Nintendo DS Lite

[Qmanol]

So, Nintendo have come out with a DS redesign. Smaller, and in the style of the revolution controller. Link here (http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/news/060126.html).

I wonder how much backlash this will have from people who have been predicting a DS SP all along. Additionally, the folded unit is smaller than a PSP now.

[Theodore Rex DX]

Inevitable. But really, it should have been like this from the start.

[Lunch of Kong]

It's almost 1/3rd thinner than the original. Very nice.

[Gendal]

Crap.

That pretty much sums up my feelings, knowing I will pick one up even though I bought one already on launch day. I stick this thing in my pocket all the time, and a thinner profile would be much appreciated.

[Sam Jones]

Looks lovely, but does the reduced size mean they've dumped the GBA port? It's good that they've moved the power switch away from a location that can result in a visit from Mr Resetti.

[txa1265]

It's almost 1/3rd thinner than the original. Very nice.

About 1/4 thinner. Compare size specs:
Lite DS PSP
133 148.6 170
73.9 84.6 74
21.5 28.7 23

So it is smaller in all three dimensions, but proportionally the thickness decreases the most.

I totally understood the appeal of GBA->SP (and bought one) based on the clamshell switch. But this is identical but slightly smaller ... while I can't see anyone ever buying a 'standard' DS again, what is the reason to buy this one if you already have one?

Mike


Edit: Added PSP sizes for comparison based on Hanzii's comment.

[Hanzii]

This looks pretty cool and the dimesions are great.
For me, the PSP with it's slimmer design juts barely fits in a coat pocket, where the DS is too fat.
This is slightly smaller than the PSP (that is; shorter, just as high and just a wee bit thinner) - nice. Not that I'll get one when I allready own a DS.
I'm sure that the picture is a mockup and the nice metallic finish will once again be cheap silvery plastic, though.

[Moggraider]

I'll only get it if it comes in black.

[Horrible Oscar]

Where'd the power button go?

[txa1265]

Check out the lower right:

http://www.joystiq.com/media/2006/01/nintendo_ds_lite2x.jpg

[Acoustic Rob]

I'm sure that the picture is a mockup and the nice metallic finish will once again be cheap silvery plastic, though.

Actually, it looks to me like they're going for Ipod-like shiny white.

Is there any info on that page about street date or pricing? My Japanese isn't that great....

[Charles]

I'm not buying any more nintendo redesigns if I own the original. Also, the next time they release a handheld, I'm not going to touch the fucking thing until version two. This is ridiculous.

[JD]

Is there any info on that page about street date or pricing?
According to Gamefront: Yen 16.800, which would be about US$ 145. Launch date (Japan): March 2nd

-Julian

[jfletch]

The GBA redesign is what made me become... not a Nintendo customer anymore (sorry for the wording, its early). I bought the GBA at launch even though I was concerned by the dark screen. Nintendo all along denied that there would be a redesign and a light in the unit was "impossible". Being a Nintendo fan since I was a wee lad I trusted them and bought it. Well... the system was unplayable in my house and the controls hurt my hands. I hated the system and barely played it. Sure enough Nintendo released a redesigned unit. Maybe I overreacted but I was furious at how poorly Nintendo treated their customers. It wasnt like Sony redesigning the PS2 three years after it came out or anything - they knew about the flaws, denied the problems and so forth to sell more of the units.

That said Im not surprised at all Nintendo has done it again, even though the DS isnt the same abomination of design that the GBA is. People are gonna bend over and like it.

[Marcin]

Didn't they just (as in a week ago) say they were not considering a redesign? Quite vehemently, too?

Yeesh.

[Marcus]

I bet they are going to also start using the new screens that the sp mark 2 uses. Those screens are hot shit.

Really everyon expected them to do this it was just a matter of when. It lowers costs for them and makes the item more attractive for customers. Really from what I can tell this redesign is not like the gba redesign because as far as I am concerned the ds works great.

[Ben Sones]

Yeah, this seems more like a minor revision than a redesign on the order of the GBA SP. And as ranvarian said, there's a big difference between redesigning to address some serious problems (the GBA) and redesigning to make an already acceptable design a little bit better. It doesn't seem like that big a deal to me.

That new DS does look a lot nicer than the current one, though, especially if it's going to use the same glossy plastic as the Revolution (will it come in all the different colors, too?). The current DS looks like a piece of utilitarian Soviet-era hardware. Only cheaper.

[extarbags]

Booo. I hate this stupid craze where everything has to be white, and I hate this stupid craze where everything has to be tiny. I'll be sticking with my DS, because the SP is way too small for me to use comfortably, and this looks to be the same way.

[Thrrrpptt!]

I don't get the angst over redesigns. They're improving the thing and it's not like new DS games won't work on your first gen handheld. You have absolutely no reason to buy it if you don't want to. Why do you all care?

[Kunikos]

It's different and challenges the status quo, so it must be bad, right?

[Nathan]

I finally ordered a regular DS two days ago. You can thank me for the announcement of the new design.

