This isn't the first time Nintendo has used dual screens in a handheld. Some of their Game & Watch releases came with dual screens. But back in the 1980s, when they were released, no- one could have imagined how far technology would advance over the next 20 years. The second of the two screens on the DS provides a means of displaying additional information about a game (such as map data, similar to the way the Dreamcast VMU would display information about games on the Dreamcast) and may also be used as a touch screen which means players will no longer have to rely solely on buttons for controlling game play. The touch screen can be operated using fingertips or the provided stylus (like a PDA).
Voice recognition capabilities allow another new method of input using voice commands rather than the traditional button controls. It also would allow players to chat to one another if connected to the Internet using the Nintendo DS's LAN connection, which also allows for an infinite number of players to connect at a hot spot and compete at a central game hub.
The DS also features 802.11 wireless networking for linking players more close together (instead of using link-up cables like found in earlier handhelds). This allows up to 16 simultaneous players and the ability (if the game allows it) to all compete in the same game, even if only 1 player has the game card inserted.
Chat software may also be used with the Nintendo DS, enabling gamers to transmit text, handwriting and drawings to one another. DS games are stored on compact cards, capable of holding over 1 GB of data. A GameBoy Advance port is also featured on the system, allowing backwards compatibility with GBA games.
Technically, the DS is rather impressive for a handheld, but probably not quite as good as Sony's PSP when it comes to graphics. It features 16- channel sound and 3D graphics that surpass the quality of Nintendo 64. Games run at 60 frames per second and graphics allow for details like fog effects and cel shading.
Games and systems are available now at Amazon.com.
Nintendo DS Technical Specifications
? CPU Core Main Processor: ARM946E-S (Running at 67 MHz) Cache: 8 KB Instruction Cache, 4KB Data Cache TCM: 8KB Instruction, 4KB Data Sub Processor: ARM7TDMI (Running at 33 MHz)
? Memory Main Memory: 4 MB (Debug version has 8 MB) ARM9/ARM7 Shared - 32KB (16KB x 2) ARM7 Internal RAM - 64 KB VRAM - 656 KB
? LCD Display Size: 256 x 192 RGB Screens x 2
? Display Colours: 262,144 colours
? 2D Graphics Engine Background - Maximum 4 layers Objects - Maximum of 128 3D Graphics Engine Geometric Transformation - Max 4 million vertex/sec Polygon Rate - Max 120,000 polygons/sec Pixel Fillrate - Max 30 million pixels/sec
? Sound: 16 channel ADPCM/PCM (Max 8 channels can be set to PSG) Microphone input
? Wireless Communication 802.11 Protocol
? Input Device Touch Panel Direction Pad, A, B, X, Y, L, R buttons, Start, Select.
? Power Save Sleep mode (WakeUp possible at set times or by wireless communication) Power save for 2D engine, rendering engine, geometry engine, LCD screen possible.
