Nintendo DS Buying Guide

Nintendo's first post-GameBoy  series handheld device espouses the company's core philosophy -- to offer affordable gaming and ensure it appeals to the widest possible audience. With graphics superior to the Nintendo 64,  the DS consists of a two-screen device in a laptop-like, foldable clamshell design, with the lower screen working as a PDA-like touchscreen. The system microphone allows for voice recognition, and the game cartridges  are writable, meaning you save directly to the game card without having to pay extra for a memory stick,  as is the case with the PSP.  The DS has been a sales phenomenon since its October 2004 release, allowing Nintendo to own the handheld market along with the GameBoy Advance,  but gamers complained that the system was too bulky and caused wrist pain after hours of use. Nintendo answered the criticism by introducing the remodeled DS Lite  in 2006. The Lite is 20% lighter and two-thirds smaller than the first DS, which has been phased out. Nintendo continued their efforts with the DSi in 2009, which is thinner than the DS Lite, has larger screens, and adds media functionality with two cameras and an SD card slot. Check out our Handheld Gaming Guide to see how the DS Lite stacks up against other handhelds.

DS, DS Lite, and DSi

Nintendo released the DS  in 2004 and replaced it with the smaller, superior DS Lite  in 2006 and DSi  in 2009. The systems have the same hardware and play the same games, but the DS Lite and DSi include adjustable screen brightness, a larger stylus, better button design and a lighter weight. The DSi also has larger screens, two cameras, music and photo functions, an SD card  slot and more interaction with the Nintendo Wii and online applications like Facebook. It also has its own line of downloadable games and software, called DSiWare, which can be purchased using the same Nintendo Points  as WiiWare for the Wii. As time passes, the DS Lite is increasingly being referred to simply as the DS, because it's more prominent in the marketplace than the original DS. The DSi is referred to by its full name to distinguish its functionality.

Specs

• The clamshell design of the Nintendo DS Lite  is like no other system. It is slim, compact, and uniform in shape all around.
• The DS Lite features two 3" backlit, LCD displays with adjustable brightness levels, 256 x 192 resolution and 260,000 colors. The lower screen is a touchscreen and can be manipulated via a stylus pen or a fingertip. The DSi's screens are slightly larger, with each coming in at 3.25 inches.
• The button layout sticks to Nintendo tradition. You'll find a directional pad and A, B, X and Y buttons along with Select, Start and two shoulder buttons. There is a headphone jack and a microphone. The DSi also has two cameras: one internal camera and one external camera on the back.
• The DS allows wireless multiplayer gameplay and communication between players within a 30-foot radius. Depending on the game, you can have multiplayer matches with up to 16 players, and even let friends temporarily download games that they don't own to play with you. Imagine competing with your friends on a crowded subway!
• More and more games are taking advantage of online play. Online games use the Nintendo WiFi Connection to allow multiplayer matches online and provide downloadable content. Visit Nintendowifi.com for more information.
• With Nintendo's PictoChat communication tool you can draw images and send messages. Using your stylus you can write messages and send them to other DS systems within the range. Great for those who want to challenge other Nintendo DS owners to matches.
• The speakers on both sides of the hardware are loud. They can really bring the funk. There is also a standard-sized headphone jack.
• The Nintendo DS and DS Lite are backward compatible to Game Boy Advance games.  GameBoy  and GameBoy Color games  don't work on the systems though, and because of its smaller design, the DSi offers no backward compatibility with GameBoy Advance games.
• The graphics are a little better than the Nintendo 64 home console,  yet not quite as powerful as the Sony PSP handheld. 
• The DSi features two cameras, one on the inside of the system and one on the outside of the system, which can be used to take pictures. The system also features a touchscreen photo editor and photos can be uploaded to the internet using Facebook or the Wii's Photo Channel.
• The DSi has an SD card slot and a music player, which allows you to rock out to tunes using the handheld's speakers or headphone jack.
• The rechargeable battery lasts for around 15 hours, depending on brightness and other usage factors.

Popular Picks

Double--or triple--the entertainment with a multi-game bundle.  It's a great way to keep the fun going while saving money.	Girls just wanna have fun, so let them with a DS Lite system bundle,  the perfect all-in-one gaming solution.	On the road? Never run out of power with a DS travel charger.	Keep your screens clean and scratch-free with a set of screen protectors.	Keep your system and other accessories safe in style with a Nintendo DS carrying case.

Related Guides

DS Games	PlayStation Portable	Game Boy Micro	GameBoy Advance SP	Nintendo Wii

External Links

• Nintendo: Nintendo's main website.
• GameSpot: DS news, reviews, and previews from GameSpot.
• Nintendo WiFi: Nintendo's site devoted to the DS WiFi connection.