Nintendo Revolution Blog

Super Mario Bros. Sound Board!

2006-02-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

Alright, who can recreate the first level with this sound board?

Check it out here.

DS Lite video

2006-01-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

Go here to check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/w/DS-Lite-CG?v=VAlESOK37n8&eurl=

Ok, this thing looks significantly smaller, lighter, and cooler. I wish there was a video showing the brightness comparison with the older obese DS. I guess we can expect the difference to be like the GBA SP of old, compared to the newer model.

Once this baby hits our shores in the USA, I fully expect the DS to retail for $99 and this newer unit to go for $129.99. Or...they could just totally replace the obese DS's with the newer ones and keep the price the same. Either way...I'm in for one. Who's with me?

Nintendo announces DS Lite

2006-01-26T08:07:00.000-05:00

Finally, Nintendo admits to a newly redesigned DS. Its redesigned to be slimmer with a brighter screen and will be called the DS Lite. Great, cause I've been very jealous of what they've done to the GBA SP with the brighter screen. Very cool.

Perhaps now they can finally make it compatible with the Revolution straight out of the box. I think this is a no brainer. Great for playing classic games on the Revolution. Maybe even stream Gameboy Advance and DS games to the Revolution so that it'll be played on the big screen TV's while controlling it on your actual GB device. I wish I worked for Nintendo...so many ideas are going to waste right now.

2006-01-19T10:47:00.000-05:00

Its been a while since I've posted. But as you die hard fans probably already know, Nintendo's Revolution is expected to be under $300. That could mean $299.99 for all we know. Many are predicting either $200, $250, or $299. I'm thinking $250 is more likely.

Also, there seems to be confirmation that the system will hit before Turkey day this year. Sounds like Nintendo was forced to release it by then in order to get support from retailers.

The best thing Nintendo can do to ensure a successful launch is to have some killer must have type of games, and ensure they don't pull a Sony or Microsoft and have a hardware shortage. I think they really need to explore having the Nintendo DS as a compatible controller right out of the box for all of their games. This will further entice Nintendo fan boys to get the Revolution.

Sega to archive classic games on Revolution?

2005-12-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

Did anyone else read the Joystiq.com article on how Sega is very intrigued with Nintendo's idea of offering old school games on the Revolution? If somehow Nintendo could convince Sega to use the Revolution as a platform to host all of their classic games from the Master system and possibly the Genesis, then I think that is truly the kind of firepower that Nintendo can use to not only compete with the big boys, but even win the next gen systems war.

I thankfully missed out on the chance to purchase a Xbox360 a few weeks ago. At this point, I don't even want it. There are no games that I'm aching to play. The PS3 sounds interesting...but if the Revolution isn't too far behind, I'd definitely jump all over that.

Regardless of what new games are available at launch or soon after launch for the Revolution, I'd still be psyched to play old school classic Nintendo and SMS games! Here's some of the games I'd love to be able to play:

NES:
River City Ransom
Tengen Tetris
SMB (all of them)
Ice Climber
Excite Bike
Zelda series
Final Fantasy 1
Contra
TMNT 2
Jackal
Kung Fu Heroes
Metroid

SMS:
Great Volleyball
Alex Kidd series
Double Dragon (This is the 2 player co-op version!)
Shinobi
Out Run
Phantasy Star 1

There's more, I'm sure. This is all I can think of in an instance. What are some of the older games that you'd like to play? Lets hope Nintendo gets this done. This is definitely not as impossible to get done as it would've been back when Sega and Nintendo were competing in the hardware wars (the good'ole days!).

Lockdown mode confirmed for Revolution

2005-11-16T11:28:00.000-05:00

As we've seen with televisions, the next gen videogame systems will also feature some sort of parental lockout options to prevent kids from playing games when they're not supposed to. I have no feelings about this feature since I'm an adult and do as I wish. However, I do see the trend of more and more cutting edge toys offering the option of locking out itself. The next Windows operating system, Windows Vista is said to have that sort of thing built in as well. All I have to say about this is....Whatever. No biggie to me. Hope this feature doesn't affect any of you!

Nintendo DS as Revolution controller

2005-10-29T11:33:00.000-04:00

Here's an idea. How about using the Nintendo DS as a wireless controller option for the Revolution? think about it. It already has a screen and its wifi compatible so its wireless as well. Imagine the possibilities. Remember the Dreamcast with the VMU with displays? Remember the Gameboy Advance as a controller for Final Fantasy on the Gamecube?

