European DS More Advanced?

Many gamers were unhappy when the US and Japanese DS's were unable to do what was promised at E3. Now NoE fires it up again... Update We've received word from Nintendo BeNeLux about the matter...

Back at E3 2004, when the Nintendo DS was first shown to the public, Reggie Fils-Aime announced that the Nintendo DS would feature a sleep mode and that the DS would be able to notify its user of nearing Nintendo DS systems within range. When the Nintendo DS was launched in the US and Japan, it turned out the units were unable to do so.

Now, Nintendo of Europe's website states the following:

"The Nintendo DS, when in sleep mode, will spring to life if it senses another DS transmitting in range, alerting users that someone wants to chat or play games with them!"

Did NoE simply use the information provided back at E3 and make a mistake, or will the European Nintendo DS be indeed more advanced than the US and Japanese versions?

Update We've received word from Nintendo BeNeLux about the matter... In order to disclose the matter described above, we decided to contact Nintendo about the article on their own website. Unfortunately, Nintendo BeNeLux replied to us that the feature will not be included in the European DS units. Furthermore, Nintendo told us that the original plans indeed included the feature of notifying a user when a DS comes within range, however at a later point the decision was made not to do so (as we reported earlier).

src: Nintendo of Europe

Share on Twitter or FacebookPosted on 01-02-2005 by Dennis

Comments

• 

  Of course it's a mistake, Europe was always the black sheep, so why would it suddenly change? :p

  rokusu, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  gonna try to ask for confirmation... stay tuned :p

  Dennis, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  Yeah, probably a simple copy and paste error, they coldn't and wouldn't do this just for the EU release.

  Viruscool, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  if this is true will it work with those vip packages. i wonder

  stefkov, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  "When the Nintendo DS was launched in the US and Japan, it turned out the units were unable to do so." Not true, I live in Canada and have a DS and it can do those things. I dont know about Japan since they did get the DS's first so it's possible their version doesnt.

  jeff40k, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  Your DS gives you a signal when another one comes in range? As far as I understand, the DS's out now did not possess that feature. I've got a US one myself... :/

  Dennis, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  I have a DS and I live in the United States. What you have been hearing is false, at least my DS is capable of going into sleep mode and waking when a DS is nearby. Granted, this sleep mode is not fancy, it is merely activated by closing the DS system, and it will notify you if another system is nearby, which was tested at my family's xmas party. It doesnt stand out, nor is it fantasically wonderful, but it is a sleep mode, and it does indeed conserve energy.

  heatherc19, 30-11--0001 at 00:00
• 

  We're not questioning the sleep-mode here. That one exists, I know that. However, the question was whether or not the DS will inform you if another DS comes within range. For example, you put your DS into sleep mode afterwards I start PictoChat on my DS. Will your DS, while still in sleep mode, inform you in any way (sound perhaps?) that I'm near and willing to do a PictoChat-session? My DS doesn't. And according to the information I just received from Nintendo BeNeLux: none of the DS's does. I'd be happy if you could prove me wrong though :)

  Dennis, 30-11--0001 at 00:00