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Nintendo DS Lite Blue Console
Price Range:
$99.00 to $119.99
Product Description Nintendo DS Lite revolutionizes the way games are played with ultra-bright dual screens and touch-screen technology....
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Product Description Nintendo DS Lite revolutionizes the way games are played with ultra-bright dual screens and touch-screen technology. Connect wirelessly to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and put your skills to the test against players across the room or across the world. With impressive 3D rendered graphics and ultra-bright screens, Nintendo DS Lite delivers cutting-edge portable games for fans of any genre. With the Nintendo DS Headset, you can talk and chat over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or voice command games.
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137 Reviews from Epinions.com
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Nintendo DS Lite Blue
We are a 3 Nintendo DS Lite household. I started it when my husband got me a red & black (crimson/black) DS Lite 2 years ago. He bought it at Costco and it came packaged with the Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass game and some DS storage cases. I loved it and played it often and began to pick up a few games here and there. My son who had just turned 7 years old began playing it in lieu of his Leapster educational gaming system. He saved up his own money (and giftcards) and when he turned 8 years old he purchased one for himself (choosing the Blue/Black (cobalt blue/black) version. Fast forward to this past fall, my 4 1/2 year old daughter was asking for her own DS. Thinking that it would be a good idea before we took a vacation with a longish flight, I made good on her request and picked her up a very gently used DS Lite in Pink.
The DS Lite from Nintendo retails for $129 dollars and comes in a few color choices (like blue, red, black, white, pink, silver). Out of the box it includes the DS Lite handheld system, 2 stylus pointers, and a charger. We have purchased a car charger for on the go charging and my kids each have special cases (The G-Pak Organizer in Pink & Black) that they store their systems and their game collections.
The DS Lite is a portable gaming system that with a rechargable battery. To play simply charge it up and enjoy. When the red light comes on the battery is low indicating its time to charge it up again. It charges quickly and reaches a full charge within a few hours. When charged the DS Lite can be played for many hours before needing to be charged again. I read someplace that it could go for 19 hours on a full charge (if you have the screen on the lowest brightness setting). We usually play with our screens on full brightness and charge them up every couple of days - I'm estimating under 8 hours of play before charging but I've never timed it. My son gives his DS the biggest workout and will play for hours on end if we let him. This is particularly useful for travel or times when I'm running errands and lugging the kids around who need to be kept occupied and quiet.
The system itself is quite small measuring approximately 5" x 0.75" x 2.75" when it is closed. It has a clameshell design and when open has dual (top and bottom) screens. When closed, the screens are kept protected. Games are played on the DS Lite using a directional controller "+" on the left, the lower screen which is a touchscreen using the DS stylus, game control buttons located on the right A, B, X, Y, Start & Select, and right and left "shoulder" buttons located near the hinge on the back of the unit. The power is a slider switch on the right side and the volume is a slider located on the front. If you choose you can use headphones or earbuds to contain the sound. There is also a microphone located near the hinge (middle) and 2 game slots. Some games require you to blow into the microphone or speak into it. When not in use, the stylus is stored inside of the DS Lite in its own storage slot.
The bulk of the games you'll play on the DS Lite are likely to be DS game cartridges which are quite small - only about 1.5" square and thin. They plug into the slot in the uppermost rear portion of the system. There is also a larger slot that can accomodate older Gameboy Advance games (these are larger) and a small plastic plate covers this GBA slot when not in use. DS Lite games tend to retail around $29.99 with some costing a bit more and many costing less than that - especially kids games which can often be picked up in the $20 range.
Between the 3 of us with our DS Lite systems we have over 40 games many of which are kids games like my daughter's pick: Smart Girls Playhouse, my son's pick: Petz Catz 2, or my choice: Cooking Mama. There are hundreds of DS games to choose from including strategy games, roleplay games, teaching/educational games, time-wasters, what have you. Some of the games can be played in multi-player mode with Wi-Fi and another DS in close proximity. My son has a Mario Party game that all 3 of us can play using just 1 cartridge. Playing games on the DS lite is fun, challenging, and good stress relief for me. For the kids, it occupies them and keeps them content and reduces arguments amongst each other. My son is a very good game player where my daughter being only 4 1/2 requires easier games. My daughter also has some vision issues and problems with hand/eye coordination and I find the DS beneficial for her to play because it requires her to work on these skills.
