rumble Pak

The Rumble Pak was the first official expansion slot accessory. In the form of a Game Boy Advance cartridge, the Rumble Pak vibrates to reflect the action in compatible games, such as when the player bumps into an obstacle or loses a life. It was released in North America and Japan in 2005, as a separate accessory and bundled with ''Metroid Prime Pinball''^[15]
In Europe, the rumble pack is available with purchasing the game ''Actionloop''. However it is possible to buy the rumble pack straight from Nintendo.

Nintendo DS Headset

The Nintendo DS Headset is the official headset for the Nintendo DS. It plugs into the headset port (which is a combination of a standard 3.5 mm headphone connector and a proprietary microphone connector) on the bottom of the system. It features one earphone and a microphone, and is compatible with all games that use the internal microphone. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2006.^[16] The headset was released on April 22, 2007 in North America, alongside ''Pokémon Diamond'' and ''Pearl'', two of the few games to have built in voice chat.

Opera Internet browser

Main articles: Nintendo DS Browser

On February 15, 2006, Nintendo announced a version of the cross-platform web browser Opera for the DS system.^[17] The browser can use one screen as an overview, a zoomed portion of which appears on the other screen, or both screens together to present a single tall view of the page.^[18] The browser went on sale in Japan and Europe in 2006^[19]^[20], and in the U.S. on June 4, 2007. [1]

Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector

Main articles: Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector

This USB-flash-disk-sized accessory plugs into a PC's USB port and creates a miniature hotspot, allowing up to five Nintendo DS units to connect to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service through the host computer's Internet connection. The only operating system currently supported by the Wi-Fi USB Connector's software is Microsoft Windows XP.

Nintendo MP3 Player

Main articles: Play-Yan

The Nintendo MP3 Player (known as the Play-Yan in Japan) was released on December 8 2006 by Nintendo of Europe at a retail price of €30. The add-on uses removable Secure Digital cards to store both MP3 audio files and select format video files. The Nintendo MP3 Player can be used on any device that features support for Game Boy Advance cartridges, and as such is limited in terms of its user-interface and functionality. Therefore, it does not support using both screens of the DS simultaneously, nor its touchscreen capability. It also means that the device cannot utilize the enhanced power of the DS compared to its predecessors, so video playback is not as robust as it could otherwise be.

Slide controller

The "slide controller" comes packaged with the game ''Slide Adventure: Mag Kid'', which was released on August 2, 2007. The slide controller plugs into the GBA game slot of the DS, and is placed below the DS, on some surface. The DS can be moved around to control a game, since the slide controller will pick up the motions, just as when a player would click a button. The official name for this peripheral is currently unknown.^[21]

Hacking and homebrew

Main articles: Nintendo DS homebrew

Throughout the years the Nintendo DS has been released, a great deal of hacking has occurred involving the DS's fully rewritable firmware, Wi-Fi connection, game cards that allow SD storage, and software use. Nintendo DS emulators are also in early stages of development, and only few commercial games are playable thus far. These hacking systems are easily obtainable, the two main systems are Action Replay by codejunkies and Game Shark.

Marketing and sales

Life-to-date number of units sold
Date	Japan	Americas	Other	Worldwide
2004-12-31^[22]	1.45 million	1.36 million	0.03 million	2.84 million
2005-03-31^[23]	2.12 million	2.19 million	0.95 million	5.27 million
2005-06-30^[24]				6.65 million
2005-09-30^[25]	3.63 million	2.87 million	2.34 million	8.83 million
2005-12-31^[26]	5.70 million	4.63 million	4.10 million	14.43 million
2006-03-31^[27]	6.91 million	5.11 million	4.71 million	16.73 million
2006-06-30^[28]	9.24 million	5.90 million	6.13 million	21.27 million
2006-09-30^[29]	11.52 million	7.51 million	7.79 million	26.82 million
2006-12-31^[30]	14.43 million	10.18 million	11.00 million	35.61 million
2007-03-31^[31]	16.02 million	11.74 million	12.52 million	40.29 million
2007-06-30^[32]	18.11 million	14.14 million	15.03 million	47.27 million

