iNintendo?

nIntendo. Yea i’d do it. Makes all the sense in the world.

Target.com has Tetris DS listed… but that’s not my point. I think it might be cool if you could order these old games from “iNintendo” and have an option to also have them mailed to you on a single GBA cart. I don’t want to have to download a GB game from the Rev every time I want to play it…

I forsee a blank DS game card where we can download NES, SNES, and even N64 games on to.

well, nintendo will try to make their own “AAC” full of copy protection first. But I’m sure this is want nintendo has in mind. Microsoft is trying it first, but somehow I don’t see having as much content and history as nintendo has. but they might experiment to get it to work right. Now everything will come down to the price, if it’s too expensive most will avoid it. Nintendo fans will use it no matter what, but the mass market they are aiming for might not. Just look at some people saying Animal Crossing will not have games just because nintendo is planning to sell them. Now I wish Nitendo would sell some cellphone games like they say they will do in the future.

“it would be great if this store were open to the homebrew community. there are alot of good freeware games out there that would be awesome if they were on a portable system like the ds.”

mmmm, that may be in the works, remmebr how the Revolution will download demos to the DS? Nitendo also said they want o help low budget developers to offer their games to a big audience… you might be onto something…

Hi everybody, before I say anything, please understand that the views presented below are simply a matter of my opinions and Im most probably wrong about everything.

Before we can speculate as to what the big N will do regarding the next generation Gameboy, I think it would be wise to review all of Nintendo’s previous console releases:

Home Consoles:
1. NES
2. SNES
3. N64
4. GCN

Portable Consoles:
1. GB
2. GBC
3. GBA
4. GBA SP
5. DS
6. GBMicro

Why do the previous console releases matter? Simple. If history is anything to go by, Nintendo only releases portable consoles with hardware that matches an older generation home console. For example:

1. NES = GB, GBC
2. SNES = GBA, GBA SP, GB Micro
3. N64 = DS
4. GCN = ? GBnext?

Its makes absolute sense for Nintendo not only from a hardware point of view, but also from a hardware point of view. Because older technology gets outdated, its price also falls. A Gamecube now sells for $50. Nintendo never loses money on a console. They are still making money at such a low price point. Assuming that the actual hardware for the GCN at wholesale is around $25, I firmly Nintendo could release a portable game system not neccessarily to rival the PSP, rather to compliment the forthcoming generation of Nintendo consoles.

Its not neccessarily “if” Nintendo will release a “generation” upgrade to the Gameboy, but a matter of “when?” I think the ideal time for Nintendo to make a move would be only after the release of the Revolution. Why? Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is going to change gaming in ways we never imagined possible. Wi-Fi is as Nintendo has stated themselves – “the center of their next generation strategy.” Once gamers and non-gamers alike have adapted to the new user interface of the Nintendo Wi-Fi network and enough popularity has been generated – a new Gameboy would seem likely.

The Revolution is backwards compatible with not only the GCN, but is also able to access Nintendo’s library of games. If the GBN is a portable GCN with Wi-FI, users with a Revolution will have no problem playing games on the go, as their GBN (Gameboy NEXT) would be fully able to handle the processing load of GCN games. Furthermore, with Wi-Fi connectivity, owners of GBN would also be able to access Nintendo’s library of classic hits.

If the PSP is supposed to be a “portable PS2” – Sony failed terribly in completing the connection. Whats the point of Wi-Fi on the PSP when all it can do is be used to is multiplayer. The GBN in conjunction with its DS and Revolution bretheren represent a business model that can firmly integrate all of Nintendo’s next generation products under one unified roof – Nintendo’s Wi-Fi network. I think we are bound to see something similar to Microsoft’s Live community, with a more universal interface. Wi-Fi connectivity for free is going to be huge. Free stuff is good stuff and gamers love free stuff. Imagine whatever XBOX Live has, without the HDTV, add a massive library of Nintendo classics + other good stuff. What other good stuff? Who knows what good stuff – but if i had to speculate, Id say a online store of sorts similar too iTunes. Im sure we’ll get MP3/AAC compatibilty for sure with the GBN, however, video remains a speculation. Nintendo tends to add nice features, but not neccessarily set the benchmark. Therefore, I think the GBN may be able to play Divx files, but dont expect to see box office releases and other movies released specifically for the GBN – meaning dont expect UMD movie like functionality. Sony has a market for selling digital media players, Nintendo makes came consoles. Nintendo has to know that in order to stay alive in the portable electronics business, you not only have to be innovative, but at the same time make sure your product has equal or better features than your competing products. Nintendo is not competing with the PSP. Nintendo competes with no one, each Nintendo product merely adds to their entire portfolio of game systems and in a sense reinforces their 1st party strength to create, innovate and market their products.

In recent months, Nintendo officials have spoken regarding the “increasing costs of game development.” If a new portable console is based off of older home console hardware, developers do not need to purchase completely new development kits and licences. Why do games get better looking at the end of a consoles life? Because developers have spent enough time with the hardware, middleware and software to finally be able to push the consoles to near 80-90% max potential. If Nintendo does indeed release GBN with GCN hardware, then we’re looking at developers easily being able to deliver 85-95% max potential from the GCN hardware. The games would definetly be beyond pretty.

