Joystiq readers redesign the Nintendo DS
On the heels of a hint from Reggie of Nintendo USA, we asked our readers to submit their ideas and redesigns for a new Nintendo DS. Ideas ranged from decreasing the distance between the two screens and making them widescreen to adding gyroscopic functionality like the Revolution controller. You can read the brilliant ideas our readers have for the DS at the original article's comment thread.
We promised to post any visual mock-ups of a possible new design, so here they are in order of the time we recieved the tip. Check out the designs after the jump.
Ryan Cooper?s design was the first in and was the one that sparked off this little redesign effort. As we mentioned in the last article, this design is heavily inspired by the Apple iBook. Its clean lines and subtle colors make it much very easy on the eye. Now how about a top view Ryan!
Aaron was the next to send in a redesign with his Nintendo DS ?Nano?. No clues as to which device inspired this DS design! Again as a design inspired by an Apple product, it features light colors and clean lines.
Nick had a couple of redesigns made up before we even posted the article, so he kindly linked us to his creations. The designs take cues from Nintendo?s other portable console, the GameBoy Micro. As we saw in the last two designs, a flat design seems to be more desirable than the DS? bottom raised screen. The second design features a very nice looking slide out screen, which hides the fugly hinge and saves space if you only want play a GBA game (or watch a movie?).
M.Almasy sent us in his shiny DS redesign which looks to share some of the PSP?s design elements. Although according the creator this design is a ?basic ergonomic principle? and cannot be credited to the PSP. Read his blog entry for more of his musings on what the next DS could look like. Joystiq suggestion: maybe the thumb pad could electronically and physically limit itself to two axis when playing GBA games. For that authentic retro feel.
Anthony Perri?s design featured a prominent slide screen design. There are some similarities to the Gizmondo (the shape of the console), but they?re not too overwhelming. This design replaces the D-pad with an analog nub controller.
LaserBeam?s 3D mock-up was one of the most comprehesive redesigns we received. Created in a 3D program, the design seems to be closest to the Nintendo DS itself. According to LaserBeams that was the idea. ?Design cues from the NDS were used, I wanted to keep the sort of clunky Nintendo look, without it actually being clunky.? It certainly seems to have achieved that look. The overall feel is of a more streamlined design that keeps all the old features as well as adds new ones without confusing the user.
We thought we?d also look at Nintendo?s latest redesign effort (with a tongue in cheek). Overall it seems to be a very poor effort on the behalf of Nintendo. The only noticeable change appears to be the overwhelming fake gold color that they?ve spray painted over the old silver design. Hopefully this won?t result in owners dropping a load of ?it?s worth its weight in gold? gags.
Thanks to our readers for the overwhelmingly positive response! We?re open to posting any more redesigns, so keep ?em coming.
