Nintendo Pushing DS
Hard
Nintendo is taking handheld supremacy very seriously indeed and to
confirm the fact, the company has launched its massive, multimillion-dollar "Touching is
good" campaign to spread the word about the innovative, touch- and dual-screened Nintendo
DS. The new hand-held video game and communications system launches Nov. 21, and will be
backed by the largest launch program ever for a Nintendo product. To view one of the first
ads for the device follow the screens tab above.
Since childhood, we've been told
please do not touch - don't touch that lamp, stop touching your food and don't touch
anything in this store. Nintendo DS changes those rules. The Touching is good multimedia
campaign creatively touts the unique features of the dual-screened Nintendo DS, which
include a touch screen, a built-in chat function, wireless communication and voice
recognition.
Intriguing pre-launch television ads begin airing on Oct. 25. The series
of three ads presents a static-filled screen with a female voice-over that encourages
viewers to interact with two blue boxes that appear on the screen. The sultry requests for
interaction coincide with the special features of Nintendo DS.
To support this
pre-launch effort, Nintendo has aligned itself with powerful media partners that target a
hip, male demographic. MTV produced a custom ad for Nintendo DS featuring the stars of
Wildboyz using Nintendo DS to play a wireless multiplayer game while engaging in one of
their exciting trademark adventures. Nintendo will offer a video with behind-the-scenes
footage of the making of this commercial on Nintendo.com.
In addition, custom
advertorials will run exclusively in Dennis Publishing's Maxim, Blender and Stuff
magazines, instructing readers How to Score. The ads relate to readers and viewers of these
popular media brands by speaking their language.
During the launch phase for Nintendo
DS, three new television ads will showcase the unit's unique features. This engaging and
surreal campaign will demonstrate the appeal of Nintendo DS to a wide range of ages and
demographics. Consumers will not be identified simply by age, but rather by the kinds of
lifestyles they lead. Nintendo will market Nintendo DS to the full spectrum of hipsters,
budding enthusiasts and hard-core gamers.
In December, Nintendo will run ads on more
than 5,000 movie screens across the country. Print ads in gaming magazines will support the
launch, along with a full range of Internet and broadband efforts. There will be unique
program integration with major TV networks. In addition, Nintendo DS is being featured on
the Nintendo Fusion Tour, a multi-city tour that presents the best in music and video
games.
Nintendo DS will sell at an MSRP of USD 149.99. In addition to the built-in
PictoChat chat function, Nintendo DS will come bundled with a playable demo of Metroid Prime
Hunters: First Hunt, the latest installment in an extremely popular first-person shooter
franchise.
Before the end of the year, Nintendo DS users will be able to enjoy games
of all kinds, from Super Mario 64 DS from Nintendo, Madden NFL 2005, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR
2005 and The Urbz: Sims in the City from EA, and Spider-Man 2 from Activision. Other
third-party titles available during the launch window include Ping Pals from THQ, Feel the
Magic : XY/XX from SEGA, Rayman DS and Asphalt Urban GT from Ubisoft and Ridge Racer DS and
Mr. DRILLER : Drill Spirits from Namco. More than 120 games remain in development for
Nintendo DS around the world.
Launch Titles and
Details
Super Mario® 64 DS
Super Mario® 64, the genre-defining
Nintendo® 64 classic, arrives on the Nintendo DS with all-new features that take full
advantage of the new portable system's dual screens, touch screen and wireless multiplayer
capability. New characters, stages and puzzles await. In addition to MarioTM, players will
be able to play as Yoshi®, Luigi and even WarioTM, each of whom has different abilities
integral to collecting every last one of the 150 Power Stars hidden in the castle and
grounds. Play through Adventure mode, try your hand at tons of new touch-sensitive
mini-games or battle up to three friends in Wireless Versus mode, which you can play with
only one DS Game Card.