This can work. Its up to Nintendo to make it happen. If anything, make it an option to buying another controller. Imagine multiplayer games with 4 people waving those remote control wands around the air....you'd need to give each person a 5 foot perimeter to work their magic. This is great. Lets hope it happens!

Revolution launch: Fall 2006?

2005-10-17T11:29:00.000-04:00

There are reports that the Nintendo Power hotline is suggesting a Revolution launch for fall of 2006. It says:

”When Nintendo’s new console, codenamed Revolution, arrives in the later half of 2006, everyone will discover the meaning of all-access gaming.”

Thats 1 year after Xbox360, and probably a few months after Playstation 3. How will Nintendo catch up, or do they even need to? They kind of took themselves out of the competition already if you ask me.

Anyone here a subscriber of Nintendo Power? I used to be, way back.....in the early 90's? The days when the original NES was all that. Sigh, the good'ole times.

Classic NES games not free!

2005-09-21T11:19:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: Classic NES games will not be free. Some will be bundled to promote system sales, while others are bundled or unlocked within games. Bummer! They should at least offer us the chance to buy them. I'd gladly go the iTunes route and pay $1 for each classic NES game. Who's with me? If only the Revolution had a hard drive feature so we can store these games. Wait! Maybe the games can fit on the memory unit? I mean classic games must take up very little space. Or, what about saving the roms on our PC's and allowing us to play them from our console via wifi? After all, Nintendo did stress the importance of wifi with this new machine.

Come on folks, what do you think? Am I on to something here? Do you smell what I'm smokin'?

Some fun with the Revolution controller

2005-09-16T16:40:00.000-04:00

Here's your chance to sample how the Nintendo Revolution's controller will work! Pretend the mouse is the controller and spank Microsoft's @$$. Here's the link: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/mousedown/revo.swf

Nintendo Revolution Controller Revealed!

2005-09-16T08:19:00.000-04:00

Nintendo officially unveiled the Revolution's controller. Its wireless, as expected. And its a tv remote control. What?! Thats right, its shaped and looks just like a tv remote, except it has the typical d pad, action buttons and a trigger on the back. You supposedly can control the action by waving the controller around in the direction you want to go. There is also a sensor on the tip of the remote that communicates with the Revolution to make it all happen.

From what we can see, it looks like the system can only support upto 4 player simultaneous play. You'll see there are 4 channels for the wireless controllers. Also, if you rotate the controller to the left you'll see a resemblance of the original NES controller! I guess thats to play all the classic games such as NES and Gameboy. The analog stick attachment will be a must to play Gamecube games.

Features at a glance:

-Remote control design: constructed to appeal to a wide variety of potential players
-3D Pointing: Sensors understand up, down, left, right, forward and backward.
-Tilt Sensitive: Controller can be rotated or rolled from side-to-side.
-Buttons Included: Has a trigger on its backside, face buttons, and a D-Pad.
-Multifunctional: Has an expansion port which can be used with different types of controller peripherals. Analog stick with two trigger -buttons planned for left hand.
-Wireless: Totally wire-free. Currently there are no details on the max distance, source or power, or otherwise.
-Rumble Built-in. Included standard in all the controllers.

Please visit IGN's photo gallery for high quality images.

Here's another pic to wet your appetite:

Tokyo Game Show 2005

2005-09-15T16:40:00.000-04:00

The 2005 Tokyo Game Show is finally here. For Nintendo fans, this means that we may finally get some info on the revolutionary controller for Nintendo's next generation system, the Revolution. There have been many mocks across the web. Tonight will hopefully answer a lot of questions.

I for one think that the controller must be similar to the current Game Cube controller. Because the Revolution will be backwards compatible with all Game Cube games, one would think the controller must be similar--how else are you going to play the games? But what could be so revolutionary about it? What will they add or change? For one, we know it'll be a wireless controller. We know it'll have Game Cube controller attributes. But..what else? Stay tuned as we'll post this information as soon as its available. We expect this to be available sometime tonight 10 or 11 PM-ish EST.

