The Chronic Consumer

I bought a Nintendo DS about a year ago and have really enjoyed the system thus far. In fact, I liked it so much that I decided to go ahead and purchase a DS Lite as well so I can play head-to-head against my husband or son. I’ve had my DS Lite for a couple of weeks now (I went with the Enamel Navy model) and am ready to write out my review.

The first thing that strikes me about the DS Lite is how much smaller it is than the regular DS. According to the published specs, the DS Lite is 21% lighter with 42% less volume than the original. While this is good for portability, it actually makes games harder to play. I have small hands to begin with, and even I feel the DS Lite becomes too uncomfortable to use for extended periods. Plus, the directional buttons are smaller, so that’s just another strike against comfort. I guess it’s better for kids, though!

The second thing I noticed about the DS Lite is that the power switch is different. It’s a switch instead of a button, and it’s now on the side of the unit instead of above the directional keys. In addition, the stylus is bigger than in the original DS and is now stores in the side of the unit as well.

There are other differences as well, but the remaining ones are pretty minor and don’t affect gameplay very much at all.

Other than the different look, the DS Lite is essentially the same unit as the DS, so there’s not really much else to talk about. I have to say that I’m very impressed with the head-to-head mode on games like Mario Kart DS and Brain Age. Everything worked very smoothly and we had no problems establishing a connection between the units. Being able to play head-to-head makes these games so much more fun that I can’t believe we waited this long to buy another unit!

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend trading in your original DS for a DS Lite — particularly if you’re an adult and plan to use the unit yourself. As I said, it’s pretty uncomfortable to play games for long periods on the smaller console. But if you’re planning on buying the DS Lite for a child or as a second (or third) unit for head-to-head competition, then I say go for it! It’s definitely worth the money for the extra fun.