Unlikely Champion - Why the Nintendo DS has Conquered the Gaming Market

When I first heard about Nintendo's latest handheld console, the Nintendo DS, I honestly thought it was a stupid idea. The thought of having two screens and a stylus with a touch screen seemed ridiculous. I figured the idea would be axed before it hit the shelves.

Oh, was I wrong.

As more and more news about the DS was released, I began to change my opinion. When I at last got the opportunity to try one, I could instantly see the appeal. The use of two screens as well as a touch screen added a new dimension to the overused premises of games in the past. It has allowed developers to come up with fresh, new ideas in order to keep people entertained. More importantly, however, was the system's ability to cater to some untapped demographics: girls, young women, and even our parents and grandparents.

As a young woman who has been addicted to video games ever since she got her Sega Genesis when she was five, I am happy to finally see other girls playing with their DSs on the bus or even joining in with their boyfriend's for some fun on the Wii. The introduction of the pink DS Lite also helped to attract girls and women who had never picked up a Game Boy in their lives. I will readily admit that when I bought my DS Lite, I opted for the pink one. It's cute, stylish, and if you want to be "discreet" about your gaming habits as to not look nerdy, it looks like a small makeup case or compact to the untrained eye.

I think that there's one game in particular for the DS that has brought in more girl gamers than the rest: Nintendogs. Many of us grew up with virtual pets and Tamagotchi, so the concept was nothing new. The format, though, was what made the game so attractive and addictive. You could pet your puppy, teach it tricks via the microphone, take it for walks, and even compete in competitions like frisbee, obedience, and agility. And, much like the Pokemon games, there are several different versions that offer different breeds of dogs. I personally own the Dachshund version because I'd like to have a Dachshund of my own someday, but if you don't have a favorite breed any version will do.

Most parents and grandparents have an unwavering aversion to video games. My mom would occasionally play Ms. Pac-Man with me as a kid, but she had to leave the room whenever I played a Sonic game because it "made her dizzy". Nintendo was well aware of this but still felt that older generations were a potential market. The DS allowed Nintendo to at last release games catered towards the 40-65 demographic - games such as Brain Age. Brain Age claims it will help you retain your ability to quickly think and solve problems as you age by giving you puzzles and brain-teasers to solve. Much like physical exercise keeps the body young, mental exercises through games like Brain Age and Big Brain Academy aim to keep the mind young, too. Games such as these would not have been nearly as good if it weren't for the stylus and touch screen, which gives developers a whole new dimension with which they can create these "mental workouts".

Possibly the most important element of the Nintendo DS's success is the price. When it was first released in 2004, the console was just $150. Today, the redesigned version of the console, the DS Lite, sells for just $120. The Playstation Portable (PSP), the only competitor for the DS, was $250 when it launched and is currently retailing around $169. The PSP does sport better graphics and has the ability to play movies, but the fact that is simply a standard handheld with one basic screen puts the PSP at a disadvantage. The DS has sold over 70 million units worldwide since its launch, while the PSP has sold about half as many.

While Nintendo's double-screened handheld might not be for everyone, especially hardcore gamers looking for challenging, blood-and-guts-type games, it has a far wider appeal than past consoles. Combined with an affordable price and a fresh take on video games, the Nintendo DS has the potential to become one of the best-selling systems of all time.