The Nintendo DS is Nintendo's current generation high-end handheld. It features dual screens arranged vertically, a touch-sensitive screen for input, 3D graphics approximately on par with the Nintendo 64, and backwards compatibility with Game Boy Advance games.
Nintendo DS Technical Specs:
- 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: Titanium, Electric Blue, Hot Rod Red, Black (Japan)
Hardware
The Nintendo DS is powered by two processors, an ARM7 at 33MHz and an ARM9 at 66MHz. Each of the screens has a 256x192 resolution, and can disaplay approximately 260,000 colors. The system has 4MB of main memory, with an additional 665KB of video memory.
While the system is backwards compatible with the Game Boy Advance, it does not include the further backwards compatability that the GBA provided to Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. This is due to the fact that the DS does not contain the Z80 processor that the GBA used for GB/GBC emulation as well as GameCube connectivity and wired Game Boy connectivity for multiplayer games. These features are therefore not supported by the DS.
The DS game cartridges are much smaller than GBA cartridges, with a stated maximum size exceeding 1 gigabit (128MByte). Games are packaged in cases that look like half-height DVD cases, with a snug pocket for the DS cartridge and another for a GBA cartridges.
In addition to the two cartridge slots, the DS has a power adapter port, a headphone port, and a port for an external microphone, as well as the built-in mic. Input methods include the D-Pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and the touchscreen. A mini stylus (and one spare) is included with the system and slides into a slot on the back of the console.
The system can connect wirelessly with other devices in two ways. DS-to-DS connectivity uses Nintendo's proprietary wireless protocol for short range connections. Many games have what is called "download play" where only one cartridge is required for several players within DS-to-DS range. Additionally, with the introduction of Mario Kart DS, Animal Crossing: Wild World and Tony Hawk's American Sk8land the Nintendo Wi-Fi system has been launched. Using these games (and others in the future) players can connect to many 802.11b access points and play with other users worldwide. For those who do not have a compatible Wi-Fi access point, Nintendo sells a USB device that will allow any Windows computer with an internet connection to provide wireless connectivity.
Nintendo DS Lite
The Nintendo DS Lite was anounced January 26th 2006. Many people complained that the original Nintendo DS was too bulky; Nintendo fixed this problem with the Nintendo DS Lite, making it much sleeker. There is some controversy over the new design not being a big improvement and not having any new features. It was released in Japan on March 2nd, 2006, and is expected to launch in the US alongside New Super Mario Bros. on May 21st, 2006.
Related Links
- NintendoDS.com
- Nintendo.com (US)
- Nintendo.co.jp (JPN)
- Nintendo Europe (Europe)
- NintendoWiFi.com
Pages in category "Nintendo DS"
The following 200 pages are in this category, out of 434 total.
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- Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth
- Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
- Advance Wars: Dual Strike
- Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd you steal our garbage?!!
- Adventures of Pinocchio
- All Star Cheer Squad
- Alvin and the Chipmunks
- Animal Crossing: Wild World
- Animal Paradise
- Another Code: Two Memories
- Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
- Asphalt: Urban GT
- Asphalt: Urban GT 2
- Assassin's Creed II: Discovery
- Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles
- Avalon Code
- Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning Earth
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C
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Nintendo DS)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops (Nintendo DS)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Defiance
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized
- Call of Duty: World at War (Nintendo DS)
- Carnival Games
- Cars
- Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
- Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
- Catz (Game Boy Advance)
- Cave Story
- Children of Mana
- Chrono Trigger
- Civilization Revolution
- Clubhouse Games
- Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch
- Color Changing Tingle's Love Balloon Trip
- Contact
- Contra 4
- Cooking Mama
- Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends
- Crash Boom Bang!
- Crash of the Titans (Nintendo DS)
- Crash: Mind over Mutant
- Crucifix of the Blue Moon
- Custom Robo Arena
D
- The Dark Spire
- Death Note: Kira Game
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Dig Dug: Digging Strike
- Digimon World DS
- Digimon World: Dawn and Dusk
- Dinosaur King
- Disgaea DS
- DK: Jungle Climber
- Dogz (Nintendo DS)
- Dokapon Journey
- Dr. Mario Express
- Dr. Slump: Arale-chan (Nintendo DS)
- Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butoden
- Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans
- Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu
- Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2
- Dragon Ball: Origins
- Dragon Ball: Origins 2
- Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime
- Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker
- Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
- Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
- Dragon Quest Wars
- Dragon Warrior IV
- Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition
E
F
- Fairy Tail: Gekitou! Madoushi Kessen
- Fashion Designer: Style Icon
- Fashion Dogz
- Feel the Magic: XY/XX
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
- Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales
- Final Fantasy III
- Final Fantasy IV
- Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
- Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings
- Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
- Fire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo: Hikari to Kage no Eiyuu
- Flower, Sun, and Rain
- Fresh Pretty Cure: Asobi Collection
- Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland
- Frogger: Helmet Chaos
- Front Mission
- Fushigi no Dungeon: Fuurai no Shiren 4: Kami no Hitomi to Akuma no Heso
- Futari wa Pretty Cure Max Heart: Danzen! DS de Precure - Chikara wo Awasete Dai Battle
- Futari wa Pretty Cure Splash Star: Panpaka Game de Zekkouchou!
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H
- Hamsterz
- Hamsterz 2
- Happy Feet
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (Nintendo DS)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (Nintendo DS)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (handheld)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (handheld)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (handheld)
- Harvest Moon DS
- Harvest Moon DS Cute
- Harvest Moon DS: Grand Bazaar
- Harvest Moon DS: Island of Happiness
- Harvest Moon DS: Sunshine Islands
- Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming
- Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns
- HeartCatch PreCure! Oshare Collection
- Heroes of Mana
- Hotel Dusk: Room 215
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J
K
- Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger: Atsumete Henshin! 35 Sentai!
- Kanji Sonomama DS Rakubiki Jiten
- Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! DS: Fate of Heat
- Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! DS: Fate of Heat II
- Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! DS: Shinuki Max! Vongola Carnival!!
- Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi
- Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
- Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
- Kirby Super Star Ultra
- Kirby: Canvas Curse
- Kirby: Mass Attack
- Kirby: Mouse Attack
- Kirby: Squeak Squad
- Knights in the Nightmare
- Koe de Asobou! HeartCatch PreCure!
- Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits
L
- Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
- The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
- The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
- The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
- LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
- LEGO Batman: The Videogame
- LEGO Battles
- LEGO Battles: Ninjago
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
- LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey
- LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
- LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- LEGO The Lord of the Rings
- The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest (PlayStation 2)
- The Lord of the Rings: Conquest
- LostMagic
- Luminous Arc
- Lunar Knights