Next Gameboy?

D

derder

CAGiversary!
Following the trend in nintendo portable gaming, we should see a brand new gameboy/ds sometime mid next year. Although, I think it may be a little different this time with supposed Wii connectivity. And of course this won't happen until they stop being sold out everywhere.

I was thinking about what would possibly be made, and I'm pretty sure they would keep the ds line seperate and move back to gameboy.

Thoughts? Flames?
 
We might see more colors available, but that's about it. Nintendo has no reason to make a new Gameboy. They had stated about a year ago they were creating a new system, that was until the DS took off like a rocket.

I would expect more connectivity options with the Wii and more color options for the DS, but not a new system. They are destroying the handheld market right now so why would they.
 
The DS is really taking off right now. 2007 will be a great year for the system and I don't we'll even hear rumors (at least, not comeing from Nintendo) about a new handheld until a year from now at the earliest. Meaning, a fall 2009 launch for DS next.

In other words, not for a long time.
 
The untapped potential in the DS leaves me to wonder why we would need a new one anytime soon. Look at the beauty you can achieve in the games (ie- Mario Kart) and the length of gameplay you can achieve (ie- FF:III). With the cost of flash memory degrading so quickly you can put more onto less so the only thing limiting what it can do is the poor programming and scripting of games.

On that note late 2008 seems like a solid candidate for a new next gen handheld. Since you alternate console, games, console, games, etc during the Christmas season. So this year will be a flood of Wii games and next year during Christmas for new handheld, you heard it hear first.


Cliffnotes (all posts need these): DS doesn't need upgrade, new handheld in Q4 08'.
 
Wii connectivity is already possible with the DS, so there's no need for an upgrade to handle that. The Lite will keep them going for quite some time, given that it's still practically sold out and they only have three colors as yet. Expect a few special edition colors and/or just plain new colors over the next year-plus, maybe the announcement of a new DS sometime in 08, with release in 09 (or 2010 to coincide with the Wii2). That's a big maybe.
 
The DS is more popular than ever, and definitely has at least 2 or 3 more years in it.

What I want to see from the next Nintendo handheld though is:

Clamshell, two screens
Both touch screens
Analogue stick if they can make it work (not like the PSP's one)
Built in rumble
Maybe basic motion sensing, like in WarioWare Twisted or the Wii nunchuck
Online support from day one, including online pictochat with more feature built in
Gamecube-level 3D graphics
 
[quote name='bruin']The DS is more popular than ever, and definitely has at least 2 or 3 more years in it.

What I want to see from the next Nintendo handheld though is:

Clamshell, two screens
Both touch screens
Analogue stick if they can make it work (not like the PSP's one)
Built in rumble
Maybe basic motion sensing, like in WarioWare Twisted or the Wii nunchuck
Online support from day one, including online pictochat with more feature built in
Gamecube-level 3D graphics[/quote]

-Clamshell, already proven winner.
-Both touch screens... hell no. Ones enough. Imagine the chaos of 2x trauma center. God, I wanna throw up.
-Analog stick seems a bit unnescessary. D pad is working beautifully, just needs refined. Although having a screwhole where the stylus fits into for a joystick...
-Rumble pak is next to useless as is, we dont need more bulk.
-Some motion sensors would be nice. You know how often *I* lean into turns in some games
-Online is a definite
-Gamecube graphics are setting the bar low, go for PS2.
 
have you seen screenshots of Dragon Quest 9? I think there's quite a bit to squeeze out of the DS before Nintendo releases or even announces a new system. They wouldn't want to announce a new system too early because it would just hurt DS sales.
 
The seperate lines thing was to make sure Nintendo had a PR out if the DS was a huge failure. The next Game Boy is no longer the next Game Boy, it's the next DS. I say we see it a year before the end of the Wii's life cycle so late 2009/early 2010 maybe.
 
[quote name='RAMSTORIA']have you seen screenshots of Dragon Quest 9? I think there's quite a bit to squeeze out of the DS before Nintendo releases or even announces a new system. They wouldn't want to announce a new system too early because it would just hurt DS sales.[/quote]I seem to recall reading an interview with the guys working on Nanostray 2 saying that there was a ton of power in the DS that no one had touched yet. They're able to do pixel-shader level stuff on the hardware. Hundreds of particles, etc. I'm anxious to see what comes of that.
 
[quote name='furyk']The seperate lines thing was to make sure Nintendo had a PR out if the DS was a huge failure. The next Game Boy is no longer the next Game Boy, it's the next DS. I say we see it a year before the end of the Wii's life cycle so late 2009/early 2010 maybe.[/QUOTE]

This is just your opinion, correct? If not, can your provide some source(s)?

I'm still waiting for the next Game Boy. DS is not a Game Boy.

The next Game Boy only needs to have a few extras added to make it truly perfect, imo. The micro is very close.

- I would like to see a SNES controller style layout (mainly so Street Fighter plays better).
- Wireless capabilities like the DS/PSP.
- One screen (if it has touch that's fine)
- No clamshell (I like the micro with a faceplate that also acts as screen protector which are replaceable)

I realize I'm probably in the minority, but I still feel the DS is sort of a fad. It's popular now and works, but the games imo don't need the touch screen to play, except for a just a handful. The touch screen parts of the games seem like they were just thrown in so the pubs/devs could say, "See, touch screen!"

