Inspired by sister site Tech-Digest’s run-down of features they’d like to see on Nintendo’s new DS (the subject of which may or may not be revealed to an expectant world at this year’s E3), we’ve come up with five “improvements” we really don’t want to see Nintendo introduce.

Hit the jump for our thoughts, but be sure to check out the Tech-Digest list first. Some real food for thought there, particularly for those wanting to see some multimedia functionality on their handheld.

5. Don’t add an extra touchscreen

Unless this is going to be the DS’s successor, rather than just an upgraded model (the Micro to the Lite’s GBA SP, if you will), let’s not shoehorn in anything that’s going to lead to “only compatible with…” consumer confusion. Nintendo don’t want to make a massively successful console feel redundant. By all means, streamline it further. Hell, if making it even thinner makes it more expensive, we’ll take the hit for an even cooler-looking portable. But an extra touchscreen? Nah.

4. Don’t keep the Lite d-pad 

The one reason I still own a GBA Micro is because a lot of my GameBoy Advance games play better on it. The reason? The best handheld d-pad ever made, basically. The DS Lite d-pad is spongey and far from accurate on diagonals. The drumming sections on Rhythm Tengoku are near-impossible to complete on it. We want something more solid, where you can feel like you’re pressing up and right at the same time and your character actually jumps in the appropriate direction.

3. Don’t get rid of the GBA slot

For all that the Lite might not be the ideal way to play GBA games, getting rid of that backwards compatibility would be a big mistake. Perhaps Nintendo would recommend the new DS as a supplement to the Lite - a smaller, more compact version, perhaps? But even so, it’s nice to be able to slot in a Bit Generations title for a quick five minute blast - and games like Guitar Hero: On Tour (or even Ubisoft’s forthcoming My Weight Coach) with their dependence on GBA slot add-ons wouldn’t be playable on the new console. That ace old-school Taito paddle controller? Useless. How could you do such a thing to such a brilliant piece of tech?

2. Don’t make the screens bigger

The games look great as they are, particularly the 2D stuff, while GBA titles look a bit stretched, and those borders aren’t too lovely. The last thing we need is screens which stretch the visuals to make things look blockier. And why do the screens need to be bigger? If there’s anything the DS needs, it’s to be even more compact. The Japanese don’t tend to release new versions of anything unless the second one’s smaller. So bigger screens would clearly mean bigger console. And that just ain’t happening as far as we’re concerned.

1. Don’t keep those hinges

I had a lovely Enamel Navy DS Lite, imported some time ago from Japanland. I still own said console, but it’s no longer so aesthetically appealing. The reason: the popular hinge-fracture issue, which saw a small crack appear on the right-hand side of the adjoining piece which holds the console together. This developed into a full-blown disaster area, which now means a sizeable chunk of plastic is missing from my DS, and it opens quicker and more readily than Paris Hilton’s legs. I miss that satisfying click. I miss my DS looking like new. Sort it out this time, Nintendo. 

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 11:08 pm by Chris Schilling
DS, Features, Top 5.