Nintendo Selects Actimagine Video for GBA and DS SDKs

Actimagine has announced that Nintendo of Japan has licensed its video codecs to integrate video sequences in video games for the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS handheld video game systems.

It will be provided at no charge in Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS Software Development Kits. The codecs will allow all Nintendo's game developers to implement video content in their games.

On the Nintendo DS, Actimagine software video codec can achieve full screen 256x192 video up to 30 frames per second from 100kbps to 700kbps, with stereo sound from 8KHz mono to 48KHz stereo. Dual screen can be supported up to 15 frames per second.

Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt and Jump Super Stars are the first two games using the video capabilities.

In 2004, Actimagine had previously licensed to Nintendo Co., Ltd. its video compression technologies allowing Nintendo to deliver up to 90 minutes of TV-like video titles on 32MB cartridges on its range of hand-held consoles: Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Advance SP and Nintendo DS. This is a purely software-based solution, making the video cartridges compatible with the installed base of Nintendo hand-held consoles. Actimagine will exhibit at the CES 2006 in Las Vegas, USA, from January 5th to 8th, Sands Convention Center booth 70608.