MI6 can officially confirm "GoldenEye: Rogue Agent" is coming to the new Nintendo DS platform...

GoldenEye Rogue Agent: Nintendo DS Version Confirmed
26th August 2004

MI6 can officially confirm a version of GoldenEye Rogue Agent by EA Games is being developed for the new Nintendo DS handheld.

As with the last James Bond game, "Everything or Nothing", EA are developing a special handheld version of the game. But rather than the GameBoy Advance used in 2003, EA will be shipping "Rogue Agent" on the new DS platform yet to be released by Nintendo. Unlike "Everything or Nothing", which was developed by Griptonite Games, "GoldenEye: Rogue Agent" will be developed by EA inhouse as part of their DS lineup (also set to include "Madden NFL", "Need For Speed Underground", "Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf" and "The URBZ: Sims in the City").

There is no official release date for Rogue Agent on Nintendo DS yet, nor is there an official shipping date for the hardware itself (expected USA: November 2004, UK March 2005). Other games being developed for the DS platform by EA have been pegged for December 31st 2004 release in the USA by some gaming sites.

GoldenEye Confusion

Nintendo announced EA would release "GoldenEye" as part of the first wave of games for the new DS system on August 10th 2004, but mystery surrounded the title amongst the Nintendo community.

The first details of the handheld version of GoldenEye first broke on unofficial site GameBoyAdvanced.com, but the title was wrongly reported as a DS game based on the classic "GoldenEye: 64" game, seemingly unaware of the latest Rogue Agent game. The rumours quickly spread to respectable games sites such as IGN.

Amongst the confusion about the new DS game's origins, unofficial Nintendo sites also posted claims to the game features, boasting up to 8 or 16 players with the possibility of wi-fi multiplayer via the internet.

EA confirmed to MI6 that these features were purely rumour and speculation. The sites have since removed the claims and corrected the "GoldenEye" title to "Rogue Agent", rather than the original 1997 Nintendo 64 classic.

 


Above: The new Nintendo DS handheld.

"The Nintendo DS will change the future of hand-held gaming. "Dual screens, chat functions, a touch screen, wireless capabilities, voice recognition - these abilities surpass anything attempted before, and consumers will benefit from the creativity and innovation the new features bring to the world of video games." - Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

 

"EA�s studio teams are working on a lot of great titles for the Nintendo DS,� - Steve Chiang, General Manager of EA�s Tiburon Studio.

  "GoldenEye: Rogue Agent" for Nintendo DS is expected to be formally announced by EA Games shortly, with game features and an expected release date. Stay tuned to MI6 for the latest news.



Nintendo DS Specification

CPU Core
Main Processor - ARM946E-S (Running at 67 MHz)
Cache: 8 KB Instruction Cache, 4KB Data Cache
TCM: 8KB Instruction, 4KB Data
Sub Processor: ARM7TDMI (Running at 33 MHz)

Memory
Main Memory - 4 MB (Debug version has 8 MB)
ARM9/ARM7 Shared - 32KB (16KB x 2)
ARM7 Internal RAM - 64 KB
VRAM - 656 KB

Power Save
Sleep mode (WakeUp possible at set times or by wireless communication)
Power save for 2D engine, rendering engine, geometry engine, LCD screen possible.

 

LCD
Display Size - 256 x 192 RGB Screens x 2
Display Colors - 262,144 colors

2D Graphics Engine
Background - Maximum 4 layers
Objects - Maximum of 128

3D Graphics Engine
Geometric Transformation - Max 4 million vertex/sec
Polygon Rate - Max 120,000 polys/sec
Pixel Fillrate - Max 30 million pixels/sec

Input Device
Touch Panel
Direction Pad, A, B, L, R buttons, Start, Select

Sound
16 channel ADPCM/PCM (Max 8 channels can be set to PSG)
Microphone input
Wireless Communication - 802.11 Protocol


Nintendo DS Features

Dual Screens: Two LCD screens offer one of the most groundbreaking game-play advances ever developed: experiencing a game from two perspectives at once. Imagine the possibilities. In a racing game, drivers might see their own vehicle's perspective on one screen and an overall track view on the other. In a role-playing game, the action could take place on the first screen while the second provides a reference for a player's tools inventory. Game play also could use both screens at once, offering a giant boss for heroes to defeat. In the future, games could be created allowing users to play games on one screen while text messaging other DS users on the other. Each 3-inch screen can reproduce a true 3-D view and is backlit to assure comfortable play in any lighting condition.

Touch Screen: The lower screen will offer something never before provided by any game device: PDA-like touch capabilities. Players no longer have to rely on just buttons to move characters or shift perspectives. They can navigate menus or access inventory items simply by touching the screen with stylus or fingertip. A software-based keyboard might even allow the screen to be used as an input center for games and messaging. The possibilities are limited only by developers' imaginations. The screen will have a tougher film cover for durability, and will come with a stylus.

Microphone: An available microphone port means that in the future, players might need only to tell their games what to do. DS software could identify everything from voice commands to hand-clapping. Players might be able to move their characters simply by telling them which way to go. The voice capabilities also could allow gamers to chat with one another over the Internet while playing.

Processing: The unit will run on two processors, one ARM9 one ARM7.

New Media: For its compact cards, the unit uses newly developed semiconductor memory, which allows for lower cost, shorter manufacturing time and memory capacity of more than one gigabit of information.

 

Wireless: DS users will be able to connect with a local wireless network of up to 16 players. Nintendo's guaranteed range is 30 feet, but will extend far beyond that depending on circumstances. It assures high response rates required for real time game play, and will make use of both IEEE 802.11 and Nintendo's proprietary communication protocol, which provides low battery consumption. Players will be able to chat and play games without any connecting cords, completely untethered. The DS technology also provides for a wireless LAN connection, which could allow a theoretically infinite number of players to connect at a hot spot and compete at a central game hub on the Internet, even if they're thousands of miles apart. Wireless Game Sharing: If software developers desire, multiple players can compete in wireless games, even if only one person has a game card inserted. Players could also test-play games for themselves as long as they stayed connected.

3-D: With the newly developed graphics engine, DS can reproduce impressive 3-D renderings that can surpass images displayed on the Nintendo� 64. Games will run at 60 frames per second, and allow details like fog effects and cel shading. Sound: The 16-channel sound allows for greatly expanded use of voices and music, and a richer, more immersive game experience. A plug for headphones transmits stereo sound.

Battery & Power Management: The battery is rechargeable and the unit features a low-energy-consumption design. The DS also has Power Management functions of Sleep mode and Standby mode. In Sleep mode, players can stop and resume game play whenever they like. If the user receives a message from a friend or user nearby, DS activates itself from Standby mode.

Dual Slots: Nintendo DS makes a vast library of Game Boy Advance games readily available. Developers could find ways to make new connections between GBA games and DS games. The GBA port could be used for new hardware, enormously expanding the functional expandability of the DS.


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