Cheap Ass Guide to the DS Lite [Pictures working again]

amusedtoe

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IF THE PICTURES AREN'T WORKING FOR YOU PLEASE BE PATIENT AND CHECK BACK SHORTLY. THEY'VE BEEN MOVED AND HAVE A MUCH FRIENDLIER BANDWIDTH LIMIT OF 100MB PER HOUR.

You've slavered over hands on reports, harrowing epics of self abuse, and drool inducing pictures to make you forget the bad news: it's still unknown when the DS Lite is leaving Japan. So what's a Cheap Ass Gamer to do? You take your girlfriend to Taco Bell on Valentine's Day, claim the thrift shop's too expensive and think you're being ripped off if you pay more then 20% of retail value for a new release; do you dare pay over MSRP for the object of your desire?

The anticipation built for a week as I sat on a pile of cheap DS games and futilely tried to understand Japanese so I could track my package. Fatefully the doorbell rang and my ears rang with music as "Express Mail" rolled off the carriers lips and I struggled to restrain myself from tackling her as she insisted I fill out a form. Ripping the brown paper packaging from the small bubble clad package my smile went Grinchish in width. I may have started laughing in a startlingly maniacal fashion during this time but the reports are conflicting.


Gingerly I folded back the layers of packaging slowly, tenuously, hesitating on the cusp of embrace with a new lover. Withdrawing it's secrets from within I notice that at least in this initial release Nintendo has opted to omit the rubber thumb nub, fairly negligible as only a couple of games really give you an edge with its use. None the less, with Metroid Prime: Hunters tantalizingly near and the potential for the nub to be the ideal control situation is a little disappointing.


Having filled a week with every screenshot and word on the subject I could find the mystery in what I was about to hold wasn't overwhelming. Yet pulling the glossy white unit out of the protective bag may have been the first time I set eyes on it's body or heard it's sultry name. There's something about the unit, how truly elegant it is, the way the clear plastic reflects the light, and it's surprising size that comes across in a fresh way holding it in the palm of your hand.


Charging the unit is torture. Beauty has invited you to indulge in itself only to sequester itself to private and implore you to wait a little longer. I try to bide my time with indecipherable Japanese and learn through the magic of pictures that styli are delicious and the DS is good for crushing babies. I took solace in an odd illustration that I could derive no meaning from as alas, I don't speak Japanese. Mere minutes into the unknown time she would require I gave myself over to a nap to spare the agony of waiting.


Awakening, the orange charge light no longer tells me to stop so I seize it in both hands. Opening the top I notice that the hinge is nice and tight, securely snapping into place to greet me. I stroke it's inside surface and find it's texture unique, not the cold hard plastic on the outside but a barely noticeable feeling of softness. Moving my fingers up it's sides to the shoulders my fingers are greeted with a gentle roughness as if a fine grade of sand paper had been run over it's inner plastic. Turning my prize around to take a look I notice that the triggers are almost in line with the top of the unit and are designed for very little travel room. I spend some time depressing the shoulders and though they take little effort to operate you know you're using them and feel satisfied about it.


I trace my fingers back to its front and seize it firmly. My index finger moves to its side and I push the power switch skyward. Nothing happens. I look and push again realizing the spring was stronger then I anticipated and I hadn't pushed it far enough. The power light flicks yellow, its speakers chime out, and I'm warned about my health as I'm bathed in the warmth of her glow. I'm spoken to in Japanese, very exotic, but universal icons let me stumble through until I can convince it to speak to me in English.


Now it sits and waits at my beck to please me, I sit and take in the stark beauty of it's dual attributes. So crisp and bright, still untouched. I tell it to start Tony Hawk's American Sk8land and it obeys. As I begin to skate around raising trouble and defacing property, as all skateboarders apparently do, I'm sitting in spectacle at the colors, the smoothness, the brightness that could destroy retinas of the unprepared. Then I wonder why my laptop that cost ten times as much doesn't come anywhere near this. Picking out new wires to grind on and extend my combo is as easy as it should be with nary a hint of ghosting and beautiful contrast.


I begin to play seriously, mashing buttons faster and faster working together huge combos as Green Day pipes from the small speakers. Manuals, specials, face plants all go off easier then ever as the controls naturally extend from my hands as if we were one. The d-pad perfectly dimpled in the center to ease and reduce movement, the face buttons petite yet distinguished so I can work them without moving my thumb. I push them in and out, they're surprisingly soft, unlike any controller I can pull out to compare, and belie a subtle firmness that lets you do what you want while staying in control.


