Nintendo Backs Away from Advance (October 2, 2008)

[Bandit LOAF]

Joystiq is reporting that Nintendo has announced the 'DSi', the presumptive successor to the Nintendo DS. The new handheld gimmick is a pair of digital cameras, which it combines with a 12% thinner casing and enhanced online capabilities... in exchange for, and here's the trouble for Wing Commander fans, loss of GameBoy Advance legacy support. So: Wing Commander Prophecy Advance fans should consider themselves warned to keep an older system on hand -- and that now may be the time to stock up on those brighter GameBoy Advance SP units.

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Original update published on October 2, 2008

 

[Starman]

Given you will be able to download games direct to the DSi via the new DSWare store it's fairly safe to assume some GBA titles will be released this way. Well we can hope

 

[Bandit LOAF]

I wouldn't bet on it -- Nintendo is absolutely horrible at offering second party stuff on their current download service (for the Wii). A download service that offers classic Nintendo games is a fantastic idea... but in practice it's the same Mario/Zelda/Donkey Kong/Sega games the've been rereleasing over and over on every format imaginable (... including paper cards you scan, remember that?).

 

[Death]

12% thinner casing

That alone is a pretty significant hit on desirability, at least for me. The regular lite already cramps (well, cramped, traded it for an original DS a while back) my hands fairly quickly. I can't imagine one that's even thinner doing my hands any favors, even if the lack of a GBA port wasn't a deal-breaker.

enhanced online capabilities

Too bad nothing I've seen, so far, seems to say anything about whether this means the wireless setup gets WPA(2) encryption, instead of the current (and fairly easily breakable) WEP encryption. Web browsers on handhelds are most definitely not of interest to me, as I don't regularly carry around a magnifying glass to read such a small screen.

(Mind you, the new functionality isn't bad, it's just not really something I'm likely to use.)

 

[Nomad Terror]

Well, Nintendo is suggesting that the DSi is a "third platform" separate from the Wii and DS, so it's apparently not meant to replace the DS but to be on the market alongside it.

Although Nintendo said almost the same thing about the DS being a "third pillar" of Nintendo alongside the Gamecube and GBA, but once the DS really took off the GBA platform was not refreshed.

Anyway, there are a plethora of DS accessories that use slot 2 so these would definitely have to be used on a DS or DS Lite rather than a DSi.

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Although Nintendo said almost the same thing about the DS being a "third pillar" of Nintendo alongside the Gamecube and GBA, but once the DS really took off the GBA platform was not refreshed.

I think every press release for a new system tells this lie... and only Sony ever really means it (and probably then not on purpose). Nintendo still supports the GBA and the GameCube... they (and the second party publishers) just won't develop software for the platforms. If you're still enjoying the trickle of PonyZ, SeahorseZ and HumanZ BabieZ games that are being shipped for the GBA then you'll want to pick up Nintendo's slightly shinier Mint Green DS+ Lite with Lighter Light when the DSi hits.

Anyway, there are a plethora of DS accessories that use slot 2 so these would definitely have to be used on a DS or DS Lite rather than a DSi.

The transition from GB to GBA and then GBA to DS killed all the weirdo accessories for the previous system, too (as did GameCube to Wii)... it's just that nobody cared.

 

[Nomad Terror]

The transition from GB to GBA and then GBA to DS killed all the weirdo accessories for the previous system, too (as did GameCube to Wii)... it's just that nobody cared.

Sure, but then you were ideally playing brand new games with brand new accessories. The DSi still plays from the same set of games (exempting games downloaded or stored on internal/SD storage) unless they plan on releasing games that just won't work on a DS and only a DSi (which shouldn't be the case as otherwise the systems are completely identical).

 

[jamotto]

Looks to me like they are dealing with two issues with this new model, Piracy and fighting back at the PSP's success recently in Japan.

 

[Max Gene]

The piracy issue could be handled better- actually go after emulations sites that host these games (I'm only aware of one that gives easy access without jumping through hoops), rather than breaking my system.

Sorry Nintendo, but I might have traded in my original DS for one of these suckers, if you hadn't pulled such a bone-headed move as putting in a camera over the GBA slot. Why don't you add phone capabilities while you're at it? <insert N-gage joke here>

 

[jamotto]

The piracy issue could be handled better- actually go after emulations sites that host these games (I'm only aware of one that gives easy access without jumping through hoops), rather than breaking my system.

It sounds simple, but when most of these emulation sites have their server's where the law cannot reach it is simply easier to change the hardware.

