Leaked Nintendo DS specs reveal touch screen, Wi-Fi, 3D graphics

**Sanj[UK]** · 11th March 2004

A document leaked onto the Internet purporting to be a full specification for Nintendo's forthcoming DS handheld includes a touch panel input device, 802.11 wireless LAN support and a 3D graphics system.

The one-page specification summary, written entirely in Japanese, also provides further confirmation of many things we already knew about the DS, which has recently been revealed to have the codename 'Nitro', although it's not clear whether that is purely a development codename or if it will find its way onto the final product branding.

As expected, the system will have two processors, with an ARM-9 CPU running at 67MHz and an ARM-7 unit running at 33MHz. Retail DS devices will have 4Mb of main RAM (while debug development units will have double that), with additional chunks of cache and shared RAM for the processors and 656Kb of video RAM.

The real surprises, however, come from things which Nintendo didn't even hint at in its original announcement. The system will possess decent 2D capabilities, but it also has a 3D graphics system which, the spec. claims, is capable of drawing 120,000 polygons per second, representing a fill-rate of 30 million pixels per second.

That figure hardly puts it into the same league as the PSP for 3D performance, but it's the first time that a Nintendo handheld has featured hardware accelerated 3D, and should open up significant new possibilities for games on the device.

As, indeed, should the other two revelations on the leaked document: the inclusion of Wi-Fi and of a touch panel input device.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata had already indicated that the device would have wireless capabilities of some description, but most commentators expected that to be the short range Bluetooth system, rather that the much faster and longer-range 802.11 protocol. We wonder what kind of functionality Nintendo has in mind that could call for wireless connections over 50 to 100 metre distances...

Sadly no further information is given about the touch panel (the spec' simply says "touch panel" in a section on input devices, where it is listed alongside the standard Nintendo handheld input system of d-pad, four buttons (A, B, L and R) and Start/Select buttons), but it seems fair to assume that one of the actual screens may be touch sensitive, which would again open up an intriguing number of possibilities for designers.

The screens themselves are marginally more high resolution than the GBA, with two 256 x 192 resolution panels included in the spec., compared to the 240 x 160 panel in the GBA. Speaking of which, there's no indication here that the system will be compatible with GBA games, as has been suggested by many commentators, but equally the possibility isn't ruled out and the system should certainly be more than capable of running GBA titles if Nintendo wishes to do so.

Of course, a single leaked screenshot of a Japanese document doesn't constitute hard proof of any description, and this document should be taken with a pinch of salt - but if it is a forgery, it's a rather good one (at least to our pidgin Japanese reading eyes). The Nintendo DS remains one of the more unusual propositions for a game console that we've seen for some time, but if the document is for real, the inclusion of 3D, wireless LAN and touch panel hardware certainly just made it a lot more interesting.

Copyright � 2004, GamesIndustry.biz

**{{909}}** · 13th March 2004

nintendo have finally lost their marbles

**Porthos** · 23rd March 2004

They shouldn't be arrogant enough to assume that they will get away with not matching PSP's power. IMO they're first aim should be to match everything the PSP does and then add to it. Otherwise they leave too much uncertainty for which way the market will swing, and we know what happened last time Sony took on a giant of the gaming industry.

**phlix** · 23rd March 2004

The psp will be delayed and then delayed some more, then probably a bit more. I think the psp will come out too late to have an effect on Nintendos market share. Sony are arregant and now assume that anything they release will sell in huge volumes.

ABCMan · 31st March 2004

price is important and with the possibility of the gbe putting in an apperance too i dont think thre "power" of the psp is anything nintendo need to worry about given that the gbe is capable of runing gamecube titles its far superior to the psp in every respect at least untill sony produce a ps3 handheld for under �150

**SOMAN** · 31st March 2004

Originally Posted by ABCMan

price is important and with the possibility of the gbe putting in an apperance too i dont think thre "power" of the psp is anything nintendo need to worry about given that the gbe is capable of runing gamecube titles its far superior to the psp in every respect at least untill sony produce a ps3 handheld for under �150

Gamecube???? I thought it was n64 games that it would run

**_Belial** · 31st March 2004

yeah i heard it was n64 stuff too. I've always been a die-hard nintendo fan myself even though i've got all the other consoles, but this time i'm more excited about the PSP than the DS, the DS just sounds too gimicky and may well go the way of the virtual boy and end up in my gadget graveyard cupboard

**SOMAN** · 31st March 2004

DS might have potential because Nintendo are making the games for it and theyre often of high qaulity.

The DS if designed properly might be better then the PSP outside gaming sence, with PDA functions and hopefully have the ability to play movies.

The PSP seems as well cool and I m mostly looking for movies, and Gran turismo/Winning Eleven for it.

If there are no region restrictions then I ll probably import the psp from the US, as if the PSP is supposed to have other functions as Media then understanding the language interface will be important.

Ill buy from Japan if the interfaces' language can be changed to English- what about you guys?