Is the DS a GameBoy?

S

superspiffy

CAGiversary!
Is the DS Lite the next gen gameboy? Or is it a completely different line? Ex: just like the iPod Nano and the iPod are different lines for different purposes and one isn't necessarily better than the other. Will Nintendo ever update the GBA? or is that the end of the gameboy line?
 
It was originally supposed to be a different line (the "third pillar" - google it). But that may have been to hedge their bet in case it didn't take off. With the success of the DS, there very well might not be another Game Boy per se. I'm sure they had planned to come out with a more powerful Game Boy at some point, but that may be on hold or cancelled due to the success of the DS. They'd be better off upgrading that, most likely.

Edit - Wow, I actually had no idea that many links would come up with the Google search (it was just an offhand comment but it really does give you some info).

Here's a particular funny one - this guy is eating his words about now:

http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=1385

The highlight:
How many other companies are going to be willing to make games so intricate that they require two screens? It’s not sound. They’ll lose money on this and I think you will, too.
Click to expand...
 
but since the DS can already run GBA games, why buy a gameboy at all? If the DS was intended as a seperate line and not to compete with the GBA, then why would Nintendo add GBA compatibility? then there would be no reason for people to buy a GBA. Unless, ofcourse, they added it for backwards compatibility which is all the more proof that the DS was intended to replace gameboys, not to add a seperate line.
 
Well, a NEW Game Boy with more advanced graphics would continue to be a separate line with no compatibility with the DS. Sure, the DS had backwards compatibility with the 5 year-old GBA hardware, but that was no big deal (to implement). And I'm sure they did that as a selling point tp help push the DS. At this point the DS is strong enough on it's own it doesn't need that aspect to be successful (though it doesn't hurt either).

The idea, originally, was to bring out the DS and also support the Game Boy line with upgrades. Of course, it was all going to depend on how the DS did. If it flopped, it would quietly go away and a new GB would come out. If it did OK, they'd probably pursue both (the "third pillar" strategy). Since it is doing phenomenally better than they anticipated, that is making the GB concept obsolete. I doubt we'll see a new and improved Game Boy system any time soon. At the very least they can postpone that a few years. And at that point, will they bother with another Game Boy or just come out with the DS 2? I would guess the latter, but who knows.

The point is, what you are saying makes sense NOW, and that seems like the obvious path - but it was certainly never intended to be like that. And when the DS first came out it's success was very much in doubt (just read that little article I linked to in my last post).

No reason to buy a GBA? I just bought another GBA - because they were only $50 new at GR and I had credit to burn there ;). It is still a better handheld to let little kids play with than the DS.
 
The third pillar thing was nothing more than a way for Nintendo to be able to release a new Gameboy had the DS fallen flat on its face. I don't believe they really expected to continue GBA support for very long as long as the DS did well.

I think you could consider them part of the same line. Not anymore the Gameboy line, but the Nintendo handheld line. There won't be another handheld system from Nintendo until the life cycle of the DS is about over. And after that, the support will shift from the DS to that system. Whether that system will be a single screen or dual screen system, touch screen or no, no one knows. But I'm pretty sure they'll stay with a single handheld system and not have two at the same time, other than the typical crossover at the beginning/end of the generations.
 
If Nintendo continued a line of cheap ultraportable systems (like GBM, except it wasn't cheap) with fun pick up and play games (like bit generations), I could see three pillars. But we all know that wasn't and won't be their game plan.
 
It was initially supposed to be a third tier thing but the new Game Boy Super Advanced is now the DS 2. DS is the most successful system Nintendo has ever had in terms of how quickly it was adopted over everything, including the original Game Boy.
 
[quote name='JEKKI']I call it Gameboy DS, does that count??[/QUOTE]

That's what Nintendo should have called it. But like everyone else said if it failed they needed tro pretend it was a "third pillar".
 
i still like the GameBoy name. It's iconic! Every ma pa, grandma and grandpa has heard of the name GameBoy like they've heard of the name Madonna. I wished they stuck with the name, but I can appreciate Nintendo's decision of separating the DS line to comply with their new "everybody can play video games" philosophy. As you can see, the DS Lite looks less "gamy" than any of the previous gameboys, even the original DS. It looks simple, more mature, and sophisticated in a very Ipod-like. Its appeal is growing among women partly because of the fashion conscious look that the DS Lite has. The DS Lite has all these factors that worked for the iPod.
 
I think a few rare press release images from E3 2004 (before the actual conference) showed Gameboy DS as a prototype name for the system, but when E3 came about, it was explained that it is NOT a successor to the Gameboy. It can play Gameboy Advance games (not GB and GBC games) as it was added as a bonus feature and something to keep the GBA line going.
 
The next Nintendo handheld almost has to be a DS-type device and backwards compatible with the DS. Unless they wait 8-10 years before releasing it not many people will want to upgrade if it doesn't play DS games. Plus, with such a huge installed user base and games getting cheaper and easier to develop it makes sense that they would milk this thing as long as possible...
 
And why stop? The first DS came out what, two or three years ago? Nintendo would be incredibly foolish to change anything for at least another 4 years...
 
If you listen to all of my cousins over Christmas, then yes. They were calling it the Gameboy DS and the DS Lite was described as the "new Gameboy."
 
I totally agree that the DS was called a "third pillar" just to save face if it fell on it's face. I'd expect a "DS 2" more than anything at this point (that'll hopefully still include GBA compatibility...and hell, add in GB/GBC compatibility :D )

Gave them an out if it flopped.
 
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