Update: Welcome StumbleUponers. It’s crazy that this design is still getting interest after almost four years. You might also want to check out the 3D animation someone put together a couple of years ago!
Yet another redesign. This one is obviously inspired by the (fairly) recently announced controller for the Nintendo Revolution.
Less obviously, it’s also inspired by a really cool digital clock I used to have that would open in much the same way. It made a very satisfying “clik-clak” sound when opening or closing because the screen would sort of flick up and click into place.
I’m fairly confident that this isn’t a plausible design for the next DS, but I think it looks pretty cool. It was also another opportunity to develop my digital art skills (design in Inkscape and touch-up in GIMP).
I’ve got some sketches from different angles but they aren’t as interesting. I’m not sure if I will take the time to make them look all fancy and shiny as well. Check them out after the jump.
Whenever playing games on the DS I feel like the shoulder buttons are too high, so I put them a little bit down the back of the unit. I wanted to make sure that the unit could be recharge while closed, so there is a hole in the top-left of the outside case so that the power cable socket is accessible. I’d probably put a rubber cover (like those used in mobile phones) over that.
Update: I know this is technically implausible, please don’t bother commenting just to point that out!
Update: Personally, I far prefer my iPod inspired redesign. I think it looks better and is something they could actually make. 
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Nice…
I like the shininess. Too bad you can’t play with one hand like the revo controller.
Looks great anyway.
The bevel, shadows and glossy finish are really nice. You are getting very good!
The design is great, I like the compact size.
Wooooww very cool! Maybe you can ‘lock’ the buttons up when it’s closed up in case you turn it on or off accidently when you’re carrying it around. It’s small enough to fit in my handbag… awesome!
Wow, my greatest thinking is when I’m on the toilet or in the shower, and I had this SAME EXACT IDEA for a DS re-design.
You can close it so it’s smaller, then open it and there is the screen that flips open.
You read my mind.
Thanks for doing the work that I didn’t have to though.
u shud mail some of yur “redisigns to nintendo and see if they’ll use any of them
theres a reason that the DS is the size it is, because there are ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS inside. this design is entirely unfeasable, because this would require the only components inside to be the 2 screens so its not unreasonably thick, so you could hold on to it… plus, with so many moving parts, it’d break ten times more often… and the top screen would fall off… plus you know.. the lack of space of the various circuit boards, speakers, and batteries…
uh,
Yeah… obviously… that’s why I wrote: “I’m fairly confident that this isn’t a plausible design for the next DS, but I think it looks pretty cool.”
I think it could work perfectly if it didn’t slide open. The slides that the buttons are mounted on have no room for the required mechanisms for operation.
However, if the slides were permanently open, it could be plausible since there would then be more room for the necessary electronics.
Great design aesthetics. Nintendo should know about this.
Hi Purasuma,
I actually made a version without the slide-open mechanism:
http://nick.onetwenty.org/index.php/2005/11/21/yet_more_ds_redesign/
Man, it was all a couple of years ago now!
Great design, looks fantastic
Actually this could work if you made it about twice as thick as a DS Lite (which the pictures kinda look like.
Awesome idea
But theres only one screen, ds stands for dual screen
Take back that last remark, I’m really tired
I don’t think it’s implausible. It would have to be thick, but the electronics required for the buttons doesn’t need a lot of space . . . Maybe have some strange wireless communication?
Any of you aware of the fact that this was posted 2 years ago?
I wish that’s official
Great design!
I think there is still something need to improve,
Like: How to lock this nds when it slide open?
And I think if the power button put beside the nds like the ndsl, it maybe better.
Have you sent this design or any others in to Nintendo? If not, you definately should.
im a little sad but impressed. it would be nice to have a ds like that.
could someone send the idea of a Smash Bros. Ds with wifi tournament. like there would be a tournament 3 times every month, and there would be a section that gives you a message that a tounament is at way, so when you cut on you ds and go to the game there would be a flashing letter telling you of the tournament. also it could be like a remake of the 64 version except a few more characters few more stages, and if possible a smash orb like in brawl if possible if not at least the the sticky bomb and dragoon items form brawl. and you could set the controls like sliding the DS pic up,down,left and right for attacks and combos. and it wouldnt even need brawl graphics it could have 64 graphics like super mario 64 DS did. please make this real NINTENDO, also 4 player and teams
ha ha i remember back in the day before it was called the wii
This is technically implausible.
This may be technically implausible NOW,but it’s foolish to automatically assume it would be in the future if technology keeps advancing at the rate is has for the last three decades; though by then, better designs might would have most likely popped up.
I think it could be plausible, the monitor area would be where the hardware is stored. with ever shrinking tech it is quite possible, same for the monitors, some companies (ie LG) have released and are testing monitors less than 3mm thick (OLED tech organic LED) the only problem would be the buttons which would have to be these flat buttons that you sometimes get on those flashy wrisband things at parties, or something similar.