Reader Reviews

Nintendo DS first impressions

by kincaide

Finally got hold of the new console after an agonising wait via ImportMadness.

First thoughts: bigger than I thought. Slightly bigger than the original GBA, and with the top screen flipped up - very reminiscent of the old Game & Watch (although chunkier). I pressed the power switch, and was surprised to see the DS spring into life (a simple but nice touch - just let me get stuck in). The screens are clean, crisp, and big for a portable unit. The size of the console is justifiable when the screens are taken into consideration.

DS Gaming: After setting the time, date, favourite colour (!?!) and my birthday (and powering off and on again - the DS does like rebooting after you mess with any settings) I finally embarked on some DS gaming. Admittedly this was only with the postage stamp size Metroid Hunters Demo cartridge, but it was enough to give me a flavour of the console.

Firstly, the graphics are a lot more impressive than I was expecting. I can only go by this game, and I would say they are better than I remember the N64 being. Movement, and looking around is smooth, detailed and the best I have seen on a handheld (and, nope, I have not seen a PSP running). The graphics impressed the crowd of work mates who had gathered around when I first turned it on - and the dual screens idea works well - although I tend to only focus on the top screen, looking downwards only to change into the morph ball, or select missiles.

The touch screen is very responsive, and surprisingly intuitive. The morph ball in particular lends itself to the control really well (dreams of a Super Monkey Ball are already filling my mind); and looking around the screen using the thumb pad is a great idea, that is fully realised - and double tapping the touch pad to jump works well.

There are issues: it is hard to spin around 180 degrees, this becomes particularly noticeable when you come up against another Samus. There is no way you can match the manoeuvrability of your opponent. To change to the morph ball you have to press the bottom left hand corner of the pad, which sometimes I knock accidentally, causing me to morph at inopportune times. Also to select missiles, I have to press the bottom right hand corner of the screen, which can be hard for my thumb to reach (right handed players reverse those problems).

To confirm, the GBA SP charger is 100 per cent compatible. I charged the DS up yesterday, and had no battery issues - and so far it has lasted me about eight hours no problems. Having a headphone jack to plug your headphones straight in is a triumph for common sense. Also, GBA games look amazing on the DS screen - I would go so far as to say they are the best I have seen a GBA to look. Zelda: Minish Cap, for example, looks wonderfully colourful, and it really adds to the game - you can choose whether the GBA cart plays on the top or bottom screen, too.