Nintendo DS Lite - Fantastic! (Nintendo DS Lite)

Member Name: rose1986

Product:	Nintendo DS Lite
Date:	22/11/07 (360 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great quality, sleek design, range of features

Disadvantages: None

Recently, my younger Sister purchased a Nintendo DS Lite for herself and she loves it. There are so many games out there so there is something for everyone so you'll never get bored with your purchase. I think the reason she likes it so much as she has the "pink" version which is nice and girlie. It is also a nice size and very light, which can fit into her bag when travelling etc.
What is a Nintendo DS Lite?

A Nintendo DS Lite is similar to the Nintendo DS which was released in 2004. However, the original Nintendo DS was a lot heavier and bulkier and didn't have as many function.
The Nintendo DS Lite was released in 2006 and has been extremely popular since. In fact, they think the Nintendo DS Lite will be a sell out this Christmas. The Nintendo DS Lite is a lot lighter than the previous Nintendo DS and much sleeker. However, I will talk about the design later on.

The Nintendo DS Lite is a handheld, dual-screen computer console with many games and accessories available. The console is suitable for Children, Teenagers and Adults as there are a wide variety of games available.
+* Design *+

The Nintendo DS Lite is sleek and light weight, a far cry from the original DS. The DS is only a couple of millimetres smaller than the original DS, but it makes a big difference. The DS Lite measures 133mm in length, 73.9mm in width, 21.5mm in height and finally it weighs 218grams. As you can see from these measurements, the DS Lite in actual fact is small and not bulky. The light weight DS makes it fantastic for carrying about when you are on the go. The design is said to be "Apple" inspired as it takes on the design of the iPod, with its sleek exterior.
There are many different colours available with the DS. My Sister is quite girly so of course picked the pink design. Other colours available include white, silver and black. Limited edition colours include metallic rose and ice blue.

+* Specifications *+
The size of the DS Lite is already above in the Design section. However, the top screen is back lit, 3 inches in size and colour screen. The bottom screen is exactly the same as the top, although it is touch screen. It has wireless communication (Wi-Fi), allowing you to play with other games all over the world. Controls: Touch screen, embedded microphone for voice recognition, A/B/X/Y face buttons, plus control pad, L/R shoulder buttons, Start and Select buttons. Input/Output: Ports for both Nintendo DS game cards and Game Boy Advance game paks, terminals for stereo headphones and microphone. A removable cover for the Game Boy Advance game pak slot provides added protection from dust and other foreign materials. Other Features: Embedded PictoChat software that allows up to 16 users within local range of one another to chat at once; embedded real-time clock; date, time and alarm; touch-screen calibration. CPUs: One ARM9 and one ARM7. Sound: Stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, depending on the software. Battery: Lithium ion battery delivering five to 19 hours of play on a four-hour charge, depending on use; power-saving sleep mode; AC adapter. Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Italian. The specification details were taken from www.nintendo.com

+* Games *+
The games work by inserting the cartridge into the cartridge slot, obviously with the power being switched to on! There are so many games available these days from Action games to Strategy games. The games vary in price depending on what store you purchase them from and whether it is a new release. Each game is usually between £15.00 and £40.00 which can be quite pricey.

An example of some games available include:
Sim City - A strategy game based on the old PC version, where you build your own city. You start off building your city and then managing the city as you go along, obviously building your city to meet the requirements of your Resident's. Along the way, you are faced with problems such as maintaining roads, watching your finances, weather conditions changing, meeting the Resident's demands etc. This is a great game. I remember playing it when I was younger on the PC and I have had a go on the DS too. It is a far cry from the PC with its excellent graphics and new features. I would definitely recommend this game and I have seen it available from £15.00 - £20.00 in shops such as HMV and Virgin.

Big Brain Academy - Brain Academy is a game where you will need to use your thinking cap! You have to be quite quick as well as some questions are timed. You play mini-games on Big Brain and at the end of the level or when your time is up, your "brain score" will be weighed up. Each game contains visual, audio and memory games challenges. The mini-games vary so you won't get tired of the game easy. The price also varies and is available in many shops. I haven't actually played this on the DS but previously on my boyfriend's Wii and it is great fun so I imagine it just to be the same!
There are many other games available, this is just an example. There is something for everyone, for every taste, every sex and every age.

+* What comes with your DS Lite *+
With your DS Lite, you will be provided with a stick to use on your touch-screen, earphones, a pouch and charger. Obviously, this varies depending on where you purchase your DS from, but this tends to be standard.

+* Price / Availability *+
The price obviously varies depending on where you purchase your DS Lite. My Sister purchased hers for £119.00 from Game and got a selected game free. However, you can purchase the console itself for £99.00. Many stores are now offering a "bundle pack" service which can work out a lot cheaper. This works by purchasing your DS Lite along with a selected game(s). I would recommend this as you will find you get more for your money.

The DS Lite is a big hit this Christmas so they are selling very fast in the shops. Many shops are offering a "pre-order" service to try and prevent disappointment this year! If you wish to purchase a DS Lite, I would recommend you buy one as soon as possible as they are in demand.
Shops which sell the DS Lite include HMV, Virgin, Woolworths and online Amazon. There are more shops selling this product, this is just an example of the shops I have seen advertising the DS Lite.

+* Accessories *+
There are many accessories available for the DS Lite. Accessories include Headset Accessories, Rumble Pack (this will allow your DS Lite to vibrate with certain games), DS Browser, Wi-Fi USB Connector (this allows up to 5 DS Lites to connect to the same Wi-Fi port), Slide Controller (this can be used to control a game) and a camera, similar to a webcam. However, the camera has only been released in Japan so far.

Other accessories include pouches. This protects your DS Lite from damaging bumps and scratches. You can also buy more sticks to use with your touch-screen's as well as other accessories.
+* My opinion *+

Personally, I think the console is worth every penny. Although some games can be quite pricey, the quality of game is excellent and there are so many to choose from. The accessories available today are fantastic too, so you can customise your DS Lite to a certain extent. My Sister has had hours of enjoyment from her DS and I imagine other have too.
The sound quality and picture quality are fantastic and each DS comes with a warranty. The fact these are becoming a sell-out for Christmas proves what a great buy these are. Nintendo have been around for years & years and obviously know what they are doing. The design is also nice and unique, and with many colours available, you can buy a DS to suit your own tastes.

The DS Lite is provided with an instruction manual which is simple to follow, so if you have any problems, you always have this to refer too. However, I have found it easy to use with no problems at all.
Thank you for reading my review

Summary: Nintendo have done it again and released another fantastic console