[Chris Nahr]

I like my DS the way it is. I've never had a problem with the size, the screen, or anything else. Definitely not like GBA vs SP where I actually installed a screen lighting kit... approximately one week before the SP came out. :(

[ciparis]

I don't get the angst over redesigns.


No kidding. I can't begin to understand how someone can criticize a company for making new toys that they might want more than what they already have. If you have upgrade angst, that's what ebay is for.



http://static.flickr.com/16/91472056_6f63c7a8cf.jpg

[jafd]

This is the first I've ever heard of anyone being surprised that the GBA was redesigned. I must be reading the wrong websites.

I'll buy a new DS when my old one breaks, which at the rate I use it, will probably be about six months. I'm glad the new one is smaller.

Are the people complaining about the new DS being smaller and thinner aware that R&D for the smaller and thinner parts is paid for out of the profits made by selling the bigger and fatter ones? I mean... duh.

[Efthimios G.]

I don't like where the new power button is. I don't see the problem with where it is now, but I can imagine what could happen if moved there.
On the other hand, I am not going to get it since my DS works fine.

[Justin Fletcher]

I'll buy a new DS when my old one breaks, which at the rate I use it, will probably be about six months.
I say "Yay!" because I'm very hard on handhelds. One of my DS hinges is completely broken and the other has a crack going about halfway through it. Hopefully, the new version gets released in the States sooner than later. I don't know how much longer my launch model can hang on.

[Dave Long]

Wow... what are you doing to your DSes that they're so busted up? Sitting on them? Throwing them at kids playing with a PSP? What?

[Justin Fletcher]

Fletcher's Second Law of Technology:
"The gravitational pull on a piece of technology is directly proportional to the technology's cost."

First Corollary:
"No carrying case—no matter how fancy or expensive—can reduce the destructive effect."

[Wholly Schmidt]

Assuming they don't break any functionality, like leaving off a headphone jack or something, I'll probably pick this up even though I have a fully functional DS. I'll buy a second copy of Mario Kart, and retire the original DS to "gaming with guests" status.

[MyNameIsWill]

It's tiny:

http://www.joystiq.com/media/2006/01/ds_size_comparison_cg.jpg

I was going to buy one for Mario Kart. Good thing I held out. I was one of the people who bought the GBA, GBA SP, and GB Player.

[Moggraider]

That can't possibly have GBA backwards-compatibility. Oh well. It'll make more sense later once the library is even more fleshed-out. It's funny; in an old interview about Castlevania DS, one of the Konami honchos (it might have been Kojima) had commented that he would've removed backwards-compatibility from the beginning just for this reason.

[RickH]

I would think they'd have to keep it to maintain compatibility with the Rumble Pack, but has it been confirmed that it will have a GBA slot?

[Sam Jones]

If there's no GBAhole, then I'm waiting until my DS dies. I only just bought it at Christmas, and don't regret it at all, but I've got a few GBA games for it (FF4, GTA, Rebelstar) that I couldn't do without just yet.

[MyNameIsWill]

Some Joystiq readers were pretty adamant that it would include it.

[Gendal]

Nintendo says it has a slot for GBA support, despite what it looks like.

[Jeremy Johnsen]

Hmm, looks like an opportunity for me to pick up a cheap used first gen DS when this on is released.

[Moggraider]

I would think they'd have to keep it to maintain compatibility with the Rumble Pack, but has it been confirmed that it will have a GBA slot?


Oh, you're right! *whew*

[extarbags]

They also need to keep it to maintain full compatibility with Kirby: Canvas Curse and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, and maybe a couple others, even.

[Misguided]

I don't know...the idea of a screen with adjustable brightness ala PSP is nice, but that looks too small to hold comfortably. The DS may be a bit clunky size-wise but it feels very comfortable to me. The new one may be too small.

[Andrew Mayer]

I was thinking about the smallness as well. But then I realized that you often are looking to hold it with one hand while using the touch-screen with the other. Right now that's kind of tough, and I end up putting it down, or using my knee or somesuch.

[Justin Fletcher]

Exactly. The size reduction will be a godsend in that regard.

[extarbags]

What the hell? Are you the two weakest men on Earth? If you can't support a DS with your spindly wrists, I can only imagine the hell you go through trying to eat a sandwich.

[Andrew Mayer]

Are you actually a human Extar? If you were you might understand how it's easier to stabilize something that's lighter, and how that might improve accuracy.

See also: Strength vs. Endurance. (Hint: Not the same thing!)

[MikeSofaer]

I just bought a DS a few days ago. I guess it's return time!

[Justin Fletcher]

Are you actually a human Extar? If you were you might understand how it's easier to stabilize something that's lighter, and how that might improve accuracy.

See also: Strength vs. Endurance. (Hint: Not the same thing!)
Or put another way: Awkward ≠ Heavy.

[Gary Whitta]

Son of a...

[jpinard]

I can't tell from the screenshot... are the screen dimensions the same or smaller with the re-design?

[Dave Long]

The screen size is exactly the same as the original.

[Slothrop]

What about the stylus size? It looks like they may have lengthened it, which may finally make it usable without pain.

