The DS Lite

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06-12-2006, 06:11 PM
Sephex

The DS Lite

I picked mine up yesterday and I am glad I did. They weren't kidding about the new quality of the screens! I decided to play Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow on it mainly because I know that is the darkest looking game I own. Man, let me tell you that there is a lot more detail in that game then I originally thought! A lot of the background stuff stands out a lot more! Even bright looking games like New Super Mario Bros. look significantly different.

The design looks VERY nice. It's smaller, but easier to hold. The buttons and layout are easier to use as well. The stylus is more comfortable to use, also.

Anyone else pick it up yet?
06-12-2006, 06:18 PM
Zeldy

My brother recently ordered one from Japan. And it makes the old DS look old fashioned, its so smooth, and petit, and so much lighter than the original.
06-12-2006, 06:19 PM
Yamaneko

Gonna get one later this week. Can't wait!
06-12-2006, 06:36 PM
KentaRawr!

I would, but I don't have $150 to spare, and Birthday money could be spent on DS games instead of a new DS. :p
06-12-2006, 06:52 PM
Dreddz

When the price of the DS lite goes down, ill cash in my DS to buy one. As of now, ill get back to playing Tetris DS.
06-12-2006, 06:58 PM
Roto13

I already have a DS so I'm going to skip a lite. I'm sure the improvements are nice, but I doubt the difference is worth the money.
06-12-2006, 09:36 PM
Rase

If I can find a place that's doing a "Trade in your regular DS and save 50%" or something like that, I'll definetly pick it up. If not, well, I'll have to see how low it gets. I'd like to get one someday, as it looks very awesome.
06-12-2006, 10:14 PM
edczxcvbnm

I got one but I didn't have a normal DS to begin with and my aging GBA was in need of an upgrade. That is a GBA. Not a SP and not a Mini...an old ass GBA...from launch 2001.

I have trauma center and I will get Metroid Pinball and Bleach DS as presents...at some point in the future.
06-12-2006, 10:17 PM
~SapphireStar~

We havent got ours yet. My boyfriend has had held and played one cause some guy brought his into work. He said the light was very powerful and the guy hadnt even put it on its highest setting!
06-12-2006, 10:28 PM
SeeDRankLou

I'm trading my DS in at the end of the week when I get paid.
06-12-2006, 10:45 PM
Sylvie

I'll trade in my SP and my old DS and get one.
06-13-2006, 01:03 AM
Elite Lord Sigma

As one of my brothers broke my DS's hinge (not to mention it has more scratches on its cover than believable), I plan on getting one when I get a chance.
06-13-2006, 05:45 AM
Clouded Sky

My goodness. I cannot tout the screen quality enough. Playing Mario Kart I feel like I'm playing an entirely new and detailed game. Animal Crossing looks a lot nicer too. This thing fits well in the hands and the ergonomics and the weight are a big plus over the original DS. I also picked up Brain Age when I picked up the Lite. I mention this because the game makes use exlcusively out of the stylus, and it is easier on the hands. Because it's not as heavy as the old one, your support hand doesn't feel like giving way all the time. In addition the new stylus is thicker has a better "writing utencil" feel to it. I know I'm starting to sound like a Nintendo fanboy, but wow, I am thouroughly more impressed with this thing than I thought I would be. Good job Nintendo!
06-13-2006, 06:05 AM
Reine

Yeah, im going to get one. I was playing around with one at work, which btw, was also th first time I had ever touched a DS xD

I tested them both, and the original felt way too sharp and edged and uncomfortable. The Lite for me. I just wish I could get a black one, to match my PSP

Also, Zeldy, isnt it out in UK yet? Weve had it here in NZ for a week or two already
06-13-2006, 07:39 AM
Necronopticous

I'm waiting for the pink one.
06-13-2006, 06:42 PM
omnitarian
I really wanted to wait for a colored DS Lite, but I couldn't resist. :cry: Anyway, here's my first impressions.

Love:
- The slender design. It fits into your pocket without any unsightly bulging. The clamshell is great, too- the system is "seamless" when it's closed. The original let you play peekaboo with the buttons when it was closed, and that's just silly.
- Brighter screen! You'll have no idea how awesome the screens are until you see it for yourself. Compared to the lite, the DSheavy feels like you're playing with sunglasses on.
- New stylus and touch screen. The new stylus is awesome, it no longer feels like you're playing with a children's toy. The touch screen is great, there's no more blatant plastic sheet covering it up; yet the touch screen still feels incredibly hardy and scratch-resistant, perhaps eve more so. Dragging the stylus across the screen feels kinda iffy, though. Not as... smooth.
Notlove
- Argh, the speakers are terrible. The sound is muffled pretty bad, and it's not very loud, either. The Lite was definitely designed with headphones in mind.
- New buttons. The layout is good (oddly, the control pad does not line up with the ABXY buttons, but that's not really a concern). My big complaint is the new buttons themselves. They seem to have reverted to the GBA buttons, which feel a lot less responsive. The control pad is real "jiggly", too. My little Animal Crossing guy was beebopin' all over the place. Getting him to move diagonally took a needlessly concentrated effort.
Bottom line... sadly, the Lite doesn't feel like a complete 1-up from the original DS. I'm not going to say that you shouldn't trade up to a DS Lite... but I would definitely be cautious of the move if your budget is tight.
06-13-2006, 08:37 PM
Dreddz

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reine

Also, Zeldy, isnt it out in UK yet? Weve had it here in NZ for a week or two already

The DS lite has been out here for a while too.
06-14-2006, 12:54 AM
Kawaii Ryûkishi

I've had the pleasure of playing it, but I'm waiting for color models before getting one myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by omnitarian

New buttons. The layout is good (oddly, the control pad does not line up with the ABXY buttons, but that's not really a concern). My big complaint is the new buttons themselves. They seem to have reverted to the GBA buttons, which feel a lot less responsive. The control pad is real "jiggly", too. My little Animal Crossing guy was beebopin' all over the place. Getting him to move diagonally took a needlessly concentrated effort.

