Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
So lately all I can think about is buying a Nintendo DS. It's funny, because I haven't bought a video game of any kind in well over a year, yet now I have worked myself into a covetous frenzy over this little gem. I suspect it has something to do with all those ads I see for New SMB and that new Castlevania game and probably even the dictionary programs all the kids at school were using on their DS.
So I pose discussion questions to all of you:
Who has a DS, and what do you think of it?
I've heard it is region-free, is this true?
Regarding #2, I've heard some games multiplayer functions are not region-free, as in two DS from different regions cannot match up against each other. What have you heard/experienced?
Joined: 5/1/2004
Posts: 4096
Location: Rio, Brazil
I like my DS, but games are expensive to me. So i've played only a few. But really liked what i saw:
- Daigaso Band Brothers: best music game i've played
- New Super Mario Bros (it has this "mario party" mode which is perfect for playing with your friends)
- Phoenix Wright Ace Attourney: this is what i'm playing right now, and boy i'm hooked up to it :) of course it won't have replay value, that's what game trading exists for.
- Super Mario Kart DS: best mario kart i've ever played, but i haven't played anything on GC, so bare with that.
- Ridge Racer, Need for Speed U2: skip these. terrible.
- Metroid Prime Hunters: my friend says the multiplayer is awesome but he has never held a gun in counter strike, so he doesn't see it it has nothing inovative. It may be the best handheld FPS, but i prefer those on the pc screen.
- Jump Super Stars, Dragon Ball Z Supersonic Warriors: fighting games on a portable system..... not my style, they are VERY well made and all, but i also prefer this kind of game on the big screen.
- nintendogs: skip this and get a dog if you can. if you can't, get this. if you don't want either, ok :P
- things i'd love to play but haven't had oportunity yet: brain games, eletroplancton.
As far as i know, games are region free (i've played japanese as well as US games on it).
The multiplayer is incredibly fast. I played with a friend using my local 256k DSL, we connected 2 DS at the same time, and the gameplay was perfect, it really looked like we weren't playing on the internet. I was kinda shocked... It's a free service. He just brought his USB wi-fi connector, installer a program from his pen drive and then we started playing metroid and mario kart.
Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
FODA wrote:
The multiplayer is incredibly fast. I played with a friend using my local 256k DSL, we connected 2 DS at the same time, and the gameplay was perfect, it really looked like we weren't playing on the internet. I was kinda shocked... It's a free service. He just brought his USB wi-fi connector, installer a program from his pen drive and then we started playing metroid and mario kart.
Huh? Play over the internet? I don't follow...please elaborate. And thanks for your recommendations.
Regarding the gym, I'd love to get back into working out, if only I could afford it. Joining the gym in New York is like buying a DS every month...
Joined: 5/1/2004
Posts: 4096
Location: Rio, Brazil
You can play with other nintendo DS just by being 10 meter away from them and having a game that supports it.
And there are games that support distant multiplayer. You can use your wireless internet connection, or buy the nintendo USB wi-fi conector which takes use of your internet connection on your pc. This way you can play over the internet with other people using the same thing (there are millions of people already playing this way, says nintendo).
Most games accept the simple connection of putting 2 DS close to each other, but only some games support wi-fi connection. afaik, these games do have this support:
- mario kart
- metroid prime hunters
- animal crossing
but only some games support wi-fi connection. afaik, these games do have this support:
- mario kart
- metroid prime hunters
- animal crossing
- Bleach DS: Souten Ni Kakeru Unmei
- Tetris DS
There are probably one or two others that are also supported with nwc, but I dont know them.
As it stands, I have all of the games listed above, except Animal Crossing. I figure I dont play the gamecube version so I wouldn't play the DS version either.
MKDS is simply awesome, great multiplayer fun.
MPH is good multi, but doesn't have much single player replay. Also, you wont want to play people who dont own the game, as you'll almost certainly pwn them once you beat the game and thus have learned how to play.
Tetris DS should speak for itself.
Bleach DS isn't bad, but my god, the wifi connection lags like all hell, even with a 1.5Mbit connection. I wish it didn't, I could go for having a good match :\
Joined: 5/1/2004
Posts: 4096
Location: Rio, Brazil
Atma wrote:
Bleach DS isn't bad, but my god, the wifi connection lags like all hell, even with a 1.5Mbit connection. I wish it didn't, I could go for having a good match :\
that's news to me, so it depends on the developer? i thought nintendo had made a good conection base programming which developers could use on their games. I'll be carefull with that then.
Bleach DS isn't bad, but my god, the wifi connection lags like all hell, even with a 1.5Mbit connection. I wish it didn't, I could go for having a good match :\
that's news to me, so it depends on the developer? i thought nintendo had made a good conection base programming which developers could use on their games. I'll be carefull with that then.
Its probably moreso the fact that its supposed to be a japanese only game, and i'm playing it in australia. I dont think it goes through the 'local' servers, thus causes extreme lag.
A related question: If I would buy a handheld console, it would be only to play RPG games (like those of Square/Enix). Which handheld has the best supply of RPG games?
I would really like PSP for its other features, but I don't know if there are many RPGs available for it.
