DS Lite Review

I was one of the lucky people to nab a “pearl pink” Nintendo DS last Christmas. Those systems were hard to find, and it was pure happenstance that I got what I did. I don’t even really like the pearl pink color–it’s more of a metallic purple–but I hung onto it because of its rare status. So when I heard of a DS re-design on the way, I was a little torn. Give up my coveted pink DS for a generic, everybody-has-it DS Lite? Well…. yeah. I guess so.

The Look
The original DS looked like a Styrofoam take-home box from McDonald’s. It was big, clunky, and came in a very subdued and boring shade of gray. The DS Lite looks like something that can compete more comfortably with the PSP’s touted sexy design. The corners are smooth, the two screens actually clamp shut, and the case has a nice, glossy coating of plastic over it to protect the paint job underneath. Also, the grooved outlines around the buttons on the original DS, which served as breeding grounds for dirt and grime, are now gone. It just– looks– really good! It could probably get lost in a bin full of iPods. That is attributed to the “polar white” color, of course. While this is definitely a slick choice, I’m a bit upset there aren’t other colors to choose from– and probably won’t be for a very long time. Seeing as how the original DS saw so few [good] colors, I suspect the DS Lite variety will be stilted as well.

The Screens
But everything turns white anyway as soon as the screens are on. Four levels of brightness go a long way, especially considering the lowest setting is marginally better than the original DS’s only setting. A few minutes with the DS Lite made me realize how tolerant I was before. There’s no way I could go back to the regular DS or the SP after this. The added level of clarity makes darker games like Metroid Prime Hunters look entirely new, and now you can actually watch somebody else play a DS without pressing your face up against theirs.

To compensate for this new level of brightness, Nintendo also had good enough intentions to boost the battery life. While the highest light level won’t give you very many hours (about the same as the old DS, maybe a bit less), the lowest setting could probably last up to 13-14 hours. That’s just enough for a plane ride half-way around the world. Not bad!

The Size
But the changes don’t stop there. The DS Lite is also smaller and weighs significantly less than its predecessor. It no longer feels like a dead weight in your hands, and now you can carry it with you without ripping a hole in your pocket! Seriously, though, I must admit, this smaller size doesn’t seem to make that much of a difference. Mario Kart DS still gives me hand cramps, and playing one-handed stylus games is still a bit tiring (though not nearly as bad). The size change also affects the GBA cartridge slot. Game Boy Advance games now protrude about 1/3 the way out. I always liked having a GBA game permanently plugged into that slot in those cases when I needed a quick fix of Denki Blocks or WarioWare. Now, there’s no way I’m keeping a game in there.

I suppose I should be investing my DS time in DS games, anyway. On that note, the stylus has also received an upgrade. I absolutely hated the old DS’s stylus. It was small, uncomfortable, and dug into my hand. The new stylus is only slightly thicker and longer, but it feels like you’re actually holding something.

The Dead Pixel?
I’ve managed to escape the dreaded “dead pixel” my entire handheld gaming career. Unfortunately, after booting up Electroplankton on my new DS Lite, I noticed a stuck red pixel right in the middle of the top screen! It is only really noticeable on darker games, but it is so distracting. My focus automatically zooms in on that one pixel every time. Knowing it’s there makes it impossible to ignore. Although it is kind of amusing to play “chase the red dot” in Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town. Anyway, Nintendo was more than willing to repair my system for me (for free, no less). But if you’re thinking about picking up a DS Lite, just remember that the pixel problem still exists.

Final Comments
Personal gripes aside, the DS Lite is amazing. I was okay with the old DS, but the Lite really changes everything for the better. If you haven’t picked up a DS yet, now is a great time to jump in. The Lite has all the aesthetics that can finally hold up to the PSP, so there’s no reason to use that old adage anymore. For those who bought one of the first DS systems, I don’t want to say this upgrade is absolutely essential. I mean, I played my pearl pink DS for some time and was quite content with it. The Lite just feels good. I give it 9/10.