Just my thoughts

Still waiting for Earthbound 64 and most likely now, a new Game Boy.
 
Yeah it is my opinion, but it's also kind of a common sense thing. The DS was a risk, and we haven't heard a thing about the Game Boy Super Advanced since the DS took off. It may just be that Nintendo doesn't want to shoot themselves in the foot, but the Game Boy and the Game Boy Advanced were no where as successful as the DS in terms of adoption rate. Putting out two handhelds at the same time from the same company has always been a stupid idea because it canabilizes the market. Having said that, Nintendo did put out the Virtual Boy and the Game Boy Pocket around the same time so I could be wrong.

Edit: Wrote Color instead of Pocket.
 
[quote name='Magehart']-Clamshell, already proven winner.
-Both touch screens... hell no. Ones enough. Imagine the chaos of 2x trauma center. God, I wanna throw up.
-Analog stick seems a bit unnescessary. D pad is working beautifully, just needs refined. Although having a screwhole where the stylus fits into for a joystick...
-Rumble pak is next to useless as is, we dont need more bulk.
-Some motion sensors would be nice. You know how often *I* lean into turns in some games
-Online is a definite
-Gamecube graphics are setting the bar low, go for PS2.[/quote]
I said an analogue stick because I think once the graphics become more advanced we'll be seeing less and less 2D games, and an analogue stick is pretty much necessary for 3D in my eyes.
I don't think rumble is useless at all, it's a great feature for all games, handheld or not. Have you played WW: Twisted or Drill Dozer on GBA? And it wouldn't add bulk, look how small the DS and DS Lite rumble packs are.
GC graphics are setting the bar low, go for PS2? Gamecube is technically superior to the PS2, it's almost as powerful as Xbox.
 
[quote name='b3b0p']
I'm still waiting for the next Game Boy. DS is not a Game Boy.

The next Game Boy only needs to have a few extras added to make it truly perfect, imo. The micro is very close.

- I would like to see a SNES controller style layout (mainly so Street Fighter plays better).
- Wireless capabilities like the DS/PSP.
- One screen (if it has touch that's fine)
- No clamshell (I like the micro with a faceplate that also acts as screen protector which are replaceable)

I realize I'm probably in the minority, but I still feel the DS is sort of a fad. It's popular now and works, but the games imo don't need the touch screen to play, except for a just a handful. The touch screen parts of the games seem like they were just thrown in so the pubs/devs could say, "See, touch screen!"

Just my thoughts

Still waiting for Earthbound 64 and most likely now, a new Game Boy.[/QUOTE]

I agree. But I don't think this is necessary for another year or two. I really think that one screen, like the micro's, only perhaps bigger. I can see it being a sort of portable N64, with an analogue stick perhaps? Hmm. No rush yet.
 
[quote name='Boots']I agree. But I don't think this is necessary for another year or two. I really think that one screen, like the micro's, only perhaps bigger. I can see it being a sort of portable N64, with an analogue stick perhaps? Hmm. No rush yet.[/QUOTE]
Agreed. Except for the stick.

One more thing to add, memory stick for saves.

I'd buy 10.
 
We won't be seeing another Gameboy. As furyk states, the "3 Pillars" was just to cover their butt in case the DS bombed. Proof? What has Nintendo done, at all, to sustain the Gameboy platform? What was the last game they actually made for the GBA, Drill Dozer? While a great game, they didn't even advertise it.

The Gameboy, as a brand, is sadled with more baggage than Nintendo wants. Even the name carries with it the idea of a "Toy for little boys." They want their whole market expanded--Wii and DS is how they're doing it, not the Gameboy. Our best chance of seeing anything "Gameboy" in the near future is some Gameboy compilations for the DS / DS2 and/or a Handheld Virtual Console on the next DS.
 
Why yes, what a fantastic idea. Who wouldn't want to pay an extra $20-50 to save their games? The only way I'd support a memory stick for a cart based game system is if it has a hard drive built in and still, I'd rather see wireless game save sharing then support for a memory card. Excuse my sarcasm b3b0p but I like handheld gaming because it's cheap.
 
I really doubt they'll ever make another system called "Game Boy."

And yeah, to echo everyone else in here, they'll be riding the DS wave for years to come.
 
Backwards compatability alone (which has been one of the key reasons for N's continued handheld dominance) means their next system will be a DS and not a GB.
 
[quote name='furyk'] Having said that, Nintendo did put out the Virtual Boy and the Game Boy Color around the same time so I could be wrong.[/quote]


Not quite. Virtual Boy came out in August 1995, the thing was long dead before Game Boy Color came out in November of 1998.

You might be thinking of the colored original Game Boys that were released around the time of the Virtual Boy. I think they had 5-6 colors, black, green, yellow, red, blue and clear. Game Boy Pocket came out in 1996 but I don't think Virtual Boy lasted very long into 1996, if that.
 
