There will be no DS redesign. Honest. Promise. No way. Oh look!

[Shockeye]

Nintendo Unveils DS Redesign
Smaller, more compact, and hitting Japan March 2nd.

by John Ricciardi, 01/26/2006

Nintendo today announced a newly-redesigned version of their DS handheld in Japan, confirming rumors that have been floating around the internet for the past few weeks. The "Nintendo DS Lite" features a smaller case design than the original DS and a higher-quality screen with four brightness settings. According to Nintendo, the name "Lite" is a play on words meant to emphasize both the system's lightweight design (it's about two ounces lighter than the previous DS) as well as its lighter, brighter screen.

We contacted Nintendo for further information and were able to confirm a few extra bits of info beyond what was issued in the release. For starters, the new DS Lite will continue to play Game Boy Advance games as well; some users have already expressed concern that the GBA slot might have been removed from the new design in order to save money, but we can confirm that this is not the case. In addition, Nintendo is planning to launch the system in three different colors in Japan, though the actual colors have yet to be determined. The only image released thus far shows a white DS Lite, but Nintendo hasn't yet decided if that will be one of the final choices come launch day. Furthermore, while the physical size of the new DS is smaller (133.0 x 73.9 x 31.5mm -- the old DS was 148.7 x 84.7 x 28.9mm), the actual screen itself will remain identical in size to that of the original. And finally, those of you with giant man-hands can rest easy, as the original DS will continue to be sold alongside the new Lite version (at least in Japan).

The DS Lite will be released in Japan on March 2, 2006, and will retail for 16,800 yen (approximately $145 at the current exchange rate).

(Hiroko Minamoto contributed to this story.)

[Yegolev]

Design reminds me of the Revolution controller.  Unsurprising.

[schild]

So it's still big and PLASTIC. Sigh.



Closed it's SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.

Open it's uuuuuuuuuuuuuugly..

[Hanzii]

Weeeell, it is smaller than the PSP now... and iPod-white apparently.
I'm not buying a new one for the one game I play on it.

[Furiously]

My initial thought was - that looks like an apple product.

[Azazel]

Tecnically it sounds a lot better than the DS I was considering buying recently, though I'll wait until I can hold one in my hands locally before I get too excited.

Big and Plastic? I don't get the objection. You mean plastic like a PSP? Or plastic like an iPod? Or Plastic like a GBA? Like, what were you expecting?

[schild]

The limited edition Gameboy Micro is metal. A very awesome looking metal product. The DS could have been the same type of thing most likely. Unfortunately it isn't. I would have much rathered a restyling of the DS (since they're going to continue selling the original), actually be worth the $150 they're charging for it again. What's wrong with making a sleeker DS for the adults?

[Shockeye]

You can buy the limited edition metal faceplate for $4.95 at the Nintendo store now.

[NiX]

The limited edition Gameboy Micro is metal. A very awesome looking metal product. The DS could have been the same type of thing most likely. Unfortunately it isn't. I would have much rathered a restyling of the DS (since they're going to continue selling the original), actually be worth the $150 they're charging for it again. What's wrong with making a sleeker DS for the adults?

C'mon Schild. Don't be so blind. A micro is tiny as hell and the DS is big. If you were to cover that thing in metal it would weigh 5 pounds and it wouldn't be a portable anymore. I don't mind the DS. If you drop a PSP it's toast. The DS I have has been dropped so many times I'm sure something is broken, but the system still turns on without a problem. Sometimes the shiney isn't what makes something high quality.

[schild]

Haven't we been over this? I've dropped my DS once and broke it. I've dropped my PSP a number of times and not broken it. There's nothing stopping them from at least making the outside or one part of it metal like an iPod since they're obviously already going for that look.

[Shockeye]

Haven't we been over this? I've dropped my DS once and broke it. I've dropped my PSP a number of times and not broken it. There's nothing stopping them from at least making the outside or one part of it metal like an iPod since they're obviously already going for that look.

Red plastic outside dual metal plates inside would look sweet. I'd buy that.

[MrHat]

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/17/joystiq-readers-redesign-the-nintendo-ds/

[Righ]

I have to say that it certainly seems as if the PSP would be more prone to breaking if thrown around like kids do with their portable game systems. That's why my nephew got a DS and I got a PSP. At least, that's my story.