That's when my hands started to cramp a little. I had instinctively fallen back to my "SP grip", pushing my fingers flush against its flat back the system under the ball of my thumb. I was fatiguing too quick, this simply wouldn't do. Setting the system down for a minute I had to think about how to go about this. I remembered watching cabels short bits about the system and thought that maybe his approach of letting it rest on the finger tips would be best. Drawing it back into my hands I held it gingerly letting it "breathe". I changed to Mario Kart and jumped into a Grand Prix. By the end of the first lap the slick little box had nearly slid out of my hands as I powerslid and dropped shells on hapless foes.


This wouldn't work either as I'm afraid I wouldn't be forgiven if I were to drop it mid-game. So I embraced it a little closer sliding the second knuckles of my fingers underneath to give it support. My pinkies will sit on the bottom edge in case I get over zealous on it's shoulders and it makes for sweet music. Sometimes it likes me to use the stylus and touch it. It's beautiful how it fits between my thumb and forefinger so I can cross animals with nothing inhibiting our interactions.


I still have some long term concerns about our love, but no relationship is perfect. I wonder how well it will hold up over long term use, and especially how durable the plastic shell is and how vulnerable to scratching it is. It also could have a better positioned wrist strap that was wearable while playing to ease fears of dropage on a hard floor. It also has a sort of weird mole behind its ear in the GBA slot that doesn't fully take GBA games in and takes them in oddly off center. Entirely cosmetic but makes traveling without carrying additional games a little more difficult.

At night when I go to bed with it next to me my lovely has some quirks but that's part of what makes it beautiful. We're happy together and I see us being so for a long time. It's true that happiness comes in small packages.
 
DS Lite Q&A:
---------------


Q: "Is there a clear plastic coating on the white color or is it a high gloss paint? I'm trying to figure out if the actual color is on the surface or if its undeath some sort of clear plastic coat."
A: It's a coating of relatively high gloss clear plastic that covers everything but the interior face and hinge. The actual coloring is underneath it protected from damage even if the shell becomes scuffed or scratched. From looking at it the color itself may be matte but the plastic makes it look like a high gloss paint finish.

Q: What I've been wondering is are they gonna make a new rumble pack for it? Obviously the current one would stick out.
A: I'd speculate that if they do it's going to be a good while before we see it. With less then 70 thousand units out there at launch it just doesn't make practical sense. There's also the issue that unless it's bundled with another quality game how many people will want to essentially buy the same item twice. Now that they're releasing it stand alone though that could easily change things if sales are strong and a lot of third party games start supporting it.

Q: Has the wifi been changed to add support for WPA or faster interface speeds?
A: While I haven't had a chance to play with the wi-fi personally yet all basic functionality not affected directly by the redesign were supposed to remain unchanged.

Q: I hate you for making me want this. When are they coming out in the States so we can be friends again?
A: Unfortunately that still hasn't been announced. The date was whispered to be Nintendos big announcement at the Game Developers Conference but Nintendos keynote ended up revolving around the new DS iteration of The Legend Zelda. When asked about the lack of an announcement at the show Reggies words were "DS Lite date announcement is coming soon. You will have to wait on that." While that leaves open the possibility for an imminent announcement, E3 is a likely bet to learn the date.

Q: Are the new buttons concave like the current DS or are they rounded?
A: Rounded, see this picture by Daroga which shows how much so.

Q: Do you have any more pics, maybe of the Navy? How about it running some games?
A: Sure, and thank your old buddy Daroga for them on the way out.

Enamel Navy:
-EN DS Lite top
-EN DS Lite front
-EN DS Lite card slot
-EN DS Lite power button
-EN DS Lite D-Pad
-EN DS Lite with Graphite original
-DS Lite power adapter

Original DS vs DS Lite:
-DS Lite at brightness 1
-DS Lite at brightness 2
-DS Lite at brightness 3
-DS Lite at brightness 4

Backlit GBA SP vs DS Lite:
-SP low vs. brightness 1
-SP high vs. brightness 1
-SP low vs. brightness 2
-SP high vs. brightness 2
-SP low vs. brightness 3
-SP high vs. brightness 3
-SP low vs. brightness 4
-SP hight vs. brightness 4

