   #copyright

Nintendo DS

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Computer & Video games

                                  Nintendo DS
     Manufacturer   Nintendo
    Product family  Nintendo DS
         Type       Handheld game console
      Generation    Seventh generation era
   First available  United States Canada November 21, 2004
                    Japan December 2, 2004
                    Australia February 24, 2005
                    European Union March 11, 2005
                    People's Republic of China July 23, 2005
         CPU        One 67 MHz ARM946E-S ( ARM) and one 33 MHz ARM7TDMI
        Media       GBA cartridges
                    Nintendo DS Game Cards
    System storage  Cartridge save, 4MB RAM
     Connectivity   Wi-Fi
    Online service  Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
      Units sold    27 million
                    (all versions worldwide)
   Top-selling game Nintendogs
     Predecessor    Game Boy Advance SP(original)- technologically; The DS is
                    not the successor to the Game Boy line
      Successor     Nintendo DS Lite (concurrent)

   The Nintendo DS (ニンテンドーDS, Nintendō DS^ ?, sometimes abbreviated NDS or
   DS, and as iQue DS in China) is a handheld game console developed and
   manufactured by Nintendo, which was released in 2004. The console
   features a clamshell design, with two LCD screens inside - one of which
   is a touch sensitive screen. The Nintendo DS also features a built-in
   microphone and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 ( WiFi) standards,
   allowing players to interact with each other within short range (10–30
   m, depending on conditions) or online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi
   Connection service. The system's code-name was "Project Nitro," which
   explains the NTR in the codes written on the backs of game cards and
   the system itself.

   The console's name officially refers to Dual Screen, the system's most
   obvious feature, and Developers' System, in reference to the new game
   design the system was meant to inspire.

   On March 2, 2006, Nintendo released the Nintendo DS Lite in Japan. It
   is a redesign of the Nintendo DS. It was later released in North
   America, Europe and Australia in June 2006. The DS Lite is a slimmer
   and lighter version of the Nintendo DS and has brighter screens.

Design and specifications

Input and output

   The Nintendo DS stylus used for games played on the touch-screen
   Enlarge
   The Nintendo DS stylus used for games played on the touch-screen

   The lower display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid with a
   pressure-sensitive touch screen, designed to accept input from the
   included stylus, the user's fingers, or a curved plastic rectangle
   attached to the optional wrist strap. The touch screen allows players
   to interact with in-game elements more directly than by pressing
   buttons; for example, in Trauma Centre: Under the Knife, the stylus may
   be used as a scalpel to cut an incision in a diseased patient, or as a
   writing tool in the included chatting software, PictoChat.

   Traditional controls are located on either side of the touch screen. To
   the left is a D-pad, with a narrow Power button above it, and to the
   right are the A, B, X, and Y buttons, with narrow Select and Start
   buttons above them. Shoulder buttons L and R are located on the upper
   corners of the lower half of the system. The overall button layout is
   similar to the controller of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

   The Nintendo DS features stereo speakers providing virtual surround
   sound (depending on the software) located on either side of the upper
   display screen. This is a first for a Nintendo handheld, as the Game
   Boy line of systems has only supported stereo sound through the use of
   headphones or external speakers.

   A built-in microphone is located below the left side of the bottom
   screen. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including speech
   recognition ( Nintendogs), chatting online between gameplay sessions
   some games (but not during gameplay) ( Metroid Prime Hunters), and
   minigames that require the player to blow or shout into the microphone
   ( Feel the Magic: XY/XX, Mario Kart DS etc).

Specifications

     * Mass: 275 grams (9.7 ounces).
     * Physical size: 148.7 x 84.7 x 28.9 mm (5.85 x 3.33 x 1.13 inches).
     * Screens: Two separate 3-inch TFT LCD, resolution of 256 x 192
       pixels, dimensions of 62 x 46 mm and 77 mm diagonal, and a dot
       pitch of 0.24 mm. Note The gap between the screens is approximately
       21mm, equivalent to about 92 "hidden" lines. Controversially, some
       games include this space in the play field, whilst others ignore it
       existance. The lowermost display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid
       with a resistive touch screen, which registers pressure from one
       point on the screen at a time, averaging multiple points of contact
       if necessary.
     * CPUs: Two ARM processors, an ARM946E-S main CPU and ARM7TDMI
       co-processor at clock speeds of 67 MHz and 33 MHz respectively,
       with 4 MB of main memory which requires 1.65 volts.

