~~ I Love My Nintendo DS Lite :: A Non-Techie Perspective ~~

I received a pink Nintendo DS Lite from my nephew for Christmas last year and it has been great! Previously I've had the original Nintendo DS but the Lite is definitely an improvement.

The Product
The Nintendo DS Lite is a portable gaming console. The Nintendo DS is available at stores such as Target, Fry's and Best Buy and retails for about $130.

Nintendo States
"Nintendo DS revolutionizes handheld gameplay. With two ultra bright screens, 3D graphics, touch-screen technology and wireless communication, you can challenge yourself or your friends anywhere, anytime."

Contact and Miscellaneous Information
- Website = www.nintendo.com
- Customer Service = 1-800-255-3700
- All games sold separately
- Made in China

Product information taken from product website.

My Experience
Physical Features
The Nintendo DS Lite my little nephew bought me is pink because he knows his auntie loves pink! The DS Lite is available in white, pink, and black. The DS Lite is much slimmer and sleeker than its DS predecessor as it measures approximately 5" x 0.75" x 2.75" when closed. I find the DS Lite to be ... lighter ... than its predecessor, which makes transporting the DS Lite even easier!

Dual Screens
Since I played with the original DS, the notion of dual screens was not new. I do like that the screens appear sharper and brighter than the original DS. The functions of the screens remain the same; often the top screen is the directional screen and the bottom one is the interactive one where users can tap/write/draw on the screen.

Controls
The basic controls of the Nintendo DS Lite do not differ much from the original DS. All of the controls are located on the bottom half of the opened DS Lite. On the left is the directional key, which looks like a big "+" sign. On the right are the A, B, X, Y buttons and the Start and Select buttons. There are shoulder buttons located on the top of the bottom half of the DS. The power button is located on the side near the stylus and the volume button is located on the bottom next to the Gameboy cartridge slot.

Portability
I thought the original DS was easy to transport; the DS Lite highlights its portability by being lighter and more compact. Its improved design makes it easy to drop into my bag during trips to keep me entertained while traveling. It's easy to stow the DS Lite in my small purse. Since the DS design is such that it folds in half, the two screens are protected when the DS is closed and I don't have to worry about damaging the screens.

Adaptability
Similar to the original Nintendo DS, the DS Lite is able to play Gameboy games as well as DS games. Gameboy games can be played by plugging the game cartridge into the slot (Slot-2) located on the bottom of the DS Lite. Nintendo designed a cover for the Gameboy game slot to protect the slot when a cartridge is not being used. The slot for DS games (Slot-1) is located on the top and is a smaller slot than the slot for Gameboy games.

Wireless
The wireless feature to the DS and the DS Lite are great as it allows for interactive multiplayer games. Playing wireless is a fun concept, but I don't use it often; only when the opportunity arises.

Sound
The speakers flank the top screen. They are six small holes on each side of the screen. The volume control is a slider control, but as with the original DS, I find it a bit difficult sometimes to adjust the volume precisely. There is also a microphone hole beneath the top screen (or above the bottom screen) and that is used for certain games such as Brain Age 2 and Warioware.

Battery Life
The battery life is longer than the original DS. Nintendo states that it can last up to 19 hours, but I honestly have never timed how long the battery lasts before it is completely depleted. I do admit to having played it for hours and hours (Suduko addiction) and have drained the batteries within two days of full charge. But that is after hours and hours of play. There are lights that indicate if the battery is running low. An AC adapter is included to charge the DS; the adapter is small and compact and is also easy to pack for travel.

Games
Playing games on the DS is a bit different than on other video game consoles because of the different interactive opportunities. The standard controls (directional key and buttons) are available as well as more innovative ones such as speaking to the DS (picked up by the microphone), and tapping on the screen with the stylus.

Games that I have played include Brain Age, Brain Age 2, Big Brain Academy, Nintendogs, Cooking Mama, and Tetris. All the games present different ways of interacting with the DS. For example, in Brain Age 2, there is voice recognition for doing math problems aloud.

Because of the many different ways users can interact with the DS, the games are much more appealing than "standard" portable video game consoles.

Overall Thoughts
The Nintendo DS Lite is a wonderful improvement upon the original and innovative DS. It is compact, sleek, lighter, and brighter.

Thanks for reading.
Pooks
Copyright 2008