[Trippy]

I'll reserve judgement on the redesign until I see it in person. The original/current DS looks a lot better in pictures than it does in person -- the plastic is a lot "cheaper" looking in real life.

[Fabricated]

Naturally right after I get my DS for Christmas. Fuck Nintendo.

Besides, Nintendo is just going to release another version after this next one. They're whores like that.

[voodoolily]

This one's the best.

Here's a better picture? Not so better.



My only digicam is my phone. /sadf

[Yegolev]

Let's not get into the durability stuff again.  The metallic DS will come two or three revisions from now.  The Micro is, what, the third GBA variant?

[schild]

Let's not get into the durability stuff again.  The metallic DS will come two or three revisions from now.  The Micro is, what, the third GBA variant?

Technically, the 4th. A few weeks before the micro, they released a SP with nothing but a brighter screen.

Edit: Maybe that was after the micro. Either way, Nintendo is a money sink. I think I've spent more money on the GBA than I have the PSP. It just SEEMS like less since the initial hit is so soft.

[Azazel]

All this shit discussed on f13 is a money sink. Well, that and timesinks. I'll wait and see on the new DS. My existing GBA's seem quite solid, despite being made of plastic, don't have that cheapass "plasticky" feel to them. if the new DS is like the GBA's, then I'll consider it.

[Jain Zar]

And I would still be using my original  non backlit GBA if the DS didn't effectively replace it.

Schild, your experience with portables is different from like, the entire rest of the Internet.

[voodoolily]

You guys were supposed to say, "omg! your bedazzled ds is so kewt!!!!"

/sadf

[NiX]

Assuming your picture worked.

[Samwise]

[NiX]

I just ordered my Graphite Black DS from PlayAsia.com. Unfortunately Lik-Sang has been on back order for the past 2 months and PlayAsia is saying they'll ship it in a couple days. Unfortunately I had to order on a weekend because EBay people suck and they randomly cancelled my order for a black DS. Pig Fuckers.

[Ookii]

Actual pictures: http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/08/nintendo-ds-lite-live-shots/

[schild]

There's a chance Engadget should've really wiped that fucker down with alcohol. Or whoever got a hold of it.

[Trippy]

There's a chance Engadget should've really wiped that fucker down with alcohol. Or whoever got a hold of it.

Somebody needs to learn how to set the white balance on his or her digital camera. And assuming that's the real deal and not just a prototype I was correct in reserving judgement -- it looks a lot worse in real life than it does in the digital/retouched mockups.

[Trippy]

More (and better) pictures here:

http://ruliweb.dreamwiz.com/ruliboard/read.htm?num=7093&table=game_nds&main=nds

I'm still reserving judgement until I see one in person but it looks better in the above pictures than it does in the Engadget ones.

[Miasma]

More (and better) pictures here:

http://ruliweb.dreamwiz.com/ruliboard/read.htm?num=7093&table=game_nds&main=nds

I'm still reserving judgement until I see one in person but it looks better in the above pictures than it does in the Engadget ones.

Those look really awful, very cheap looking too.  I'm sure they would have gotten a better design if they had held a contest in which their fans submitted concepts.  And I mean that as an insult, I'm not a huge fan of group think.

[Trippy]

DS Lite will be available in three colors (at least in Japan):

http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3806&lsaid=219793

[Strazos]

Where's my Orange DS, fuckers?

[schild]

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/17/joystiq-readers-redesign-the-nintendo-ds/

HEY EVERYBODY LOOK AT NINTENDO'S PATENTS. AREN'T THEY ORIGINAL?

[Merusk]

The DS has reminded me of something for a while, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  Then last night my daughter unlocked Mr. Game & Watch in Smash Brothers and it hit me, they ARE the Game & Watch with modern tech.  Yes, I'm slow but I had a good giggle over that and thought I'd share.

[Glazius]

HEY EVERYBODY LOOK AT NINTENDO'S PATENTS. AREN'T THEY ORIGINAL?

Somebody patented serving cereal and milk in separate containers so you can pour milk on the cereal yourself. Let me rephrase that. They patented the _idea_ of serving cereal and milk in separate containers. Apparently my college's dining hall has been in violation of said patent for negative 20 years.

Then again, some schlub decided in 1895 he'd patent putting an internal-combustion engine on a wheeled chassis. Truly there is nothing new under the sun.

--GF