Graphics on the DS Lite aren't the best out there but they are way better than they kiddie game systems my kids were used to (like the Leapster or the Didj). At times they are quite small - especially when playing 'adventure' type of games like Zelda or some of the games adapted from movies that my son likes to play (like UP, Wall-E, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs).
Sound on the DS Lite is adequate if sometimes tinny. Many of the games have annoying music that begs to be played low (and kids will want to put it on max). Even on the loudest setting it is not real loud so as to drive everyone in the vicinity bonkers. I do sometimes require the kids to wear headphones - especially when they are using it in the car and both playing different games - there's only so much I can take!
The LCD screens though small appear much larger than they actually are because there are 2 of them. The lower one will get some scratches over time from repeated use with the DS Stylus. The touchscreen is pretty sensitive and you can even use your finger instead of the stick (which is useful if you happen to misplace it). Still even though it is a touchscreen it is hard and quite sturdy. My kids are not the gentlest creatures and their DS screens have stood up to significant use (or some may say abuse).
The DS Lite is pretty durable but as with any portable electronic it does need to be cared for. The screens and outside cases will show some scratches (especially in the metal finish). In the time we have had our DS Lites, we had a replacement early on with my Crimson one and then again early on with my son's Cobalt blue one. Both times the system got cracked near one of the hinges. Nintendo replaced both under warranty without much question. I was told that if you play a lot with the system completely open as opposed to being open more like you'd use a laptop that it puts stress on the hinge. So, I try to make sure that my kids are using it with the screen positioned at an angle instead of completely flat/wide open.
Overall, the DS Lite is a huge hit in this house enjoyed by this Mama, my 9 year old son (with high functioning autism), and my 4 1/2 year old daughter. There are so many games to choose from that I don't see my kids outgrowing their DS Lites any time soon. If you are thinking that $129 is too much for a "toy" - I have found it well worth it and am pleased with the selection of affordable (under $25) games available for the kids. The DS Lite is well worth the investment! For younger kids, I do suggest looking at the NERF DS "armour" to provide a bit of extra protection.
More Nintendo DS Accessories:
Hori Nintendo DS Lite Headphones
Naki World G-Pak Organizer in Pink & Black
DS Lite Car Charger/Adapter
DS Lite ComfortStylus
Review of the Nintendo DS Lite - Fun for Moms and Kids too!
| Author's Rating: |
|
Pros: Easy to use, fun to play, kids love it and so do I!
Cons: Could be broken with rough use
The Bottom Line:
A game system that is fun for all ages!
We are a 3 Nintendo DS Lite household. I started it when my husband got me a red & black (crimson/black) DS Lite 2 years ago. He bought it at Costco and it came packaged with the Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass game and some DS storage cases. I loved it and played it often and began to pick up a few games here and there. My son who had just turned 7 years old began playing it in lieu of his Leapster educational gaming system. He saved up his own money (and giftcards) and when he turned 8 years old he purchased one for himself (choosing the Blue/Black (cobalt blue/black) version. Fast forward to this past fall, my 4 1/2 year old daughter was asking for her own DS. Thinking that it would be a good idea before we took a vacation with a longish flight, I made good on her request and picked her up a very gently used DS Lite in Pink.
The DS Lite from Nintendo retails for $129 dollars and comes in a few color choices (like blue, red, black, white, pink, silver). Out of the box it includes the DS Lite handheld system, 2 stylus pointers, and a charger. We have purchased a car charger for on the go charging and my kids each have special cases (The G-Pak Organizer in Pink & Black) that they store their systems and their game collections.
The DS Lite is a portable gaming system that with a rechargable battery. To play simply charge it up and enjoy. When the red light comes on the battery is low indicating its time to charge it up again. It charges quickly and reaches a full charge within a few hours. When charged the DS Lite can be played for many hours before needing to be charged again. I read someplace that it could go for 19 hours on a full charge (if you have the screen on the lowest brightness setting). We usually play with our screens on full brightness and charge them up every couple of days - I'm estimating under 8 hours of play before charging but I've never timed it. My son gives his DS the biggest workout and will play for hours on end if we let him. This is particularly useful for travel or times when I'm running errands and lugging the kids around who need to be kept occupied and quiet.
