Nintendo - DS Lite Console Review

The DS is a continuation of Nintendo's successful foray into the handheld market that started almost 20 years ago with the original Gameboy and is the company's first handheld system without the Gameboy branding.

The system is roughly 3-by-5 inches in size and flips open in a similar style to many QWERTY cell phones we see today (ie. the LG ENV)
It displays graphics of a slightly higher quality than the Nintendo-64/Playstation 1 (don't expect this device to put an Xbox in your pocket) but high-end graphic power has never really been Nintendo's goal and the DS is no exception. The system rocks a never-before-seen dual-screen setup that adds a new dimension to your gaming pleasure. In addition to two screens (as if those weren't enough) the bottommost screen is a touch screen like what you would find on a Pocket PC or Palm Pilot device. This allows for a whole new level of interaction and was the precursor to Nintendo's much heralded Wii gaming system.

The DS plays games from small cards slightly larger than an SD memory card and also has a port to plug in your Gameboy Advance cartridges as well (sorry, Gameboy Color or original Gameboy carts don't fit). On the DS Lite the Advance cartridges protrude slightly from the bottom but not in a manner that impedes your gaming.
There is an included stylus slides in under the unit on the right side (see picture). On the same side of the device you will find the Power button which is really more of a slide than a button as you push it up once to turn the unit on and again to turn it off. On the bottom left is the volume slider mirrored by a port for a Nintendo headset.

The DS has built in Wi-Fi for playing games locally against your friends or over the Internet (on certain games) via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Some games even allow you to play with another DS with only one game card so you don't have to have multiple copies.

The DS Lite improves upon the original by slimming down and streamlining the body significantly while keeping the same screen size and actually adding 4 brightness levels, the highest of which rivals the back-lit Gameboy Advance SP. The updated system changes the physical build and placement of several of the face buttons and changes the power switch to the aforementioned slide function. It adds a longer stylus and moves it from the back of the unit to the right side. Also a glossier paint job is added though it is prone to fingerprints.

The system takes roughly 3 hours to fully charge and yields roughly 5 hours of play time.

Product summary

The good: The Nintendo DS Lite is slimmer and much sleeker that the original DS. The device employs innovative dual-screen and microphone-enabled gameplay as well as Wi-Fi multiplayer capabilities, allowing for a growing list of original and fun games that you can't play on any other system. In addition, the system is backward-compatible with almost every GBA title. All these additions come without increasing the price or decreasing the features of the original DS.

The bad: Playing online games via Wi-Fi can be a hassle. The darker models are just as susceptible to scratches and smudges as the Sony PSP and the iPod, and its multimedia potential remains exclusive to Japan.

The bottom line: With a slick new design, brighter screens, and a growing library of fun and innovative games, the Nintendo DS Lite is an impressive improvement over the original DS.

Price range: $119.95 - $129.99