E-Mail This Article to a Friend The whole world in your hands Nintendo announces details of its new handheld system BY MITCH KRPATA

The idea of "go anywhere" gaming systems has been around since the 1980s, but few companies have ever been able to make the portable concept work. Systems like Sega's Game Gear and Atari's Lynx were not without their charms, and Nokia's N-Gage is grabbing an impressive foothold in the global market, but since the launch of the Game Boy in 1989, the clear leader in handheld gaming has been Nintendo. With each new iteration of the system – from a smaller, streamlined design to a color version to the Game Boy Advance – Nintendo has asserted its dominance thanks to brilliant hardware design and numerous killer apps.

And now they're poised to do it again.

This past Tuesday, Nintendo finally announced the launch date and final details for its upcoming Nintendo DS. The system will debut on Sunday, November 21 all across America for a suggested retail price of $149.99.

"DS" stands for "dual screen," and indeed the system offers two viewing surfaces. The system flips open-and-closed like an eyeglasses case, with one screen on each half. Nintendo has incorporated communications features such as a built-in chat protocol called "PictoChat," which allows users to write or draw messages using an accompanying stylus and then transmit those dispatches to nearby DS users. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is not going to be a popular feature with schoolteachers.

Nintendo is also breaking new ground with the interface. The DS comes armed with the standard cross-shaped directional pad and four buttons, but it also accepts – get this – voice commands. How useful that's going to be remains to be seen, but it's the sort of thing that gets us tech geeks foaming at the mouth. Plus, this provides another option for people who are no longer satisfied with only being able to yell into their cell phones in public places.

The Nintendo DS is, first and foremost, a gaming system. Not surprisingly, Nintendo has lined up over 100 publishers, so there should be no shortage of software choices. And while the primary allure of Nintendo's handheld systems has always been the ability to play while on the can (let's be honest here), now multiplayer is an integral part of the system design. The DS has built-in wireless capabilities, but saying that only scratches the surface of what this machine is capable of. When it detects another DS within 100 feet, it alerts you. The potential for such a feature is limitless. You could find yourself engaging in Madden grudge matches with complete strangers on the subway. Hope you're not prone to game-induced tantrums.

I'm led to wonder why the DS still only offers digital control. The eight-way directional pad no longer seems sufficient now that analog comes standard with every console. And though the system is backwards compatible with all your Game Boy Advance games, there's no multiplayer support for the old titles. Drag. Then again, complaining about this is like bitching that your filet mignon isn't perfectly seasoned. It's still a prime cut of beef.

Nintendo has never let us down in this arena before – historically, the Game Boy systems have outsold their console counterparts. Mark your calendars.