First Nintendo Revolution Details Emerge

Backwards compatibility confirmed!

Posted by Staff
First Nintendo Revolution Details Emerge
Up until now, the only official information circulating about Nintendo’s upcoming next-gen platform, the Revolution, has been just that – it’s name. You’ll remember that the Gamecube was known only as the Dolphin until relatively soon before its release, so even that may be subject to change.

Now a little more detail is starting to trickle down from official sources. Admittedly, it’s not on quite the same level as the extensive Xbox 360 specs published here on SPOnG. But while the new Microsoft machine will be appearing on shelves in the US at least by the end of this year, it has been confirmed that the Revolution is slated for a 2006 release.

The new Nintendo device will be roughly the thickness and length of three stacked DVD cases, of comparable size and shape to the diminutive PSTwo. Like the PSTwo, and the Xbox 360 for that matter, you’ll be able to use it in both vertical and horizontal positions, depending on your preference.

In lieu of any detailed specifications, Nintendo fans are assured that the unit will have enough graphical grunt to "enable it to wow players with its graphics". It’s thought that the graphics card will be the work of ATi, as with the 'cube. Rather more interesting is the news that it will be wireless Internet ready as standard and also able to play DVDs, two features which the Gamecube attracted some criticism for lacking.

But definitely the highlight of these tiny pieces of information is the confirmation that the machine will be backwards compatible with the Gamecube’s proprietary discs, though the new machine’s own media format will be discs slightly larger than those of the outgoing Ninty console. Backwards compatibility is something of an honourable tradition anyway at Nintendo, with both the GBA and DS handheld systems offering it to some extent. But this is the first time that a home games console made by the Japanese giant will have this feature. And it’s especially exciting given that no backwards compatibility has been announced for the Xbox 360 – an omission which is particularly telling, considering the high level of detail revealed in other areas, and which has fuelled speculation that it is not a planned feature.

Traditionally, gamers like backwards compatibility. The ability of the PS2 to play PlayStation games kept early adopters from becoming overly disillusioned with the Sony console’s weaker than promised launch line-up. And ‘weak launch line-up!’ is an accusation that has been levelled even at the great Nintendo more than once in the past. We’re hoping to have a hands-on with the Revolution at E3, so expect more details and impressions soon here at SPOnG.
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Comments

Ditto 16 May 2005 11:24
1/10
The Revolution already sounds better than the Xbox 360 at least.

Nintendo haven't said that the console will play DVDs, though.

Nintendo's release:
http://www.nintendo.com/newsarticle?articleid=9594f668-5342-4b38-8eb1-d6bf479c4139&page=other
Smelly 16 May 2005 11:53
2/10
Backwards compatibility should also mean nintendo supporting the cube until the very end.

Wonder if this means we'll see mario 128 tommorow?
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Joji 16 May 2005 12:07
3/10
Only a handful of hours before E3 starts and we get the real info we want.

Should be very interesting this coming generation of home consoles because many of the features seem simlar fromwhat we are hearing so far. However I'll stake my flag in Nintendo's camp. Why?

With the costs of gaming going up all the time this si gonna mean less risk and variety. Japanese are taking risks but now one else wants to. And with softcos going under something needs to be done. I'll be watching closely to see what MS and Sony have to say about this because I already know of Nintendo's stance on it.

Solutions are needed but will all the new console hype overshadow this news?

Warzone 16 May 2005 17:24
4/10
>The Revolution already sounds better than the Xbox 360 at least.

Nintendo: "the biggest funcionality of our console will be that it'll open your mouth and take a dump in it"
Fan: "Well, it's better than anything by Micro$uxx. Bill Gates = Satan!"

Humbug. A few more years of this and Microsoft will buy Nintendo, then the comments will be:
"Bah, Nintendo always sucked anyway - PS Microsoft sucks!"
Pilot13 16 May 2005 18:06
5/10
I saw this video today (a fake of course) of the Revolution being unveiled, it was basically a VR headset, but the opening section had the Mario 64 castle and then...well it started to take the piss.

Off topic i know, but an amazing fake.
Pandaman 16 May 2005 19:09
6/10
...backwards compatibility has been confirmed for like a month now.

Also, DVD playback has also been confirmed for awhile now.
fluffstardx 16 May 2005 22:45
7/10
Warzone wrote:
>The Revolution already sounds better than the Xbox 360 at least.

Nintendo: "the biggest funcionality of our console will be that it'll open your mouth and take a dump in it"
Fan: "Well, it's better than anything by Micro$uxx. Bill Gates = Satan!"

Humbug. A few more years of this and Microsoft will buy Nintendo, then the comments will be:
"Bah, Nintendo always sucked anyway - PS Microsoft sucks!"


I have to agree with this sort of opinion. The 360 sounds pretty damn good to me, and this news really brings nothing to the table for me. In fact, it sounds almost like Nintendo are a generation behind.
Elysium 17 May 2005 03:43
8/10
Ah, hate to burst your fanboy bubble guys but the XBOX 360 full backward compatibility has indeed been confirmed.
soanso 17 May 2005 04:16
9/10
so will revolution have a hard disk or not?
I've been looking at the information that has come out about xbox360 and playstation 3 and I'm finding it hard to find any real difference between them apart from it being sony as the one showing off tech demos rather than microsoft. I always thought it'd be the other way around.
But I don't think that controller looks too clever. the xbox one actually looks ok and who knows if we'll actually get to see nintendo's at all
Ditto 17 May 2005 07:55
10/10
fluffstardx wrote:
Warzone wrote:
>The Revolution already sounds better than the Xbox 360 at least.

Nintendo: "the biggest funcionality of our console will be that it'll open your mouth and take a dump in it"
Fan: "Well, it's better than anything by Micro$uxx. Bill Gates = Satan!"

Humbug. A few more years of this and Microsoft will buy Nintendo, then the comments will be:
"Bah, Nintendo always sucked anyway - PS Microsoft sucks!"


I have to agree with this sort of opinion. The 360 sounds pretty damn good to me, and this news really brings nothing to the table for me. In fact, it sounds almost like Nintendo are a generation behind.


I don't think it does. Microsoft and Sony have brought nothing to the table this generation at all. Nintendo haven't revealed all their features, and I suspect they still have some surprises.

The Revo will be small, compact and sounds like it will be on-par power-wise with M$/Sony. It will have wireless internet from the outset. It sounds like they're up there with the other two.

Interestingly, yes I do have that opinion of Microsoft. I think they are an immoral company. However, I have no problem with Sony, nor would I have a problem with any other company creating a console to rival Nintendo.
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