I just came past a topic on NeoGaf asking the question of should the next Nintendo Handheld still have Dual Screens. It made the question pop into my head.

When was Dual Screens ever really been integral to the fun you had with a DS game? For most games it ends up just displaying what would have normally been HUD info on the bottom.......thats about it. Is this necessarily better? I don't really think so. If anything I think the idea of displaying two different images to you at once is a bit counter productive. One's eyes can only take in one image at a time really. Constant eye movements will tire them out. Would it not be better just to have a button that switches from one "screen" to the next (on the same display) or just incorperate the info into one image?

Then there is XBO's Snap feature. Its fairly similar to the same mindset that got us PIP functionality. Over a decade ago, PIP was a big deal. The idea of watching 2 shows at the same time felt so futuristic. Yet does anyone wonder why no one seems to utilize this once prized feature anymore?.........

As cool as it may have sounded back then, trying to watch 2 images at once realistically is an over presumption. With a smaller image taking up a corner of your screen, you can't really enjoy EITHER screen the way it was intended. If you are doing a search on the internet while snapped, can one truly commit to watching TV/Playing a game while either typing/speaking to Kinect? I don't think I can. We like to think we are these multitasking machines but what we are really yearning for is ease of transition in my opinion. 

I used to think this is what I wanted, then I really thought about my own personal habits in similar situations. While watching a show, especially ones dealing with lore of any sort, I become a Wikipedia whore. I instantly feel compelled to look lingo up on the internet. What I end up doing half the time is  pausing the show, then doing a quick search on my Vita/Laptop/Smartphone. When I play a game, I will get to a part that needs carful guidence. So I pause my game, then take off to the web to find a suitable guide.

The one action that repeats itself is I "Pause" one action to start the other action. I could technically start my searches without doing so but I will miss things from the show or get attacked by enemies so its just safer that way. The real barrier between these two tasks is how long it takes for me to hop to one to the next.

I think in a pseudo perfect world, the Multi Tasking Revolution would take this in mind. It should concentrate more on lag time between screens, a bit on truncating information into the same image. I don't think my, or many other people's brains can fully digest 2+ distinct images at the same time. Something that I would enjoy as would the Advertising companies and Hardware Manufacturers, When I pause a game or movie the AI knows I might be tryingto make an inquiry of something from the last few moments. Have search tags on any items in that image or a recapping of last few lines of dialogue that will instantly give you search results on that word.

What do you all think?

You need to own it to get it.

There are many games that wouldn't work without 2 screens. It's not just HUD.

I want to play games please.

The world ends with you, DS. Critical success, popular flop.

Some devs might find great use for it as a break out feature but most of what I seen it used for is the contrary. Do you not agree? How many DS/3DS games just use it to display things that would have just normally been overlayed on one screen or tucked in a menu?

I don't own one, but have played it on many occassion for the type of games I like, RPGs, and that is usually where it ends up . A Map, or attack select screen, or in some cases a literal extention of the top screen image.

If you are just gaming while you game you are doing it wrong :P lol

TWEWY and maybe Starfy, thats about it that I can think of for games that don't do what is typically done with it.

Why? The only think I do when I'm gaming offiline is play games... at maximum when I play online I like to have Party Chat but no other app is needed while gaming.

Yup, that's just sad how a successful console is not dev(ed) on because of its feature or even using its feature but only because its popularity.

That's probably what will happen with wii U IMO (maybe it's already happening, i don't own one)

And one of the few games I played and the best DS game there is.