The DS games shown so far.....

[Brats]

Animal Crossing


Mariokart


Mario 64 x 4


Super Mario Bros


Wario Ware


Surprisingly poor use of the second screen in all of those pics, especially for first party games. Can't even Nintendo think of a use for the second screen?

The idea of possible online network play though has me drooling. Ironic that to play Nintendo games online, you might have to buy a handheld .

[JU!]

Quite dissapointing for me as well. Although to play Mario 64 on a handl=held will be proper lush

[bowser123]

I'm a little underwhelmed by the DS TBH.
I know the unit isn't finished yet, but it's far too big on 1st glance for my liking. As for the games, the thought of a original 2D Mario is brilliant, as are Wario and Animal Crossing.

I too am quite surprised that Nintendo themselves haven't a killer game that encompasses their 2 screen idea. Surely one single killer game that really highlights the innovation and freshness that the screens provide would be better than 5 probably really excellent games, but non that even hint at creativity as far as the new screen is concerned.

I'm just hoping the killer game is being hidden for later E3 news this week...

[SharkAttack]

Aha but the unit is not purely about the Dual Screens. As they said DS means "Developers System" so the innovation isn't purely going to be using 2 screens. The innovations above are use of the WiFi and Local Wireless connections, use of the stylus and touchpad, rubbing with the touchpad, etc.

The new Mario game doesn't seem to have a use for the bottom screen, so I would throw a random gues sthat it is a voice operated mario bros.

[Brats]

I realise that the DS is much more than just a two screen device, but the second screen does seem a bit redundant so far. They could have released a machine with voice recognition, Wi Fi, touch screen etc and only given it one screen and made it cheaper.

Or am I sounding like my Dad?

[SharkAttack]

Yeh but look at some of the lesser quality software already on show...

Picto Chat has the keyboard on the touch screen, and a display of what your chat buddy is doing on the top screen.

The Sonic Demo has the touchscreen as a control station with you using the touch pad to power up and direct Sonic within the game happening above.

The Baby Mario demo has the sky scrolling up on BOTH screens and you must draw the clouds on the touch screen so that when the screen moves up, the clouds are there waiting for Baby Mario on Screen 2.

In the Metroid Multiplayer mode - If you only had one screen, you wouldn't able to see where your opponents are within the quite big looking levels, therefore the top screen provides a useful map.

Various other uses as well. So the ability to use the screen is there. And it will become more useful in time I bet. I mean, the DS version of Crystal Chronicles and other games that follow, will allow you to have your full inventory charted on screen 2 whilst you play on screen 1. Real time manipulation of your rucksack contents rather than stopping and starting the game.

They could bring out a treasure hunt game set in a maze. You link up to 16 players and on screen 2 you have an overview map of the maze (without showing other player locations). Every now and then treasure could flash on this map and then you have to race through the 3D version of this maze on the touchscreen either by using the stylus or by using voice recognition to get to the treasure first. This game could take advantage of the web conneciton to have online leagues.

[Roost]

DS

Before the conference yesterday i was just rather hyper about Halo 2 not much else really and then after Nintendo's conference i just felt like a kid in love with games again. The DS sounds fun, will be very interesting to have a play on.

[edandersen]

Three cheers for ****ty software-rendered N-Gage style sub-N64 3D then?

Hurrah!

[JibberX]

Three cheers for kicking your arse Mr E.

Hip hip horaaay
Hip hip horaaay
Hip hip horaaay

Now time is passing the DS setup is growing on me a touch, its all about uninterupted gameplay, which is especially dealt with on the rather wierd Metroid game.

[SharkAttack]

Three cheers for ****ty software-rendered N-Gage style sub-N64 3D then?

But its not the graphics, its the gameplay! (unless you are being sarky)

One thing that I wonder - How can you save game data on this? Animal crossing needs save data.

[Resonance]

Three cheers for ****ty software-rendered N-Gage style sub-N64 3D then?

Hurrah!

Hurrah!

I think that the PSP might win this one.The new GC games are looking sexy tho.

[Jaxon]

The real point of the object is the stylus controlled gameplay, not the two screens. It's been done before in PDAs but not by a major videogame developer in a device designed to solely play games. So, we'll probably see some interesting games being made for this thing.

If anyone wants a practical reason why the DS has 2 screens, consider that 2 smaller LCD panels both cost less and are easier to get in quantity than an equivalent large panel.

[Londonner]

rubbing with the touchpad, etc.

I think you got a killer application suggestion right there!

(Sorry, it's late. I'm off to bed)

[nips]

Think of SMB on a touch pad. You could tilt the world using the touch screen, you could have loads of control. That could work REALLY well... Much better than the GBA version!

[Razz]

DS = N64 ports with a map