Great idea, rushed launch
Written: Dec 13 '04 (Updated Dec 13 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Dual screens! Great audio! Pretty decent graphics engine.
Cons: Ergo design. 2-D control for 3-D gaming. Rushed out for Holidays.
The Bottom Line: Great concept. Innovative idea, but they should have spent a little more time and care on it before rushing it out to stores.
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| darenstrange's Full Review: Nintendo DS Console |
***Disclaimer: I am not a professional reviewer. I do not intend to get paid for my reviews. Therefore, I give overall reviews I feel will help people get a general idea. If you'd like more details about something I review, please go to that item's website to read specifics. I do not give negative comments to reviewers for "lack of detail". I feel we are here to inform one another not have an "I'm the best reviewer!" contest.***
I love Nintendo. I've been a huge fan since 1986 when I got my first console. I still own and play every console/handheld they've made to date (excepting the Virtual Boy). So I recently bought the Nintendo DS. ...Then returned it to the store for a refund. Not Nintendo's greatest creation afterall.
THE GOOD
1. The idea totally rocks. The dual screen thing is awesome. It was great to play Mario 64 with the added characters and it was really great being able to look at a second screen with a constant map on it. Very cool idea. Great innovation in handheld gaming, no doubt there.
2. Sound is awesome! It didn't sound tinny and cheap like most handheld devices do. I was really impressed by that.
3. Graphics were ok. Not as great as everyone keeps saying, but pretty good. Not terribly disappointing, but I guess after all the reviews raving about the graphics I got my hopes up too high. It is definitely an amazing feat to see such detail on a handheld unit, but I just wanted more I suppose.
THE NOT-SO-GOOD:
1. It's clunky. It didn't fit my hands well at all. It was uncomfortable and heavy to use. Big negative for that.
2. I could not control the game very well (I bought Mario 64). I had seen some reviews where other people mentioned this, but I figured it just took getting used to. After playing on it, I agree with them. You are trying to control a 3-D environment with a 2-D "+" control pad. It doesn't work very well. I was playing Mario 64 - MARIO 64 - a game I've played and won about 2 million times and I was having trouble controlling it?! Something's not right here. Not that I'll be buying the PSP (I'm not really a Playstation fan) but that thing has a 3-D analog stick on it which is really the most advantageous way to play 3-D games. I realize the DS has a clam shell thing going on and a stick would prevent it from closing, but I have the easy solution for that. All they need to do is have the stick push down into the inside of the DS. Then you could push down on it again to pop it back out. Kind of like a spring loaded dealio. It would work! I should work for Nintendo! =)
3. Cannot play old Gameboy games. Completely stupid. And, yes, yes, I realize Nintendo says the DS is a totally different console and is not meant to replace the GBA-SP, but they could have done it! Why even have the option to play GBA games then? Some would say it's a bonus feature of the DS, but I disagree. The only thing stopping the DS from playing the old games is Nintendo marketing away from said games. There is some sort of lip inside where you insert the GBA cartridges that prevents it from accepting old GB games. It's not a technological reason, it's a marketing reason. Let's face it, the general average-Joe Public consumer is going to look at the DS as the GBA-SP replacement no matter what Nintendo says. That's just reality. So, if they really wanted to steer people away from thinking that, they shouldn't have included the option to play GBA games at all. It sends out an opposite message. It should be all or nothing.
4. As of now, the games suck. I was willing to overlook that since it's the norm for new consoles until I discovered all the things mentioned above. Coupled together it just left a feeling that Nintendo really rushed this thing out for the Holidays and should have taken more time on it. The only games out are rehashes or utterly worthless games like Feel the Magic. I mean, come on. Just poor launch games all around.
So, all that, and then the fact that my particular DS had a dead pixel, made me take it back. I will definitely buy it again if they redesign it to something resembling my above expectations (and assuming there are a lot of cool games by then too).
I know I am in the minority here, but I am a huge Nintendo fan and I am used to higher quality products from them. Hopefully, they'll hit the DS with a redesign in the near future similar to what they did for the Gameboy Advance. I really want to own this thing, but not in it's present incarnation.
I wouldn't go so far to say "Buyer Beware"... ...more like "Buyer Be Patient".
Recommended:
No
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darenstrange
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