Nintendo's Smallest Home System Ever

2005-09-06T22:02:00.000-04:00

In case you missed it, this will be Nintendo's smallest home console ever. Roughly the size of 3 standard CD cases, and a tad longer. It will also be backwards compatible and play all Nintendo Gamecube games! There is a built in self loading DVD drive. Read on for all the juicy details!

Nintendo, the world leader in video game innovation, stated loud and clear that they are not to be overlooked in the next generation home console race with the revelation of several unique features of the company's next console system, code name Revolution, to key media outlets. According to the early information, Revolution will combine powerful technology and gaming-focused features in Nintendo's smallest home game console yet.

In its final form, Revolution will be about the thickness of three standard DVD cases and only slightly longer. The versatile Revolution will play either horizontally or vertically, allowing the user total flexibility in setting up a gaming session wherever they have a television.

Thanks to Nintendo's hardware development partners IBM and ATI, the small system will be packed with power that will enable it to wow players with its graphics. Nintendo's legions of loyal fans will be happy to learn that Revolution will be backward compatible, playing both Nintendo GameCube 8cm disks along with its own 12cm optical disks in the same self-loading media drive.

In the next generation, the addition of the Internet will be important to all consoles and particularly important to Nintendo. Revolution will be wireless Internet ready out of the box.

There's much more to Revolution that will be revealed over the coming months, but the combination of its compact size, wireless Internet, backward compatibility, quick start-up time and quiet, low-power operation add up to the start of a great game system. Get ready for the Nintendo Revolution in 2006!

Tokyo Game Show September 16th

2005-09-06T15:52:00.000-04:00

Mark your calendars. This is the long speculated date that the Nintendo Revolution's controller will finally be unveiled. We'll let you know all about it as soon as this information becomes available.

In the meantime, look for Resident Evil 5 to make its way to the Revolution, as well as revolutionized versions of Zelda and Mario (Of course!).

Revolution, a place to plug it in

2005-06-17T09:16:00.000-04:00

Here's another shot of the Revolution. It looks like there indeed will be ports for you to use existing GameCube peripherals. Nintendo did say that all existing peripherals will be compatible so you won't have to buy new gear.

Click here to see a picture from n-next.com.

Latest rumors on Revolution specs

2005-06-14T09:24:00.000-04:00

Here are the latest rumors on possible Nintendo Revolution specs:

dual-core 1.8GHz PowerPC-based setup with 512KB L2 cache, 1.2GHz FSB, 600MHz ATI graphics chip with 12MB SRAM, 128MB “main storage” SRAM (for GPU and sound L3 cache), 256MB main DRAM, 7.1 surround sound, and some 6GB dual-layer HP/Panasonic disc format.

No Hi Definition for Revolution

2005-06-13T12:59:00.000-04:00

I hear that Nintendo's Revolution will NOT support hi definition tv. The word from a Nintendo representative is that HD is not needed. Whats important is game play and the revolution will still be able to delivery beautiful graphics to compliment addictive game play.

Boohoo, I was looking forward to hooking this baby up to my 50" Hi-Def Grand Wega. This may prove to be a bad move for the Big N since Sony and Microsoft will both offer HD support in their new game machines. I'm sick of low definition games on my hi definition display. Anyone else feel my pain?

Gamecube Accessories fully compatible with Nintendo Revolution

2005-06-09T13:23:00.000-04:00

There is word that all current Gamecube accessories will be compatible with the new Nintendo system. What does that tell you? Although the unit is expected to have wireless controllers right out of the box, there will still be 4 ports for controllers? What about the GBA Player? All of our questions will be answered by the end of the year. Everytime new information is leaked on this system just gets me more and more exciting about the system!

Possible Free downloadable games for Revolution revealed!

2005-06-07T12:50:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the folks at Gaming Horizon and Famitsu magazine in Japan, here is a partial list of classic games that will be made available to all Nintendo Revolution owners at no cost!...Well, thats the rumor at least. May not be completely free. Some speculate that certain games will come bundled with Revolution games that you purchase. Either way, this is great news as there are some true classics and great ones in there! Theres no excuse for anyone not to get a Nintendo Revolution as soon as it hits our shores sometime 2006.

