Games - Nintendo DS Lite

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	Games - Nintendo DS Lite

The Nintendo DS Lite is a redesign of the Nintendo DS. It was announced on January 26, 2006 and went on sale in Japan on March 2, 2006 for a price of 16,800 yen ($140 USD). The package includes an AC adapter, and should arrive sometime following Spring for North America and Europe. This model is a slimmer and lighter version of the Nintendo DS, which is hoped to make the DS more stylish and appeal to different gaming audiences. It was almost completely sold out on its release in Japan.

Characteristics

The DS Lite is 42% smaller in volume and 21% lighter than the original DS. The layout of the controls has been adjusted slightly, with the Start/Select buttons being moved to below the A/B/X/Y buttons. The stylus now slides into the system sideways, and the microphone has been relocated to the hinge in the center of the system. Also, the power button has been relocated to the right side of the system as a switch, opposed to a button right above the D-pad on the original DS. The screens have also been updated; the user can choose between four levels of brightness to increase battery efficiency and they are, even on the lowest setting, brighter compared to the original model. The Nintendo DS Lite has been confirmed to maintain all of the former functions the original Nintendo DS provided, including backwards compatibility with Game Boy Advance cartridges.

Also, the Nintendo DS Lite shows marked similarities with Nintendo's upcoming home console, the Nintendo Revolution. Button stylings and colors will match the Revolution's current color schemes .

Features

Weight: 218g (21% lighter than the DS).
Dimensions: 133mm × 73.9mm × 21.5mm (vs 148.7 mm × 84.7 mm × 28.9 mm - 42% less volume).
Stylus Dimensions: Length 87.5mm × 4.9mm (vs 75.0mm × 4.0mm)
D-pad reduced to 18.6mm across (16% smaller), A/B/X/Y buttons retain same dimensions.
Stylus diameter increased by 1mm, length increased by 1 cm.
Four levels of brightness, brighter than the original DS. The lowest level is slightly less bright than the DS.
Battery life: 15-19 hours on the lowest brightness setting, 5-8 hours on the highest.
Retains the Game Boy Advance
game connector ("Slot 2"), otherwise known as the Expansion Port. However, due to the reduced size, GBA cartidges stick out 1 cm from the front. To keep a seamless surface, a plastic plug covering the port is included.
Mimics some Nintendo Revolution design features: D-Pad with lines (also shared by the Game Boy micro) and Century Gothic font face on buttons.
The Nintendo DS is region free and can play games from any region. However, some wireless multiplayer games may not play with games from other regions. For example, a copy of Nintendogs from the USA will not connect with a copy of Nintendogs from Japan.
Three colors: Ice Blue, Enamel Navy, and Crystal White (see Colors)

Colors

On February 10, 2006 Nintendo revealed the color schemes of the system upon launch, at least in Japan: Crystal White, Ice Blue and Enamel Navy. However, due to manufacturing problems only the Crystal White was available at launch; the other two colors arrived on March 11th. Other colors may eventually be released, as is customary with Nintendo's handheld gaming systems. Image:DS_Lite_And_Stylus.jpg|Crystal White Image:DS Lite navy.jpg|Enamel Navy Image:DS Lite ice.jpg|Ice Blue

Japanese launch pricing

The DS lite's RRP is 16,800 yen.($143 USD). Due to the lack of supply and excessive demand of Nintendo DS systems in Japan, many Asian electronics distributors have raised the retail price of the redesigned handheld console to 23,300 yen ($200 USD). On some Japanese auction sites it is being offered for prices as high as 40,000 yen ($341 USD).

Nintendo has now estimated that the shortage will be eased by mid April.

Gallery

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