Nintendo DS - 1 Year On

[Mimternet]

Well folks, it's almost 1 year since DS hit Japan, and hasn't it done well? It's quite the pocket size sensation despite competition from the competition and competition from it's Micro cousin.

The thing I am most excited about is that as great as DS already is, it's not even at 50% of its potential as far as I'm concerned. Yes there are great games, but there aren't many multiplayer games. Multiplayer is where gaming excels for me personally, particularly on a handheld. The best games marry awesome multiplayer with a deep single player and intertwine them, which is why Pokemon is so amazing.

Nintendo WIFI is going, to literally, blow my mind, let alone the concept of a handheld. Can't wait until Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Tony Hawks and Metroid come out. I love my DS already, but I think it's going to end up being close to my favourite console ever.

What's everyone else's thoughts on DS so far?

[Stocka]

DS has suprised everyone in Japan, and good for it, just shows that Japanese people are more open minded and are willing to try something new. But yeah, like you say the best is yet to come. Online Mario Kart,Metroid,Animal Crossing + bloody loads and loads of my favourite genre ever, RPGs. I mean come on theres so many i particularly look forward to:
Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time
FF : CC
FF3
Children of Mana
Iron Feather
Lost Magic
Londonion Gothics
Baten Kaitos DS...+ many more.
MMMmmmm.
Oh, and did I mention a little something called Super Mario Bros? :wink:

[McMad]

Even though the DS has been a great success in Japan, it has had great competition in the west(does anyone know the total sales of the DS or PSP in America?) and now that the PSP has been released in Europe even more danger looms over the DS.

[Stocka]

Even though the DS has been a great success in Japan, it has had great competition in the west(does anyone know the total sales of the DS or PSP in America?) and now that the PSP has been released in Europe even more danger looms over the DS.
Chill, DS is catching up a bit in US and nintendogs is out soon in Europe. Anyway, all the uk PSP hype and stuff in newspapers in UK is slowing down. Nintendogs is taking the spotlight :heh:
Anyway, Once Mario Kart DS and the Wi-Fi Connection is out sales will sky rocket.

also, its the gaming thats important not the sales, and as long as the sales continue to be successfull like they are, we are guarenteed to have plenty of great games to look forward to :smile:
Once again, MARIO KART ONLINE WOOOOooOO00o!

[Cheapshot]

I feel it has taken off too slowly.

There's so many brilliant games on the horizon at the moment -- but with the quantity and quality of games so far; the DS hasen't given me the impact I hoped. It's getting there, but I feel it needs more time to be a truly brilliant piece of hardware.

[Kurtle Squad]

I agree with Cheapshot completely. The big-guns should have been out earlier!

[Sarka]

The anticipation is what has been really making me cling onto my hopes for the DS. I lvoe all my games and they have already provided some kick ass moments but Animal Corssing, Mario Kart DS, Mario and Luigi, Sonic Rush, Castlevania and more coming before the end of the year makes me to be proud to be a nintendo fanboy!

[dazzybee]

Theres two thinsg really - worldwide the DS has been a huge success with loats of amazing titles available and even more amazing titles coming soon. However, in the UK (what most if us are exposed to) things dont seem very good - theres hardly any games out, it hardly gets any exposure and people dont seem to be buying it as much. But thats image and sales, in my eyes its been an absolute success, it has single handedly got me interested and excited about games again (dont even get my started on the Revolution), I have been increasingly bored with gaming over the past few years, for many reasons, but the DS is a great bit if kit, and I just appreciate the new level of control (I dont care that most of the time it isnt better, the fact it is DIFERENT is usually enough). The new genres created and twists on old ones is so refreshing in todays market, I'm well happy with it, and to emphasise what people have already said, the best is yet to come - developers will start to push the hardware, not just technically but the interface and the possibilities it opens up, and with the release of the wifi service brings a new level of enjoyment NIntendo fans havent truly witnessed.