The system's promotional slogans revolve around the word "Touch" in almost all countries, with the US slogan being "Touching is good." The Nintendo DS is currently seen by many analysts to be in the same market as Sony's PlayStation Portable, although representatives from both companies have said that each system targets a different audience. At the time of its release in the United States, the Nintendo DS retailed for US$149.99. The price dropped to US$129.99 on August 21, 2005, one day before the anticipated North American releases of ''Nintendogs'' and ''Advance Wars: Dual Strike''. At one point, ''Time'' magazine awarded the DS with a Gadget of the Week award.^[33]
Eight official colors of the Nintendo DS were available through standard retailers. Titanium (silver and black) was available worldwide, Electric Blue was exclusive to North and Latin America. Graphite Black, Pure White, Turquoise Blue and Candy Pink were available in Japan. Mystic Pink and Cosmic Blue were available in Australia and New Zealand. Japan's Candy Pink and Australia's Cosmic Blue were also available in Europe and North America through a Nintendogs bundle, although the colors are just referred to as pink and blue. However, these colors were only available for the original Nintendo DS model; a different and more-limited set of colors have been used for the Nintendo DS Lite.
As of June 2006, Nintendo announced that it would no longer sell nor provide the original DS and would replace it with the DS Lite.
On October 3 2006 Nintendo announced a 20.5% raise in net profit forecast partially attributed to strong DS sales. [2] The company also raised its estimated DS sales forecast by 18%.
On July 26, 2007, Nintendo announced in its June 30, 2007 results, that it increased DS sales projection to 26 million from a previous forecast of 22 million.

Special editions and promotional packages

Main articles: Special versions of the Nintendo DS

Many special editions and promotional packages have been available for the Nintendo DS, starting with the first Nintendo DS bundle of a ''Metroid Prime Hunters'' demo version, which was included in the first line-up of US shipments. Other adjustments have been made to the DS / DS Lite including color and laser engravings made for promotional events. For example, during the release of ''Mario Kart DS'' in North America, a "Red Hot DS Bundle" was available, which was a red colored Nintendo DS, with the game ''Mario Kart DS'' packaged along with it. The first ever Nintendo DS Lite bundle package, became available in North America on August 21, 2007; it includes ''Brain Age 2'', a DS Lite carrying case, and a exclusive color DS Lite. The DS Lite has a crimson top outer casing, and the rest of the DS is matte black.^[34]

Nintendo DS Lite

Main articles: Nintendo DS Lite

The Nintendo DS Lite

The Nintendo DS Lite (sold as the iQue DS Lite in China) is a slimmer, more lightweight redesign of the original Nintendo DS model. It was made aesthetically sleeker to complement Nintendo's Wii and to appeal to broader commercial audiences. It was announced on January 26, 2006, more than a month before its first territorial launch in Japan on March 2, 2006.^[35]
The features and capabilities are the same as the original DS; however, it does have four levels of brightness. However, the four levels do not include a level where the backlight is off, thus making the system more vulnerable to glare. The sound seems to be fuller and richer, yet the battery life is longer. Unlike the casing of the original DS, the DS Lite has a shiny transparent casing that resembles the popular iPod and Apple iBooks. The LED battery and charging light indicators have been moved to the upper right-hand corner of the unit, making it viewable regardless of whether the system is open or closed. The "start" and "select" buttons have been moved to the lower right-hand side of the touchscreen, the microphone has been moved to the direct centre of the opened device, and the A, B, X, Y, and D-Pad seem to have been
designed to match the Wii. Another improvement is the longer and thicker stylus, reducing the amount of hand cramps as its users use it extensively throughout gameplay. Along with the other advancements, the Game Boy port of the DS Lite is shorter than the original DS's port. When inserted, the Game Boy Advance cartridge protrudes out from under the unit. Also, the charger connector is smaller, so a different charger must be used.

Software development

Nintendo only accepts official companies with a game development team, and sufficient experience in certain areas for their official developer support program. Additional information is available from the Nintendo Software Development Support Group.
An alternative method is to use publicly available knowledge from sites such as NDSTech,^[36] and to use the tools available to create one's own programs. There are two development routes. One requires a method for running Nintendo DS programs from the Game Boy Advance port. There are five methods for this option available: PassMe, PassMe2, WiFiMe, FlashMe, and NoPass. The second option is using second-generation flashcarts which are simply either writable DS Cartridges or DS cartridges with Micro-SD slots.

References

External links

; Official sites

★ Official Nintendo DS website - (English, Spanish and French) (requires Macromedia Flash Player)

★ Official Japanese Site

★ Touch! Generations

★ Official Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection website

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