OTOH the Nintendo DS is backwards-compatible with GBA, and I believe there are plenty of RPGs for the latter. (Of course a different question is whether GBA games are still being sold...)
there are many emulators for PSP. with the memory stick, it's pretty easy to put your favorite SNES games.
the best known psp rgp is tales of eternia, at the moment. screen is bigger and 3D is better than those of the DS. and you can play divx too :) the 16/9 image is pretty impressive.
games are still lacking imo. I haven't tested those of the DS, the stick could be fun or limited, I don't know.
I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death - NAS
Joined: 5/1/2004
Posts: 4096
Location: Rio, Brazil
there are emulator for DS too. the screen doesn't have enough resolution though, so NES, master system and pc-engine games look bad. But the GB, GBC and GBA roms work very well.
also, there's possibility for DS roms. but i don't support that idea. if you can buy the games, do it.
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
I'm going to get a DS, but I'm going to wait for the Lite. It has a brighter screen and it also just looks better. The games are extremely expensive, but I won't get that many anyway and hopefully it'll be worth it.
Edit: Here's a question for someone who knows. Does the DS play ancient black and white GameBoy games or is it GBA only?
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
Oh, I was always under the impression that GB/GBC cartridges were the same size and shape as GBA cartridges. Shows how well I'm keeping up, doesn't it? I've never owned a handheld other than GameBoy and later GameBoy Pocket.
So by default it can only play GBA and DS games, right? What is an "emulator accessory"? Is it just a passive adaptor thingy? No need to answer, I'm too lazy to look it up myself and it's not really much of an issue anyway.
I can't get a DS Lite now because it's not available where I live, and I'm not ordering it from Japan or whatever. I'm not in a hurry to get one so .... :D
Joined: 5/1/2004
Posts: 4096
Location: Rio, Brazil
I see. The GB cartridges and the GBA cartridges have exactly the same shape. Well, almost. The GBA one has a hole in the sides so nintendo could phisically block regular GB games from a GBA games player device if they wanted.
Yes, by default only GBA and DS games can be played on the DS.
There are various acessories for removable storage media for DS and GBA. Some of them have built-in memory, while others (like the one i own) uses a Compact Flash card, same as some digital cameras. The adaptor itself (to insert the CF on the GBA slot) boots up an interface where you can select various stuff, depending on which one you have. Mine can play special videos recorded on it's own format from the pc, music, read txt files, and run some emulators.
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
I got a DS lite, finally. And a copy of New Super Mario Bros. I was suprised to see how incredibly tiny the DS carts are. They are really small!
The DS lite is small also, in fact it is almost TOO small. Oh well. Not disappointed yet.
NSMB is good choice. Another good choice would be MKDS or Meteos, but please stay away from Animal Crossing DS.
Animal Crossing DS is overrated, everyone was like "oh my god this game is addicting and a lot of stuff to do". I finally decided to get it, and tried to play it for a while and it bored me to death. I can understand it has alot stuff to do, but it's REPETITIVE:
Wake up, shake all tree, pick up all fruits, sell fruits, pick up all shells, sell shells, dig hole for fossil if possible, try talk to every animal if possible, catch butterfly, catch fish, sleep.. can't do anything else until time elapse.. repeat, all same old thing. The only thing you get to see new is certain time event and different item reward. I don't know why everyone love this game, repeat everyday things on it is BORING. If you want to get it and have fun with it, I suggest you to abuse "Time Warp" to keep it fun.
Also got a DS recently with MKDS and Tetris DS so far...
I didn't think it would amaze me that much since I'm a bit skeptical about today's games.
But Nintendo did a pretty good job imo.. some lovely non-bloated games that can be played every now and then during short breaks or whatever, but are also able to entertain over a longer period of time.
It brings back old memories at times and its native support for GBA games should not be despised either :)
Running homebrew code on the DS is a PITA. The equipment needed is way too expensive right now. Alternate methods seem to be too risky.
Got a DS as well and finally my order of New Super Mario Bros came in. It has kept me seriously hooked for some days on bus trips etc, though my 1337 platform jumping skills have somewhat degraded in the 10 years I've not really played any platformers.
I find the approach of doing old-school with a bit of new technology mixed in. The game seems to be a bit on the easy side though, mainly because 1UP's are found everywhere and it seems to be basically impossible to run out.
Anyway, extremely well made game.
"Kids! Bringing about Armageddon can be dangerous. Do not attempt it in your home."
( Pratchett & Gaiman: Good Omens )
Joined: 3/13/2004
Posts: 1118
Location: Kansai, JAPAN
I should mention that I ended up buying a DS Lite with the New SMB. Had a lot of fun but kinda blazed through it; I've already completed the game 100% so I'll probably put it up on eBay this weekend.
Next up: renting Castlevania maybe? Or Metroid? Those games look good but I'd like to try them before I buy them. I'm also considering buying one of those Japanese quiz games. There are English versions but the Japanese one includes kanji tests - I need to keep my skills sharp!
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
Yeah, NSMB is not a hard game, though it is very good. I'm kind of blazing through it as well, but at this point it feels like I'll never ever get bored with it. The next game I will get will probably be either Metroid Prime: Hunters or Mario Kart DS. How is the single-player of MP:H anyway? Is it on par with the first Metroid Prime or can I skip it?
!
