[Now Playing| Minish Cap - DS]

The DS has been out for almost two months now. How has it been and how is it looking in the future for Nintendo’s new portable gizmo? Will it be able to compete against the PSP or will it become another Virtual Boy? Ill tell you what I think…

First, let me say that I love my DS. The design is sleek and functional. The two screens are great with high resolution and wonderful backlighting. The touch screen works flawlessly and the fact that there are finally more than two buttons makes me very happy.

Im also very excited about the possibility of getting online with this puppy. Ive used Pictochat and Metroid using NiFi and it was incredibly fun. If online play is possible with Animal Crossing, Advance Wars or Mario Kart people will flock to the DS like crazy.

However, right now, the DS has one big problem. There are no games! I know Nintendo wanted to get the DS out as soon as possible, especially before the PSP, but this is getting ridiculous. There are only two games coming out in the next two months. Thank god for the GBA backwards compatibility. In fact, if nothing else, playing GBA games with a wonderful backlight has been worth it.

So, do I think the DS can fend off the PSP? Well, not in the same way the Gameboy has held its crown for so long. Sony isnt screwing around. They are running up behind Nintendo with a baseball bat, ready to break some ribs. Lets do a little release comparison for the forseeable future:

Looking at the above list both systems seem to have about the same number of games coming out. On the PSP we see a lot more sports and racing games. Actually, for awhile that will be about all there is. On the DS we see a larger diversity of game genres. However, there really arent many 3D games on the DS, whereas with the PSP almost every game is. I think anyone who reads this site knows which set of games is going to be more fun to play. Even though a lot of these games may not use all of the unique functions of the DS they all seem to have great potential.

How do I think this “portable gaming war” is going to turn out? Well, I think we are finally going to have to see Nintendo share the spotlight with Sony. I also think, unfortunately, we are going to see the DS scew younger simply because the PSP has a huge screen that can push ‘better’ graphics and it will have a huge emphisis on 3D. Plus, Sony is the market leader in the console arena and percieved as ‘cool’.

Anyway, Im very excited to own a DS. Im honestly getting tired of playing the same old games (cough….sports and racing rehashes) and am really looking forward to some innovative software. Besides, the possibility to play some of Nintendo’s IPs online makes me giddy as a schoolgirl. In fact, I think the most potential for the DS lies in the online realm. I dont know a single gamer that wouldnt love to play Mario Kart online.

Furthermore, I think the DS will really draw a large number of females into gaming. Sure, that may not make it ‘hip’ in this male dominated industry, but it will certainly be for the better. The more gamers and the more diversity in the gaming population can only lead to good things.

I also want to mention the caliber of advertising for the DS has been incredibly high. Its probably the best advertising I have ever seen Nintendo do and for that I am very glad. Too bad the gaming media is already turning into PSP zombies. In the last few weeks Ive heard statements like this over and over, “The DS is unique, but I dont really want that. I want to be able to play the games Im playing now on the go. The PSP has awesome graphics and is the future of handheld gaming.” Ugh, give me a break. I thought gamers were supposed to understand that its the games, not how sexy the system is, not how pretty the graphics are, but how well the games play that matters. Apparently game journalists have all turned into the ‘fanboys’ they seem to bash all the time.

In the end I am and know Ill continue to be happy with my DS. We may see the GBA Evolution come out sooner than we hoped if the PSP really takes off, but if thats the case I hope that some of the DS innovation goes into the next GBA. Only time will tell. Until then I cant wait for some new DS games to come out.

(Oh, by the way the DS has sold more than 2 million units. Already we have a strong user base, 2 months in. Game makers will certainly be looking at these numbers when they decide to publish for the DS.)