 

[Nomad Terror]

Sorry Nintendo, but I might have traded in my original DS for one of these suckers, if you hadn't pulled such a bone-headed move as putting in a camera over the GBA slot. Why don't you add phone capabilities while you're at it? <insert N-gage joke here>

This is kind of unfair given that we don't really know *that* much about what Nintendo plans to do with the DSi. It really isn't a whole lot different from the DS Lite, versus how much of an improvement the DS Lite was over the DS, so there really isn't any compelling reason to get one unless you really want the extra brightness level or the .25" larger screens (while still keeping the same resolution).

We've only gotten a glimpse into Nintendo's plans for this system what with internal storage, expandable storage via SD and an online DS store with downloadable games. Being able to transfer photos from the DSi to the Wii Photo Channel is kind of intriguing.

Although Nintendo has missed some opportunities this console generation, they've indisputably pulled themselves from their failure with the Gamecube into astounding success with the DS and Wii, and I'm excited to see what they've got up their sleeves next.

 

[Max Gene]

This is kind of unfair given that we don't really know *that* much about what Nintendo plans to do with the DSi.

No, it's perfectly fair. I don't have access to a decent GBA anymore, and I'm not going to buy another DS unless I can trade in my old one towards it. GBA slot > paying for their download service, or any of the other extras. As for the DSi not being as much of an improvement over DS lite as DS lite was over original DS- I'm not seeing it. Excepting the GBA slot issue, the bigger screens and brightness puts it on par with the DS lite's improvements. The increased download capability plus SD card additions mean that its far more of an improvement over the DS lite, excepting that one little issue over the GBA slot. Shame, really.

 

[Nomad Terror]

No, it's perfectly fair. I don't have access to a decent GBA anymore, and I'm not going to buy another DS unless I can trade in my old one towards it. GBA slot > paying for their download service, or any of the other extras. As for the DSi not being as much of an improvement over DS lite as DS lite was over original DS- I'm not seeing it. Excepting the GBA slot issue, the bigger screens and brightness puts it on par with the DS lite's improvements. The increased download capability plus SD card additions mean that its far more of an improvement over the DS lite, excepting that one little issue over the GBA slot. Shame, really.

No, this is like criticizing the original DS because it can't play GB/GBC games anymore. Sure, it's a valid observation, but the DS wasn't made for GB/GBC games. The DSi isn't meant for playing GBA games. It's meant for playing DS cartridge games (exempting those with slot 2 accessories obviously) as well as downloadable software.

To be fair, the DS Lite was a complete overhaul of the DS in most aspects. The case design changed completely, becoming thinner and more compact. The screens remained exactly the same size, but the brightness was increased dramatically and made variable. However, when it came down to it, it was still a DS -- able to play the exact same games and based on the same internal hardware.

The DSi seems to change the focus of the handheld platform. It's not a significant improvement to the DS in terms of appearance (the case was flattened out a bit but also stretched in the other two dimensions and one level of screen brightness was added, along with the slightly increased screen size), but it is different in terms of software support. It's not so vastly different from the DS Lite in the former aspect that you will get an improved playing experience from your DS library like it was upgrading from the DS to the DS Lite.

This is similar (though I admit not exactly) like Microsoft dropping 16-bit software support in the 64-bit versions of its operating systems. If you want to use 16-bit software or software with 16-bit components, you have to use the 32-bit versions of its operating systems. Likewise, if you want to play GBA games, you'll need to stick with the DS or DS Lite in lieu of actual GBA hardware.

 

[Max Gene]

The DSi isn't meant for playing GBA games. It's meant for playing DS cartridge games (exempting those with slot 2 accessories obviously) as well as downloadable software.

Oh hey, you hit the nail right on the head. It isn't even just that the DSi is breaking GBA compatibility- it's actually breaking functionality for a number of DS games, as well. It'd be bad enough if Nintendo was only breaking 3rd party games with this move, but even their own Pokemon games suffer by losing things that were meant to be done with the GBA slot. This isn't a matter of backwards compatibility loss- it's the fact that you'll now need two variations of almost exactly the same thing in order to use the entire library, now.

 

[ChrisReid]

Oh hey, you hit the nail right on the head. It isn't even just that the DSi is breaking GBA compatibility- it's actually breaking functionality for a number of DS games, as well. It'd be bad enough if Nintendo was only breaking 3rd party games with this move, but even their own Pokemon games suffer by losing things that were meant to be done with the GBA slot. This isn't a matter of backwards compatibility loss- it's the fact that you'll now need two variations of almost exactly the same thing in order to use the entire library, now.

This has been an issue with all the new systems recently. From the DS to the DSi to the XBox 360 to the PS3, each new system broke a certain percentage of recent games and/or eventually just ditched all games from a couple years back. Everyone on the internet was up in arms and complained nonstop for a few months, then moved on.