Nintendo DS to go on sale 11/21

By: Patrick Sauriol
Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Source: Nintendo

Nintendo's next generation hand-held gaming system, the two-screen Nintendo DS, will hit store shelves before the Christmas shopping rush. The company revealed today that the DS will go on sale beginning November 21, two weeks before the company will roll out the hardware in Japan (on December 2.) The Nintendo DS launch marks the first time ever that the company has rolled out a video game system before it has launched in Japan. European and Australian launches will happen in early 2005.

The retail price of the Nintendo DS will be 149.99 US.

"Nintendo's mission remains unchanged: expand the game
experience," said Satoru Iwata, President of Nintendo in a company issued press release. "Nintendo DS is the road map to the future of video games, and most clearly demonstrates the type of innovation that players demand."

The DS features two screens for gamers to control the on-screen action, one for watching the game and the other for touch input using a stylus. The system will also includes both voice recognition, multiplayer wireless capability, two speakers for audio sound delivery, a proective flip-top for the screens and a free piece of software called PictoChat. PictoChat allows DS owners to write and send messages wirelessly to other DS users nearby. While in its sleep mode a DS can also detect when a message is sent and will alert its owner to the presence of another DS user.

More than 100 companies have signed on to create games for the Nintendo DS, while Nintendo itself is already developing its first 20

titles. More than likely a good selection of titles should be available for sale in time for the holiday gift giving season.


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