Metroid® Prime Hunters: First Hunt
Experience
the ferocious first-person action of the Metroid Prime universe on the Nintendo DS in the
playable demo, Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt. Hone your skills against a slew of enemies
in single-player training modes like Regulator, Survival and Morph Ball, then put them to
the test when you compete in Death Match arenas with your friends over a wireless
connection. Multiple control schemes take full advantage of the touch screen, giving all
gamers an ideal way to play.
PictoChatTM
Keep in constant contact with
your friends with PictoChat - a wireless chat program that's built into the Nintendo DS.
With PictoChat, up to 16 people per chat room can link over a wireless connection and chat
and swap drawings all they want. Simply hand-write words or draw pictures on the Nintendo DS
touch screen, and then send them to your friends. You can even copy someone else's message,
edit it, add to it and send it back. Draw, doodle, share ideas or do anything else you can
think of - dreaming up new ways to use PictoChat is half the fun. Anyone with a Nintendo DS
can play with PictoChat - no Game Card is required.
Software in
Development:
Advance Wars DS (temporary title)
Armchair strategists
rejoice - Advance Wars is coming to the Nintendo DS. The latest game in the vaunted military
tactics series features a new battle system that takes full advantage of the system's two
screens. New missions will have you commanding air forces in the sky on the top screen and
ground forces below on the touch screen. Not only that, but you can take the fight to the
enemy in all-new Survival and Combat game modes. In addition to leading your army to victory
with a slew of original COs, you can also clash with your friends over a wireless
connection.
Another (temporary title)
Uncover clues to a family's
painful mystery in Another, the first true adventure game on the Nintendo DS. Featuring a
riveting plot and unique puzzles that must be solved using the touch screen and microphone,
Another breaks new ground in adventure gaming. Players can expect to encounter detailed
environments populated with gritty characters. During play, one screen displays
conversations while the other screen displays character actions.
Jam With The Band
(temporary title)
Jam With the Band gives you the chance to rock out on your
Nintendo DS. To make sweet music, all you have to do is grab the stylus, choose your
favorite instrument and a song and cue the scrolling dots on the touch screen with perfect
timing. If your solo career isn't flying, you can always join a band. An unlimited number
of people can link up and form a massive jam session, as long as all players are in wireless
range and have their own Game Cards. Plus, up to eight people can jam together over a
wireless connection with just one Game Card. If you aren't in the mood to play one of the
included songs, you can create original compositions just by humming into the
microphone.
One-Line Puzzle (temporary title)
One-Line Puzzle is an
elegantly simple and stylish puzzle game designed to be played entirely with the Nintendo DS
touch screen and a stylus. To play, you've got to use the stylus to draw a stroke, flipping
black and white tiles to change and match their color. Three game modes and scores of
puzzles will put your puzzle-solving abilities and stylus skills to the test. You can even
challenge a friend to a duel over a wireless connection!
Puppy Times (temporary
title)
Puppies are invading the Nintendo DS. In Puppy Times, you can raise up to
three adorable puppies and play with them to your heart's content. You can also teach your
pups new tricks - just speak into the built-in microphone and they'll respond to the voice
commands you've taught them. Not only that, but you can even play Puppy Times over a
wireless connection!
WarioWare, Inc. DS (temporary title)
Wario makes
his mad debut on the Nintendo DS with 180 all-new, factory-fresh microgames! WarioWare, Inc.
DS features all of the frantic five-second microgame action of the previous games, but with
a touching new twist. You can play every microgame with the Nintendo DS touch screen, making
it the perfect game for the system's unique touch-screen technology. Not only that, but you
can even play some microgames with the Nintendo DS built-in microphone.
Yoshi's
Touch & Go (temporary title)
Yoshi and Baby Mario are about to embark on another
wild adventure - this time on the Nintendo DS. Using the Nintendo DS system's two screens
and touch screen capability, you'll have to help Yoshi guard Baby Mario and guide him to
safety. On vertical-action levels, players must use the stylus to draw clouds on the touch
screen to protect Baby Mario from enemies and lead him to Yoshi. On horizontal
side-scrolling levels, players must use the stylus to look out for Yoshi as he gallops
across the countryside. On top of all that, Yoshi's Touch & Go also features two-player
wireless
play.
