Technical Specifications:
Size (closed): 5.85" wide / 3.33" long / 1.13" tall
Upper Screen: Backlit, 3-inch, semitransparent reflective TFT color LCD with 256x192 pixel resolution and .24 mm dot pitch
Touch Screen: Same as upper screen, but with transparent analog touch screen
Color: Capable of displaying 260,000 colors
Wireless Communication: IEEE 802.11 and Nintendo's proprietary format; wireless range is 30 to 100 feet, depending on circumstances; multiple users can play multiplayer games using just one DS game card
Controls: Touch screen, embedded microphone for voice recognition, A/B/X/Y face buttons, plus control pad, L/R shoulder buttons, Start and Select buttons
Input/Output: Ports for both Nintendo DS game cards and Game Boy Advance Game Paks, terminals for stereo headphones and microphone
Other Features: Embedded PictoChat software that allows up to 16 users to chat at once; embedded real-time clock; date, time and alarm; touch-screen calibration
CPUs: One ARM9 and one ARM7
Sound: Stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, depending on the software
Battery: Lithium ion battery delivering six to 10 hours of play on a four-hour charge, depending on use; power-saving sleep mode; AC adapter
Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Italian
Color: Silver and black
 

And now the review:

It has finally arrived. The world has been waiting impatiently for the DS. From when it was just a secret, to E3 Videos circulating through the internet like a virus. I myself have been very excited about getting a DS, and to my amazement I was able to get one a few days ago. I have played with this little gem quite a bit since then, and this is what I think.

First Encounter:
It was the morning of the 25th when I received my DS. I was just frozen. There it was in my lap. The thing I have been thinking about for so long. I picked it up and just starred at it. The box was much smaller than I had pictured in my head. I then brought it to the table and opened the box. I saw the power cord, and took it out. Behind it I saw the DS in a plastic bag. I grabbed it. Took it out. I was actually shaking:P I then set it down on the table and opened Super Mario 64 DS; which I had received with my DS. I opened the game case and saw how incredibly small the cartridges are. I grabbed it and then looked to see where I put this cartridge in the DS. I could have just read the manual, but I was too impatient. I was patient enough to last this long, yet not patient enough for a few extra minutes. I found the slot and put Super Mario 64 DS in. I then opened the DS up. It was magical to see those 2 beautiful screens. I then thought I should get the stylus before turning it on. I saw the stylus in the bag with the instructions. I grabbed the bag and opened it, and took the stylus. The stylus was way smaller than I thought. I thought it was the size of a pen or pencil, but it was this little toothpick thing. I knew that there is a slot on the DS where you can insert the stylus; so I tried to find it. I actually tried to but the stylus in the head phone jack. Then I looked at the back and found the slot, and to my surprise there was already a stylus inside. The one I had was a backup Nintendo gives, which I think is very nice. So I put the backup back in the bag and then turned on the DS. I was still shaking with happiness and excitement:P

Turned on for the first time:
When I turned on the DS I was expecting to go right into playing Super Mario 64 DS. But instead the DS asked me some questions. It wanted my name, or nickname, the time and date, my favourite colour out of a set of them, and then my birth date. I entered the information in with the d-pad, even though I could have with the stylus. After that it brought me to the main screen. I thought that was very interesting. That the DS has a main screen, just like consoles like the Gamecube.

Main Screen:
The Main Screen shows many things. It shows the date and time, as well as many other things.
It has a box that you can select to start playing your DS game, if there is one inserted. It will even know the name of the game. Below that box will be a box that is of pictochat. So if you want to start chatting, you can instantly start doing that. Beside the Pictochat box is a box that lets you download a DS game if there is another DS in the range of your DS, and that DS player is willing to share the game with you. Below that box is a box that lets you play a Gameboy Advance game, if there is one inserted. Below that is a little picture of the DS that will let you configure it. To the left of the DS picture is a little sun picture that will let you turn of the backlight, if that's what you want. To the right of the DS picture is a little alarm clock picture, this will let you turn the alarm clock function on and off, you can set it up in the configuration menu.

Configuration Menu:
The configuration menu is very simple to navigate and set up.
From here you can set up how your DS works. You can change the date and time, and all the other questions the DS asks that I stated above. It will also let you choose which screen you want to play Gameboy Advance games on. You can also set it to a different language. You can also tell the DS to go right into a game, if there is a game pack inserted and you don't want to see the main screen when you turn the system on. You can also calibrate the touch screen. So if the touch screen ever starts to not respond in the right areas of the screen, you can go there and quickly and easily calibrate the screen.

