NintendoDS -- Engadget

NintendoDS posts

Stand-up console plays Nintendo DS and Sony PSP games, somewhat defeats the purpose

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jul 6th 2009 at 10:13AM

Depending in your level of geekness, an extravagant mod can be pretty cool. And arcade consoles are damn near always really cool. But making a stand-up console game out of your beloved Nintendo DS? That is pretty amazing. And throwing in a Sony PSP for good measure -- well, that might just elevate your project to a work of art. We don't have too many technical details on this bad boy (after all, the hacker is in Japan -- and there is a bit of a language barrier) but you we think the video of the thing really says it all -- if not in so many words. Peep it for yourself after the break.

[Via Technabob]

Continue reading Stand-up console plays Nintendo DS and Sony PSP games, somewhat defeats the purpose

Nintendo admits to scrapping new handheld plans in the past three years

by Laura June, posted Jun 8th 2009 at 11:06AM

Nintendo's talkative global president Satoru Iwata turned a few heads when he told CNBC that the company had another handheld gaming system completed and ready for production sometime in the past three years, but that it ultimately decided not to release it. Though he didn't give any details on the handheld, he did say that, "in the history of Nintendo there are several such examples." We can only hope that some kind of wild, awesome Gameboy prototype hits our desk one day. Nintendo's most recent handheld, the DSi, has moved over a million units, including around 435,000 during its first week of sale in the U.S.

[Via Joystiq]

Birthday boy gets box of rocks instead of Nintendo DS

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 29th 2009 at 12:41PM

No, you're not being mercilessly attacked by an unyielding feeling of déjà vu for no good reason -- we really have seen something eerily similar to this happen before. This go 'round, we've got a totally innocent ten year old boy who was given Guitar Hero for DS prior to even owning a console; as the mother finally ended the tease, she handed him a shiny new DS handheld for him to unwrap. Unfortunately for everyone involved, all that was tucked inside was a couple of stones, a Chinese newspaper and boatloads of disappointment. After the Walmart store from which she purchased it referred her to the Big N, she furiously admitted the following: "They don't want to do nothing. They want me to keep the box of rocks. I'm not buying a box of rocks for $138." Thankfully, Wally World finally refunded her and threw in a $20 gift card for the trouble (after being hounded by a local news station, mind you), but the real damage -- losing all hope in humanity -- will never be undone. Ever.

[Via plugged in]

KT's Egg gives your WiFi device access to the wonderful world of WiBro

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Apr 27th 2009 at 10:39AM

Korea Telecom really wants to get you on the WiBro tip. The aptly-named (if a wee bit uninspired) Egg is essentially a router for connecting WiFi devices (such as the Nintendo DS or iPod Touch) to the company's wireless broadband network. According to the Korea Times, both KT and SK Telecom (the country's two main WiBro operators) have mere 170,000 WiBro customers total, "making a mockery" of its "most wired nation" aspirations -- so they can certainly stand to expand their customer base a little bit. Subscribers to the company's flat-rate data plan will get the device for free (trust us, they've paid enough). Or you can pick one up for yourself at the Apple store in Samseong-dong or Myeong-dong, the next time you're in Seoul. This guy should be hitting the shelves sometime in May for ₩220,000 (that's about $163).

[Thanks, Stafford]

Nintendo rolls out lime green DS bundle just in time for Mother's Day

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Apr 24th 2009 at 3:51PM

Talk about things you never knew you didn't want! If Mom hadn't much use for a Nintendo DS Lite before, do you think that throwing in some cooking software is gonna change her mind? Neither do we. That said, if you're really stuck for a Mother's Day present (or just want one you can play Nintendogs on), this bad boy hits the shops May 3rd. You are now free to go back to reading Garfield Minus Garfield and counting down the minutes 'til Happy Hour.

Continue reading Nintendo rolls out lime green DS bundle just in time for Mother's Day

Japan getting Wii video service May 1st, complete with DSi connectivity

by Donald Melanson, posted Apr 23rd 2009 at 3:02PM

We haven't been hearing a whole lot about the planned video distribution service for the Wii as of late, but looks like folks in Japan will soon be able to try it out first hand, as the service is set to launch in the country on May 1st. Dubbed the "Wii no Ma Channel," the service is rolling out with a little help from advertising firm Denstu, and includes both free and paid content, as well as some other various services and special offers from sponsors. Even more interesting, however, is word that a free DSi app will launch alongside the service, which will let you download video from the Wii to the DS, and even download coupons from advertisers, which can then be scanned directly from the screen. Head on past the break for a quick video overview -- which, of course, doesn't include any word of a launch 'round here.

Continue reading Japan getting Wii video service May 1st, complete with DSi connectivity

Nintendo shares fall after surprising drop in Wii demand

by Donald Melanson, posted Apr 17th 2009 at 1:26PM

Nintendo may have been denying any rumors of a Wii price cut earlier this month, but it looks like it could possibly be reconsidering its options if this latest sales trend keeps up. Apparently, sales in the U.S. for the month of March clocked in at around 601,000 consoles, or about a 17% drop from a year earlier. During the same period, however, Xbox 360 sales were reportedly up a healthy 26%, while PlayStation 3 sales dipped 15% -- although, in sheer numbers, both were still well behind the Wii. That unsurprisingly didn't make investors too happy, with Nintendo shares falling 6.6% on the Osaka Securities Exchange after the news broke, which accounted for it's biggest drop in more than two months. Also contributing to the sell-off was a 19% drop in Nintendo DS sales compared to the previous year, although the company seems to be betting pretty heavily that the DSi will quickly turn those numbers around.