The system itself is quite small measuring approximately 5" x 0.75" x 2.75" when it is closed. It has a clameshell design and when open has dual (top and bottom) screens. When closed, the screens are kept protected. Games are played on the DS Lite using a directional controller "+" on the left, the lower screen which is a touchscreen using the DS stylus, game control buttons located on the right A, B, X, Y, Start & Select, and right and left "shoulder" buttons located near the hinge on the back of the unit. The power is a slider switch on the right side and the volume is a slider located on the front. If you choose you can use headphones or earbuds to contain the sound. There is also a microphone located near the hinge (middle) and 2 game slots. Some games require you to blow into the microphone or speak into it. When not in use, the stylus is stored inside of the DS Lite in its own storage slot.
The bulk of the games you'll play on the DS Lite are likely to be DS game cartridges which are quite small - only about 1.5" square and thin. They plug into the slot in the uppermost rear portion of the system. There is also a larger slot that can accomodate older Gameboy Advance games (these are larger) and a small plastic plate covers this GBA slot when not in use. DS Lite games tend to retail around $29.99 with some costing a bit more and many costing less than that - especially kids games which can often be picked up in the $20 range.
Between the 3 of us with our DS Lite systems we have over 40 games many of which are kids games like my daughter's pick: Smart Girls Playhouse, my son's pick: Petz Catz 2, or my choice: Cooking Mama. There are hundreds of DS games to choose from including strategy games, roleplay games, teaching/educational games, time-wasters, what have you. Some of the games can be played in multi-player mode with Wi-Fi and another DS in close proximity. My son has a Mario Party game that all 3 of us can play using just 1 cartridge. Playing games on the DS lite is fun, challenging, and good stress relief for me. For the kids, it occupies them and keeps them content and reduces arguments amongst each other. My son is a very good game player where my daughter being only 4 1/2 requires easier games. My daughter also has some vision issues and problems with hand/eye coordination and I find the DS beneficial for her to play because it requires her to work on these skills.
Graphics on the DS Lite aren't the best out there but they are way better than they kiddie game systems my kids were used to (like the Leapster or the Didj). At times they are quite small - especially when playing 'adventure' type of games like Zelda or some of the games adapted from movies that my son likes to play (like UP, Wall-E, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs).
Sound on the DS Lite is adequate if sometimes tinny. Many of the games have annoying music that begs to be played low (and kids will want to put it on max). Even on the loudest setting it is not real loud so as to drive everyone in the vicinity bonkers. I do sometimes require the kids to wear headphones - especially when they are using it in the car and both playing different games - there's only so much I can take!
The LCD screens though small appear much larger than they actually are because there are 2 of them. The lower one will get some scratches over time from repeated use with the DS Stylus. The touchscreen is pretty sensitive and you can even use your finger instead of the stick (which is useful if you happen to misplace it). Still even though it is a touchscreen it is hard and quite sturdy. My kids are not the gentlest creatures and their DS screens have stood up to significant use (or some may say abuse).
The DS Lite is pretty durable but as with any portable electronic it does need to be cared for. The screens and outside cases will show some scratches (especially in the metal finish). In the time we have had our DS Lites, we had a replacement early on with my Crimson one and then again early on with my son's Cobalt blue one. Both times the system got cracked near one of the hinges. Nintendo replaced both under warranty without much question. I was told that if you play a lot with the system completely open as opposed to being open more like you'd use a laptop that it puts stress on the hinge. So, I try to make sure that my kids are using it with the screen positioned at an angle instead of completely flat/wide open.
Overall, the DS Lite is a huge hit in this house enjoyed by this Mama, my 9 year old son (with high functioning autism), and my 4 1/2 year old daughter. There are so many games to choose from that I don't see my kids outgrowing their DS Lites any time soon. If you are thinking that $129 is too much for a "toy" - I have found it well worth it and am pleased with the selection of affordable (under $25) games available for the kids. The DS Lite is well worth the investment! For younger kids, I do suggest looking at the NERF DS "armour" to provide a bit of extra protection.
More Nintendo DS Accessories:
Hori Nintendo DS Lite Headphones
Naki World G-Pak Organizer in Pink & Black
DS Lite Car Charger/Adapter
DS Lite ComfortStylus
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