As a lucky handful of UK gamers prepare to hole up this weekend with Nintendo’s newly launched DS, Serco Usability Services today publishes the first usability guidelines for the design of handheld gaming consoles.   

Like many in the industry SUS are intrigued and excited by the gameplay possibilities that new devices such as the DS and Sony’s rival PSP might offer, but is it all good news for the consumer? Are the novel control and input facilities offered by the Nintendo DS usable, and are they going to be useful in the long run? Can the Sony PSP succeed as a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ or is it better to focus on delivering one type of entertainment experience? 

Usability consultant Ben Weedon says, “As long as the designers consider the needs of the users, rather than bolt on functionality for the sake of outdoing each other, the customers will be satisfied”.   

These guidelines are derived from a series of expert reviews using an imported Nintendo DS and Sony PSP and examine the two devices from the perspective of the end user. Director Owen Daly-Jones says, “the guidelines are derived from our ongoing research programme into novel technologies, and we are pleased to make these early insights available to a wider audience. We will also be publishing further ground-breaking research as we work closely with the gaming industry during these exciting times.”

Read the full set of guidelines.