GameGear vs. DS Lite:
-Shot 1
-Shot 2

Games on the DS Lite:
-Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow [ #1 | #2 | #3 ]
-Electroplankton [ #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | #6 | #7 | #8 | #9 | #10 | #11 ]
-Kirby Canvas Cure [ #1 | #2 ]
-MPH: First Hunt [ #1 | #2 ]
-Metroid Prime Pinball [ #1 | #2 ]
-Nanostray [ #1 | #2 | #3 ]
-Polarium [ #1 | #2 ]
-Phoenix Wright: Ace Attourny [ #1 | #2 | #3 ]
-Trauma Center: Under the Knife [ #1 | #2 ]
-Tetris DS [ #1 | #2 | #3 ]

Misc:
-Stylus Comparison
-eReader [ Inserted | Close Up ]

Q: Can I use the AC adapter in North America or will I have to purchase an adapter?
A: Yes, the AC adapter is 110V which is the standard in North America. If you reside elsewhere you'll need to look into getting a step-down converter if your country is 220v or the appropriate adapter if it's 120V.




[UPDATE 3/31] Fixed the pictures after being hammered by some very generous links. Also added some questions that have been asked.

[UPDATE 3/25] Added pictures by Daroga

[UPDATE 3/20] Edited this post into a sort of change log and added the Q&A to answer questions not covered in an easily accesible format.

[UPDATE] Pics are up now, but I'm sure you realized that if you're not on dial-up.

[DAPHATTY UPDATE] DS Lite will be released on June 11 2006.
 
Is it hot in here????


Amusedtoe-- where did you order from? I want one sooo bad...I'd easily drop $200 shipped on it right now (thanks to the mgs3:le) but it's $300 on ebay and all the prominent import sites are backordered to hell.
 
This post wants to make me go get tested.

But seriously, that's a very accomplished little piece of technoporn you shared with us, Mr. Toe. Nice work. :applause:
 
[quote name='RelentlessRolento']... next time you write a Guide, please don't make it sound like something sexual.[/quote]

Wow... that wasn't really what I was going for...

Was certainly going for something sensual that would invoke strong imagery, not "techno-porn", lol. If someone happened to be offended or take it inaproprietly I apologize, but that's going to be a bit on you as well for taking it such a way. Still, if it had just been another iteration of the same article you'd already read would you have done anything more then scan it? :)

Anyway, I did get it off Ebay pretty early on when they could still be had in the low to mid $200 range. I hadn't initially intended to get a DS Lite for quite a while, if at all, so by that point if I had gone with an importer would probably be waiting until at least June and paid the premium anyway picking up a regular DS.

The pics are uploading right now, I'm on dial-up so it's a little slow, and then I'll edit the post.
 
[quote name='Arkay Firestar']Yes yes, quite nice, but the photos dont get any bigger for me. And some of them look quite revealing too, so its a shame that they're so small...[/QUOTE]

Oops, slightly sloppy coding on my part. Fixing now. :)

Edit- Ok, should be working now. Guess the forums were inserting extra tags when I was pasting links.
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Stupid ebay....so expensive.[/QUOTE]

Yea, but like I said in another thread either spend the money now and get what I want or spend the money later and wait who knows how long.
 
I just caved and put a bid in on an auction. How unCAG-like of me :p At least it was my fiancee who talked me into it thuogh ;)
 
I would have already has mine if Nintendo release more then 16 of them in Japan. Still have both a Navy and White on order. If these don't get shipped by Mid April Im out.
 
NO GHOSTING!!! YES! Finally someone answered the only question that I was still pondering. Can't wait for these to come to the U.S.
 
What I've been wondering is are they gonna make a new rumble pack for it? Obviously the current one would stick out.
 
If they do it's going to be a great while before they do so. With less then 70 thousand units out there right now it just doesn't make practical sense, and unless it's bundled with another game, and is molded to the same shape as the cover piece I wouldn't bother picking it up. Now that they're releasing it stand alone though that could easily change things if sales are strong and a lot of third party games start supporting it.
 
Amusedtoe, fuck you. I decided to buy one off ebay thanks to you're fucking pictures. I had an order in with Lik-Sang for $170 + $25 shipping...so an extra $50 or so to get it now is WAY worth it considering I still have my old DS to sell. I hate you.
 
