A new DS2 (or whatever it'll be called) with backward compatibility for the current DS games.

Now can we please cease this speculation? It seems like this topic is rehashed twice every week now ò_ó

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I've just learned to appreciate my DS having picked up an R4 but if they're going to redesign it the only changes that would be worth while to me would be making it less expensive or fixing the PSP's major goof and jam some analog sticks on it.

Those are the only things that concern me.

Nintendo would be better off attracting some more adult games to the system. One can really have too many virtual pets and crosswords. It's obvious from Dementium, Call of Duty 4 and Brothers in Arms that the DS can do it and do it pretty well. So why don't they? FPS's on the DS are pretty awesome with the stylus. FPS's on the PSP are complete garbage. The PSP seems to be in its last days so now Nintendo can grab up all of those who feel let down by the PSP's more mature games strangled by a terrible control scheme.

Will they or will I get to look forward to more virtual pets and sudoku?

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no, focus on the current ds please. ionno what a new one will provide. not to mention it should have a longer life that that of the usual handheld.

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Nintendo has had a great tradition of backward compatibility with its handhelds. I think that if it proposed a DS2 of some sort, it would probably handle DS games just great, like our DS' handle GBA games right now.

Therefore, I am all for an upgraded handheld: it would drive the current DS prices lower and yield some more power for the developers to harness. I feel that developers have been held off by the limits of the current hardware recently:

- N+ developers mentioned in an interview that they regretted having only enough memory for a handful of downloaded levels.

- Bangai-O Spirits, as fun as it is, becomes rather choppy as soon as the heat is turned on. Yes, it is helpful to have a second to think about how to tackle a wave of missiles, but in my opinion, framerate drops should not be a gameplay feature.

So, DS2 hardware may lead to games as nice as those we love on current DS', with some more graphical prowess or AI complexity or storage capacity. I think this is highly exciting.

(OTOH, of course, if all Nintendo wants is for developers to churn out low-cost casual games, profitable niches and licenses and nostalgia remakes, the current DS needs no upgrading. It still prints money, after all.)

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So I'm cool with a DS refresh... but I prefer that Nintendo add features rather than subtract them. The word is that Nintendo might scrap the GBA slot.

What'd be better (and smarter) is to keep the current system horsepower, but add features akin to the PSP updates. Hell, they could add bigger or brighter screens, further reduce the size, add a TV-out, whatever... Maybe even take Pictochat online via WFC, or allow updates via firmware... but PLEASE don't remove the existing BC with GBA games.

What'd be really sweet (and I know that I'm just dreaming) would be for them to add a GBA-link port for good measure. I could then scrap my four GBA SPs. Or maybe allow transfer of existing Wii VC downloads to a special DS cart for playing on-the-go.

No, but all that might make too much sense for Nintendo.

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Like the others, backward compatibility is key. However, as a somewhat new DS owner, it is a bummer to hear abandonment of the DS is already on the horizon.

Although with such a *huge* user base, I'd expect first gen DS games to be created/supported for a few years at least into any next gen DS life cycle.

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A DS 2 all the way with backward compatibility with the current gen DS games. Put an extra slot on there like they did for the GBA games or something.

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I think that the present ds is fine... it can still be innovated like how guitar hero was imported to it. What about this: an accelerometer add-on which which attaches to the the gba slot. Im sure nintendo has more ideas up its sleeve...

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Well I don't see a NEW new DS coming out any time soon since the current DS is still very profitable. If there's a redesign in '09, I probably won't bother to get it, since I have my Lite and it works fine.

When they do release a NEW new DS, though, I'm so there.

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There's really nothing worth changing about the DS Lite. If it were any smaller, it would be uncomfortable to hold.

Most likely, the next system we see will be a DS2, but there's no reason for Nintendo to rush that, since the DS is still going strong. Maybe in 1-2 years.

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As long as they keep backwards compatability, with the present DS. I'd love a new and improved DS2. I'm not to bothered about backwards compatabilty with the GBA as there is such a back catalogue of DS games now.
If it came as something with multi touch technology and a PSP challenging resolution I'd buy it in a heart beat.
As for minor improvements thats the way sony seem to be going and loosing there way due to it.
Forward not sideways is the direction for me.

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as long as this new DS uses the same games as the current DS, I'm okay with it. But honestly, the current DS is perfect as it. Having 2 touch screens is neat and all but meh...Too much of something may not always be a good thing

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The current ds is selling really well so they shouldn't make a new one until it stops selling. When they do, it should be a redesign and not a new one because the graphics are already good and it's easy to develop for. They should make it more comfortable to hold even when you're holding it with one hand. And they should give it full backwards compatibility for all previous game boy games.

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I love my GBA micro. I know it wasn't really a commercial success (at least in the US), but a DS Micro would be awesome. Drop the GBA slot, shrink it down, boost the battery life, I'd drop $200 on that...

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"we can expect some kind of new DS system at some point in the future"
ROTFL.

Really, just stop.

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I'd like a big refresh of the system with wifi added and support for memory cards so I can listen to music and watch videos as well as play games.

Also if they could make it more pocketsize as the current one is too thick for my liking.

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I still want a Gamecube portable.... the discs are small enough to warrant it if nintendo is adventerous enough...

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