DMG ICE -Viral Speak-

Not sure how relevant this would be, but I thought I should bring it up. While trying to write a review for the Nintendo DS to post on GameFAQs (my user name is "mikaa," if you want to see what evil I have wrought), I was forced away and had to stop.

Reading over what I had later, I realized several interesting things I had written. I have a bad habit on comparing things, especially electronic devices and situations, when there are simmilarities between one object and another.

I found simmilarities between the DS and the Sega 32X and Saturn systems.

Before you, the reader, go nuts over what I had to be smoking to think of THAT, let me provide you with required reading before I move on: www.segacd.org/segabase/ This link takes you to a superb site that houses one of the best archiving of video game history, and in just reading it before I go on, you might see where I am going with this.

Did you read? It'll help you.

Now, to what I realized:

The Sega 32X was, despite what many claim and what the media has forgotten over time, nothing more than an extension of the Genesis system, with enhanced graphical abilities, better sound, and higher specs. The system was to bring the Genesis into the 32-bit world, alongside the Saturn. Ironically, the latter system was a rushed refit of the original Giga Drive (ie - the original successor to the Genesis/Mega Drive), and its US release was rushed to beat the Playstation.

Now, here is what bothers me:

The DS was practically announced out of nowhere early on in 2004. The earliest I remember hearing solid proof of it was in February. The only thing anyone confirmed at that point was the dual screens, with rumors running around. At E3, Nintendo presents the DS, and at first glance, I thought the system looked ok, with the touch screen, N64-style graphical abilities, microphone, GBA abilities, and the wirelessness.

But then I looked at a VERY high quality shot that Game Informer had in an article, and realized something odd: the DS's design was one of a prototype. Compared to the PSP, the DS looked VERY bad, very blah, and very raw.

And then I did someting that made me think even more: I tried to think of game concepts for the DS. I quickly realized that, while the idea of two screens is great, and the touch screen is nifty, the hardware would have to improve drastically, or have a larger media format to truly execute the games that I thought up.

And then I thought about the touch screen. And the mic. And then I read what Nintendo said about games not really needing to use both screens, and not needing to use the touch-screen, that they were optional.

Ladies and gentlemen, who out there has NOT read or heard any bashing of a DS game for not making the use of one of the special abilities of the DS?

If you want to know what in sam hill this rant has to do with the 32X and Saturn, I'm getting there. The 32X was an upgrade of the Genesis, and at one time was seen as a back-compatibility device for a planned Genesis/32X hybrid called the "Neptune." This system would have had the 32X upgrades built right into the Genesis system, with possible upgrades, and would allow for owners of the old Genesis to not abandon or spend an arm and a leg for new games.

Now back to the DS. Notice all the features (touch screen, mic, etc) and system upgrades (ie, buttons, graphics, etc) and the media formats (ie - GBA and DS)? Imagine, if you will, what kind of rushed upgrade for the Game Boy lineage would be like if Nintendo was worried about another system taking the market out from under them, say, the PSP?

Also remember that the Sega Saturn was rushed to market in the US in an attempt to beat out the Sony Playstation, and in doing so had very few games and/or ports, verses the (then) PSX's large library.

Fastforward to Winter 2004/5. The DS launches within months of being announced, and has a library of mostly ports, extensions of demos from E3, or games that use all of the "gimmiky" abilities of the DS (remember, two screens, touch screen, mic, etc). What did the PSP have at launch? A large library of games, some PS2 conversions, but far more new titles than the DS, and they took advantage of the hardware (try playing Wipeout Pure or Lumines - I have).

And on another note, did anyone besides me notice that Nintendo broke at tradition with the DS? They released it in the US BEFORE they released it in Japan. The DS is the ONLY system to have done so from Nintendo, and its quick appearance and release hint at the possibility of a rush.

(Side Note - It is my personal theory, based on various interviews, that Nintendo was not concerned with the DS launch in Japan, as the Japanese are far more willing to accept the system for the hardware alone. That, and look at Nintendogs...)

It really bugs me that the DS reeks of rushed efforts, but then I wonder... What if the DS was basically the GBA hardware slapped together with enough enhancements to make it what it is now, with the extras added in to try to draw people to it? I know Nintendo has a nack for great games, but good lord, the thought is scary. Nintendo is the only company that has survived to keep making hardware and games since the fall of Atari and the crash of 83, and to see so many simmilarities to Sega, especially when they rush out enhanced ports like Metroid Zero Mission and Mario vs Donkey Kong, I get worried. By the way, anyone heard about the Revolution using the DS as additional controllers? Does this reek of GC-GBA connectivity, or is it just me?

One last thing before I flee the pitchforks and torches: Supposedly, the next Game Boy (which, before the DS, I called the Game Boy 64), will be revealed at E3. Given that it is supposed to be a GAMEBOY, it SHOULD have full back compatibility with the GB/C/A software, as well as its own media format. Assuming that it only uses one screen, it would not be able to play any DS games, should the media be the same. And unless Nintendo is suicidal, the GB64 (or whatever it's going to be called)
would need an all-new media format. If you could play a GB64 game on your DS, what would the purpose be of buying a GB64 in the first place?

Sorry for ranting out like this. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to drop me a line for whatever (reasonable) reason, you can reach me at robbin12388@bellsouth.net.

Thank you for your time. - Mikaa