   Card Size
     * Data size: Up to 1 gigabit ( = 1024 Mb or 128 MB).
     * Physical size: 33.0 × 35.0 × 3.8 mm
     * Weight: About 4 grams

   The system's 3D hardware performs transform and lighting,
   texture-coordinate transformation, texture mapping, alpha blending,
   anti-aliasing, cel shading and z-buffering. However, it uses Point (
   nearest neighbour) texture filtering, leading to some titles having a
   blocky appearance. The system is theoretically capable of rendering
   120,000 triangles per second at 60 frames per second and the
   pixelfillrate is 30 million pixels per second. Unlike most 3D hardware,
   it has a limit on the number of triangles it can render as part of a
   single scene; this limit is somewhere in the region of 4000 triangles.
   The 3D hardware is designed to render to a single screen at a time, so
   rendering 3D to both screens is difficult and decreases performance
   significantly.

   The system has two 2D engines, one per screen. These are similar to
   (but more powerful than) the Game Boy Advance's 2D engine.

   Games use a proprietary solid state ROM "Game Card" format resembling
   the memory cards used in other portable electronic devices such as
   digital cameras. It currently supports cards up to 1 gigabit in size.
   The cards always have a small amount of flash memory or an EEPROM to
   save user data, for example progress in a game or high scores. The game
   cards are 33.0 × 35.0 × 3.8 mm, and weigh around 3.5 grams (1/8
   ounces).

   The unit has built-in Wi-Fi functionality, which allows communications
   with a standard access point to access the Internet, and with other DS
   units through a modified WiFi protocol created by Nintendo and
   partially secured using RSA security signing. The latter is used by the
   built-in wireless drawing and chat program, by games in non-online
   multiplayer mode, and to download game demos or multiplayer game
   software (used for DS Download Stations and multiplayer gaming with
   only one game card). The Internet capability is used to access the
   Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, where users can compete with other users
   playing the same Wi-Fi compatible game and access other services.

Firmware

   Nintendo's own custom firmware boots the system (first requiring the
   player to read health information): from here, the user chooses to run
   a Nintendo DS or Game Boy Advance game, use PictoChat, or search for
   downloadable games. The latter is an adaptation of the Game Boy
   Advance's popular "single cartridge multiplayer" feature, adapted to
   support the system's wireless link capabilities (players without the
   game search for content, while players with the game broadcast it. The
   game host is able to set the rules of the game).

   In November 2004, Nintendo announced that there could be some sort of
   "download kiosk" that would transmit a signal for a Nintendo DS in the
   area to pick up, and download a demo of a game (Just like the "Download
   Play" feature that it in fact, uses). As of 2006, there are now
   download kiosks placed in select EB Games, GameStop, Game Crazy, Toys R
   Us, Wal-Mart, and Target stores.

   The PictoChat program, which is permanently stored on the unit, allows
   users to communicate with other Nintendo DS users within range over the
   wireless network by text, handwriting, or drawings, using the DS's
   touch screen and stylus for input, or a small visual keyboard on the
   screen.

   The DS's main menu also features an alarm clock and the ability to set
   preferences for boot priority (booting to games when inserted, or
   always booting to the main menu), Game Boy Advance game screen usage
   (top or bottom), and user information (name, date of birth, favorite
   colour, time, etc.)

Download Play

   Selected titles (Including and not limited to) Mario Kart DS, New Super
   Mario Bros. and Meteos)), it is possible to play multiplayer games with
   other Nintendo DS users using only one game card. The distance for this
   to be effective is about 60 feet. The Nintendo DS unit downloads the
   necessary data from another unit running the game. There is also a
   multiplayer Wi-Fi feature. At certain hotspots, or Wi-Fi enabled areas,
   you can hook up and play with DS owners around the world. Also, many
   stores that sell DS games have DS Download Stations where a player can
   download demos of games (although the demo is not permanent).

