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Nintendo DS Lite Hands-on Review
Nintendo DS News writes "Those lucky chaps at Lik Sang have done a hands-on review of the DS Lite, with masses of screenshots and comparisons between the new and old versions. Now, you can officially add whiter, cooler, prettier, sleeker, and overall better to your arsenal of superlatives when describing the Nintendo DS Lite in comparison with the first edition of the Nintendo DS. The new edition has for sure a fashionable look, and appears more modern than the previous model, which many compared to a 'cheap plastic toy from the 20th century' when it first came out.""
i win
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gee. how handy that you can buy all those nice accessories from the same guys who brought you the review...
Is anyone else beginning to lose track of all the handhelds you'll eventually end up buying when you can justify spending $100 on something you'll only use on airplanes? Don't get me wrong, a PSP is on my to-buy list...
I was at J. Toys R Us and tried it out:
My first thought was, "Oh, the screen's not that bright." Then I looked over at one of the old style DSes. It looked so muddy and washed out in comparison! It's definitely a step up. Next, I tried the demo of Animal Crossing... but I didn't learn much from that besides that AC is only interesting when it's your town not some demo character. Mario Kart was much more interesting, because it taught me that the buttons are way more comfortable. The current DS buttons are sort of shallow and hard, but the new buttons are a lot easier on the thumb when you're holding down the gas with all your might. It's also seemingly easier to hit A while holding X, or whatever. The stylus is also better. I almost never use the built-in stylus now, since it's too small to be comfortable, but the new one seems just big enough to be useable.
I'll see if I can manage to find one or not when they go on sale (when the shops open in a couple hours from). I'm actually holding out for the new color, but I told a friend, I'd send her one at low commission. Usually, there isn't much problem getting a hold of things on their release date, but this might be more problematic than usual, since it's supposedly in short supply. We'll see.
I love the look of the iBook (and have one) so was glad about the redesign. however, seeing these new images I'm a little less keen on the look.
I hate it when laptops have really thick bases with thin screens on top - it just looks bad imo. the iBook gets round this by making the top and bottom rounded and having a grey section sandwitched in-between the white upper and lower parts.
the DS Lite is solid white and further exaggerates the difference between top and bottom thicknesses by recessing the upper screen into the lid.
that said, I'm still planning to get one.
Mark me troll if you want (I carry my DS during every morning and evening commute) but I'm not "upgrading" to a system that will have GBA cartridges sticking out one centimeter from the case. One of the best things about the DS was that you had 2 games ready to go, and the GBA library for classic ports is huge. Here you have an attempt by Nintendo to get people to play more DS titles (the same way GB titles stuck out of the GBA), but how much work would it have been to find the extra CM of space for the cartridge? I mean come on, Nintendo.
Pass. My silver DS works just fine, thank you, and I'll continue to enjoy it for quite a while.
These incremental products are minor redesigns rather than full-on, must-upgrade things, anyway. If and when a device adds new features and functionality that represent significant improvement, then it's worth going after.
speaking as someone who likes the DS, but hasn't gotten one, yet, I have to say it's pretty neat-looking. Not a fan of that "scratch me, stain me" milk-white hardware look, though--I'll be waiting for the blue version.
I say, good for you. If you are currently enjoying your system and don't see a need to upgrade, then rock on. Save your money for games you want to play.
There's no shame or troll-ness in that.
If you want something a little smaller and a lot brighter, just upgrade.
Why didn't they add these features originally?
Would you kindly mod me +1 insightful?
Seems like this article is a little biased towards Nintendo's product! "Beautiful new hardware", "astonishing display", "hot software", "we don't agree with the critics", etc.
Not that they're not entitled to their own opinion, but does sound a little spooky if you take into account the fact that their page is littered with Nintendo advertisements. It would be appreciated if the summary linked to a more sober article of this news.
anyone know if current back up devices like pass me 2 etc. work with the new nds?
whiter, cooler, prettier, sleeker, and overall better to your arsenal of superlatives
Yeah, maybe if you're a moron. Whiter, cooler, prettier, etc are comparatives. Whitest, coolest, prettiest would be superlatives.
You can add a whiter cooler, or even prettier sleeker overalls?
What does a refridgerator or workwear got to do with anything?
That makes no sense.
Some say he is made with ascii, others that he is eyeballed daily by millions. All we know is, he is known as the Sig
I own a current-style white DS, and it doesn't have a scratch, nor does it have stains. I don't spill orange juice on it everyday, but I do use it everyday for at least an hour. I made it fall down twice, no scratches.
The screen might need a goos clean wipe now and then, but it's not iPod-scratchy.
