[Geek] Touching Has Never Been So Good: A Review of The Nintendo DS

Over the years, Nintendo has never failed to deliver a great experience in a hand-held system. The DS is no different. With N64 quality graphics and sound, an inventive stylus control system and more than a few familiar games, the DS will be a force to be reckoned with. It also may become Nintendo’s last hope console-wise, considering the lag in sales for the Gamecube. The main thing that impressed me about the DS is that it really is “revolutionary.”

Take the differences between the original Gameboy and the Gameboy Advance. It’s definitely there, but compared to the gap between the GBA and the DS, there’s no comparison. One look at the DS’ slick visuals and surprisingly complete N64 ports will make it obvious: The next generation in portable gaming has arrived.

One of the iffy aspects of the DS is the control pad. I like the stylus. When I need to use it, it seems to work well. The problem lies in the pad—they should have gone with a stick. It’s fully functional 3D movement at this point, and that requires more extensive controls than up, down, left and right. I may be biased, since the main game I’ve played is Super Mario 64 DS, which gives you plenty of free movement. And, considering how new the console is, I probably just haven’t discovered the right way to control it, yet.

Another feature added to the Nintendo DS is the dual screens. The top screen is a normal game screen, and the events in game generally take place on it. The bottom screen, however, uses the stylus, much like a PDA. For example, in Metroid Prime Hunters, the player runs with the control pad, fires with the L button, and looks around/jumps with the stylus. It’s hard to explain, but fairly easy to get used to. In Mario 64 DS, the stylus is completely optional for the main game, you can use the pad and buttons to move, or you can use the stylus.

Finally, we get to the multiplayer. Never before has there been such amazing connection in handheld systems. Any number of people 100 feet away from each other can connect and chat via PictoChat, or play games. No wires, no adapters—it’s all built in. I’ve been sitting in my room, messing around with the PictoChat features, when someone with a DS drove by and entered my chat room. It’s pretty amazing for a little system. And multiplayer games don’t even require both players to have the cartridge! That’s right, you can actually temporarily download a game from across the room.

So, between the fun gameplay, good lineup and amazing N64 quality graphics and sound, the DS looks to be a solid and certainly interesting system, and one definitely worth checking out.