GBalpha announces Ranger GPS unit for Nintendo DS

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Apr 15th 2009 at 12:23PM

There hasn't exactly been a rush to flood the market with Nintendo DS-based GPS mods over the years -- and when we have seen them, they've been largely DIY affairs. Looking to fill a niche that most reasonable folks assume does not exist, GBalpha has announced the upcoming release of Ranger, its new touchscreen solution for those of you wishing to saddle your handheld with navigation duties. If you're curious, this bad boy sports a u-blox GPS module, 32MB extended memory, Google Earth map integration, and optional Mandarin and Cantonese voice prompts. Are you stoked? What if we gave you a price and a way to order it? Well, we can't do that for you. Sadly, large swaths of the product website are mum on those details.

[Via Max Console]

Nintendo's Iwata wants DS video on-demand through the Wii

by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 8th 2009 at 6:59AM

Nintendo's Wii, while thoroughly trouncing the competition in overall hardware sales, is way behind both the PS3 and Xbox 360 when it comes to media playback. Nintendo is about to take a step forward there with its Wii no Ma Channel, which will offer a variety of on-demand video including cartoons and other family programming -- in other words lots and lots of Pokemon. Now Nintendo President Satoru Iwata is indicating that he wants that video to come to the DS, too, saying "If the Wii and the DS are connected, it should be possible to download video through the Wii and take it with you on the DS." He also said Nintendo is "going to do it differently in a Nintendo-like way." Given the "different" way that Nintendo handles online play compared to the competition, expect to be punching in 16-digit codes in every time you get an urge to watch someone else catch 'em all. [Warning: Read link requires registration]

[Via Joystiq]

Nintendo DSi torn asunder, sized up against DS Lite's innards

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 8th 2009 at 4:13AM

Sure, we saw the Nintendo DSi get its teardown treatment back in November, but now that it's available stateside, iFixit's decided to go for round two and rip the portable completely apart, snapping pics at each painful step. Taking it a step further, we also get to see in finer detail some of the differences between the new hardware and its DS Lite predecessor, including the now smaller 840mAh battery that we hear's been contributing to some shorter play sessions. For all the gritty imagery, kindly point your mouse to the read link below.

[Via Wired]

Nintendo DSi now available in North America

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 5th 2009 at 3:56PM

At long last, US and Canadian gamers can finally join their European and Japanese brethren in picking up Nintendo's latest portable, the DSi. Price of entry is $170 and if you're interested in a color more vibrant than blue and black, you'll probably be waiting a while. Anyone picking this up on day one?

Nintendo DSi on sale in Europe, DSi Shop open for business (video)

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 3rd 2009 at 2:27PM

Nintendo's DSi, the youngest of the dual screen triplets, is now available in Europe, priced at £150 (US $222) in UK and €170 elsewhere. As for everyone across the pond, we'll have to wait until Sunday for the official North America debut, but if you somehow managed to procure one early (hello there!), you can check out the DSi Shop, which has officially flung open its doors for eager buyers. Check out video of Josh spending some quality time with the DSi Shop after the break.

Continue reading Nintendo DSi on sale in Europe, DSi Shop open for business (video)

Health Control Game Timer keeps your DS gaming in check

by Donald Melanson, posted Apr 3rd 2009 at 8:17AM

Video game timers of one sort or another are hardly anything new, but timers for handheld game consoles are a considerably rarer sight, especially ones as elaborate as this so-called Health Control Game Timer for the Nintendo DS. Apparently not content with simply shutting off the handheld after a predetermined period of time, this one also packs a built-in proximity sensor that'll set off an alarm if you're holding the DS too close to your face. Of course, considering that the device can simply be yanked from the DS at any time, this isn't exactly the most effective tool for parents looking to curb their kids' gaming habits but, if you lack a little self control yourself, you can grab one of these now for ¥ 3,990, or just about $40.

[Via SlashGear]

Nintendo DSi gets sized up on video ahead of US debut

by Ross Miller, posted Apr 2nd 2009 at 6:33PM

Still on the fence about picking up a Nintendo DSi this Sunday? Our BFFs at Joystiq have a rather exhaustive video hands-on with the portable, pre-recorded cheers and all. Witness firsthand the unboxing, the inevitable side-by-side comparison with the DS Lite, and a walkthrough of the new camera and sound recordings apps, all thanks to the power of moving pictures. Grab some popcorn and hit up the read link to have all your dual-screen questions answered, and then some.

DSi project leader reveals unreleased Nintendo handhelds

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Mar 27th 2009 at 5:31AM

Man, the folks over at this year's Game Developer's Conference are having all the fun -- and now the Joystiq crew just got a rare look at two Game Boy models that never made it to production, unveiled during a talk by the project leader for the development of the DSi, Masato Kuwahara. The first, developed around 1995, was labeled "Game Boy Advance Predecessor," and was based on a 32-bit ARM RISC processor. The project stalled in development due to poor graphics performance. The second device was essentially a touch-screen Game Boy Advance SP, with a clamshell case thrown in for good measure. Apparently, this one didn't make the cut due to its lack of a backlit display. We've got a picture of that one for you too -- and it does look somewhat familiar. Check it after the break.

Continue reading DSi project leader reveals unreleased Nintendo handhelds