CORBIE'S GAME BLOG

I've got to admit, I'm always skeptical when a game company decides to upgrade their exisiting system so soon after the original was released. That being said, after reading numerous comments regarding how much better a design and how much brighter and clearer the screens were on the new DS Lite system, I found myself ordering one from Play-Asia despite having already made up my mind that I wasn't going to upgrade so soon after buying the original DS system. I have always disliked the design of the original DS, only tolerating it because I loved the DS games so much. The original design is clunky, heavy, and doesn't have a very bright LCD screen unless you're staring at it head on. This has always made seeing both screens at one time difficult simply because they are always at different angles due to the slight tilt of the top screen. But I'm happy to reveal that the new DS Lite has addressed all of these issues, along with a few others, and is now a system worthy of the games it plays. In fact, you're going to find that you see all of your old games in a whole new light. Or Lite I should say.

So what exactly are the improvements over the original DS, and are these upgrades impressive enough to warrant buying a new DS system. I can't go any further into this review without first mentioning the LCD screens on the DS Lite. If ever a name so aptly described the product, it's the "Lite" in DS Lite. Not only are the screens on the DS Lite extremely brighter than those found on the original DS, they're also a lot clearer. Putting the original DS next to the DS Lite on even the medium brightness setting is like putting the original GBA next to the GBA SP. It's really that big of a difference. This remedies the old problem of not being able to get both DS screens directly bright on the original DS. You won't have any trouble viewing both of the screens on the DS Lite, and if you're feeling a little brave, you can even crank the brightness to the highest setting and burn the corneas out of your eyeballs just for fun. Even on the lowest brightness setting, the DS Lite is still brighter than the original DS. So if you're looking for a good reason to trade in your DS for a DS Lite, the screens alone make it well worth it.

Another big improvement over the original DS is the size and weight of the unit. Not only is the DS Lite smaller and thinner than the DS, it's also lighter. This will make it especially more comfortable during those marathon DS gaming sessions as the system won't fatigue your hands as much. The system also sports a much boxier look, but with nicely rounded edges. To top off the physical makeover, Nintendo also took a page out of Apple's book and decided to go with a more "glossy" look putting a nice layer of clear, shiny plastic over the regular-colored plastic of the system. These cosmetic changes may seem superficial, but they go a long way towards giving the DS a nice modern look to it. And what a beauty it is.

The d-pad and action buttons on the system have a softer and less "clicky" feel to them, which makes them a bit more responsive to the touch. The d-pad is also a llittle smaller which answers some of the complaints regarding the original DS d-pad being too large. One of the few complaints I have about the system is the "Start" and "Select" buttons. They're in a much better location on the DS Lite, but they're very small and have to be pressed down with a little more force than most people will be used to. It's a very minor problem, but one worth mentioning amongst all the heaping praise. Nintendo also answered the call for a larger stylus, as the stylus that comes with the DS Lite is a bit fatter and longer. While you won't notice a huge difference right at first, the more you time you use it, the more you come to appreciate its' slightly larger size. Although many of these improvements are focused towards improving the playing experience, they also make the DS Lite a much sleeker and more attractive system to boot.

Okay we've seen all the improvements to the DS and its' functionality, but what about the GBA function. Well luckily the reduction in size doesn't affect the GBA function of the DS much. The system still has the standard GBA game slot, only now the GBA game cart will protrude out of the slot about 1/2 an inch. This may sound annoying, but it really doesn't affect the way you hold the system or play the GBA games at all. And given the insanely crisp LCD screen, you're GBA games have never looked so good. Nintendo has even been gracious and included a GBA slot cover that matches the color of your DS Lite system for those times when you're not playing a GBA game and want to mantain the sleek look of your DS Lite.

Even with all of the improvements we've seen so far, Nintendo still thought to put a better battery in the DS Lite as to keep that nuclear-powered backlight from draining the battery too fast. Nintendo even claims that on the highest brightness setting, yes the one visible from space, your DS Lite will still last as long as the battery life on the original DS. Just think how long it will last if you use a slightly lower brightness setting. The bottom line is, if you want to get the fullest, most enjoyable DS gaming experience, you really need to pick up a DS Lite. There are just so many improvements over the original, that it's pretty much a no-brainer. I can promise you, one look at those two brilliant LCD screens, and you'll have your original DS on ebay so fast your head will spin. The DS Lite is basically what the original DS should have been. (RATING: 9.5/10)