NES:
1. 10-Yard Fight
2. Anticipation
3. Balloon Fight
4. Barker Bill’s Trick Shooting
5. Baseball
6. Clu Clu Land
7. Dance Aerobics
8. Devil World
9. Doki Doki Panic
10. Donkey Kong
11. Donkey Kong 3
12. Donkey Kong Classics
13. Donkey Kong Jr.
14. Donkey Kong Jr. Math
15. Dr. Mario
16. Dragon Warrior
17. Duck Hunt
18. Excitebike
19. Famicom Wars
20. Final Fantasy
21. Fire Emblem Gaiden
22. Fire Emblem: Ankokuryuu to Hikari no Tsurugi
23. Flintstones: The Rescue of Dino and Hoppy
24. Golf
25. Gum Shoe
26. Gyromite
27. Hogan’s Alley
28. Ice Climber
29. Ice Hockey
30. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Taito)
31. Kid Icarus
32. Kirby’s Adventure
33. Kung Fu
34. Mach Rider
35. Mario Bros.
36. Mario Time Machine
37. Mario is Missing!
38. Mario:Fun with Letters
39. Mario:Fun with Numbers
40. Metroid
41. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
42. Mother (Earthbound)
43. NES Open Golf
44. Nintendo World Cup
45. Nuts & Milk
46. Pin-Bot
47. Pinball
48. Play Action Football
49. Popeye
50. Pro Wrestling
51. Punch-Out!!
52. R.C. Pro-Am
53. Rad Racer
54. Rad Racer 2
55. Short Order/Eggsplode
56. Slalom
57. Snake Rattle & Roll
58. Soccer
59. Stack Up
60. Star Tropics
61. Super Mario Bros.
62. Super Mario Bros. 2
63. Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels
64. Super Mario Bros. 3
65. Super Spike V’Ball/World Cup Soccer
66. Super Team Games
67. Tennis
68. Tetris
69. Tetris 2
70. The Legend of Zelda
71. To The Earth
72. Track meet
73. Urban Champion
74. Volleyball
75. Wario’s Woods
76. Wild Gunman
77. World Class Track Meet
78. World Cup Soccer
79. Wrecking Crew
80. Yoshi (Mario & Yoshi)
81. Yoshi’s Cookie
82. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
83. Zoda’s Revenge: Star Tropics II

Super NES:
84. Derby Stallion 98 (NP)
85. Donkey Kong Country
86. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest
87. Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble
88. EarthBound
89. F-Zero
90. FX Fighter
91. Fire Emblem: Monshou no Nazo
92. Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu
93. Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
94. Hyper V-Ball
95. Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball
96. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Winning Run
97. Killer Instinct
98. Kirby Super Star
99. Kirby’s Avalanche
100. Kirby’s Dream Course
101. Kirby’s Dream Land 3
102. Kirby’s Ghost Trap
103. Legend
104. Mario Paint
105. Mario and Wario
106. Mario’s Early Years: Preschool Fun
107. Mario’s Super Picross
108. Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge
109. NCAA Basketball
110. NHL Stanley Cup
111. Panel de Pon
112. Picross NP Vol. 8
113. PilotWings
114. Shigesato Itoi’s No. 1 Bass Fishing
115. Sound Fantasy
116. Star Fox
117. Stunt Race FX
118. Super Famicom Wars
119. Super Mario Kart
120. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
121. Super Mario World
122. Super Metroid
123. Super Punch-Out!!
124. Super Scope 6
125. Super Soccer
126. Super Soccer 2
127. Super Tennis
128. Tetris & Dr. Mario
129. Tetris Attack
130. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
131. Tinstar
132. Uniracers
133. Winter Gold (FX Skiing)
134. World League Baseball
135. Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario World 2
136. Yoshi’s Safari

