Nintendo Japanese Conference...

[DarkSilver]

Or we're sorry about E3....here, let us give you a handjob....
(Warning, from a Nintendo Fansite)

- Iwata takes the stage, and announces the DSi, the new version of the DS.

- the DS has sold very well, but is hitting its saturation point…but there is still room for growth.

ninten02

- 12%, 2.6 millimeters lighter, no more GBA slot

- bigger screens, better speakers

- Camera: two cameras - one inside and one out - 640×480 resolution

- screens are 3.25 inches

- camera and audio functions

- only one touch screen according to Nintendo UK spokesperson (more on that below)

- pictures taken should be able to be manipulated via touch screens

- pitch and sound playback speed can be adjusted

- SD card slot

- store then view pics on Wii Photo Channel

- internal memory for apps

- built-in web browser

- download DSi Ware with Nintendo Points (Wii points renamed

- apps will cost free/200/500/800 points.

- download via the Nintendo DSi Shop.

- owners that connect by March, 2010 will receive 1000 Points as a gift. (Japan)

- Hits Japan on Nov 1st for 18900 yen…2009 release for rest of the world

- DS Station will go into its second phase, becoming the Nintendo Zone service.

- service once again available at McDonalds

- Nintendo Zone Viewer included, no setup needed

- colors: white and frosted black

- Mii on DS in Lifestyle Rhythm Calculator software.

- Pedometer shown.

Games due out around launch: Valk Profile DS, Kirby (most likely SSU), Kyotaro, Rockman (most likely MMSF3), World Food, Phantasy Star Zero, Momotaro Dentetsu, Mario and Luigi 3

- DSi presentation over

- DS and Wii connectivity title FFCC is being introduced.

- AAC playback for DSi

- DS browser will be Opera

- new Dragon Quest IX media being shown

- Wii storage solution: WiiWare/software download to SD card

- more DS games and dates

3D Picross
Gyakuten Kenji next spring
Infinite Line next spring

- a demo movie will come pre-installed on new Wiis called “What You Can Do With the Wii”. It will help new users to get online

- more talk of previously announced wifi adapter

- in Japan, a campaign will kick off that gives Wii users 500 Wii Points when they help a non-connected user get online

- Animal Crossing: City Folk presentation. More DS data/Mii talk

- ACCF with Wii Speak bundle hits Japan on November 20th.

- Nintendo will re-release Cube classics in a new ‘Enjoy with Wii selection’ lineup

- Prope is developing a new game for the Wii called ‘Let’s Tap’…a Wiimote-free game

- Another Code for Wii

- Sin and Punishment 2 for Wii

- Punch-Out!! Wii confirmed

- DK Jungle Beat being re-released as well. Both Pikmin and DK Jungle Beat re-releases hitting Japan in Nov. These are NOT NEW GAMES.

- Sengoku Musou 3 (Samurai Warriors) for Wii

- new ‘mothership’ Tales series title has beenn announced.

- Monster Hunter 3 footage

So new version of the DS is coming out, called the DSi. Smaller, faster charging time, larger screen, dual cameras, built in Opera, SD card slot, better speakers....lots of new stuff. Looks like more the DS Mk II than a redesign of the DSLite. Should be interesting. Guess we'll see in 2009.

I still won't get rid of my LoZ Special Edition Triforce DSLite.


Wii.... Wii, Wii, Wii....

Well, it's not a external USB HDD (which I personally was hoping for), but using the SD card slot for storage definatly gives you expansive, if more expensive, storage solution than what they have now...... No DVD playback on the Wii? This should be a damn functionality update for the Wii! Give us DVD playback!

Punch-Out! Wii...where the hell was this during E3? damn it Ninny...this was big news. You should have said it there! Classic GC games being re-released for the Wii...I'm meh on most of the titles I don't already own for the Cube. Sin and Punishment 2.....never played part one, so I can't get excited on this...

The Nintendo Zone thing looks like their finally putting it through their heads online is a good place to be, and are trying to exploit it. We'll see how that goes...


Overall, some nice, some meh...I'm looking forward to the DSi.

[Bounty]

- Nintendo will re-release Cube classics in a new ‘Enjoy with Wii selection’ lineup

...