The new buttons and directional pad feel much more comfortable to me.
06-14-2006, 12:57 AM
Rostum

It was only recently released here in Australia, and I think it's the only one on the market now, not too sure. But I really do want to get one. ^.^
06-14-2006, 01:01 AM
Yamaneko

Australia/NZ had theirs avaliable the 1st of June. The UK gets theirs next week in black.
06-14-2006, 01:53 AM
Azure Chrysanthemum

I'm hoping to get this soon, I don't yet own a DS and my sister and I will both be getting it for a late birthday gift. I'm rather excited about it, many DS games I've been wanting to play.
06-14-2006, 03:45 AM
Sylvie

Does anyone know how much I would get If I traded in a regular DS, almost perfect condition, and an SP (which has some scratches on it but it still works fine) At EB Games?
06-14-2006, 03:31 PM
~SapphireStar~

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreddz

The DS lite has been out here for a while too.

Its not released in the UK till the 23rd of June.
06-14-2006, 04:03 PM
Clouded Sky

Quote:

Originally Posted by Genji

Does anyone know how much I would get If I traded in a regular DS, almost perfect condition, and an SP (which has some scratches on it but it still works fine) At EB Games?

I can tell you this much. I traded in my DS at Gamestop two weeks ago (they're owned by the same company now, EB and GS) Anyway, I got $50 for it. Whatever. I suppose. Well, $55 with the GameStop Card. In any case, the Lite would be worth it if it's not a terrible blow to your finances. The regular DS screen doesn't even seem backlit compared to the new one.
06-14-2006, 04:30 PM
omnitarian

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi

I've had the pleasure of playing it, but I'm waiting for color models before getting one myself. The new buttons and directional pad feel much more comfortable to me.

It's not really a comfort issue, it's more of a performance issue. There's actually no problem with the Lite's D-Pad... until you have to move diagonally. The original DS's D-pad allowed quick and easy 8-directional movement just by rocking your thumb. The Lite's D-pad requires a lot of effort to move diagonally, which trips me up. It's not an issue on New Super Mario Bros. and the like, but it makes games like Animal Crossing and Advance Wars very awkward to play.
06-14-2006, 05:09 PM
edczxcvbnm

I picked up a few other games. Metroid Pinball(the Mecca of pinball games) and Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow...I can't wait for Portrait of Ruin.

Trauma Center was a pretty easy game up until the final boss. I just can't do it...yet :shifty:
06-14-2006, 07:12 PM
Sephex

Quote:

Originally Posted by edczxcvbnm

Trauma Center was a pretty easy game up until the final boss. I just can't do it...yet :shifty:

I haven't gotten to the Final Sin yet, but I am having trouble with those missions as well! Argh!
06-14-2006, 07:17 PM
Dreddz

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~SapphireStar~

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreddz

The DS lite has been out here for a while too.

Its not released in the UK till the 23rd of June.

oops, I was confused, its just that lots of people have gotten a DS lite around my area, I'd assume they ordered online.......
06-14-2006, 07:25 PM
JKTrix

I actually found the diagonals to be easier to use, though this is primarily based on Metroid Prime. In that game, your thumb is almost exclusively on the 'Up' button to move forward, so on the original DS when I wanted to move diagonally I had to move my thumb a little more that I was comfortable with. Luckily, the Lite arrived about a week after I picked up Metroid Prime, and the modified D-pad design eliminated that problem for me. All I have to do is 'rock my thumb' like omnitarian said, while still holding up on the D-pad (instead of having the thumb in the center of the pad) and I get those diagonals just fine. Though I can see how it can seem wonky if you're used to holding your thumb in the center of the pad.
06-14-2006, 08:27 PM
~SapphireStar~

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreddz

oops, I was confused, its just that lots of people have gotten a DS lite around my area, I'd assume they ordered online.......

No probs, you just got me mega excited there!
06-14-2006, 11:54 PM
Angi-Kaiser

The DS Lite is definately better than the DS. However, it killed my wallet. Game Stop wouldn't take my old DS becuase one of the upper-screens joints (that holds it to the bottom part) was broken. It still worked just fine, but they said that they wouldn't take it. Sooo... now I have both old and new, but that gave me a chance to compare the two. All of my games looked better on the DS Lite. Final Fantasy: DoS almost looked as good as its playstation counterpart. Anyway... At least now I can play multi-player with my sister/ friends that don't have a DS.
06-15-2006, 04:18 AM
Orophin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angi-Kaiser

Final Fantasy: DoS almost looked as good as its playstation counterpart.

I know Castlevania : Dawn of sorrow but not Final Fantasy : Dawn of Sorrow. :tongue:
06-15-2006, 04:26 AM
KentaRawr!

Dawn of Souls silly. :p
06-17-2006, 03:49 PM
Orophin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kentarou

Dawn of Souls silly. :p

Oups... my bad. :P