Nintendo DS to launch with up to 10 titles, $29.99 software price point
Further details of Nintendo's plans for the imminent launch of the Nintendo DS handheld in the USA have emerged today, with the firm planning eight to twelve launch titles for the console at a $29.99 price point.
Further details of Nintendo's plans for the imminent launch of the Nintendo DS handheld in the USA have emerged today, with the firm planning eight to twelve launch titles for the console at a $29.99 price point.
The company is due to hold a press conference in Seattle later today where the full line-up will be unveiled, but early leaks have revealed a number of key details about the launch software for the console.
Nintendo itself is to launch the console alongside Super Mario 64 DS (originally called Super Mario 64x4), which will feature Luigi, Yoshi and Wario as new playable characters, each with their own unique abilities and set of stylus-driven minigames.
Third-party publishers will provide the remainder of the line-up, with titles expected from Activision (Spider-Man 2), Electronic Arts (Madden NFL, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, The Urbz: Sims in the City), THQ (Ping Pals) and Sega (Feel the Magic: XY-XX).
Following the launch, an impressive range of first- and third-party software is planned for the early life of the console, including first-party titles such the full version of Metroid Prime: Hunters (a demo of which is bundled with the system hardware), a multiplayer-enabled Mario Kart game, and DS versions of Animal Crossing, Advance Wars and WarioWare.
Third-party software promised for the system includes Ridge Racer from Namco, Viewtiful Joe from Capcom, Bomberman from Hudson, Rayman and Asphalt GT from Ubisoft, and a new Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles title from Square Enix.
The Japanese press conference, meanwhile, has revealed that the Japanese launch of the system will also be accompanied by a Pokemon title, Pokemon Dash, and that Square Enix is also working on a version of Final Fantasy III for the system.
Interestingly, the firm appears to have responded to criticism that GBA titles are too expensive by pitching the price point of DS games at a lower level; all of the launch titles will arrive at $29.99, which is between $5 and $10 cheaper than the usual prices of GBA games.
The launch titles for the system are expected to exploit the unique features of the dual-screened, touch-sensitive console to varying degrees. Nintendo's own first-party titles reportedly exploit the console's functionality to the full, while games such as Spider-Man 2 only use the stylus for menu navigation.