Nintendo DS Lite Review
A brief introduction
Played on:
DS
Nintendo’s virtual dominance over the handheld market started in 1989 when the original Game Boy was released. While it was huge, it was pocketable. Kids would bring them to school, parents would play Tetris and the system would become a cultural phenomenon.
In the past 17 years, Nintendo has constantly revised their famous handheld system. They’ve made it smaller with the Game Boy Pocket, added a color screen with the Game Boy Color and even developed a new backwards compatible platform with the Gameboy Advance and Advance SP. Nintendo has made a tradition of refining the original design of their system some time after releasing the original.
However, in 2004, Nintendo came out with the DS. The system, while compatible with Game Boy Advance cartridges, was not compatible with original Game Boy cartridges. This was one of the main reasons that the Game Boy name was dropped from the title of the system – Nintendo was stepping into new ground with their handheld.
Now, in 2006, there is a new handheld coming out. The DS Lite, releasing on June 11th, is a reworking of the Nintendo DS design. The system has shrunken and the overall feel has changed. Also, Nintendo has added brighter screens and a wide array of smaller touches that make the DS Lite a worthwhile pickup for those with a regular DS and those that have been on the fence.
About a month and a half ago, my original DS broke. I took this as a chance to import a DS Lite from Japan. The following review of the system is based off the Japanese console release and not the American one. However, no notable changes that I am aware of have been made to the system, except for the fact that there is only one color available on release – White.
It looks different
The DS Lite’s most prominent feature is the new look of the hardware and, central to that new look, is the shrinkage. No, the system wasn’t left out in the cold too long – Nintendo just knocked the size down by about 33%.
One of the largest complaints that adopters of the original DS had was that the system was too chunky. It was much larger than Sony’s PSP and, while it did fit in a pocket, it definitely bulged out. Nintendo took the re-release as a chance to slim the system down.
Also, the system’s top and bottom sections fit flush with each other when closed – there isn’t a gap for anything in your pockets to sneak in and scratch the screens. I don’t feel like I need to worry as much about which pocket I put the system in now.
The system’s outer shell seems to have taken a cue from the iBook – they now feel very similar. The exterior of the DS now has a slick feel to it and definitely attracts fingerprints. However, this has made the system feel more like a piece of technology than the previous DS which definitely felt like a kiddie toy.
In keeping with the idea of looking like something a tech geek would have in his pocket, Nintendo has also included a nice cover for the Game boy Advance slot. This cover keeps the system’s sleek outer appearance intact when you don’t have a GBA game in the slot – if you do, it sticks out half of a cartridge length. This concession, however, had to be made to shrink down the size of the system.
Also, when opened, the system looks and feels different – you’ll need to get used to holding the system differently. The original DS had more than enough room to wrap your hands around the back of the system and it felt good that way. The new design, though, doesn’t allow for the system to be held in the same way. It isn’t that hard to get used to, though, and is actually more comfortable in the long run.
The inside is no longer a slick type of plastic, either, but a matte-type finish. My hands didn’t slip nearly as much when trying to quickly jump over and press different buttons with my thumbs. A pretty small change overall, but it was a nice change anyways.
Overall, the system’s new look is a major plus. The size makes the system feel a lot better in your hands and lets it fit in your pocket easier. No gap when closing the system keeps dust, coins and other undesirables inside your pocket from scratching your screens. Finally, the system’s new outer shell gives it more of a high technology feel than the previous design.
It doesn't only look different...
Nintendo’s system revision wasn’t just about outer appearances – there are quite a few changes on the inside of the system too. The most noticeable of these changes are the LCDs. They are now far more vivid and colorful then those on the original DS. Also, the brightness of these LCDs can be adjusted – the lowest setting is just as bright as the original DS’s only setting. Additionally, the battery life has been extended. Finally, the control pad, buttons and stylus design were changed.
While the original DS’s LCDs were not bad by any means, Nintendo took a chance to improve on them anyways. Both screens are now far prettier – colors are richer and more vivid. This gives an illusion of the graphics being slightly better, even though the system’s hardware wasn’t changed, just the LCDs.
Another major difference in the screens is the brightness. Before, you could only turn the system’s backlight on or off. However, with the DS Lite, you can switch between four different brightness settings. The first one is roughly equivalent to the original DS’s brightness while the fourth one is nearly brighter than the sun.
The system’s battery life is also longer – while I don’t have any exact numbers, I don’t have to put the system on to charge nearly as much as I did with my original DS. If you run on the top brightness setting, you’ll still get good amount of play time, though it will be slightly shorter than the time you’d get from the original DS with the backlight on. However, the first or second settings will give you more playtime with the second still being brighter than the first DS.
The last big change involves the controls. Before, the buttons were either ‘on’ or ‘off’. They still haven’t changed to an analog-style control, but they feel like it. They are springier and feel better after extended play sessions – you’ll have a better feel of when you hit a button. Also, the stylus is slightly shorter but is significantly thicker. The change to the stylus is, by far, the best control change made to the system – especially since Nintendo has included two of them incase you lose the first.
A few of the buttons have also been placed differently. The power button is now on the side of the system and the start and select buttons are arranged vertically under the A, B, X and Y buttons. Neither of these changes have a positive or negative effect on gameplay, though.
One change that may have an effect on gameplay, though, is the movement of the microphone. Before, it was placed at the bottom of the system and you would sometimes have to look away from the top screen to get it to pick up your voice. The new placement of the mic is more natural – you’re already looking at that area anyways and your voice will be directed there when you try to talk to the system. However, the quality of the mic itself doesn’t seem to have been improved very much.
Conclusion
The DS Lite definitely improves on the original DS. The systems smaller footprint makes for a less tight fit in your pocket while the better quality and brighter screens give a higher quality gaming experience. The re-designed controls and better stylus make it easier to play the games.
In the end, there are two major selling points for the system. The first involves the new look for the system. Those that resisted at first because of the size or the toy-like feel will be pulled in with the system’s sleek new look. They won’t feel as geeky when they carry it around. To those that already own a DS, however, this may not be enough -- the second selling point will be the hardware changes made. The brighter and better quality screens, the redesigned controls and the better stylus all make for a better experience with the system.
With a planned price of $129, current DS owners will have to decide if the hardware changes warrant a new system purchase. The upgrade won’t cost them $129 – they could sell their original DS on Ebay or trade it in at their local game store. For new system adopters, the choice between the old and new DS is a no brainer – the DS Lite is better in every way when compared to its older sibling.
I feel the system is worth the cost, though – and I paid $200 to import it. You may not be able to find one right off here in the US, though, if you haven’t pre-ordered it. It is worth the wait, though.
