Half a million DS units sold in Europe

[PC-Engine]

More than 500,000 Nintendo DS consoles have been sold in Europe since launch, according to the latest figures released by Nintendo, with Super Mario 64 DS the best-selling game across the territory.

The new handheld, which features dual touch screens and wireless multiplayer gaming, was rolled out on March 11. By Easter Sunday, consumers had snapped up 77 per cent of the units allocated to stores for launch.

Nintendo says games sales have also been "outstanding". More than 250,000 copies of Super Mario 64 DS have been shifted, and the title currently stands at no. 9 in the all formats charts. Sales of WarioWare Touched! are also said to be "extremely strong".

Nintendo is expecting strong sales to continue with the release of games such as Yoshi Touch & Go, Need for Speed Underground 2 and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, all hitting the shelves in May.

 

[PatrickL]

Seems also that some shops are out of stock.

 

[strat_ax]

It's a given that DS is doing well since PSP got delayed. Nintendo should push more games out of the system before Sony hits the shore.

 

[Teasy]

Its a given that it would do well but not that it would do as well as it has IMO. For instance I didn't expect it to break sales records in Australia or UK, I don't think anyone did.

 

[Acert93]

Its a given that it would do well but not that it would do as well as it has IMO. For instance I didn't expect it to break sales records in Australia or UK, I don't think anyone did.

I would say I have been very surpised. I like the PSP tech better, but I think cost is going to be a huge issue in the portable market. I think we are going to see the PSP, until prices drop, be more of an adult machine and the DS be more of a general machine for adults and kids.

I think longterm, as long as Nintendo can get a stream of games onto the DS, they will do find. Because when the PSP price drops the DS can drop. I could realistically see the DS being $100 cheaper for at least a couple years. And the DS also plays GBA games, so there is the entire cross support, so the DS has game support in other ways as well.

 

[Randell]

Just bought 2 - 1 for each of my boys. They can use their old GBA games, it has Pokemon - nuff said.

 

[strat_ax]

Just bought 2 - 1 for each of my boys. They can use their old GBA games, it has Pokemon - nuff said.

Good call; that will be enough for them to share, trade, level, fight and breed their Pokemons.

Speaking of wireless gameplay--it really took a long time to implement the features in handheld. As we got our first GBA/SP, it was really cumbersome to play against other players (via cables). I just wish Nintendo could have done it sooner.

 

[London Geezer]

Just bought 2 - 1 for each of my boys. They can use their old GBA games, it has Pokemon - nuff said.

Good call; that will be enough for them to share, trade, level, fight and breed their Pokemons.

Speaking of wireless gameplay--it really took a long time to implement the features in handheld. As we got our first GBA/SP, it was really cumbersome to play against other players (via cables). I just wish Nintendo could have done it sooner.

Probably battery issues, and also a general stability in the technology? Wi-Fi was never friendly to work with up until not too long ago in terms of stability, and implementing it in small cheap (relatively speaking) devices is only possible nowadays, i guess.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Couldn't they have gone with IR though?

 

[see colon]

they had IR on the GBC, only a few games supported it (pokemon being one of them), but it was rubbish. the point of a mobile gaming system is that you can move... you can't do that when you are constantly trying to keep your IR ports lined up. the only time i ever got consistant results out of an IR game was when i played with the GBC's sitting on a table.

 

[PC-Engine]

Didn't Nintendo release a wireless link adaptor? It was later in the life of the GBA SP though.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

There was wireless with the latest Pokemon release for GBASP, based on TV adverts a few months ago. I guess until BlueTooth/WiFi there wasn't really a solution for wireless gaming.

 

[London Geezer]

There was wireless with the latest Pokemon release for GBASP, based on TV adverts a few months ago. I guess until BlueTooth/WiFi there wasn't really a solution for wireless gaming.

And until good batteries or better power management too.

 

[Randell]

Pokemon Leafgreen and Firered, released for Xmas 04 in the Uk both shipped with a wireless adapter which fitted the original GBA (which my eldest had) and the SP (which my middle child had). You could buy it seperately for £14.99 which seemed bizarre unless you really didntwant Pokemon I spose, as I got those gmaes with the adapter for £24.99 which is a bargain i thought.

Now, 4 months later it's all obsolete with teh DS At least I could trade in the SP towards the cost of the DS, I can't trade in the GBA anywhere as the battery cover is broken and you cnat buy new ones anyhere

 

[Evil_Cloud]

I believe you can order a battery cover directly at Nintendo's repair service. Might as well be US only.