You can be sure of Secure Digital memory sticks. It will accept DS cartridges. It will most likely use some sort of optical disc format. The most likely candidate for media seems to be GCN discs as they will also be used with the Revolution. I personally feel that the GCN controls can be adapted to the GBN. Analog stick – replaced by the touch screen is a certainty. LCD is certain – how big? VGA screen similar in size to a pocket pc. Touch LCD? No chance. Camera? Probably…no better than 1MP. Why a camera? Wi-Fi + Camera + Microphone = Wi-Fi videoconferencing. Nintendo is experimenting with it, the cost of 1 MP CCD’s is next to nothing, and what better way to jump on the VoIP bandwagon than with the GBN. If wi-fi continues to grow at its current rate, VoIP telephony will be cheaper, have more features than its cellular counterpart and will further enhance the Nintendo Wi-Fi gaming experience.

I think its definelty a posibility that we’ll see a next generation Gameboy. What features it will have and when it will be released are only known to a select few people at Nintendo themselves. These are just some of my thoughts. Hope I didnt offend the MS or Sony groups… gaming is a community connected by people’s love for products that unleash our digital imaginations and fantases, it should not be segregated by manufacturer (MS, Sony, Nintendo)… No one can deny a truely great game…

comments – mkhan_md@hotmail.com

I agree about the Next Generation Gameboy, and it being a huge leap and based around wifi. Since the Gamecube’s Proprietary disc’s are so small, and can be used on the Revolution, it would make perfect sense for them to be moved to the next Gameboy. In doing that however, they will have created not games for ‘the next gameboy’ but will actually have made the world’s first cross platform single party format…so, the games can be played at home or ‘on the go’…obviously there would need to be some added benefit to play on the Rev, but still, I really like that idea.

I JUST switched from PS2 to Gamecube, and I’m waiting for the Rev, so, hopefully some of this stuff is halfway accurate…

If I could use my computer to DL my game legally to the new GB (perhaps using a system like the one they’re gonna use in the Rev.) then I’d certainly buy. Whatever helps lower the costs is always appreciated.

If it were one big global store where you could “import” your games via the web, that’d be sweet. Also, seeing as how I live in Mexico, games are usually inflated by a lot (new GC games can cost nearly 80 dollars, a DS can cost you almost $300 USD), so even if prices stayed the as going to a store, that’d still make buying games cheaper (and there’s no added shipping costs).

I for one support this idea fully.

i believe you will be able to take some games you download with Rev on you DS. Most likley using a blank GBA cart in the bottom as a storage.

I dont think they are going to come out with a more powerful anything anytime soon. the hardware they have now works wonders.
They will just reveal new and better ways to use this hardware together.

Ok, read it. The reason i sed the above was because Nintendo isn’t the same company it was even 5 years ago. You can’t judge em by their past anymore.

The PSP is gonna have connectivity with PS2 and PS3 and already has a connection to WiFi. Therefore, they’re a step ahead of Nintendo being that they’re flagship handheld is already out and able to communicate with their and current and future home console.

“Im sure we’ll get MP3/AAC compatibilty for sure with the GBN, however, video remains a speculation.”

They’re both speculation. Anyway, i think voip will come before music or video become standard features.

“Nintendo has to know that in order to stay alive in the portable electronics business, you not only have to be innovative, but at the same time make sure your product has equal or better features than your competing products.”

They know what they’re doing.

“Because developers have spent enough time with the hardware, middleware and software to finally be able to push the consoles to near 80-90% max potential. If Nintendo does indeed release GBN with GCN hardware, then we’re looking at developers easily being able to deliver 85-95% max potential from the GCN hardware. The games would definetly be beyond pretty.”

What you didn’t realize was that most, if not all, developers of current generation games will go on to make next gen games. The ppl making portable games will be the same there are now. Plus a few of the small time devs who couldn’t make the transition to the next gen. But even those prob will go on to dev for Rev if it’s as easy and affordable as Nin ses. These guys rn’t as experienced with Cube dev kits as bigger companies r. And if they r, they’re better off making a game with a Cube kit and transposing it to Revolution.

“You can be sure of Secure Digital memory sticks. It will accept DS cartridges. It will most likely use some sort of optical disc format. The most likely candidate for media seems to be GCN discs as they will also be used with the Revolution. I personally feel that the GCN controls can be adapted to the GBN. Analog stick – replaced by the touch screen is a certainty. LCD is certain – how big? VGA screen similar in size to a pocket pc. Touch LCD? No chance. Camera? Probably…no better than 1MP. Why a camera? Wi-Fi + Camera + Microphone = Wi-Fi videoconferencing.”

Why would a Game Boy take DS cards? Stick replaced by a touch screen. How would that work the same? Videoconferencing? Ur reaching mighty far there.

If you think about it, it’s like e-Cards… But much easier

I know from a fairly reliable source that Nintendo is planning to release a U.S. version of the Play-Yan very soon. However, due to pirating issues, they are dropping the Play-Yan’s Mpeg4 capabilities. In unison and almost ceremoniously, every American and European gamer is promptly bending right over so we can more thoroughly take it from Nintendo. It will be marketed as a music player, and it will work with the GBA, GBA SP, GB Micro, and the DS. I imagine it will accept the same type of media card that the Revolution will, and that this would allow one to play downloaded games on a handheld.