A DS that doesn't have the construction charactaristics of a device made for 4 year olds.
Now I'll actually buy one.
Lik Sang is an online games store. They are not journalists. They sell video games. That is their job. They're glowing because they want you to buy one.
This is like if you went into EBGames and were surprised to see all the posters all over the wall advertising the XBox 360. Yes, of course they're enthusiastic about the hardware, if you buy one then that's their paycheck tonight.
The cartridge I use to the exclusion of all others, the Play Yan already sticks out by about a cm so I am not gravely concerned. I just want a smaller brighter video player and web browser.
Basically, yeah, the cartridge sticking out can be annoying, but playing GBA games is (in my view) more of a bonus for the DS, and not a major draw or feature. I don't think your post is trolling, but I do think that most DS users either don't care about the games sticking out, don't use the DS for GBA games, or are annoyed, but the other features outweigh it.
The jump from DS-->DSlite is a lot smaller than the jump from GBA-->GBAsp. This makes me pretty happy, because as it is the DS is an expensive device. I bought an SP when they came out because the lit screen was a must-have, but I can live perfectly happy with my DSheavy. It's almost upsetting that Nintendo spent R&D money on updating it at all, when they have work left to do (I assume) on the N5. (I hate the name "Revolution" so much). I will save the money I would have to spend on the lite to prepair for the N5, which I guess will probably cost $199.
--The universe will not be altered by forum threads, even those which are very wry. --Tycho Brahe (Penny Arcade)
I already have a PSP and I want to pick up a DS as well (I'm a sucker for handhelds, what can I say). What kept me away from the DS so far has everything to do with how they build the actual hardware. I hated the original DS case. And I hated the craptacular screen quality. But I love the innovation behind the dual screen concept, stylus input, and massive/excellent software library.
The new DS is very pretty, but barely smaller and the screens still fail to impress. Its just so close! C'mon big N, you can do this right. The original GameBoy was like the original Macintosh - anthropomorphic, iconic, a joy to use and hold. The DS has amazing ideas happening but they have got to get the size down and get better displays. Screen quality in particular is truly painful, when compared to PSP (which, fair to say, is huge - but also fair to say, does a lot more in terms of media playback and surfing).
I guess what I'm saying is, where is the DS Lite Micro?
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
Eh? I don't plan to get a new DS either -my current one works fine, thank you very much- but what's the big deal if the GBA cartridges stick out a little bit? How is this an attempt by Nintendo to get people to play more DS games? For that matter, how was this true with the GBA, when original Game Boy games stuck out a little bit?
This is an honest question; I've no clue what difference it could possibly make. As far as I can tell, you're just whining over a minor aesthetic issue.
It's called trade-offs. Like how the PSP traded having games for having really nice hardware that can do lots of stuff, but apparently not games. Sorry, but it's true.
If you have seen the circuit board pictures on the FCC website, you will find that there is simply NO ROOM for both a GBA cart and a DS cart to to fit inside the DS Lite case. Check it out here
As you can see, the back of the GBA and DS connectors are practically touching. Sure they could have made it so that GBA carts won't stick out, but only if the case was extended. I prefer the cart sticking out over a larger DS.
Its not Nintendo was lazy.
It would not have been difficult to spend the extra 2 weeks engineering and make the board smaller. It can be done.
Well, the middle of the board is practically [GBA cart length - 1cm + DS cart length] long. The board has to be that big because of the physical size of the game carts. I admit, it looks like the gap between the connectors could've been shurnk a bit more, but definitely not 1cm.
I guess they could layer the GBA cart connector and the DS cart connector, that would've made a thicker DS, espcecially with the touch screen and all. Or I guess they could've had DS carts sticking out a bit.
I think Nintendo would've done so if it were practically possible. The Opera browser is suppose to come with a RAM extension that fits in the GBA slot. Rather than releasing a module the that is just the size of a normal GBA cart, they are also releasing one that fits completely inside the DS Lite. This shows that, they too, aren't fond of the whole "GBA cart sticking out" mess. I think that it costs more money and time to make and distribute different size RAM carts for the GBA slot, then it would have taken to downsize the DS Lite circuit board. I am sure that Nintendo played around with it.
I am not trying to say that the DS Lite has no flaws. I too am annoyed by the GBA cart sticking out, though my explanation why is reasonable. Some have no problems with GBC carts sticking out of the GBASP or like a poster said, the Play-Yan sticking out of a GBA. That is personal preference. I, like yourself, will be sticking with the original DS.
Is the Play-Yan better than the 'Movie Player'? I want to be able to run all the homebrew stuff.