Touch Screen:
Everyone has been wondering how the touch screen is going to be used. It is used perfectly in the games.
The touch screen is very responsive. You can usually use the touch screen anywhere you may use the dpad. When you go into a game and select through the menus, you can use the touch screen and the dpad. I myself use the touch screen whenever I can, its faster and just cooler. But the touch screen is of course used in other ways than just menus. There are mini-games that you can play in some games; like Super Mario 64 DS. These games involve many different uses of the stylus and dual screens; you can be drawing routes; too using a slingshot; too drawing trampolines; too actually guiding a snowball quickly across a course. These games are really fun and VERY addicting. To someone who has never used a stylus in anyway, the technology and interactivity of it will just amaze you. It is just so fun. But the stylus is used in much more advanced ways than drawing a trampoline. In games like  Metroid Prime Hunters, you can use the touch screen to shoot, as well as adjust the camera. There is a configuration in Metroid Prime Hunters that will let you move forward and backward with the dpad, and jump with L. But you will be shooting and changing the camera with the touch screen. It is very fun and very new and amazing to shoot with a stylus. You have to change the camera views by touching the screen with the stylus, then moving it around on the screen. It's sort of like the second analog stick on a Gamecube controller. This may sound difficult, but it is surprisingly easy to catch on. Within a few minutes I was moving round and shooting at enemies with ease. Alot of us have heard how the DS comes with a thumb strap that allows you to put your thumb on the touch screen and use the touch screen to move the player, such as in Super Mario 64 DS. To be quite honest this is just hard and useless. It says all over the game how you can move so much smoother with the touch screen, yet when I use it Mario was moving crazily around the world. The dpad is just fine. Maybe it will become easier with time, but I would bet it won't. But it is good they give you this option, because there has to be some people who find this better than the Dpad.
So the Touchpad is amazing. It blends in perfectly with the system and games, and gives a new way of playing them. People have told me that it's just a touch screen, nothing revolutionary. They have had a touch screen on there PDA's for years, and have played games on it. Maybe that is true, but there is no way it was used in the way Nintendo did it. I bet your PDA isn't a nice 3D machine that plays these amazing games. I bet you just play basic mini games. Maybe a touch screen isn't revolutionary, but the way Nintendo uses it is. That's what Nintendo is known for.

Two Screens:
Everyone wants to know how it is using 2 screens. What does this bring to the game. Well this brings quite a new and fun experience. Yes, most of the time the 2nd screen is used for something simple like a map; but having that map right there does help. But there are certain games that will make more use than just a map, I can assure you of that. Just by looking at some of the mini-games in Super Mario 64 you can see this. There are games where you shoot an object from the bottom screen and it so elegantly moves to the top screen. Having 2 screens is going to be able to bring a whole new aspect of gaming to us all.

Graphics:
The graphics on the DS are amazing. They are better than the N64's graphics. You can see this just by playing Super Mario 64 DS, it looks better than its original cart on the N64. Having these amazing graphics on a hand-held system is incredible. We are going to start seeing full fledged 3d games, games like Metroid Prime Hunters, and Super Mario 64 DS; where you can move almost anywhere; in full detailed worlds. The Gameboy Advance does have great graphics, but you would basically just see side scrolling games. These games were very well detailed, but they were still side scrolling games. Side Scrolling games are fun, and its great they are still being made; but playing in a 3d world on a hand held is just so fun, exciting, and new. These graphics are bound to show us many new fun games.

Sound:
The sound of the DS is just remarkable. I was expecting a little bit better than the Gameboy Advance, but this was just extraordinary. For one thing the DS has 2 speakers so it's no longer mono. But beside the sound being stereo; it sounds so crisp and clean. When I started to play Super Mario 64 DS, I was just blown away by how good the sound quality was. It sounds just like it did on the N64. The sound wasn't degraded at all. Having great sound in a system sure is nice. It really does bring your playing experience higher.

Wireless and Picochat:
The Nintendo DS is wireless from the get go. It can connect to other DS's to chat and to play games. The Nintendo DS has Pictochat, a bulit in chatting program. Once you turn on the DS and select pictochat, it will scan the area and try and find other DSers that are on pictochat. You can then enter into 1 of 4 chat rooms that allow up to 16 people. You can do the classic chatting way and send words to them with the on screen keyboard, and you can draw a picture with the stylus and touch screen and send it to them. That just makes the DS also a big chatroom as well as a gaming system.
The wirelessness of the DS gives it the ability to play multiplayer DS games with other DSers. Most games you can play off one game pack. You can just download the game and start playing. Now that's cool.

The DS:
The DS Button Set up is nice. You have the Dpad, L and R buttons, as well as Select, Start, A,B,Y, and X. The A,B,Y, and X buttons are in the placement similar to the SNES. Except they are not at any slants. They are directly across from each other. The DS of course has a volume control on the front and a head phone jack. It great they have a good ol' headphone jack, so you don't have to buy a special attachment. There are two slots on the DS. One in the front where you can insert Gameboy Advance games, and another at the back for DS games. At the back is also a slot that fits your stylus pen, so it can easily come along for the ride. The DS is also equipped with a rechargeable battery that lasts about 10 hours. On the front of the DS is a little whole that has the built in microphone. This microphone is sure to add points to the greatness of the DS.
One thing you may be surprised about is the size of the DS. I was, and same with my family. It is much smaller than you may expect. The dpad and buttons are small, but they are still very easy to use.

Gameboy Advance Play:
The DS can play Gameboy Advance games. Sadly the DS cannot play the original Gameboy games and Gameboy Color games. As I said above you can select which screen you use to play the Gameboy Advance game on. It plays the games just fine. Nothing extra special here, just a cool addition to the DS.

Conclusion:
The Nintendo DS is an amazing, revolutionary system. Nintendo just knows how to make a great system. They packed everything you want in here. With the touch screen offering brand new ideas to gaming as well as the 2 screens the DS is an extraordinary system. The DS also has better than N64 graphics, as well as crisp, clear, stereo sound. It also has a built in microphone and chatting function. The system also is wireless, so you can play multiplayer games without having a cord between the systems.
The DS is sure to turn a few heads.
We are at the start of a new and very exciting way of playing games. Nothing like this has been done before. That is sure what Nintendo does best, and sure knows how to make it great. The future right now is endless for the DS. So many new and revolutionary games that we have never even imagined being done. I suggest you get a DS if possible, and join in on the ground floor of a new way of playing games. I look forward to years of fun and excitement on my DS.

Written By: Joey Anderson

Date Written: December 29th, 2004