Nintendo Shows Off The Revolution

Nintendo, the gaming industry veteran, sought yesterday to secure its place in the next wave of game consoles -- showing a new machine, code-named Revolution, that will differ from its rivals by sticking mainly to games.

Sony and Microsoft plan a wide array of multimedia capabilities in their upcoming game consoles, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. But as Nintendo tries to come from behind in the next generation, it is betting that most people will choose a game console based on something other than the ability to plug a music player into it.

"It is the game experience that will most separate Revolution from its competitors," said Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, introducing the new console on the eve of the big E3 video-game convention in Los Angeles.




The first images of the Revoultion

The unit will be a compact design -- roughly the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together. The system will be equiped with a stand to allow both horizontal and vertical installation.

The smallest home console ever made by the company, Revolution was displayed yesterday in black casing with a neon blue slot for loading game discs, although the company said a variety of colors are being considered. The console, to succeed the current GameCube, is slated for release sometime next year.

In a surprise, Nintendo said Revolution will play downloadable versions of popular games originally made for the company's previous consoles, dating back to the Nintendo Entertainment System, released 20 years ago. Among other features, the console will come with wireless connectivity for online gaming.

On a separate front, the company looked to build on its strength in portable gaming, unveiling a new addition to its Game Boy product line. Dubbed Game Boy Micro, the 4-by-2-inch device is slated to debut this fall, playing games made for the larger Game Boy Advance SP. The company didn't announce a price.

Nintendo has historically dominated hand-held gaming. But in worldwide console market share, its GameCube is in third place, slightly behind Microsoft's Xbox and far behind Sony's popular PlayStation 2.

"We will show the world what a next-gen system can be. Revolution marries the strongest heritage of innovation to the future of gaming," says Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. "With backward compatibility and the 'virtual console' concept, the stylish, compact body provides maximum gaming power. It will not only take home entertainment into another dimension by expanding the definition of video games, but it also will give you access to the great history of gaming."

What Mr Iwata means by 'virtual console' concept is the downloadable content offered by Nintendo. Revolution will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The console is also backwards compatible with existing GameCube games.




The new Nintendo Micro Gameboy

Nintendo also presented the Game Boy Micro handheld device, which is a more stylish version of the Game Boy Advance. The device is 4 inches (10cm) wide, 2 inches (5cm) tall and 0.7 inches (1.7cm) deep. Weighing about the same as a light mobile phone, 2.8 ounces (79 grams) the Game Boy Micro can be easily carried around even in the pocket of your pants.