Nintendo's Next Console, Game Boy Micro, Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for DS
Represent New Directions for the Industry
LOS ANGELES, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintendo continues to lead the video
game industry in innovation. No matter the hardware system, no matter the
software title, Nintendo remains on the cutting edge of what's possible. At
the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, Nintendo demonstrates
how it will open the video game experience to new audiences. Nintendo
announced a variety of new initiatives, including details about its next
console, the slick new Game Boy(R) Micro, the Nintendo(R) Wi-Fi Connection
wireless service for Nintendo DS(TM) and surprising information about the new
Legend of Zelda(R) adventure.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050516/NINTENDOLOGO)
"No company has a stronger history or a brighter future," says Reggie
Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales &
marketing. "We want everyone to join us in that future, which is why we're
expanding our products to new audiences and investing in the concept of
All-Access Gaming."
Here are some of the Nintendo highlights that people will be talking about
during E3 and beyond:
Nintendo's next console turns the world of video games on its side: Due in
2006, the new console will be backward compatible with Nintendo GameCube(TM).
The console also will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite
titles originally released for Nintendo(R) 64, the Super Nintendo
Entertainment System(R) (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System(R)
(NES). Players also can buy and add new levels and characters to games made
specifically for the new console. The new console has 512 megabytes of
on-board flash memory. A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand
the internal flash memory.
The console's stylish look houses a single, self-loading media bay for
both 12-centimeter optical discs for new games as well as Nintendo GameCube
discs. It will have wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in
Wi-Fi capabilities. A number of Wi-Fi-enabled games will be ready at launch,
and the new console will build on -- and add to -- Nintendo's rich stable of
star franchises. A new development architecture will accommodate both
big-budget games as well as artistic, indie offerings designed to make sure
that everyone from video game experts to newcomers find ways to share and
enjoy the gaming experience.
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection extends Nintendo DS' range from your hands to
the world: By the end of the year, owners of the dual-screened Nintendo DS
will be playing Mario Kart(R) DS, Animal Crossing(R) DS and a new Tony Hawk
title from Activision wirelessly with their friends worldwide. The new
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection portable, wireless video game service debuts later
this year and lets players join in for no added Nintendo subscription charges.
IGN Entertainment will manage the architecture and navigation of the service.
DS players will connect at any Wi-Fi hub, whether in their home, at a coffee
shop or elsewhere. The service will let friends join together as easily as if
they were playing in the same room and instantly broadens the gaming
experience to players worldwide.
With more than 60 licensee titles due this year, Nintendo also seeks to
expand the idea of what constitutes a video game. New software titles like
Nintendogs(TM) and Electroplankton(TM) for Nintendo DS provide unique
experiences beyond traditional definitions. Nintendogs lets users choose an
extremely realistic puppy and form emotional bonds with it, while
Electroplankton lets users create their own ethereal or pulsing rhythms using
the touch screen.
New Game Boy Micro projects a dynamic image: The best-selling system, Game
Boy Advance, gets an extreme makeover for image-conscious people who like to
play games. A slick, polished new look called Game Boy Micro shrinks Game Boy
Advance technology into a stylish silver casing. It boasts a super-clear
screen but weighs just 2.8 ounces, about the weight of 80 paper clips. A
removable face plate gives owners the option to buy replacements to customize
the look of their systems again and again with new colors and designs. It's a
cool new look, but not a successor to any existing product line. The Game Boy
Advance line has sold more than 28 million units worldwide.
Fans howl for new Zelda game on Nintendo GameCube: The Legend of Zelda(R):
Twilight Princess remains the most anticipated game on any console this year.
Players control Link as he travels on foot, battles on horseback or roams the
vast countryside -- as a wolf. With lush graphics and a deep storyline, the
gritty, sweeping adventure demonstrates the awesome power and versatility of
Nintendo GameCube. More than 60 new titles are expected for Nintendo GameCube
this year, from kid-friendly games to Mature-rated titles. Four Mario titles
are set to debut at E3, including Dance Dance Revolution(R): Mario Mix, Mario
Baseball(TM), Super Mario(R) Strikers and Mario Party(R) 7.
The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive
entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets
hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems.
Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy(R) Advance
SP, Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo GameCube(TM) systems extend Nintendo's vast
game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of
quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first
home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2 billion video games
and more than 336 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry
icons such as Mario(TM) and Donkey Kong(R) and launching popular culture
franchise phenomena such as Metroid(R), Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). A wholly
owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as
headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.
For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at
http://www.nintendo.com.
SOURCE Nintendo
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Related links:
http://www.nintendo.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050516/NINTENDOLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Julia Roether, +1-213-623-4200, ext. 783,
jroether@golinharris.com, or Eileen Tanner, +1-509-628-1993,
etanner@golinharris.com, both of GOLIN HARRIS, for Nintendo
NOTE TO EDITORS: Additional details about all of Nintendo's games
and hardware systems can be found online at press.nintendo.com.
Note that press.nintendo.com is a password-protected site. Until
May 27, the temporary username is media and the password is
E32005. To receive a permanent login, please contact Paula Adams
at (213) 438-8837 or padams@golinharris.com.
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