nD Handheld Gaming Console Set to Cost $10

Looking to get your mobile game on, but don’t want to spend too much cash? If so, the upcoming handheld ‘nD’ might be right up your alley. It’s being developed by Robert Pelloni, creator of the upcoming Bob’s Game for the Nintendo DS (and nD), and his project is truly ambitious. He aims to build each of these units and not make a profit on the hardware, but rather take 10% from game sales, with the other 90% going straight to the developer.

Even better, the hardware could be far more powerful than that found in the Nintendo DS. Robert notes that the goal CPU is a 400MHz offering, improving upon the DS’ 66MHz by a mile. Likewise, the resolution is also higher, at 320×240. No word on what type of screen will be used, but the entire unit kind of looks like a Super Nintendo gamepad. Simple design, but as the console will only support 2D games, not much else is needed.

Oh, perhaps I should mention the target price: $10. Yes, ten freaking dollars.

It sounds unrealistic to imagine the console will be sold at that price, but Robert is working hard to secure the cheapest parts possible, and use older hardware to save money. At $10, the nD would be accessible to pretty much anyone, and with the app store game store, you could end up supporting both the ambitious project and the creators of some cool 2D games.

It’s a lofty challenge, but I hope to see this come to fruition. We’ve heard about these low-cost handhelds for way too long and rarely have seen a viable one on the market. It’d be nice to see that change.