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.