Compatibility

   The Nintendo DS is compatible with Game Boy Advance (GBA) cartridges;
   the smaller Nintendo DS cartridges fit into Slot 1 on the top of the
   system, while Game Boy Advance games fit into Slot 2 on the bottom of
   the system. The Nintendo DS is not compatible with games for the Game
   Boy Colour and the original Game Boy, due to a slightly different form
   factor and the absence of the Zilog Z80-like processor used in these
   systems.

   The handheld does not have a port for the Game Boy Advance Link Cable,
   so multiplayer or GameCube-Game Boy Advance link-up modes are not
   available in Game Boy Advance titles.

   The Nintendo DS only uses one screen when playing Game Boy Advance
   games. The user can configure the system to use either the top or
   bottom screen by default. The games are displayed within a black border
   on the screen, due to the slightly different screen resolution between
   the two systems (256 × 192px (approx. .05 megapixels) for the Nintendo
   DS, and 240 × 160px (approx. .04 megapixels) for the Game Boy Advance).

   Nintendo DS games inserted into Slot 1 are able to detect the presence
   of specific Game Boy Advance games in Slot 2. In many such games, extra
   content can be unlocked or added by starting the Nintendo DS game with
   the appropriate Game Boy Advance game inserted. Also available are
   expansion paks, such as the Rumble Pak released by Nintendo that
   rumbles the system during a rumble-compatible game, and the Nintendo DS
   Memory Expansion Pak, which supplies extra RAM for certain games as
   well as for the Nintendo DS Browser.

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

   The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is an online service run by Nintendo to
   facilitate free Internet play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games
   through the use of Wi-Fi connection. The service was launched in North
   America on November 14, 2005 with the release of Mario Kart DS, Tony
   Hawk's American Sk8land, and on December 5, 2005, Animal Crossing: Wild
   World. The new release of the nintendo DS browser which is the size of
   a regular game card allows the user to browse regular web pages through
   a Wi-Fi connection.

Battery life

   The Nintendo DS contains a rechargeable lithium ion battery. The
   expected battery life ranges from 6 - 10 hours on a full four-hour
   charge. Battery life is affected by multiple factors including speaker
   volume, use of one or both screens, back lighting, and use of the
   built-in WiFi. The biggest effect on battery life is caused by using
   the backlight, which can be turned off in the main menu screen, or on
   selected games (such as Super Mario 64 DS).

   The battery is designed to be removed only when it expires and should
   be replaced. It is removable with the use of a Phillips-head
   screwdriver. Removing the battery will cause the Nintendo DS to prompt
   the user to re-enter all of the unit's settings (user's birthday,
   user's name, etc.), but it will not affect saved data on Nintendo DS
   Game Cards or Game Boy Advance Game Paks.

   To sustain battery life in the midst of a game, users can close the
   Nintendo DS system, which will then put the DS in sleep mode with the
   game you were playing paused. A system in sleep mode can run for
   several hundred hours without completely draining the battery. However,
   closing the shell while playing a Game Boy Advance game will not put
   the Nintendo DS into sleep mode; the game will continue to run normally
   including the back light. Certain DS games (such as Animal Crossing
   Wild World) also will not pause but the backlight, screens and speakers
   will turn off.

Regional division

   The Nintendo DS is region free in the sense that any console will run a
   Nintendo DS game purchased anywhere in the world; it is the same system
   everywhere. However, the Chinese version games can only be played on
   the Chinese iQue DS, whose larger firmware chip contains the required
   Chinese character glyph images. Nintendo DS of other regions cannot
   play the Chinese games, while iQue DS can play games of other regions.
   Also, as with Game Boy games, some games that require both players to
   have a Nintendo DS Game Card for multiplayer play will not work
   together if the games are from different regions (e.g. a Japanese
   Nintendo DS game may not work with a North American Nintendo DS game,
   though some titles, such as Mario Kart DS, are mutually compatible).
   With the addition of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, certain games can
   be played over the Internet with users of a different region game.

