When the Nintendo DS launched in the 2000s, it still did not have an built-in web browser. This meant that users could not easily access the internet (except using a special internet browser cartridge which had not yet been released), and this made steaming services nigh impossible. Streaming services at this point were not common online either for any platform. This was a time before YouTube, and when Netflix still operated by mailing DVDs. This meant that if someone wanted to get anime or other media on the DS it had to distributed physically.
After the Japanese company AM3 released their Advance Video Smart Media Player in 2003, it seemed like the next logical step would be to release an equivalent for the much newer and more powerful Nintendo DS hardware, and DSvision released in 2008 would be just that.
The system, comprising of a cartridge similar to the format that would later be used for Nintendo DS flash cartridges was used. This was a standard DS sized cartridge with a slot on the side, into which a micro-SD card could be inserted. This micro-SD card would contain the movie that you could watch on the system, in a similar way to how the smart media cards held the content for the Gameboy Advance Video. Pre-recorded micro-SD cards could be purchased, or one could buy content on the now defunct official website dsvision.jp, which sold content that could be transferred to the micro-SD card using a program known as 'DSvisionラック' or 'DSvision Rack'. Unlike the previous Advance Video for the GBA which planned to have different content types, and was not able to within its lifespan, the DSvision sold books on the official website that could be read on the DSvision. In addition to traditional books, the service also sold manga as well as educational materials. Quite notably like the previous system (the Advance Video), the DSvision had Pokemon titles including full movies which could be purchased for download, with many in the 300-500 Yen price range. The full movie MewTwo Strikes Back was available for 500 Yen in its entirety or over 85 minutes runtime, and it could fit onto your micro-SD card only taking up a measly 184 MB. And even more impressive some manga titles were available for download for a price of only 32 Yen. Some animated content could even at one point be downloaded from the DSvision website for free, including the first episode of やわらか戦車 (Soft Tank), a popular online animated series that ran for over 50 episodes, as well as モフ☆モフ (Mofu☆Mofu), which was another short online animated series.
At this point is is unknown what type of DRM was used or if a user could load their own content onto the micro-SD card to be read by the DSvision cartridge. The DSvision system would never quite catch on, and this would be another great idea that for better or for worse would not be released internationally. The DSvision website and the AM3 website would eventually disappear along with AM3 itself and it would never be seen again.
Continuing the series of unusual ways to watch Anime on the GBA is this look at the Japan exclusive GBA accessories, the PLAY-YAN and PLAY-YAN micro. The PLAY-YAN was also released in Europe under the name 'Nintendo MP3 Player', and 'MP4 Player for GBA' in China by the company iQue, which is well known for distributing Chinese Versions of Nintendo products [3].
The PLAY-YAN was a portable audio and video player developed and released by Nintendo for the Gameboy Advance SP that was capable of playing .ASF format movies and .mp3 format audio from standard SD cards of up to 2 GB in size [1] [2]. The adaptor was also compatible with the Gameboy Micro and the Nintendo DS [1]. The device was similar in concept to AM3's Smart Media Player in that it could play media files off of a media card, except for the fact that the PLAY-YAN used SD cards, could be used to play audio files in addition to videos and that the PLAY-YAN allows users to add their own files and play them. The PLAY-YAN retailed in Japan at a price of 5, 000 yen.
The PLAY-YAN could play .asf files recorded from TVS, PCs, and DVD recorders. The movie list is displayed with thumbnails to make it easier to find a particular video [1].
The .mp3 format audio files on the PLAY-YAN can be played with shuffle and song repeat. The file browser supports ID3 tags, as well as allows files to be nested within folders. You can also adjust the surround effect level and set the bass effect [1]. Pressing the 'A' button while listening to music can activate a secret minigame. More details can be found here.
The official Nintendo page for the PLAY-YAN also has a 'garage' section which offers 12 downloadable minigames, as well as a 13th hidden game at the bottom of the page which can be found here. As of September 11 2005, the PLAY-YAN was discontinued in favour of the PLAY-YAN micro.
Alongside the release of the Gameboy Micro in Japan, an updated version of the device known as the PLAY-YAN micro was released also for 5,000 yen. The PLAY-YAN micro, in addition to the .asf playback of the original now also supports .mp4 formatted videos as well as had improved audio quality through the inbuilt headphone jack. The PLAY-YAN micro removed support for the minigames. The PLAY-YAN micro was only available through Nintendo of Japan's online store, and could come with a computer program on a CD called 'MediaStage Ver. 4.4 for Nintendo', which allowed users to manage video and music files on a computer. This program would cost an additional 1,000 yen [3].
The sick-figure that appears in the music menu on the Japanese version of the hardware is also a character from the Japanese exclusive GBA game Rhythm Tengoku as well as the arcade game Night Walk ans was later used as a visualisation on the 3DS for its sound feature [3].
Information sourced from Wikipedia: [x]
In Japan in 2003, the AM3 Smart Media Player was released which allowed users to watch anime from special Smart Media Cards. This would never become popular internationally due to the release of Gameboy Advance Video.
A YouTube Video About GBA Video
GBA Video consisted of a series of standard sized GBA carts each with a compressed video on them. The cartridges were developed by 4Kids Technology [1]. The cartridges had a uniquely coloured light-grey/white shell in contrast to the dark grey shell of regular GBA carts. Videos on the carts were in 240x160 resolution, the regular resolution of GBA games, except for the Shrek and Shark Tales pack which was at 112p [2].
GBA Video was released in North America in May 2004 [x]. In November 2005, Majesco started to sell full-length animated films [x]. Due to license agreements with the owners of the television series, GBA Video Paks will not work on the GameCube Gameboy Player, using a the same logo authentication check used by games that support controller rumble, and will instead freeze on a screen "Not compatible with Game Boy Player" [x].
"Brobot"
"The Big Pinch"
"Granny Baby"
"Time is Money"
All Grown Up! vol. 1
"Susie Sings the Blues"
"Coup de Ville"
Cartoon Network Collection vol. 1
Ed, Edd 'n Eddy: "Stop, Look and Ed"
Courage the Cowardly Dog: "Magic Tree of Nowhere"
Johnny Bravo: "The Perfect Gift"
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy: "Crawling Niceness"
Cartoon Network Collection vol. 2
Codename: Kids Next Door: "Operation T.U.R.N.I.P."
Courage the Cowardly Dog: "Courage the Fly"
Johnny Bravo: "Balloon Platoon"
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy: "Mandy the Merciless"
Cartoon Network Collection Limited Edition
Ed, Edd 'n Eddy: "Key to My Ed"
Courage the Cowardly Dog: "The Queen of the Black Puddle"
Codename: Kids Next Door: "Operation M.I.N.I.G.O.L.F."
Dexter's Laboratory: "Big Sister"
Cartoon Network Collection Platinum Edition
Codename: Kids Next Door: "Operation T.O.M.M.Y."
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy: "A Grim Surprise"
Courage the Cowardly Dog: "Cowboy Courage"
Ed, Edd 'n Eddy: "The Luck of the Ed"
Cartoon Network Collection Premium Edition
Dexter's Laboratory: "Double Trouble"
Courage the Cowardly Dog: "The Shadow of Courage"
Johnny Bravo: "Cookie Crisis"
Ed, Edd 'n Eddy: "A Glass of Warm Ed"
Cartoon Network Collection Special Edition
Ed, Edd 'n Eddy: "Oath to an Ed"
Johnny Bravo: "Beach Blanket Bravo"
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy: "Billy and the Bully"
Dexter's Laboratory: "Dexter's Rival"
