Nintendo DS: 11/21/04, $149.99

[William C. Maune]

Nintendo's cutting it close, but they've finally announced a release date (during the holiday season even) and a price. Interestingly enough, the release date is actually later in Japan, November 2nd. While no games are included (as usual for new systems these days), Pictochat will be built into the system. No games were announced in this press release, but that information is supposed to be coming soon. Gamers in Australia and Europe will have to wait until 1st Quarter 2005.

Here is the story from: Planet GameCube (http://www.planetgamecube.com/news.cfm?action=item&id=5631).

I gotta say, I think $149.99 is about as good as anyone could have hoped for.

[Juu-kuchi]

Meh, I think I'll wait until the price drops now. Economics are setting in. =/

[Tommy Lawson]

I'd really like to see some of the games in action for the unit before deciding to purchase it, but considering the GBA will be obsolete only 3 and a half years after its launch in 2001, and support for it will probably be just like the GBC after the GBA came out (almost none), and since the GBA replaced the Game Boy Color, which came out in 1998, I get the feeling that by 2008, the DS will be surpassed by something Nintendo wants to put out at the point.

Still, I think I can see the future through the end of December with this thing: Because of a shortage of LCD screens widely known about for quite a while affecting both Nintendo and Sony, there will be a shortage of DS units available. Notice that is one huge thing missing from this information. If Nintendo was coming out with several million DS units at launch, I'm sure they would have said so today. Just like when the Playstation 2 came out in 2000 with a shortage, the people who get it will likely try to do the exact same thing as 4 years ago, sell it on Ebay for way more than its purchase price. Watch as history repeats itself once more this November and December.

[Martianinvader]

I said all along I wouldn't pay over $150 for a handheld, and everyone doubted Nintendo would be able to hit that sweet spot.

BUT THEY DID! Now all I need to know is what games will be available at launch, and that info can't be too far off....

[PaQ]

Wow. Interesting. I was expecting a world wide launch but doesn't look they're going that route. Decent price, makes it seem affordable to the casual gamer. I'm still going to wait till the PSP comes out before deciding between the two.

[Red]

O_O!

Along with the announcement of the launch price and date of the DS in North America, Nintendo has also confirmed that they will be featuring their first pack in game in a long time.

The Nintendo DS will come boxed with a copy of the game Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt.

This means that DS owners will have 2 free games at launch to enjoy.

From GCAdvanced.com



WOW!

And I love the price and date. Ironically thats exactly 2 months from now.

[maximumzero]

O_O!

Along with the announcement of the launch price and date of the DS in North America, Nintendo has also confirmed that they will be featuring their first pack in game in a long time.

The Nintendo DS will come boxed with a copy of the game Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt.

This means that DS owners will have 2 free games at launch to enjoy.

From GCAdvanced.com



WOW!

And I love the price and date. Ironically thats exactly 2 months from now.

That's sweet. Metroid is worth around $30-40, and Pictochat is probably worth aroudn $10...so you basically get the DS for $100-$110, plus games. Sweet. Sign me up.

ooo, Sony, you are so screwed.

[Zach Williams]

Meh, I think I'll wait until the price drops now. Economics are setting in. =/

Same with me, which will take awhile.:(

[Sigma]

I will pick one up on launch day. :D

[Beat]

The economics of system launches means that sales won't really make a dent in the market share till about Christmas time.

However, this does explain the sudden GBA price drop.

[William C. Maune]

I'd really like to see some of the games in action for the unit before deciding to purchase it, but considering the GBA will be obsolete only 3 and a half years after its launch in 2001, and support for it will probably be just like the GBC after the GBA came out (almost none), and since the GBA replaced the Game Boy Color, which came out in 1998, I get the feeling that by 2008, the DS will be surpassed by something Nintendo wants to put out at the point.

While things could certainly change in the future, for now there are still a lot of GBA software set to be released in the coming months and into the next year. Granted, this could be the last wave for the GBA, but support for the system isn't going away just yet.

The Nintendo DS will come boxed with a copy of the game Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt.

Planet GameCube is reporting that it may just be a demo of the game.

[TacoHunter]

The GBA isn't going any where. GBA games will still be cheaper to make, and the DS won't support the link cable nor connectivity with the GCN. So the GBA will most likely still be around for at least a year.