Nintendo 64:
137. 1080° Snowboarding
138. Animal Forest (Animal Crossing)
139. Banjo-Kazooie
140. Banjo-Tooie
141. Blast Corps
142. Bomberman 64
143. Bomberman Hero
144. Buggie Boogie
145. Cabbage
146. Catroots
147. Climber
148. Command & Conquer
149. Creator
150. Cruis’n USA
151. Cruis’n World
152. Cu-On-Pa
153. Custom Robo
154. Custom Robo V2
155. DD Sequencer
156. Dezaemon DD
157. Diddy Kong Racing
158. Donkey Kong 64
159. Doubutsu Banchou
160. Dr. Mario 64
161. Echo-Delta
162. Emperor of the Jungle
163. Excitebike 64
164. F-Zero X
165. Gendai Dai-Senryaku: Ultimate War
166. GoldenEye 007
167. Hey You, Pikachu!
168. Jack and the Beanstalk
169. Ken Griffey Jr.’s Slugfest
170. Killer Instinct Gold
171. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
172. Kirby’s Air Ride
173. Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside
174. Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr
175. Mario Golf
176. Mario Kart 64
177. Mario Party
178. Mario Party 2
179. Mario Party 3
180. Mario Tennis 64
181. Mickey’s Speedway USA
182. Mini Racers
183. Mischief Makers
184. Mysterious Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 2
185. NBA Courtside 2: Featuring Kobe Bryant
186. Paper Mario
187. Perfect Dark
188. Pilotwings 64
189. Pokemon Puzzle League
190. Pokemon Snap
191. Pokemon Stadium
192. Pokemon Stadium 2
193. Pokemon Stadium: Gold, Silver, Crystal Version
194. Ridge Racer 64
195. Riqa
196. Shigesato Itoi’s No. 1 Bass Fishing
197. Sin and Punishment: Successor to the Earth
198. Star Fox 64
199. Star Wars Episode I: Racer
200. Star Wars: Battle for Naboo
201. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
202. StarCraft 64
203. Super Mario 64
204. Super Smash Bros.
205. Tetrisphere
206. The Legend of Zelda DD (Ura Zelda) (Master Quest)
207. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
208. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
209. The New Tetris
210. Waialae Country Club: True Golf Classics
211. Wall Street DD
212. Wave Race 64
213. Wayne Gretzky’s 3D Hockey
214. Yoshi’s Story

Satteleview Games:
215. BS F-Zero 2 Grand Prix
216. BS Special Tee Shot
217. BS Zelda

64 DD Games:
218. SimCity 64
219. F-Zero X Expansion Kit
220. Kyojin no Doshin 1 (Doshin the Giant)
221. Mario Artist: Communication Kit,Paint Studio,Polygon Studio, Sound Studio, Talent Studio

Bandai/Namco to develop for the Revolution

2005-06-03T16:02:00.000-04:00

Bandai and Namco, two merging companies will soon announce that they have signed on to become a third party publisher of the Nintendo Revolution. Thats a great start...expect games like Ridge Racer, Pacman, Yugioh, Duel Masters, etc...

Classic NES games on Revolution to be preloaded and FREE!

2005-06-03T15:39:00.000-04:00

Check out the article from Joystiq regarding pricing for classic NES games on the new Nintendo Revolution. It looks like the prices for those games will be...FREE! Supposedly the games are already preloaded...no need to download them. Read the entire story below, compliments of Joystiq:

Wow. Good move. When we spoke with Nintendo about the price of their classic emulated games on the Revolution,they were coy and left the pricing up to our imaginations. I assumed they'd follow the GBA model 10-12 bucks for a classic would be fair. But George Harrison of Nintendo just sprung a surprise. Classic Nintendo titles will be free. Buy the console, take it home, plug it in and start playing your old faves. They'll have to be careful not to offer too much out of the gate. After all, you want people to spend money on the software. But as far as exciting services to offer with their new hardware, it's hard to come up with a better idea.

http://www.joystiq.com/

Nintendo Revolution launching in USA first, followed by Japan, then Europe in 2007

2005-05-28T12:32:00.000-04:00

MCV UK reports that the Nintendo Revolution probably won’t hit Europe until 2007. According to a Nintendo executive who was not named, Nintendo is “currently looking at mirroring the DS strategy, so Revolution would release in the US first in November, closely followed by Japan. Then we’re looking at March 2007 for PAL territories.”

No matter what Nintendo says about “refusing to be drawn into” the pissing match between Sony and Microsoft, they’re certainly going to be in third place when it comes to installed base in the spring of 2007. Microsoft will have a full year of sales lead on them, and Sony should have a good three to six months, depending on the timing of that launch.

Will Nintendo fans get impatient and plunk down for one of the rival systems rather than wait? That’s certainly a risk the company’s taking.

Next Generation Comparison

2005-05-27T12:32:00.000-04:00

Here's a comparison of all 3 of the next generation consoles. Some details are not yet available, as you can tell. Let us remind you that its not all about horsepower and the kind of graphics each system can display, but its all about the games and gameplay.