[Waylander]

I'm a little disappointed with the Euro releases so far but the great games are starting to be released so I'm very excited about the future for the DS.

[The3rdChildren]

The killer applications for the DS are just now starting to surface. These will set it apart from the PSP, which at the moment doesn't have any games that scream "awesome".

[MidnightSun]

The DS obviously wans't ready for release in November 2004. It probably wouldn't have been ready for release when the PSP was released. I think if they released it sometime in the summer we would be here saying how sucuessful the system is rather than how slow it's taken to get to the point it's out now.

The DS has some amazing games down the road that we're all going to love, we just need to use patience to wait for them.

Most systems have the usual 4-5 year lifespan, but IMO because of the slow start the DS had it'll have a good 6-7 year lifespan with some amazing games down the road. I cannot wait for the future of this system, because even though there aren't many games out there and most of them are weak, I feel this could be the best handheld system that I'll ever own (maybe even home system...).

Once Mario Kart DS is released, the DS will be amazing forever in my eyes. ;)

[dazzybee]

But I think NIntendo saw the importance of releasing early, it gets you so many extra sales. The one thing I'm worried about with the rec isthat the 360 is launching a year ahead!! Really hope it isnt far behind the PS3. What happened to Ninetdno saying they wouldnt launch last again?!?! What happened Nintendo!!!!?

[khilafah]

been a great year.

Games like Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!, Castlevania, Nintedogs, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Advance Wars DS, Kirby's Magical Paintbrush have all been purchased by me and i enjoy them loads.

[Hellfire]

While I understand when some people say you want more AAA games faster, its not really possible to happen. Great games take a lot of time to be made specially in such a different console. Still a lot of great games already came out and Im enjoying DS a LOT. Better than PSP by loads in my opinion. On the european side things are different as always...

[Din]

Yes the DS has done very well but I'm not really that satisfied with the amount of games that I actually want to buy. I have only bought three games (Mario 64, Another Code, WarioWare) and I'm going to buy Castlevania this Friday. So that shows that there hasn't been a lot of games that I have wanted. But the three games were excellent titles so I can't really complain.

I am looking forward to the likes of Mario Kart which is going to be brilliant so the future is bright for the DS!

[I like nintendo]

Yeah, I agree with Din, I like the DS, but in a year I have 5 games (mario 64 Mr. driller, WW: touched AWDS)
also: Hey, guys, remember how I said I was getting broadband? Well I am, This means I will have to change E-Mails, So I will probably have to make an account (I plan it too be similar to this one eg: Nintendo is cool, that's what I plan to go with) So I was wondering if I can change my accounts email? Last one...

[Mimternet]

I think I have to agree with you all, I love my DS more than the games at the moment. It's only the system's potential that has really kept me going. Yoshi and Kirby are both great. Kirby in particular, but once it has been beaten, that's it. I'm spending a LOT of time with Nintendogs and it is probably one of the best game experiences I've had in a long, long time. But again, the multiplayer makes it feel limiting.

We're starting to get the AAA title through now and I really do think that once Mario Kart, Animal Crossing and Metroid are out and online (hopefully with some chat function - does anyone know if you can chat in Mario Kart DS?) that it is contendor for my favourite system of all time.

[Kurtle Squad]

But I think NIntendo saw the importance of releasing early, it gets you so many extra sales. The one thing I'm worried about with the rec isthat the 360 is launching a year ahead!! Really hope it isnt far behind the PS3. What happened to Ninetdno saying they wouldnt launch last again?!?! What happened Nintendo!!!!?

I agree...The Revo was supposedly being released before the PS3 in spring at one point!! It pisses me off it's going to be about a year after the 360. Hopefully it will Launch early Autumn... like Sept!!

[Dr Kong]

Terrible start but its getting much better. The question is how much longer can it hold out to the PSP?

[Stefkov]

there will definitely be a surge in sales when GTA comes out for the psp, but there will be a surge in sales of the ds for nintendogs, mario kart, metroid, etc, so i think the ds will hold out for a very long time.