   Some Wi-Fi enabled games (e.g. Mario Kart DS) allow the selection of
   opponents by region. The options are Continent and Worldwide, as well
   as two non-location specific settings. This allows the player to limit
   competitors to only those opponents based in the same geographical
   area. It is unknown whether this is based on the region code of the
   console in use, the region of the cartridge, or geolocation of the IP
   address.

Prices

   Nintendo DS price history: (United Kingdom)
     * March 11 2005 - October 2005 £100
     * October 2005 - June 2006 £95
     * June 2006 - December 2006 £90

   Nintendo DS price history: (United States)
     * November 2004 - November 2005 $149.99
     * November 2005 - September 2006 $139.99
     * September 2006 - current $129.99
     * Black Friday 2006 - $99.99

Accessories

   Game Boy Advance game slot on Game Boy Advance (above) and Nintendo DS
   (below).
   Enlarge
   Game Boy Advance game slot on Game Boy Advance (above) and Nintendo DS
   (below).

   Although the secondary port on the Nintendo DS does accept and support
   Game Boy Advance cartridges (but not Game Boy, and Game Boy Colour
   cartridges), Nintendo has emphasized that its main intention for its
   inclusion was to allow a wide variety of accessories to be released for
   the system, the Game Boy Advance compatibility titles being a logical
   extension.

   Nintendo announced at E³ 2005 that it would launch "Headset
   Accessories" for VoIP enabled games. (This will plug into the VoIP plug
   next to the Ear Phone jack, not the Game Boy Advance slot.)

Rumble Pak

   The Rumble Pak was the first official expansion slot accessory. In the
   form of a Game Boy Advance cartridge, the Rumble Pak vibrates to
   reflect the action in compatible games, such as when the player bumps
   into an obstacle or loses a life. It was released on October 24, 2005
   and bundled with Metroid Prime Pinball. It can be used in games such as
   Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, Star Fox Command, Elite Beat Agents,
   and Metroid Prime: Hunters and is sold as a separate accessory. A
   specially designed Rumble Pak was released in Japan in late May, 2006
   for the Nintendo DS Lite The cartridge is about 1cm shorter to prevent
   it from protruding out of the Nintendo DS Lite as standard Game Boy
   Advance cartridges do. A North American version of the accessory is
   assumed following the June 11, 2006 release of the system.

Nintendo DS Headset

   The Nintendo DS Headset is the official headset for the Nintendo DS. It
   plugs into the headset port (which is a combination of a standard 3.5mm
   headphone connector and a proprietary microphone connector) on the
   bottom of the system. It features one earphone and a microphone, and is
   compatible with all games that use the internal microphone. It was
   released in Japan on September 14, 2006.

Opera internet browser

   On February 15, 2006, Nintendo announced a version of Opera, a
   cross-platform web browser, which will take advantage of the dual
   screens for either zooming in on certain sections of a website or
   having a longer vertical view. The browser went on sale in Japan on
   July 24, 2006, for JP¥3,800 (approx. $33). It was released in Europe on
   October 6, 2006, for £29.99. An American version is expected for
   release some time in December.

Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector

   This USB-flash-disk-sized accessory plugs into a PC's USB port and
   creates a miniature hotspot, allowing up to five Nintendo DS units to
   connect to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service through the host
   computer internet connection. Currently this device is only compatible
   with Windows XP.

Nintendo MP3 Player

   On November 22, 2006, Nintendo confirmed an MP3 player accessory for
   the DS will launch in Europe on December 8, 2006. No price has been
   released by Nintendo, but many sources suggest a €30 price tag. The
   add-on will use SD cards and will use an odd 8-bit style GUI.

Hacking

   Throughout the years the Nintendo DS has been released, a great deal of
   hacking has occurred involving the DS's firmware, Wi-Fi, game cards,
   and software use. Nintendo DS emulators are also in early stages of
   development, and only few commercial games are playable thus far.

Marketing and sales

   On January 5, 2006, Nintendo issued a formal apology after the Nintendo
   DS sold out throughout Japan, as no Nintendo system had ever sold out
   in Japan before.

