Nintendo DS - Best Portable Gaming Experience!
Written: Feb 07 '05 (Updated Aug 16 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Bright back-lit screen, awesome sound, fast recharging time coupled with a lasting battery
Cons: Large, heavy, awkward using stylus control while holding the unit
The Bottom Line: By far, the best portable gaming experiences yet. If you are interested in actually playing games on the go, then the DS should be your choice.
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| Vierge99's Full Review: Nintendo DS Console |
Bad
First a bit of negative. The device is huge! Considering most handheld devices, the DS is a giant. Not only is it large, but quite heavy as well. Spend a few minutes with a game that utilizes stylus control and you will agree.
The DS only plays DS specific games and Gameboy Advance games. Older Gameboy and Gameboy Color games don't work. DS games load into a slot at the top; GBA games load into the bottom of the unit.
Good
The clamshell-flip aspect of the DS is sturdy; flipping open with a positive lock. Due to the strong construction I doubt you'll ever have to worry about replacing the hinge. Battery life ranges from 6 - 8 hours depending on volume, stylus usage, and wireless networking.
With no game inserted, the DS boots up to a launch menu where you can start a DS game, GBA game, Pictochat, or the options menu. In the options you can adjust menu accent color, time, date, birthday, enter a username, etc. Whenever you enter the options menu you must restart the DS. You can choose to bypass the start menu in the options so that when a game is inserted, it starts the game immediately upon power-up.
I've wasted countless hours playing with Pictochat. It's simplistic but tons of fun. It's pure magic; drawing on a digital touch-screen with a stylus. Although I've never had a Pictochat session with another person (no one else I know has a DS) I can only assume that it would be even more entertaining. Also, the name that you choose for your device in the initial setup will be used during Pictochat sessions.
Mario DS
The initial experience of 3D on a mobile device is
breathtaking. The rendering of a 3D environment is much more clear then you would expect. Moving a character through a 3D world on those tiny screens will hook you instantly. Mario DS is the best launch title by far. There are tons of mini-games, a drawing Easter egg, and hours of gameplay packed into the little card.
The sound is equally impressive. One speaker on each side of the screen creates a nice simulated surround sound effect. The DS is capable of producing some very realistic
music and sound. Much better then the GBA and probably better then the N64 too.
In the future, expect the DS to be a formiddable mobile gaming opponent as third party developers are speaking of web browsers, chat programs, massive multiplayer online games, and PDA functions. A video player for it has already been released.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Vierge99
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Location: CA
Reviews written: 56
Trusted by: 2 members
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