I bet they will release the NWP (Nintendo Wii Portable) soon and it will have a 16:9 screen and play disc-based games and movies as well as connect to the internet and store photos and music on memory cards. I'm guessing one analog stick, a d-pad, four face buttons and two shoulder buttons. It will also copy Sony's six-axis motion controls.
 
My guess is that late 2009 will be the earliest we'll see the DS 2, possibly longer if the DS Lite continues to sell well. The duel screens will both be 16x9, and games will come on game cards similar in size (physical, not memory wise) to current DS carts. It will basically be the Gamecube hardware shrunk down to DS size, and will have a Mii like feature built into to the internal flash memory. GBA backwards compatibility will be dropped, but it will have DS BC.
 
As much as I love handheld gaming, I'm dreading the next-gen handhelds. They are certain to be more powerful than the DS is, and we all have seen what happens when you get more capable systems: the death of 2D games.
 
[quote name='Rusty Ghia']As much as I love handheld gaming, I'm dreading the next-gen handhelds. They are certain to be more powerful than the DS is, and we all have seen what happens when you get more capable systems: the death of 2D games.[/QUOTE]

You say that, but some of the strongest titles on the PSP right now are 2D games. I wouldn't worry too much about it on the handheld front.
 
[quote name='furyk']You say that, but some of the strongest titles on the PSP right now are 2D games. I wouldn't worry too much about it on the handheld front.[/QUOTE]

Please, do name all of these great 2D games on the PSP. I can think of two: LocoRoco (best damn game on the PSP,) and Ultimate Ghosts 'N Goblins, which is done with a 3D graphics engine. Exit is a decent enough game, the Megaman games are pretty good, and the upcoming Castlevania game looks great, but I fully believe that stronger hardware will basically lead to the death of 2D gaming. I enjoy 3D games as much as the next guy, but when the only place that we get new 2D games are the handhelds, I get worried.
 
Nothing against 3d games, the quality titles are great. However, I find myself enjoying 2d games much more than 3d games. I would hate to see portables getting more quality 3d titles than 2d titles.
 
We've already seen the next GameBoy. It's called the DS Lite, which will simply be renamed IMHO GameBoy DS. Once it becomes viable to sell it for $99 it will then met Nintendo requirements for the GameBoy formula. This leaves the DS introductory price point open for a higher end model to up the ante against would-be competitors.

The main avenues of upgrade for the DS are larger screens, which would display existing games with a black border or scaled, much as GBC games were on the GBA, and increased processing power. Combined, these would allow for a new class of games as well enhanced modes for new backward compatible releases, as seen in the GB to GBC transition. Nintendo woulkd discourage the creation of games exclusive tot he DS+ (for lack of a better name) until it commands a sufficient installed base to justify being treated as a separate platform.

Nor should this be viewed as the death of 2D games. The PSP has seen far too many original 2D titles to believe that. Nor would Nintendo be shooting for graphics comparable to the PS2 or GameCube. Just driving a pair of 320x240 screens at the same rate or better than the existing DS with its screens would be a suitable goal while maintaining a lengthy battery life.

Another major feature would be the addition of an SD slot. This would bring many improvements. A single identity token and friend's list rather than per game storage. The ability to access purchased downloads from the Wii Virtual Console. (The higher screen resolution would be important towards enabling this.) These would not be the same files used by the Wii since a different emulator would be needed for each file, since the DS and Wii do not share processor ISA but if Nintendo offered a choice of download target or both for a slightly higher price, that should generate a lot of revenue.

As for analog control, this would help a lot and as much as people may criticize the PSP's analog nub, it beats the hell out of no nub at all.
 
[quote name='furyk']Why yes, what a fantastic idea. Who wouldn't want to pay an extra $20-50 to save their games? The only way I'd support a memory stick for a cart based game system is if it has a hard drive built in and still, I'd rather see wireless game save sharing then support for a memory card. Excuse my sarcasm b3b0p but I like handheld gaming because it's cheap.[/QUOTE]

I would like to save my games and have access to backing them up or maybe even putting extra content on them. This works well for letting others play/borrow or having multiple save points in something like a RPG.

A hard drive will eat up batteries and is fragile. It will eventually fail.

Memory Cards are cheap. $10-$25 for a gigabyte memory stick is hardly expensive. I just bought a 4GB Pro Duo for my PSP for $67, no rebates, otd. Although, I did have a coupon.

I'm not arguing whether they will or will not release a new Game Boy. I want a new Game Boy because I'm not a huge fan of the DS, it's games, it's dual screens, and larger foot print. The micro is very close to perfect for me, but I would like to see some enhancements.
 
[quote name='furyk']You say that, but some of the strongest titles on the PSP right now are 2D games. I wouldn't worry too much about it on the handheld front.[/QUOTE]

Mostly in the form of emulators and roms. ;)

Slight sarcasm, but aren't most just ports? I like the ports, but it is nice to have new games.
 
Well, there are a lot of original games that use 2D Sprites, like the Idea Factory developed, NIS published games.

However, they generally dont rate very well.
 
With the success of the DS we won't see another one for at least 2 or 3 years, and there will not be any more Game Boys.

The next portable will be a DS 2 or whatever they want to call it.
 
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