Rumorong: Nintendo DS redesign not leaked by Disgaea DS ad

by Jason Dobson { Jul 7th 2008 at 8:00PM }

The internet speculation switchboard lit up this weekend when a print ad for a trio of new Nintendo DS titles -- Disgaea DS, Rhapsody, and A Witch's Tale -- from NIS America in the August issue of Nintendo Power was found to show Nintendo's touchable handheld with noticeably wider screens. Some might even call these widescreens. But was this a simple Photoshop snafu, or an unintentional peek at Nintendo's E3 plot?

With Nintendo brushing aside the supposed leak as "purely rumour and speculation," we followed up with NIS America, the proverbial horse's mouth. "We placed screenshots on a DS backing to emphasize the platform, and edited them for effect," explained NISA marketing swami, Nao Zook. "These games are specifically for the current Nintendo DS, and as far as we know, there is no 'widescreen DS' in the works." She offered apologies for any confusion or elevated hopes the ad might have caused, adding, "we also agree that a widescreen DS would be really cool." We agree, almost as cool as being asked to purchase Nintendo's portable yet again ...

Tags: disgaea-ds, disgaeads, nintendo, nis, nis-america, nisa, nisamerica, rhapsody, rumorong

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Obie @ Jul 7th 2008 8:05PM

The idea of a DS with a slightly larger/wider screen seems a bit silly, as Nintendo likes to make sweeping upgrades to their handhelds.

I do wonder what the big N is cookin' for E3,...hmmmm.

VCkilledme @ Jul 7th 2008 8:09PM

or did they shrink the rest of the DS so the screen only seems bigger? hmmm?

jcd @ Jul 7th 2008 10:33PM

yep, they just wanted to highlight their game

peteyH @ Jul 7th 2008 8:19PM

too hideous to be real - heck, it looks like the screen is overlapping - or close to overlapping part of the speaker.

i call shenanigans.

mr mobius @ Jul 7th 2008 8:19PM

If it was widescreen then that'd mean that the new games would have to have those stupid black bars on them in the other DS versions, just like a normal tv has with widescreen films.

I really hope that no new version of DS causes the DS lite to be useless or even close to useless, for it has served me well and I don't want to pay for something I in theory already have most of.

Fernando Rocker @ Jul 7th 2008 8:21PM

I just want a new one without the GBA port. That way, the DS would be very thin.

=p

Mr.ESC @ Jul 7th 2008 8:41PM

Hell No.The Ds is very portable as it is I mean compared to the PSP the Ds is actually very easy to carry and the GBA port feature is very cool,I bought Super Mario 3.I wish I could find Metroid Fusion or Super Mario 2 advance.

mr nimblewick @ Jul 7th 2008 9:02PM

I'm calling it: No GBA port, but on-board storage so you can download old GB games ala VC.

Josh @ Jul 7th 2008 9:29PM

I want a DS with the ability to play all previous Game Boy games. :P

But also, many DS games use the GBA port, so it wouldn't be such a good idea to remove it.

Then again, you could just play those games on a DS Phat or DS Lite...and also get a super thin new DS for all the other DS games.

007craft @ Jul 8th 2008 1:19AM

I myself am waiting for a Ds ultra lite. Im interested in gba games but I assume a flash card can emulate and play those for me right? Also, I need the price to drop to $99.99 regular, so I can pick it up on a sale of $79.99 (because Ive seen it go on sale a few special times for $99.99 now)

mr mobius @ Jul 7th 2008 8:21PM

Why would Nintendo create larger screens if it would only serve to make the games look more pixellated. If they then did add more pixels, that's mess an awful lot with the other DS versions.

Zephiel @ Jul 7th 2008 8:41PM

Because Nintendo's market can't possibly comprehend resolution.
Screen size is a pretty simple term though.

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 7th 2008 8:26PM

Give me a new PSP or DS redesign or entirely new models at this E3 please!

CitizenSnips @ Jul 7th 2008 8:28PM

the screens dont even line up in that picture.

Yourself @ Jul 7th 2008 8:39PM

I just two days ago bought a DS Lite. I will never again buy a platform redesign if Nintendo shows a new model at E3.

Sam406 @ Jul 7th 2008 11:21PM

You should have waited a week or two.

Never buy a console before a big event, because you can bet you'r bionic implants they will announce a redesing, price drop, or both of the very console you just bought.

Murphy's law my friend.

Mr.ESC @ Jul 7th 2008 8:39PM

The truth is that I would buy a Ds with wider screens and 2 analog sticks.

Or a PSP with 2 analog sticks.

Magetto @ Jul 7th 2008 8:40PM

Those buttons look way too small for my fingers (assuming that is they shrunk the DS down).

Blue_Falcon @ Jul 7th 2008 8:41PM

I still have my launch DS. Go me.

Hafk @ Jul 7th 2008 8:43PM

*high fives*

*hugs his ol' grey DS*

Undead Priest @ Jul 7th 2008 8:53PM

You don't even play your DS anyway.

Doom3killer @ Jul 7th 2008 9:00PM

same here

Mr Khan @ Jul 7th 2008 9:21PM

Add me to the list

It's bricky and silver, but i wouldn't have it any other way

Geist @ Jul 8th 2008 4:07PM

Woot, Phat DS owners ftw. It's dinged, scratched, and has a bright red dead pixel in the touch screen, but I'll be damned if I'm upgrading before ol' Phatty dies its final death.

kaiswil2 @ Jul 7th 2008 9:03PM

I'm going to have to say its a publicity shot and was photoshopped to enhance the the picture of the game. The screen would also be too big for most kids to reach effectively.

Double J @ Jul 7th 2008 9:20PM

Man, they really should charge their DS's BEFORE the publicity shots.

Creciente @ Jul 7th 2008 11:53PM

I'm fully satisfied with my DS Lite in terms of size, screens and everything else. No redesigns, please. Game Boy Micro was a horrible abomination.

BPM [MKWii: 2578 3585 8392] @ Jul 8th 2008 12:55AM

Am I the only one who never really saw the appeal of widescreen?

007craft @ Jul 8th 2008 1:21AM

Yes. Widescreen is better in every way possible. much more natural too. After using my hdtv and widescreen computer monitor for over a year now, even watching anything on a fulls creen display is painful to the eyes. Although its not so bad with video games, as it is with movies, since video games scroll. But WS gaming is still better.

Wiinterfang @ Jul 8th 2008 1:32AM

Yes.

NinjaTickets @ Jul 10th 2008 11:39AM

@obie Nintendo has favored smaller upgrades to their handhelds look at gb, gbc, gba, ds, ds lite. I could see a widescreen DS as the evolutionary upgrade a la gb to gbc. I would think two wider screens with better resolution and color. Branded something like ds hd would not be unlikely.

cBlack @ Jul 8th 2008 10:48PM

I'll pass on yet another Nintendo DS. Maybe I'm just waving my torch lighter next to a puddle of gas, but the PSP can do so much more.

While I'm off watching hours of decent quality video, listening to whatever the hell I want, and browsing the internet (those three things out of the bawks), playing NES games, SNES games, Genesis games, Game Boy games from any era.. clusterfacks of homebrew.. all on my original PSP, a lot of you will be off tapping your screens playing the same 5 games over and over again while wondering why you just blew $150 on a gimped portable device for a third time.

Whatever happened to that GBE fantasy? That had massive potential.