Exclusive: Nintendo DS was Iwata’s Personal Concept
President drives Nintendo forward - Iwata shows true strength.
Speaking to one of our contacts at E3 this year, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata made some incredible comments about the conception of the triumphantly unveiled Nintendo DS, explaining that the concept was his personal idea. Interestingly, he mentioned that the DS was also born out of several conversations with Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo chairman and industry legend.
Speaking in one of his rare interviews to the Western press, Iwata-san explained that he realised that innovation in hardware was the key to Nintendo’s success in the marketplace, and that traditional gaming hardware was becoming dated.
He stated that the DS, the concept that a twin-screen machine with unusual functionality such as voice recognition and touch panel control, came directly from the increasingly impressive Nintendo president himself.
Indeed, it has taken some time for Iwata-san to emerge as president proper of Nintendo, with chairman and former president - the endlessly entertaining Hiroshi Yamauchi - somewhat overshadowing him in the pre-E3 media charm offensive conducted by Nintendo Japan.
It is good to see Iwata-san taking full control of operations, and making the biggest difference to Nintendo we have seen in years. Let's hope for more of this belated self-assertiveness in the coming years.
Speaking in one of his rare interviews to the Western press, Iwata-san explained that he realised that innovation in hardware was the key to Nintendo’s success in the marketplace, and that traditional gaming hardware was becoming dated.
He stated that the DS, the concept that a twin-screen machine with unusual functionality such as voice recognition and touch panel control, came directly from the increasingly impressive Nintendo president himself.
Indeed, it has taken some time for Iwata-san to emerge as president proper of Nintendo, with chairman and former president - the endlessly entertaining Hiroshi Yamauchi - somewhat overshadowing him in the pre-E3 media charm offensive conducted by Nintendo Japan.
It is good to see Iwata-san taking full control of operations, and making the biggest difference to Nintendo we have seen in years. Let's hope for more of this belated self-assertiveness in the coming years.
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Comments
Deviluck 19 May 2004 12:26
1/4
Thats not a new concept anyway. check this link out - http://www.i-m.de/home/compmuseum/handheld/gw_dkong2.jpg
[19 May 2004, 14:22: Message edited by 'config']
[19 May 2004, 14:22: Message edited by 'config']
ajmetz 19 May 2004 16:04
2/4
>>>Deuder - it's not the fact it has two screens - it's the fact one of 'em is touch sensitive, so you get to control the game via the screen - i.e. in metroid, you stab the approaching enemies with the stylus stick, or press on the screen and drag, in order to look in a different view point. No messy controls - just if you see something you don't like on screen, poke it with a stick, and it dies. No dodgy cross hair to direct.
Likewise, Pac'n'Roll, sees you roll a pac-man ball with your finger in the lower screen, as if you had a mouse belly-up, and this reflects Pacman's direction in the 3D maze on the top half of the screen.
Then there's the draw and chat, chatroom....doodle like crazy with the stylus and share your pictures. So easy and accessible. So much fun. =)
Of course, with you bashing the screen to kill enemies in Metroid, Nintendo have had to coat the screen with a protective layer...lets just hope it does the job...button bashing is one thing...but screen bashing is sure to have shattering consequences...in more than one way!
Yours,
Andrew Mehta,
Editor of United Games Fanzine,
& United Games' Game-eXtra Services
www.unitedgames.co.uk
www.game-extra.co.uk
Deviluck wrote:
>Thats not a new concept anyway. check this link
>out -
>http://www.i-m.de/home/compmuseum/handheld/gw_dkon
>2.jpg
>
>[19 May 2004, 14:22: Message edited by 'config']
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Joji 21 May 2004 00:23
3/4
Shows Iwata has some brains and vision. It's a good thing he's about with Miyamoto, because I was beginning to think Nintendo liked being whipped by Sony and MS. I'm sure we'll see more of this, with GC2 And GBA2.
I think DS rocks, and I ain't afraid to say it. It's new, different and dedicated to games, and enhancing play of them. You, me and the whole industry need it, but some may be reluctant to say so. We also need Sony for an alternative choice, and to make things interesting.
I think DS rocks, and I ain't afraid to say it. It's new, different and dedicated to games, and enhancing play of them. You, me and the whole industry need it, but some may be reluctant to say so. We also need Sony for an alternative choice, and to make things interesting.
fluffstardx 21 May 2004 04:09
4/4
Joji wrote:
>Shows Iwata has some brains and vision. It's a
>good thing he's about with Miyamoto, because I
>was beginning to think Nintendo liked being
>whipped by Sony and MS. I'm sure we'll see more
>of this, with GC2 And GBA2.
>I think DS rocks,
>and I ain't afraid to say it. It's new, different
>and dedicated to games, and enhancing play of
>them. You, me and the whole industry need it, but
>some may be reluctant to say so. We also need
>Sony for an alternative choice, and to make
>things interesting.
I'm not sure having Sony in ANY market is a good thing. The console market was fine until Sony showed up- Sega and Nintendo could co-exist, without each trying to be the supreme console. Then, along came Playstation, and ever since then it's lost all that.
If Microsoft ever did manage a PC handheld (some older chips might just be low enough heat to work- definately not the P3/4 tho, but maybe an Athlon XP from the old days before the Performance Rating) then maybe, just maybe, that would be healthy.
>Shows Iwata has some brains and vision. It's a
>good thing he's about with Miyamoto, because I
>was beginning to think Nintendo liked being
>whipped by Sony and MS. I'm sure we'll see more
>of this, with GC2 And GBA2.
>I think DS rocks,
>and I ain't afraid to say it. It's new, different
>and dedicated to games, and enhancing play of
>them. You, me and the whole industry need it, but
>some may be reluctant to say so. We also need
>Sony for an alternative choice, and to make
>things interesting.
I'm not sure having Sony in ANY market is a good thing. The console market was fine until Sony showed up- Sega and Nintendo could co-exist, without each trying to be the supreme console. Then, along came Playstation, and ever since then it's lost all that.
If Microsoft ever did manage a PC handheld (some older chips might just be low enough heat to work- definately not the P3/4 tho, but maybe an Athlon XP from the old days before the Performance Rating) then maybe, just maybe, that would be healthy.