[Misguided]

I wonder if they might not be planning a connector of some kind for use of GBA carts. Of course, if the GBA cart were to sit outside the body of the DS, I don't know how the rumble pad could work.

[Chris Nahr]

Huh? They've already said that the DS Lite will have the same GBA cartridge port as the regular DS, haven't they?

[metta]

Actual pics posted here:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/08/nintendo-ds-lite-live-shots/

That looks like a GBA slot to me :)

[txa1265]

Actual pics posted here:

Yep ... it doesn't look as sexy as the mockup, but still quite nice. One comment was about WiFi reception compared to the 'original'. I wonder if that has changed?

Mike

[txa1265]

Another interesting thing:

Cubed 3 just posted a link to the DS Lite Manual (http://www.cubed3.com/news/4537)

[Slothrop]

They did make the stylus longer. Fuckers.

[E-phonk]

Actual pics posted here:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/08/nintendo-ds-lite-live-shots/


Those pictures look quite terrible, the pictures found at the FCC website look a lot better (https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/ViewExhibitReport.cfm?mode=Exhibits&RequestTimeout=500&calledFromFrame=N&application_id=330610&fcc_id='BKEUSG-001')

[Zuwadza]

It looks like an iBook.

[Theodore Rex DX]

Bad news: The GBA cart sticks out ~1cm when inserted.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/lite/gallery/img/image6.jpg

Yep, that's as far as it goes.
Pretty lame - I always have a GBA cart in the slot.

[RickH]

Oh.

Dealbreaker.

[Jason Becker]

So what? Its not like it would affect gaming. Do we sudenly have a whole bunch of style concious moblie gamers now?

People will nit pick stuff to find something to bitch about anymore...

[Marcus]

No but that looks pretty stupid.

[BaconTastesGood]

Am I the only person that accidentally would power down the DS when my thumb slipped? Looks like they fixed that shit.

[Dave Long]

Do you wear boxing gloves on your hands while playing? Christ... I can't even imagine accidentally slipping and turning off the DS.

[jim crawford]

Am I the only person that accidentally would power down the DS when my thumb slipped? Looks like they fixed that shit.
Happened to me all the time during boss fights in Circle of the Moon.

[Marcus]

Its happened to me a few times.

[fuzzyslug]

Well, it is goofy and annoying. You are much more likely to damage the cart because of it.

[fuzzyslug]

Am I the only person that accidentally would power down the DS when my thumb slipped? Looks like they fixed that shit.

Maybe, but I've done it with my PSP, while saving a game of Twisted Metal. Ugh.

[RickH]

So what? Its not like it would affect gaming. Do we sudenly have a whole bunch of style concious moblie gamers now?

People will nit pick stuff to find something to bitch about anymore...

Don't know if it's a nitpick, but if that's the way it's being handled, I'm not going to rush out and replace my perfectly good DS with a DS lite. It's a clumsy solution.

[MikeSofaer]

So, any word on when this thing hits NA? It seems to be out in Japan, but I'm not sure. Nintendo's site has nothing.

[Qmanol]

I'm not sure. From what I've heard, the DS is crazy in Japan. Stores are buying used systems for greater than retail, and then selling them on for even more. Apparently a lot of DS lites have been 'hijacked' for the import market to make more money.

Of course I'm taking my info from Penny Arcade (http://www.penny-arcade.com/2006/03/03) but it does not bode well for the quick release of the device elsewhere.

[MikeSofaer]

So if I add to the import market insanity by shelling out $200 will I get essentially the same unit I would get if I waited 2 months and shelled out $150?

[Ryan Markel]

So, any word on when this thing hits NA? It seems to be out in Japan, but I'm not sure. Nintendo's site has nothing.

Current speculation is that the release of New Super Mario Bros. in May is times to coincide with the release of the DS Lite (IIRC, I'm too lazy to look it up).

With the shortages in Japan, others who have said so echo my sentiment that this is becoming less likely as stocks continue to be sold out. I am unsure as to whether or not I am going to get a Lite, as I have limited disposable income and I really like my DS.

It's like a friend.

[MikeSofaer]

I don't have a DS, because right when I decided I wanted one the Lite was announced. So I am waiting, but I'll try to get an import if it's going to be a while and they're the same machine. Will it have any trouble playing US versions of DS and GBA games?

[Andrew Mayer]

It's like a friend.

You should dump it. It's unwilling to lose weight, and it isn't going to get any brighter.

[Dave47]

For the last two weeks, I've been trying to find a DS in Japan, and having zero luck. The first few days I was only looking for a DS Lite, but then I thought I might be able to pick up an old-style DS on the cheap so I started looking for either one.　But every place I've been to is sold out.

If Nintendo isn't going to release in America until they get their domestic demand under control, it may be a very long wait.

[Moggraider]

I don't have a DS, because right when I decided I wanted one the Lite was announced. So I am waiting, but I'll try to get an import if it's going to be a while and they're the same machine. Will it have any trouble playing US versions of DS and GBA games?



No. It will not have trouble.