For the Nintendo Revolution fans, remember that the Revolution will be able to play all previous Nintendo games. There will be either a downloadable feature or a subscription based service for this. Time will tell. If the system can play all Nintendo games, I can't wait to see the controllers! Maybe it'll have a LCD display built in where you can even program functions for each button?Xbox 360 (Microsoft)

CPU: Triple Core 3.2GHz IBM PowerPC Processor, 1MB L2
Ram: 512MB GDDR3 @ 700Mhz
HDD: 20GB, Detachable
GFX: Custom ATI, 500Mhz, 10MB Ram
Video: Supports up to 1080i
Media: Blu-Ray, DVD±RW, CD-R/RW
Saving: Hard Disk
Audio: Multichannel, 48KHz, 16Bit
Controllers: 4, Wireless
Expansion: Three USB2.0 Ports
Connectivity: ?
Backwards Compatible: Yes!
Other: Replaceable Fascia

Playstation 3 (Sony)

CPU: 3.2GHz "Cell" Processor
Ram: 256MB GDDR @ 700Mhz
HDD: unconfirmed
GFX: nVidia RSX (Reality Synthesizer)
Video: Supports up to 1080p
Media: Blu-Ray, DVD±RW, CD-R/RW
Saving: Memory Stick Duo, SD, CF
Audio: unconfirmed
Controllers: 7, Wireless
Expansion: Six USB Ports
Connectivity: ?
Backwards Compatible: Yes, PS1 + PS2
Other: Bluetooth

Revolution (Nintendo)

CPU: Made by IBM, yet to be announced.
Ram: ?
HDD: ?
GFX: Made by ATi, yet to be announced.
Video: ?
Media: 12cm Discs, and 8cm GC Discs
Saving: SD Card Slot
Audio: ?
Controllers: Wireless
Expansion: Two USB2.0 Ports
Connectivity: WiFi Ready
Backwards Compatible: Yes, See below
Other: The revolution is said to be backwards compatible with "any" Nintendo game.

Nintendo Revolution picture

2005-05-25T17:29:00.000-04:00

Here's another shot at the Nintendo Revolution:

There is nothing new to report. However, in the Xbox360 and PS3 camp, there is much excitement as they've actually released specs for their systems. I bet their demo systems have working disc tray mechanisms!

In any case, the Nintendo Revolution will be backwards compatible down to the NES. We're expecting some attachment that lets you copy the cartridges into a playable ROM format. Whatever, just bring it on already!

Nintendo Revolution launch date, pricing, and controller to be announced by end of year

2005-05-20T11:38:00.000-04:00

It looks like we won't be getting more details on the latest Nintendo system until later this year. The launch date, pricing for the system, and controller design will be announced at that time.

Check out the picture above to see the size of the system compared to a lady's hand. Looks sweet. Compared to the Xbox360 and PS3, Nintendo's system is once again small and "cute". Expect a barrage of colors to be released when the system launches.

source: http://engadget.com/entry/1234000563044049/

Nintendo Revolution has no disc mechanism

2005-05-20T09:47:00.000-04:00

The folks at Joystiq and Engadget managed to get into the secret room where the actual Nintendo Revolution prototype was being held to get a hands on take on the system. They reported that the system felt solid, but that the glowing disc slot was just that, a glowing disc slot. They tried to put in a disc and it just went right in. There was no drive mechanism to accept the disc or spit it back out! The lucky crew also squeezed the system (applied pressure) and shook it vigorously to test the solidity of the unit. Everything felt great and looked authentic. However, with the drive mechanism not being in place, just how far along are the folks at Nintendo? Will they be able to keep pace and release the system prior to the PS3 launch?

Read the review here: http://joystiq.com/entry/1234000270043981/

Nintendo Revolution: Questions and Answers

2005-05-19T13:31:00.000-04:00

Q: What is the Nintendo Revolution?

A: The official codename for the successor to GameCube.

Q: How long has the Revolution been in development?

A: Preliminary development on Revolution began shortly after the release of Nintendo GameCube.

Q: When was the Nintendo Revolution codename announced?

A:: On May 11, 2004 at Nintendo's pre-Electronics Entertainment Expo 2004 press conference, which took place in Los Angeles, California. (The console had been tentatively referred to as "GCNext" by the press before the unveiling of the official codename.)

