The Chronic Consumer

What’s the very first accessory you should purchase along with your new Nintendo DS Lite? Not a case (although that’s recommended), pouch, character-topped stylus, or anything like that. I recommend buying screen protectors first.

Screen protectors are just thin, plastic films that fit over the top and bottom screens to protect them from scratches. If you’ve got a cell phone, PDA, iPod, or similar device, then you probably use screen protectors on those as well. But they’re even more important for the DS Lite because of all the writing and tapping you’re likely to do with the stylus. You certainly don’t want to scratch up your screens so much that it becomes impossible to play the thing!

I’ve seen DS Lite screen protectors over at Amazon.com for as little as $1.99 (yes, you get two in a package if it specifically says it’s for the DS Lite), so there’s no excuse not to buy them. I think I paid $5 for mine because I just grabbed whatever was at the store that I bought my DS from.