Once upon a time, Nintendo saved the video game industry. Like any legendary hero, they had come in and single handedly pulled the pieces of the community and resurrected it when all was thought to be lost. Consistently raising the bar higher, revolutionizing video games over and again. Ladies and gentlemen I am very proud to say that Nintendo has yet again started a revolution.

Many were skeptical about the Nintendo Duel Screen when it was first announced. People across the web commented and ridiculed Nintendo for thinking that there was anything different they could do that would essentially be another GameBoy. In the same old Nintendo fashion that we all have learned to either love or hate, they just brushed the comments aside and insisted that it was something that was needed in the industry. The gall of Nintendo to think they had all the answers, well many thought that way at least.

So I had found myself sitting in a chair, two rows back from the stage at the Nintendo Press Conference. I honestly did not know what to think about the Nintendo DS. I had seen the picture that was released and I had to admit I was not too excited about it. Keeping an open mind as I have learned to do with Nintendo, I eagerly awaited the time when they would describe all that this system could do.

No words can describe how excited I was after they had informed the audience to what the Nintendo DS could and will do. They weaved a very convincing story as to why you really could not live without one of these babies in your household. Again I have to remind myself that Nintendo HAS let me down in the past. A few times they talked a good talk and in the end I was disappointed. So I would not fully accept the DS until I saw it for myself, touched it for myself, experienced it for myself.

After waiting in a long line that just kept growing in the Nintendo booth, I had found myself in front of a Nintendo DS, finally after months and months of waiting I finally had one in my hands. It seemed so simple, so bland. There was something about it though that screamed “sleek”. When the DS is closed, it is very thin and some would not even be able to tell it was a portable video game system at all. Holding it in my hands it was surprisingly comfortable and not awkward like I had first thought. There are two little red dots on the top corners of the DS’s main body that serve as shoulder buttons. At first look, you would think that the shoulder buttons would be annoying to use like many thought the “Z-button” was on the GameCube at first. In actuality they were actually “pain free” to use.

Really there is too much to say about the DS system. Many things you really just have to experience for yourselves. I will close this by making a public statement that I have made to the other fellow staffers after the press conference; The Nintendo DS is ushering in the second golden age for Nintendo.