Submitted by: kirkland on Friday December 10th, 2004 at 10:39 AM EST

It turns out that two screens really are better than one. The Nintendo DS, the new handheld gaming device from Nintendo takes a little getting used to with its touch-screen controls and dual screens, but the learning curve is well worth it. Previous reviews I’ve read have said the device is heavy, clunky, and couldn’t fit in any man-made pocket. This is far from the truth, at under 10 ounces and measuring 5.9”x3.3” and only 1.13” thick when closed, the Nintendo DS is roughly the size of the original Game Boy Advance with a clamshell design similar to the Game Boy Advance SP.

The backlit screens are a big improvement over the GBA SP’s front-lit screen and playing GBA games on the DS is much sharper. And while the DS isn’t supposed to be the successor to the Game Boy line, it’s hard to not compare them. The touch screen on the DS is very accurate and sturdy, after some time playing a game you may notice marks on the screen from the stylus or thumb strap, but these are easily wiped away and leave no lasting scuffs. The thumb strap is a very welcome addition and acts as a analog controller in some games like "Super Mario 64 DS" and the "Metroid Prime: Hunters" demo included with each DS unit. It takes a few minutes to get used to and its never quite perfect, but it does get the job done accurately. There are also two plastic stylus pens included with the DS, which fit into the back of the portable.

Sound quality is also vastly improved and even supports a surround sound feature that works as advertised. A lot of people complained about the lack of a headphone port on the GBA SP, and that has been remedied on the DS. One small feature I absolutely love about the Nintendo DS is its sleep function, like a laptop, once you close the DS it will turn off its screens and go into a low power mode, open it back up and you’re right back in the game. It is a really great addition for a portable gaming system.

Two areas not currently being taken advantage of are the 802.11 WiFi connectivity of the DS, and the built in microphone. So far only one game, Sega’s "Feel the Magic XY/XX" utilizes the microphone, however it has a lot of promise for future games. The WiFi connectivity, which is one of the bigger selling points of the DS for me, also has a lot potential. There are plans of an online game from Square Enix and Nintendo, speculated to be the DS version of "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles." There are also plans from various sources to bring current multiplayer DS games online via ‘tunneling’.

Not without its problems though, the Nintendo DS isn’t quite as perfect as the Game Boy Advance SP. On more than one occasion I’ve accidentally turned off the DS while playing a game, the power button is on the face of the unit directly above the control pad. While using the stylus in games such as "Super Mario 64 DS" you need to hold the DS in one hand and it’s a bit tricky for your thumb to not hit the power button inadvertently. Once it happens once or twice though, it probably won’t happen again.

Overall, the Nintendo DS is a great handheld with tons of potential and is off to a great start. Nintendo has put a lot of resources into the DS with a $40 million marketing campaign and providing developers with system that is easy to create games for, and consumers a device with tons of variety. While the launch games don’t have a “killer app” among them, and some feel a bit rushed through development to meet the launch title window. However there are some must have games including "Super Mario 64 DS" and "Asphalt Urban GT" and at $149 the Nintendo DS is well worth it and makes a great Christmas gift. It’s been a while since a truly groundbreaking console appeared, rather than just a bump in graphics prowess, the Nintendo DS brings with it a slew of innovative features and has the potential for quite a lot more.

Rating: 5 out of 5

» Nintendo DS Hardware Media
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