The Review Zone logo       by Tina Velgos

Nintendo DS

Touching is Good!! Nintendo DS Is the Ultimate Wireless Gaming Platform Ever!    
    
Nintendo of America
$149.99
2004
ages 12 and up
After previewing the Nintendo DS in November and playing it hard for the past few months, we thought we would re-visit the Nintendo DS review for some final thoughts for 2005 from The Review Zone.com's head gamer. Here's what he wrote!

Reviewed and Written by Tim Velgos, Head Games Master, The Review Zone.com

When the Gameboy Advance SP came out, I’m sure you were thinking that the Gameboy Advance SP was the perfect handheld device, and nothing could compare. Well, the Nintendo DS put the SP to shame.

The Nintendo DS, in some ways, combined the GBA with the GBA SP. It is as wide as the GBA, and has a flip screen like the SP. It has a flip screen and a touch screen. That’s right, and a touch screen, and a stylus to match.

Touch screen capabilities opened the door to so many gaming possibilities. A bazillion new ways to prove that touching is good. And along with the brand new DS games, you can go backwards compatible. In other words, you can STILL play your favorite GBA games! You can even have one DS game and one GBA game in at the same time! Yep, the possibilities are endless, thanks to some clever brainstorming at Nintendo!

Now with all of this, you must think there is a catch. Truly, there is no catch, although the starting price of $150 isn't very scary. This technology, at this price, is practically being given away. Now it's up to you, the consumer, to support this platform and buy the games. Loads of 'em are out that are new that we are trying to get our hands on to test for you!

The Nintendo DS has graphics that are even better than platform games like the GameCube and the old N64. The N64 graphics weren't that magnificent, but to have them displayed on a screen that is a bit larger than the SP is. Simply amazing!

The Nintendo DS even has a microphone, which will have many uses with upcoming Nintendo games. And the audio is through double speakers, which is a mega-HUGE feature for GBA games, This makes the DS games sound superb!

The DS even sports a regular headphone slot that you can plug your headphones into, no special adapter required! The only drawback, is that you can't connect with a GBA link to another GBA or DS. So you can't do multiplayer GBA games, but you CAN do wireless DS communication. How does that sound to YOU?

With all that said, will YOU try the Nintendo DS? We have and I continue to recommend this as the ultimate WIRELESS gaming platform.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Review Zone.com gives the Nintendo DS TWO GAMER'S THUMB'S UP!! And, yeah, touching IS good, Nintendo! Go ahead and show us your stuff!!