The Nintendo DS

[Balou]

I?m interested in getting a Nintendo DS in the near future and wondering whether I should still wait a bit longer, until perhaps a new model is released or the price is lowered.

So, my main questions are as follows:
1. Are there rumors or indication of a price drop for the NDS sometime in the near future?
2. Are there, again, rumors or indication of a new model, maybe with better screen or battery etc., being released shortly?

I already made up my mind whether to get an Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance SP, or even the Playstation Portable. I decided for the NDS because it has backwards compatibility, as well as some few interesting genuine games, plus it is cheaper than the PSP.
The ability to play GBA games, as well as some other "more advanced" titles in the future, really is the best selling point for the Nintendo DS in my view.
However, the current lineup of games in Pal territories isn?t really that good if you are not too much into games like Nintendogs, or overly quirky games in general.
I?m not against these games, but they really shouldn?t cost new as much as they do at the moment.

[Ginger Tosser]

Answers!

1) Just after you've brought it (not really a help but they don't advertise reductions in advance as you'd wait and not buy it now).

2) Doubt it on design and screen. Maybe on battery, but a new one would only set you back ?15-20 max.

There's probably a few 2nd hand bargains at the moment as the kiddies trade in the DS to get a PSP so you might want to look there. (Play-Asia have it also for ?82 + P&P)

[Golgo]

2) Shigeru Miyamoto hinted way back in E3 that they were working on a new version of the DS, but I don't think any more details have emerged since then.

[Balou]

Thanks! I think I will buy a Nintendo DS in the coming weeks then.
I?m already tracking down some GBA games on eBay, however they all sell for too much at the moment. I was expecting lower prices for old GBA games...

[ryodi]

Thanks! I think I will buy a Nintendo DS in the coming weeks then.
I?m already tracking down some GBA games on eBay, however they all sell for too much at the moment. I was expecting lower prices for old GBA games...

Watch out when buying GBA games on eBay. 99.99% are fake. See this thread. There was a website that told you what to look out for but I cannot seem to find it at the moment.

[mid]

There might, just might be a small price drop soon, or we might get the free Mario64 chucked in like the US did during the summer.

Neither is guaranteed, however, so I wouldn't worry about it really. The only real question if you're buying in the UK is if you'd rather have one of the blue or pink models that come out any day now, rather than the standard silver.

Since all games work on all DSes, I'd rather recommend you consider buying a UK machine (so you can check it for dodgy pixels or whatever) even if you order the games themselves from VGP, really.

Personally, I'd recommend going new, even though there are a fair number of second-hand DSes in shops now (as frankly insane parents are getting rid of them already to get PSPs), I'd much rather have my stylus area start pristine and kiddie scribble free.

[Balou]

I?m probably going to buy the NDS at Amazon, since they already have the price dropped by a small margin and their customer service is very good as well.
Mario 64 on the DS does not interest me that much. I would rather get Yoshi?s Island instead, or any other 2D Mario Classic (there are so many) ...

I already look carfully when adding GBA games into my watch list in eBay. If an auction does not contain the manual and packaging I won?t bid on it. Same goes for sellers located in Asia. I?m still in a comfortable position there as I?m currently not looking for games that only had an NTSC-(J) release.

Anyway, do you think that it is neccessary to get screen protectors for the Nintendo DS?
All of the screen protectors at Play-Asia get mixed reviews, so I?m wondering if they are of any use at all (in the long run)?

[Golgo]

I'd recommend getting the screen protector from GAME, the shameless high street bandits. It costs nearly a tenner, but it's well worth it. Good quality hard plastic, and practically indestructible. Not like the crappy clingfilm that passes for screen protectors by other manufacturer. Just make sure you apply it properly and that the screen is spotless, or you'll get loads of crap stuck behind it.

Sorry...just noticed you're posting from Germany. Don't know if they have GAME there. Anyway, try to get a screen protector in hard plastic.

[mid]

Wouldn't hard plastic kind of ruin the whole touch sensitivity thing?

[$h@d0w]

I recently picked up a DS for around ?40 (after I sold the games it came with), great bargain and well worth keeping an eye out on forums or eBay.

[Golgo]

Wouldn't hard plastic kind of ruin the whole touch sensitivity thing?

I suspected so too so I was a bit wary of it and was ready to take it off if necessary - but it doesn't appear to make any difference to the touch sensitivity at all. At least, not that I can notice.

[Balou]

Thanks for your answers.

To make sure I really get the right system, I thoroughly checked what games are still to come for the Nintendo DS. I think I?m right when I say that there are much more NDS games available in Japan than in the US or Europe.
There are a few games I?m really interested in (plus GBA games), like Advance Wars, Castlevania, Phoenix Wright, Trauma Center, Nanostray, Another Code (Kirby) ...

There are also some interesting puzzle games (Zoo Keeper), but I?m not going to buy them for the price of a new DS game.

Other games that are released a bit later this year include Sonic Rush, Mario Kart and maybe Viewtiful Joe. (not interested in Mario & Luigi, Metroid)

But what games will come out next year?
I?m a bit concerned that the DS will only be big in Japan, and that games come only in small drops to Europe or the US, when they really should publish every game they have in all regions.
I know the DS is region-free, however I do not understand Japanese and don?t want to import all the games.
So, what games are there next year for a European Nintendo DS owner?

[Balou]

Aha! According to this article a price drop for the Nintendo DS in Europe will happen on October 7th. As far as I know, there will also be different colours for the DS available, namely pink and blue.

Sure I will wait until then to get a Nintendo DS. But the question still remains: Which are the big DS titles in the near future?

[mr_sockochris]

Take your pick...

Ouendan (out now in Japan, best game on the machine so far)
Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow (out this week)
Meteos (out now in PAL)
Advance Wars DS (out now in PAL)
Mario Kart DS (Nov) *online
Animal Crossing (Dec) *online
Viewtiful Joe Scratch (Nov)
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney (out in JPN now with English option)
Trauma Center (out next week in USA)
Jam with the Band (out in JPN)
Electroplankton (out in JPN)
Kirby Canvas Curse (out in US/JPN)
Yoshi's Touch & Go (out now in PAL)
Nintendogs (Oct 7th in PAL)
Another Code (out now in PAL)
Jump Superstars (out in JPN)
Nanostray (out in USA)

[gizmo1990]

But what games will come out next year?
I?m a bit concerned that the DS will only be big in Japan, and that games come only in small drops to Europe or the US, when they really should publish every game they have in all regions.
I know the DS is region-free, however I do not understand Japanese and don?t want to import all the games.
So, what games are there next year for a European Nintendo DS owner?

I wouldn't be concerned in the slightest. The DS is going great guns and imo will be the dominent portable for the foreseeable future.

Also don't hesitate to import from the US/Canada via someone like VG+. The games are usually released quicker, are cheaper and arrive in double quick time.