| Name | Nintendo Up |
| Type | Multimedia-focused handheld device |
| Purpose | Companion to Nintendo DS |
| Key features | Larger screen • Built-in camera • Internet connectivity |
| Release year | |
| Target audience | Students • Professionals • Tech enthusiasts |
| Commercial performance | Not as successful as Nintendo DS and other gaming handhelds |
The Nintendo Up was a multimedia-focused handheld device released by Nintendo in 2009 as a companion to the company's popular Nintendo DS line of gaming handhelds. Rather than playing DS games, the Up was designed around enhanced media and productivity features, positioning it as a more general-purpose device than a pure gaming platform.
The Up had a significantly larger 4.2-inch widescreen display compared to the 3.25-inch screens of the original DS models. It also included two built-in cameras - one facing the user and one facing outward - enabling photo and video capture capabilities.
Under the hood, the Up was powered by a 667 MHz ARM processor and included 128MB of RAM, doubling the capabilities of the DS. It also had expanded wireless connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 3G cellular data, allowing for web browsing, email, and other internet-connected applications.
The overall design was sleek and minimalist, available in a range of colors like black, white, and metallic silver. Nintendo emphasized the Up's multimedia features in its branding and marketing, positioning it as a productivity and entertainment device rather than a dedicated gaming handheld.
Unlike the Nintendo DS, which was primarily focused on portable gaming, the Up did not play any DS games. Instead, it had its own library of proprietary "Up" software - a mix of entertainment, productivity, and educational applications developed specifically for the platform.
Core Up apps included a web browser, email client, media player, note-taking tools, and a suite of creativity apps for photo/video editing, drawing, and music composition. Nintendo also partnered with third-party developers to create specialized "Up" apps for students, professionals, and other niche audiences.
A number of basic games were available for the Up, but these tended to be more casual, experimental, or educational in nature rather than the immersive experiences found on the DS. Nintendo positioned the Up as a device to "level up" your life through its various multimedia capabilities.
The Nintendo Up never achieved the same level of mainstream popularity and sales success as the DS line. While it cultivated a dedicated niche following among students, tech enthusiasts, and certain professional users, the Up struggled to break out of its specialized role.
Criticized by some as being unfocused and lacking a clear value proposition compared to smartphones and tablets, the Up sold only around 25 million units worldwide over its lifespan. In contrast, the Nintendo DS had surpassed 150 million units sold by the time the Up was discontinued in 2013.
However, the Up's multimedia-centric approach and emphasis on productivity applications rather than pure gaming did influence Nintendo's subsequent handheld strategies. The company's later Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch systems incorporated more media and internet-connected features than previous generations of Nintendo handhelds.
The Up's legacy also lived on through its software ecosystem, with many of the signature "Up" apps and development tools being spun off into standalone products or influencing the design of similar productivity-focused software on other platforms. While a commercial disappointment, the Up remained an influential experiment in rethinking the role of handheld devices.
