DS Lite: In-Depth

Want to know what the DS Lite is all about? Keep reading..

Since it launched back in early 2005, the Nintendo DS has dominated its closest and technically superior competition, the PSP, with a lower price tag and an emphasis on innovation instead of a being a mini-console. Now the DS Lite is almost upon us.

The DS Lite - in the same way that the GameBoy Advance SP improved on the original GBA - fixes a couple of small complaints gamers had about the original. The first thing to note is that it’s less then two thirds the size, so it will fit in your pocket and doesn’t look so big in relation when you are only using one screen. They have also added a dummy for the Game Boy cartridge slot, so when it’s not in use dust doesn’t get in the way. And although it wasn’t a big problem, the stylus now sits in the side of the DS, making it more accessible.

DS games have been about innovation with titles like Nintendogs, Super Princess Peach, Mario Kart and Animal Crossing: Wild World expanding on existing genres by changing the way we interact with them, using the touch screen, microphone and wi-fi play. There is also a web browser in the works, which will allow users to view NZGamer.com anywhere within a wireless network or hotspot.

The Specs:

• It's less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter.


• Its two bright screens can be adjusted to four levels to adapt to different lighting conditions and to extend battery power.


• The microphone sits in the center of the unit, and the LED lights are clearly visible whether the unit is open or closed.


• The stylus is 1 centimeter longer and 1 millimeter thicker than the stylus of the original, and slides into a side storage slot.


• The Start and Select buttons were repositioned for easier access.


• A removable cover keeps the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot clear from dust and debris when it's not in use.

Nintendo have taken everything that made the original DS great, expanded on it with things like a stronger stylus, more visible lights and repositioned start and select buttons. This will be a big improvement on the original DS and should make a great supplement to the Wii, which is expected to launch late ’06 or early ’07.

Recommended Games:
Super Princess Peach
“It’s classic platform gameplay all the way, this time with more variety in the moves thanks to melee upgrades and the innovative vibe attacks. Peach proves there is still life left in 2D platformers 20 years on from the original Super Mario Bros.” – Morgan Bates.

Nintendogs
“This is the purest example of a product that couldn’t function on any other hardware, and this is the reason it triumphs. A lack of motivation for extended play may rightfully turn away regular gamers, but it remains an experiment worth trying. It’s when you engage in the simple pleasures of teaching your puppy to rollover using your own voice, or scratching behind its ear to reward it for the perfect frisbee catch that you’ll begin to understand what makes this game so special.” - Daniel Simmons Ritchie

Metroid Prime: Hunters
“The multiplayer mode is similar to Unreal Tournament or Quake 3 Arena set in the Metroid Prime universe. You compete against your friends in at least three different modes. Chose from Samus or any of the other six bounty hunters and find out who really is the best hunter in the galaxy. All hunters feature unique back stories and fighting styles. That, coupled with wi-fi support, could make this the multiplayer ‘fragfest’ NDS owners have been waiting for.” – Morgan Bates

New Super Mario Brothers
Twenty years after Nintendo’s biggest franchise was born, the Mario Bros. return in an all-new platformer sure to set players’ fingers twitching. Fans from Mario’s classic days will see their dreams answered in this return to the Mushroom Kingdom, while a new generation of Mario players will learn what true platforming greatness means.