Malik
(12/01/04)
Nintendo DS
Nintendo
(Obviously)
So, the big holiday
release this year is shaping up to be the Nintendo DS. For some
people, this little trendy system is a ture piece of gadgety wonder.
On the other hand, some people have problems with it just because it
seems like a trendy piece of shit that has about as much future as
Nintendo's previous piece of trendy shit (the Virtual Boy). So,
which one is it? Does it actually have any merits? Should someone
buy one? Does it have a future? All of these questions may or may
not be answered in the next few paragraphs.
Since this is a
console, I won't handle things in my usual review format, but rather
as a special review...let's see how this works.
Comfort
This system has
the same basic shape as the original GBA (the non-SP version). It's
wide and it's not so small as to crunch the hands of anyone over the
age of 7. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. In terms of
comfort, however, it is purely a good thing. The system is wide
enough to fit in the hands of even the largest of people with far
more comfort than any previous system, with the exception of the
original GBA (to which it's about equal).
Also, the button
layout and design is brilliantly executed. The four face buttons,
plus the start and select buttons, are all located on the right side
of the console with a easy to reach layout. Also, the buttons are
put down in a style that forms a cross key, which comes in handy
when you use the touch screen as a control, if you use the touch
screen with your left hand. However, since so many left-handed
people are accustomed to using their right hand for mouse use on a
PC, it doesn't really matter that you can use the system in this
backwards configuration (this is not some stereotype on lefty
people, since I am proudly one of these "sinister"
freaks...only one out of seven people are lefties, so we lefties are
freaks). However, if you are not a PC user and still are a left
handed person with aspirations to try the DS, this could be to your
advantage. The only possible issue with these face buttons is how
they are mighty small. While it doesn't hamper actual usage of the
system, it will invoke some additional learning curve time to
handing the system.
The cross key is
also small and suffers from this same dilemma. However, once you
become accustomed to it, it is quite easy to use and love. It's
basically a slightly smaller version of any other Nintendo made
cross key ever built since the days of the NES.
Most importantly,
when compared to the SP, the DS is wide enough to give us real
shoulder buttons. The buttons are full sized, and not just the
little nubs found on the DS. I know that many full sized people had
some problems with the small L and R buttons on the SP, and the DS
handles this with extra large should buttons.
The second screen
is on the flip top case, and thus it is elevated from the rest of
the control scheme. This means you can comfortably see the main
visual screen with no issues at all. Your hands will never block
this screen when played in a normal way. The touch screen, also is
relatively un-obscured in normal game play. Since the screen is
between the cross key and the face buttons, your hands will not
block this screen from any realistic angle. However, when you use
the screen as a controler, you may have some problems. But in such
games you are usually meant to only view the screen when you are not
actually in action (in other words, you're meant to use the touch
screen as a viewable screen only when there's a break in the action,
so it doesn't hurt you to pull away your hand).
One important
factor, with this new design and technology, however, is how
comfortable the touch screen actually is when in use. This is both a
good and bad point for the DS. On one hand, the included stylus is a
pain...literally. It is obviously designed for a smaller handed
individual, while the system, ironic enough, is being marketed
towards older (and typically larger handed) people. The stylus is
small enough to make one's hand cramp from extended use. However, on
the other hand, the thumb pad, that is meant to serve as an analogue
controller on certain titles, is really comfortable. This pad is
attached to the wrist strap, and thus is on a long enough cable to
be able to reach the screen, but not on a long enough strap to
actually hinder one's movement (from it tangling, etc). As for the
actual comfort of using the touch screen; it's in the middle of the
system and clear of all possible obstructions (and clear of being an
obstruction). So, if you feel like picking up a larger stylus (they
are available) that won't fit into the DS built-in carrying hole,
then you're golden.
Responsiveness
The DS, in short,
is very responsive. It has all of the responsiveness one would come
to expect from any first party Nintendo controller/portable. The
screen is quick to pick up your touch, the buttons are quick and are
smooth to the touch (as in, if you press them, you will feel only a
slight, and needed, level of resistance to their movement), the
cross pad is top-notch (like all Nintendo cross keys have been since
the NES days). There is nothing to complain about, and not much to
say since it's the usual Nintendo quality you'd come to
expect.
Sound and Visuals
The sound quality
out of the built in stereo speakers (located to the sides of the top
screen) are definitely a step up from what previous portables have
given us. The sounds are crisp and clear and, best of all after how
the SP was, able to get some nice volume to them. Beyond that, there
is also, on some titles, a simulated surround sound that actually is
pretty impressive for a $150 portable system. You won't notice much
of a difference over standard stereo, but that little bit is a nice
bonus.
Also, unlike the
SP, the headphone jack is standard issue. No more worrying about
buying a headphone adapter. Also, the headphone jack is designed to
take a headset (mic plus headphones). This is of no real use right
now, but can serve some nice purposes if some rumors come to truth
(like the rumor of the DS eventually being VOIP compatible). Also,
like with the built in speakers, headphones sound clear, crisp, and
of nothing less than higher quality than any portable has ever given
us before.
