Nintendo DS accessories facts for kids
The Nintendo DS was a super popular handheld game console released by Nintendo in 2004. It was unique because it had two screens, with the bottom one being a touchscreen! The DS also had a microphone and Wi-Fi, which opened up lots of new ways to play games. To make gaming even more fun and versatile, many cool accessories were created for the Nintendo DS. These gadgets helped players do everything from tracking steps to playing music games and even watching movies!
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Awesome Nintendo DS Accessories
What is the Pokéwalker?
The Pokéwalker is a small, round device that looks a bit like a Poké Ball. It was released in 2009 alongside the games Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. This accessory lets you transfer one of your Pokémon from the game onto the Pokéwalker. Then, you can carry it with you wherever you go!
The Pokéwalker acts like a pedometer, counting your steps as you walk. The more steps you take, the more "Watts" you earn. You can use these Watts to catch wild Pokémon or find special items on the Pokéwalker's screen. It was a fun way to combine gaming with real-world activity, encouraging players to get outside and move!
Typing with the Nintendo DS Keyboard
Imagine being able to type messages or search for things on your Nintendo DS! The Nintendo DS Keyboard made this possible. It was a special accessory that connected to the DS using Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth is a way for devices to talk to each other wirelessly over short distances.
This keyboard was super helpful for games or applications that needed a lot of text input. It made chatting with friends or entering long codes much faster and easier than using the touchscreen or a virtual keyboard.
Rock Out with the Guitar Grip!
Do you love music games? The "Guitar Grip" controller was a cool accessory for the game Guitar Hero: On Tour on the Nintendo DS. This special grip plugged into the Game Boy Advance (GBA) slot on your DS. The GBA slot was a second slot on the DS that let you play older GBA games or use accessories like this one.
The Guitar Grip had four colored buttons, just like the bigger guitar controllers for other consoles. When you pressed the buttons and strummed on the touchscreen, it felt like you were really playing a tiny guitar! It brought the fun of Guitar Hero to a portable device.
Classic Fun: The Paddle Controller
For fans of classic arcade games, the Taito Paddle Controller was a neat addition. This controller was an optical encoder knob, which means it had a spinning dial that you could turn. It was very similar to the controls found on old arcade machines for games like Arkanoid.
This paddle controller was perfect for games that needed precise, continuous movement, like breaking blocks or moving a character left and right. It offered a different kind of control experience compared to the DS's usual buttons and D-pad.
Watch Movies on Your DS: The GBA Movie Player
Did you know you could watch movies on your Nintendo DS? The GBA Movie Player was a cartridge that plugged into the GBA slot of your DS. It had a slot for an SD card, which is a small memory card used to store digital information.
You could load video files onto the SD card, insert it into the GBA Movie Player, and then watch your favorite shows or movies right on your Nintendo DS screens! It turned your gaming device into a portable media player, which was pretty advanced for its time.
Images for kids
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Game Boy Advance game slot on Game Boy Advance SP (below) and Nintendo DS (above).
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A view of the Slide Controller
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The trainer toolkit software showing searches which have led to the creation of 2 cheats.