   Nintendo announced on February 15, 2006 that in Japan the Nintendo DS
   reached 5 million units sold in less than 13 months after its launch,
   which marks the fastest-ever pace for a video game system in Japan.

   Sales of Nintendo DS and DS Lite (as of September 30, 2006):
     * Worldwide: 27 million
          + Japan: 11.52 million
          + America: 7.51 million
          + Pal Region: 7.79 million

   (Sales figures include Nintendo DS Lite units, which totaled 9.06
   million worldwide.)

   On November 21, 2006, Nintendo announced that the Nintendo DS had
   reached over 7 million units sold in Europe.

   The system's promotional slogans revolve around the word "Touch" in
   almost all countries, with the US slogan being "Touching is good."

   The Nintendo DS is currently seen by many analysts to be in the same
   market as Sony's PlayStation Portable, although representatives from
   both companies have said that each system targets a different audience.
   At the time of its release in the United States, the Nintendo DS
   retailed for $149.99 USD. The price dropped to $129.99 USD on August
   21, 2005, one day before the anticipated North American releases of
   Nintendogs and Advance Wars: Dual Strike.

   Eight official colors of the Nintendo DS were available through
   standard retailers. Titanium (silver and black) was available
   worldwide, Electric Blue was exclusive to North and Latin America.
   Graphite Black, Pure White, Turquoise Blue and Candy Pink were
   available in Japan. Mystic Pink and Cosmic Blue were available in
   Australia and New Zealand. Japan's Candy Pink and Australia's Cosmic
   Blue were also available in Europe and North America through a
   Nintendogs bundle, although the colors are just referred to as pink and
   blue. However, these colors were only available for the original
   Nintendo DS model; a different and more-limited set of colors have been
   used for the Nintendo DS Lite.

   As of June 2006, Nintendo announced that it would no longer sell /
   provide the original and would replace it with the Nintendo DS Lite.

   On October 3, 2006 Nintendo announced a 20.5% raise in net profit
   forecast partially attributed to strong DS sales. The company also
   raised its estimated DS sales forecast by 18%.

Special editions / Promotional Packages

   Many special editions and promotional packages have been available for
   the Nintendo DS, starting with the first Nintendo DS bundle of a
   Metroid Prime: Hunters demo version, which was included in the first
   line-up of US shipments. Other adjustments have been made to the DS /
   DS Lite including colour and laser engravings made for promotional
   events. For example, during the release of MarioKart DS in North
   America, a "Red Hot DS Bundle" was available, which was a red colored
   Nintendo DS, with the game MarioKart DS packaged along with it.

Nintendo DS Lite

   The Nintendo DS Lite (sold as the iQue DS Lite in China) is a
   dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by
   Nintendo. It is a slimmer, more lightweight redesign of the earlier
   Nintendo DS model; aesthetically sleeker to complement Nintendo's Wii,
   and to appeal to broader commercial audiences. It was announced on
   January 26, 2006, more than a month before its first territorial launch
   in Japan on March 2, 2006 due to overwhelming demand for the original
   model.The Nintendo DS Lite is currently available in three different
   colors: black, pink, and white.

Software development

   Nintendo only accepts official companies with a game development team,
   and sufficient experience in certain areas for their official developer
   support program. Additional information is available from the Nintendo
   Software Development Support Group.

   An alternative method is to use publicly available knowledge from sites
   such as NDSTech, and to use the tools available to create one's own
   programs. This development route requires a method for running Nintendo
   DS programs from the Game Boy Advance port. There are five methods
   available: PassMe, PassMe2, WiFiMe, FlashMe, and NoPass. However, there
   will eventually be rewritable DS cards along with DS-to- SD adaptors
   for other rewritable cards.

Trivia

   The Donkey Kong version of the Game & Watch.
   Enlarge
   The Donkey Kong version of the Game & Watch.
     * The Nintendo DS bears a striking resemblance to Nintendo's first
       handheld, the Game and Watch, specifically the Donkey Kong version.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