As for the
visuals...well, they are breath taking. However, this is only really
true when the system is live and running (still shots don't do the
DS any justice). As an example, Mario 64 looks about 4-6 times more
detailed on the DS than the N64 version ever looked. The resolution
is really high and clear, and the frame-rate is first class for a portable.
It's not like you'll see anything more detailed than a standard
console of this generation, but this is the highest quality you'll
see from a portable (at least until the PSP comes along...then,
we'll just have to wait and see which one is king).
Also, like with
the SP, there is that backlight (or front light, or whatever...it
all has about the same final effect to anyone short of the most
picky of geeks) we've come to love. Also, like with the SP, you can
turn off the backlight with a little work (more work than the face
button on the DS, however). Some games will have a menu option to
turn off the light, while others won't give this feature. However,
if worse comes to worse, you can always turn it off (if, for some
weird reason, you like to not see the screens) from the DS main
menu.
Bonus Stuff
The DS includes a
few nifty bonuses that I've found myself enjoying. The first of
which is the included (built-in) software. The main menu, found when
you start up the DS without a cart (or automatically at any time if
you select the option for it), is a nice bonus in itself. This menu
contains a standard issue of configuration options. These include
selecting your DS name (for multiplayer games, chatting, etc),
setting the time, selecting a menu color, asking if you'd like to
automatically boot a cart or enter the main menu by default,
remembering your birthday (probably for a special b-day greeting),
etc. Also, there is an included calendar that is nice for those of
of who may use it.
Best of all,
however, is the Picto-Chat utility. This is a small utility that
allows for an IM-like chat room from your DS. The built-in software
allows for up to 4 chat rooms with 16 people each to exist in one
network. At first, this seemed like a useless utility, but it can be
a good way to set up a multiplayer game in a public area (turn on
the DS, see if anyone is in Picto-Chat, ask them if they want to
play something). Also, in P-C, you will be able to use a touch screen
keyboard (click a letter on the screen with the stylus),
free-drawing and writing to write a message, or a combo of
both.
On the note of
playing a game with strangers, or friends for that matter, you can
use the high speed transfer of the wireless DS connection to share a
game. From the main menu, if you have a game which only requires one
cart for multiplayer (like Mario 64) that you want to play, but
don't have the cart yourself , you can select the
"Download" option from the main menu. Then the DS will
look for anyone sharing a game (which is set up within a game by the
host) and then you can download your game selection and join the
game. However, this only works for titles that support multiplayer
on one cart (which is signified on the box of games that support
it).
Also, the DS has
two cartridge slots. One, on the top, is for the new DS rom carts.
These carts are much, much smaller than the GBA and GB carts of the
past. However, on the bottom of the system is a GB/GBA sized slot.
The primary purpose of this is to serve as a connection port for
peripheral devices. Not many of these devices have been announced
yet, but one example is a TV Tuner (Japan only, so far). However,
the secondary purpose of this slot is for backwards compatibility.
Yup, you can play GBA games on the DS. Also, by playing in the menu,
you can even pick which screen to show the game on (which may seem
minor, but it's fun to customize shit for no reason). However, for
some sick and twisted reason, you cannot play GB games on this
slot...only GBA. Also, if you chose to have your DS enter the main
menu by default on boot up, you will be able to freely pick which
slot is loaded, in case you have two carts currently plugged
in.
Also, as everyone
should be aware of, by now, Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt (a
demo of the upcoming Metroid DS game) is included with the DS. This
is not too bad of a free item, assuming you know people who have the
DS. Otherwise, the single player training mode is quite shallow and
only worth a few plays. In terms of what one usually gets with a new
system, this is still a good bonus...however, compared to the days
of Tetris with the GB, Mario with the NES, and Altered Beasts (and
later Sonic 2) with the Genesis, this is a rather pathetic bonus. Particularly
since this title will only appeal to a small number of fans compared
to what a platformer or a puzzle game would reach out to.
Lastly, the DS has
a built in battery pack, included AC adapter/recharger, a second
stylus, and the wrist strap/thumb pad. All of these are pretty
standard issue, but it definitely beats getting a GB or the original
GBA and not getting anything more than a few included batteries for
a total of 6 hours of game time before you have to shell out $30 for
a battery pack.
Conclusion
So, in the end,
like with all consoles and game systems, the ultimate deciding
factor of how good the DS is will come down to two things...who
makes the games, and how good these games are. If Nintendo can keep
up a steady and strong supply of developers and games (like they
have done with the GB and GBA in the past) then things should look
great for the DS. The design is brilliant, the controls are smooth
and responsive, the technical abilities are as flawless as a
portable can be. What more could you ask for (besides more games)?
I, based only on the hardware and not on the available games (which
are pretty skimpy so far), have
to give the DS a 9.0 out of 10.
There are some minor flaws, which won't hinder a gamer too much
(like how you have to reset the system every time you want to exit a
menu in the system menus...including just looking at the config
settings, not changing them, and then wanting to use Picto-Chat),
but are noticeable enough to require a less than perfect score.
While the system may seem trendy and pointless at a casual glance,
the true value comes out once you actual give the thing a shot.
Malik
|