Q: Who announced the codename Nintendo Revolution?

A: Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. On stage at Nintendo's pre-E3 2004 press conference, Iwata said:

"Different also defines our approach to our next home system. It won't simply be new or include new technologies. Better technology is good, but not enough. Today's consoles already offer fairly realistic expressions so simply beefing up the graphics will not let most of us see a difference. So what should a new machine do? Much more. An unprecedented gameplay experience. Something no other machine has delivered before.

"The definition for a new machine must be different. I want you to know that Nintendo is working on our next system and that system will create a gaming revolution. Internal development is underway.

"I could give you our technical specs, as I'd know you'd like that, but I won't for a simple reason: they really don't matter. The time when horsepower alone made all the difference is over.

"Work on Revolution is well underway. When you see it you will be excited because you will experience a gaming revolution."

Q: Will Revolution feature more powerful hardware than GameCube?

A: Yes.

Q: What are Revolution's technical specs?

A: Currently unknown.

Rumors abound indicated that Nintendo could separately be working on two systems and that ultimately one would be chosen for retail. System 1 allegedly featured a 2.7GHz PowerPC G5 processor, 512MBs of RAM, and a 600MHz graphics chip. System 2 allegedly featured dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5 processors. 256MBS of DDR Main Memory RAM, 128MBS of GDDR3 Video RAM and a 500MHz graphics chip. Both systems allegedly featured a built in 15GB hard drive. As of this time, these rumors cannot be validated.

More recent hearsay from development studios working closely with Nintendo suggest that Revolution's power is on track to compete with Microsoft's forthcoming successor to Xbox. Some studios have suggested that Revolution could be slightly underpowered when stacked side by side with Microsoft's next system, but that the differences would be marginal. Other sources maintain that the recently reported Xenon hardware specs exactly mimicked internal hardware documentation for Revolution. Again, none of this information can yet be validated.

In March 2005, both IBM and ATI confirmed that they have been making the CPU and GPU for Revolution respectively.

Q: How will Revolution be unique?

A: That is the big question. The console is codenamed Revolution for a reason: Nintendo expects it to be revolutionary. The system will, according to Nintendo, fundamentally change how games are played. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said in recent interviews that the dual-screened Nintendo DS offers a hint of what to expect from Revolution. DS players can use a stylus pen to input control data into the portable device. It's always possible that Revolution may feature similar functionality.

Nintendo believes that technology alone cannot advance videogames, which is why it plans to take Revolution into a dramatic new direction.

Iwata in June 2004 described Revolution as a videogame machine "of a different nature that does not follow the conventional path of new game systems that increase speed and visual quality for making elaborate games." He added: "The rule of satisfying customers by increasing specifications worked once, but no longer applies now."

Q: What is so special about Revolution?

A: Not yet known, but the console's revolutionary new mechanic may go hand-in-hand with its input device, which may no longer look or function like today's controllers. In a March 2005 interview with BusinessWeek, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata admitted that Revolution's new input device was still incomplete, and that multiple ideas were still being tossed around.

"The new interface will allow some new forms of innovation," Iwata explained on the subject. "Already, you're seeing changes in Nintendo DS, which has a microphone, input pen, and touch screen. We have a number of candidates for a new [Revolution] interface but are not ready to reveal them. All I can say right now is that whatever we choose will be intuitive and easy to use for everyone."

Q: Will the Revolutionary input device be a microphone?

A: Unlikely. Nintendo has stated on the record that while microphone-to-game mechanics are intriguing, competitors have already capitalized on them.

"But the fact of the matter is, to realize voice commands; all you have to do is install a microphone. We realize a few of our competitors are already thinking of following us on this, so it will not be a defining feature of the new console," Iwata explained in a March 2005 interview. "We may or may not use the microphone in the new [Nintendo Revolution] interface."

Q: Will Revolution feature screens on the console or the controller?

A: No. At a June 2004 analyst briefing in Japan, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said, "We have no intention of making a two-screen console akin to the [Nintendo] DS."

Q: Will Revolution hook up to a television?

A: Yes. It will also be able to interface with a computer monitor. In June 2004 Nintendo engineer Genyo Takeda said: "You'll be able to play [Revolution] not just by linking up to a television but to a computer monitor as well."

Q: Will Revolution go online?