- Sin and Punishment 2 for Wii

Woohoo! I was hoping they'd rerelease some Cube stuff, there's tons of great games there that haven't aged at all and would still sell well. S&P2 is great news, as long as they get it out of Japan on launch and not after six goddamn years.

The new DS, that one I'm not really psyched about. Why not just release a camera add-on for the GBA slot? Now the games that rely on the expansion slot are fucked, and everyone needs to spend money on a DS again.

Sin and Punishment 2.....never played part one, so I can't get excited on this...

It's not a classic, but it's brash, fast and fun. A good game for a quick burst of alien-blowing-upping, and if they can throw in proper IR aiming, it should be good.

[General Zod]

Good news about the DS. I've been thinking of getting a replacement since the bottom screen on mine is all scratched to fuck. This'll save me having to decide on exactly when to get one.

[Qwerty 42]

I'm a little surprised that the DS doesn't include phone capabilities. The iPhone, especially, has done good stuff as a gaming platform. I think that might be the way of the future for portables.

[Praxis]

A little bit disappointed actually.

Storage solution + Punch out is win. But where's Icarus?

And the DSi...actually, this model worries me. A more expensive DS, with features the other models don't have (camera, internal storage, more RAM for the web browser) and a "DS Ware" download service?

Either this means old DS owners get left in the lurch as the new software targets the new model, or the DSi will have crappy software support because people will just target the normal DS and not take advantage of the new features. Might have been better if they'd announced a DS replacement, with better graphics and higher resolution screens along with all of the new features for holiday 2009, because this risks fragmenting the software market with games designed for DSi.

I liked quite a few of the game announcements, but only Punch Out really made me excited.

. No DVD playback on the Wii? This should be a damn functionality update for the Wii! Give us DVD playback!

You CAN already hack your Wii for DVD playback through the homebrew channel.

[Covenant]

I'm a little surprised that the DS doesn't include phone capabilities. The iPhone, especially, has done good stuff as a gaming platform. I think that might be the way of the future for portables.

Too much work for not enough reward. Can you send mail with it like you can with the Wii? Or connect to online like the Wii can? If so you can mail, IM, or text, and that's good enough for a lot of people.

[DarkSilver]

You CAN already hack your Wii for DVD playback through the homebrew channel.

Sorry, I'd rather have a official Playback feature instead of having to hack it in with the Homebrew channel.


Which..I don't have on my Wii..

[phongn]

Either this means old DS owners get left in the lurch as the new software targets the new model, or the DSi will have crappy software support because people will just target the normal DS and not take advantage of the new features. Might have been better if they'd announced a DS replacement, with better graphics and higher resolution screens along with all of the new features for holiday 2009, because this risks fragmenting the software market with games designed for DSi.

Isn't this what Nintendo usually does? Their whole product lifecycle is like this. Witness:

GB->GBC: Color added
GBC->GBA: New architecture, faster, more buttons
GBA->DS: GB/GBC compatibility dropped, new screen, more buttons
DS->DSi: GBA compatibility dropped, more features.

You CAN already hack your Wii for DVD playback through the homebrew channel.

That's hardly a good solution.

[Bounty]

Isn't this what Nintendo usually does? Their whole product lifecycle is like this. Witness:

Only the GB->GBC jump was an updated version of the same platform, the others were new architectures and thus had a whole new games library. If the differences between the DS and DSi are too big for 100% compatibility but not enough to justify the cost of buying a new console, it's going to put a lot of developers (and customers) in an awkward position. Do you support the camera in a game? Release two versions of the game? Lock camera features if an older DS is detected?

[Qwerty 42]

Isn't this what Nintendo usually does? Their whole product lifecycle is like this. Witness:

Only the GB->GBC jump was an updated version of the same platform, the others were new architectures and thus had a whole new games library. If the differences between the DS and DSi are too big for 100% compatibility but not enough to justify the cost of buying a new console, it's going to put a lot of developers (and customers) in an awkward position. Do you support the camera in a game? Release two versions of the game? Lock camera features if an older DS is detected?

I'm reminded of Link's Awakening DX. The only difference, from a practical standpoint, was the color, and the "Color Dungeon." The game was still fully functional on the old hardware, although you did miss out on some of the capabilities.

Of course, LADX's detection system, while effective, was rather simple: they'd ask you what color an object was, and if you couldn't answer, then you were obviously using a GB classic.