Live from E3: Day Two
Engadget E3 correspondent Kevin Christley has his second report from the floor show of the E3 gaming expo:
Our first impressions: The Nintendo DS's second screen turns out to be a software configurable touchpad (without raised bumps as previously speculated). The unit is a bit bigger than the current Game Boy Advance, more shaped like a checkbook with dual 3-inch screens, one on top and one on the bottom next to the standard Nintendo gamepad.
It is fully Game Boy Advance compatible (it has a slot for the carts), and has a DS cart slot to take advantage of the new dual screen features as well.
There were quite a few games (working and very playable), such as PacN'Roll, a Gundam game, a Submarine demo, Pokemon, and more. as PacN'Roll, a Gundam game, a Submarine demo, Pokemon, and more.
The cool thing is that the unit has a wireless feature and could communicate with 3 other DS's with built-in instant messaging software that not only lets you tap out the letters using a Palm-type software keyboard, but lets you draw as well. All in all, it's a very promising handheld, and seems poised to attract the adult crowd as well as the kids.