[The Koopinator]

This will take alot of convincing with my mom...

But I HAVE to get this.

[Conekiller]

I'll wait till it has more games I actually care about.


and a clear explanation on how they'll deal with Left Handers.....

[Invader_Spooch]

ooo, Sony, you are so screwed.
Was that really necessary? Jeez... :shrug:

Give it time before you jump on the hate bandwagon (seeing as the Metroid thing is pure speculation).

[guinaevere]

Woo Hoo!! That's a price point I can go for.

Clarification if necessary: Metroid Prime Hunters is a bundled playable demo.

But I'm a trifle miffed about the fact that the DS will play GBA games in single player mode only.

And while I knew it wouldn't play GB games, it also won't handle GBC games. That alone isn't terrible, as I have the GBPlayer which plays the GBC games... but no multiplayer. well.

Still, not bad price coming in. Biggest complaint on DS launch: Color choices. Or, lack there of.

And maximumzero, this thread isn't about comparing hand-helds. Just the info on the DS. But I have to agree with Invader Spooch. The PSP is looking pretty impressive, too.

[Kaiser0120]

I'd like to note that I was calling this price for a while, saying that they'd give it out only a short time before the actual release and it would be $149-$159. ^_^

[Frank Castle]

Although I do like the price, I'm still going with PSP.

[maximumzero]

Two things I gotta say.

a) Diablo would be awesome on this sucker with the inclusion of the stylus.

b) I WANT ONE. It's gonna be tough holding back to purchase one. Hopefully I'lll get a good-paying job soon. (Or, er, a job AT ALL)

[GWOtaku]

I'm going to wait and see what the launch titles are. If I'm not really impressed, I'm fine with my GBA until enough time passes for the new handles to be scaled back in price.

[GWOtaku]

On a related note, some games I'd need to justify a DS:

-A great-looking Mario game that goes back to the roots with more emphasis on secret areas and diverse power-ups then on some gimmick. Mario hasn't had what I consider to be a good installment since Super Mario World. No exaggeration.

-A solid classic or tactical RPG. Konami's Vandal Hearts (or a game derivative of the title) is listed as being under development for the DS on Nintendo's website. That's a start; some solid Square support would be great. Possible older ports include FF Tactics, Chrono Chross, and others.

-A fun fighter. A port of Super Smash Brothers would make the system an instant-buy. Capcom porting one of their crossovers would be nice. Sammy porting Guilty Gear X or X2 would be a huge attraction.

-A port of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time = instant-buy. An original game made for the DS is fine too, but either way you can't have a Nintedo system without a quality Zelda game for it.

If 2-3 of those are part of the initial launch, then I'd sell my GBA on eBay and put the money toward buying a new DS.

[maximumzero]

I'd like to see Nintendo take the unfinished Starfox 2 for the SNES, clean it up, and release it for the DS. What I've played of it was hella fun.

[True Noir]

That's a really good price. I hope PSP goes down that low.:shrug:

[Sketch]

Fantastic! That's even better than the GBA's first price correct? (200 wasn't it?) And it has free games. The PSP will still sell but Nintendo is still gonna own the portable market if they keep up with the good decision involving this handheld. Where it lacks graphical power it has great innovation. And packing in not only the techy's must buy Picto Chat but also an original FPS title (which has gotten very good responce thus far) is a great way to get the casual gamers interested.

I'd kill for Smash Bros. on this thing but for now I just hope they pollish up Mario Kart a bit and make it the must buy.

[TacoHunter]

The first GBA launched at $120. The GBASP launched at $100. $150 seems fair to me.

[Mog]

Any word on launch titles? I'm looking at Planetcube right now and some of these are pretty sexy.

FF:CC DS
Madden NFL 2005
GoldenEye
Metroid Prime
Secret of Mana ---This is a new one I hear. Let's hope it rocks.
Winning Soccer Winning Eleven - The best soccer game in the world. I will buy this on a handheld. It's just too cool.
Dynasty Warriors - A great mulitplayer game.
Team Ninja DS game - Dead or Alive? Ninja Gaiden? Brand new game? It'll end up good no matter what.
Vivendi DS game- This could be orgasmic if it's HL2. Can anyone say handheld CS?

[JDuncan]

The first GBA launched at $120. The GBASP launched at $100. $150 seems fair to me. GBA launched at $99.99.