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Two decades of Nintendo’s top-selling DS console

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The Hand-held DS: A Revolution in Gaming

A New Era of Gaming

Nintendo’s hand-held DS console shook up the gaming world when it was launched on November 21, 2004. (AFP pic)

A Success Story

The Nintendo DS remains the Japanese company’s biggest commercial success, having sold 154 million units worldwide, making it the second most-sold video game console, behind Sony’s PlayStation 2.

Revolutionary Design

Pre-empting smartphone games with its touch screen and controlled with a stylus, the DS shook up the gaming world when it launched. “Even people who had never touched a games console before easily understood how to use it, thanks to the touch screen and because it could be held horizontally or vertically,” game history expert Hiroyuki Maeda told AFP.

Designing for the Masses

With its double screen and flip-open design, the console was designed to appeal to video game newcomers. At the time, the Kyoto-based game giant was rethinking its strategy after disappointing sales of its Nintendo 64 and GameCube consoles. Nintendo’s president at the time, Satoru Iwata, wanted “to expand the gaming population.”

A New Era of Gaming

“Whether a person was good at gaming or not was no longer important,” Maeda said, explaining that Nintendo had “made something into a game that was not before.” An updated version of the DS, the Nintendo DSi, was launched in 2008, adding two cameras and the ability to download apps to the original design.

A Link to the Past

According to Maeda, the DS therefore “served as a link between the Game Boy,” Nintendo’s classic hand-held console first released in 1989, “and modern-day smartphones.”

Conclusion

The Nintendo DS was a groundbreaking console that changed the face of gaming. Its innovative design and accessibility made it a hit among gamers of all ages and skill levels. With its 20th anniversary, it’s clear that the DS has left a lasting impact on the gaming industry.

FAQs

  • When was the Nintendo DS launched?
  • November 21, 2004

  • How many units did the Nintendo DS sell?
  • 154 million

  • What was the main feature of the Nintendo DS that set it apart from other consoles?
  • Its touch screen and stylus control

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