A: Yes. The Revolution console will feature online play out of the box. Nintendo at the March 15, 2005 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco announced an aggressive new Wi-Fi strategy for both DS and Revolution. Wi-Fi enables wireless, high-speed connections to the Internet using such popular standards as 802.11b and 802.11g. Company executives made strong statements about Nintendo's belief that gamers should be able to wirelessly go online and play against each other.

"We intend to incorporate wireless technology in all we do," Iwata announced at the event. "Therefore, Nintendo Revolution will be Wi-Fi enabled, built into every system."

Few other details regarding Revolution's online functionality are known, but we can infer at least one important bit based on information announced about the nature of wireless play for DS. Nintendo announced that Wi-Fi gaming on DS would be free. In stark contrast to Microsoft's Xbox Live service, the Big N will not charge any fee for gamers to go online through its infrastructure. The same could be true for Revolution's wireless play.

Q: Will Revolution be backward compatible?

A: Yes. At the March 2005 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata confirmed that Revolution would be backward compatible.

"Contrary to much speculation, I can announce today that Revolution will be backward compatible. The best of the Nintendo GameCube library will still be enjoyed by players years from now," Iwata revealed.

The announcement was a surprise because analysts and media, IGN included, figured that Revolution's radically different new input device would make backward compatibility a near impossibility. Evidently Nintendo has found a way around this hurdle.
Q: Who are Nintendo's hardware partners on Revolution?

A: During the course of the last two years, several major hardware companies have been linked to Revolution including IBM, ATI, and NEC.

In December 2002 Bloomberg reported that Nintendo had agreed to collaborate with NEC on a system LSI that would serve as the core for the new console.

Just a few months later GameCube graphics chip maker ATI announced a vague "technology development agreement" for use in future "Nintendo products." Unconfirmed reports from insiders alleged that ATI had been in development with the graphics chip for Revolution well before that announcement.

And several unsubstantiated rumors have suggested that IBM will deliver a modified version of its PowerPC G5 processor for Revolution.

In March 2005, Nintendo confirmed that both IBM and ATI would supply the CPU and GPU respectively for the Revolution console.

"We're excited to be developing the graphics chip set for Revolution, which continues our longstanding relationship with Nintendo," explained Dave Orton, ATI Technologies' president and chief executive officer. "As the leading graphics provider, ATI is committed to delivering exceptional visual performance that enables consumers to interact with new and visually compelling digital worlds. ATI is proud to support Nintendo's innovative contributions to gaming."

Q: What are Revolution's CPU and GPU called, and why?

A:: The IBM-created CPU is called Broadway. The ATI-developed GPU is called Hollywood. At the March 2005 Game Developers Conference, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained the reasoning behind the titles.

"With IBM, we are creating Revolution's core processor, which we have codenamed Broadway because Broadway is the capital of live entertainment," he said. "With ATI, we are developing the graphics chipset, codenamed Hollywood because Hollywood is the capital of movie entertainment. With Revolution, we are determined to create the new capital of interactive entertainment."

Q: Has Nintendo sent out Revolution development kits to software houses yet?

A: Yes. Some Japanese studios have early Revolution development kits. Meanwhile, western third parties will be receiving them shortly, say sources.

In March 2005, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata was asked bout Revolution development kits. "Development kits are already out there, depending on which stage you're talking about," he responded. "All I can say right now is 'in the near-future' for the base platform information they will need to get started on games."

Q: When will Revolution be released?

A: "If you're asking for a specific date for our next system -- we don't have one. Nintendo is going to remain competitive and will launch around the same time as competitors -- not later than," said Nintendo of America's vice president of corporate affairs in a May 2004 interview. This is the same line other Nintendo executives, including company president Satoru Iwata, have said for months.

Nintendo feels that its inability to bring GameCube to market before PlayStation 2 gave Sony an advantage that it could never overcome. For that reason, Nintendo will not launch Revolution after PlayStation 3.

Revolution will launch sometime in 2006.

Q: How much will Revolution cost?

A:: Currently unknown. But we feel confident that Nintendo will aim for a mass-market friendly price on the lower side of the spectrum.

Q: When will Nintendo reveal more about Revolution?

A: At the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2005, which begins May 2005 in Los Angeles.

Information source: http://cube.ign.com/articles/522/522559p1.html
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