[quote name='gizmogc']Amusedtoe, fuck you. I decided to buy one off ebay thanks to you're fucking pictures. I had an order in with Lik-Sang for $170 + $25 shipping...so an extra $50 or so to get it now is WAY worth it considering I still have my old DS to sell. I hate you.[/QUOTE]
What your eBay used id? Did you beat me on an auction from this morning/afternoon? ;)
 
[quote name='daroga']What your eBay used id? Did you beat me on an auction from this morning/afternoon? ;)[/QUOTE]

I havn't bidded yet. I plan on soon, just looking for the right auction.
 
[quote name='daroga']Well, just won a Navy. Should be here in 5-14 days. I'll post pics when it comes. :)[/QUOTE]

How much dare I say, did you pay?
 
[quote name='gizmogc']How much dare I say, did you pay?[/QUOTE]
Too much.

$237+$30 shipping+$15 required insurance. So $280ish. I had budgeted about $225 to get one from NCSX if they ever got them in stock. The cheapest other option for a BIN I saw was $307 shipped. This was a bid with "viname-stores." They have a ton of ice blue and Navy lites up. They start at $225 usually, BIN for $270.

I have a "second chance" auction from them sitting here for $248.89 BIN +shipping & insurance that I think I can pass on to a different person if anyone wants it. I'd say try your luck at bidding though.
 
I'm tempted, but there isn't a single bin below like $280 right now. argh. guess I gotta wait a few weeks for them to hit $200 again.
 
I'll buy one when they have a good color (red or black or something) and under $150 or around $150 with a game. I'm far too cheap to buy one early on, no matter how good it is.
 
Had a friend pick one up for me on his business trip to Japan. He went to 6 different stores before he was able to find one. Enamel Blue is a hot color as these pics don't do it justice but I'm a little more partial to white as it was my first choice. Seeing the OP's white DSLite makes me jealous. oh well beggers can't be choosers. Hope you guys enjoy the pics.

1-xl.jpg
 
Yea, that's why I was thrilled the white was the first color out. I'd been quite regretful since I traded in my launch day Arctic White GBA toawrds my SP and was trying to find a Pure White DS import when I decided to just get the Crystal White DS Lite.
 
Something about portable electronics and white goes together so well. PSP, DS, IPOD etc... Amused, is there a clear plastic coating on the white color or is it a high gloss paint? I'm trying to figure out if the actual color is on the surface or if its undeath some sort of clear plastic coat. I'm staring at mine and I can't tell. I dunno if that makes any sense?!
 
It's a coating of realtively high gloss clear plastic that covers everything but the interior face and hinge. The actual coloring is then underneath it protected from damaged even if the shell becomes scuffed or scratched. From looking at it the color itself may be matte but the plastic makes it look like a high gloss paint finish.
 
I'm am torn between the navy and white, I mean one shows less dirt but the other is glowing and delicious.

plastikpyro, what SF game is that Guile sprite from? vbmenu_register("postmenu_1773156", true);
 
The white is cool, but I tend to prefer my gear to be dark. I've got a graphite SP2 and DS currently. I took one look at the Navy and knew that was for me. I've got a white iPod, but I'd trade it for a black one in a heartbeat.
 
[quote name='plastikpyro']Had a friend pick one up for me on his business trip to Japan. He went to 6 different stores before he was able to find one. Enamel Blue is a hot color as these pics don't do it justice but I'm a little more partial to white as it was my first choice. Seeing the OP's white DSLite makes me jealous. oh well beggers can't be choosers. Hope you guys enjoy the pics.

1-xl.jpg
[/QUOTE]

Dude...You haven't finished unlocking Mario Kart DS? Do you have a life or something? ;)

On the subject of color choice, a word of warning from someone who travels in iPod circles: At first glance, you'd think black or dark blue would be more durable than white, but at least when it comes to the 5G iPods and nanos, this is not the case. If the finish on the DS Lite is anything like that, and it appears to be, the dark colors will be much more prone to showing scratches than the light.
 
Well it's like with a white and a black car. You think the black car will hide things but every little spec of dust shows because our eyes see most small things that are a lighter shade as virtually white. In reality the white car hides more because the trick isn't as bad inverted and instead makes the white car still appear white just less vibrant.

Anyway, so far the white doesn't really seem to show stuff that bad but it really shows off smudges and such that are there as soon as you touch it. Just have to keep it nice and evenly smudged so it's less noticeable. :)
 
[quote name='willardhaven']I'm am torn between the navy and white, I mean one shows less dirt but the other is glowing and delicious.

plastikpyro, what SF game is that Guile sprite from? vbmenu_register("postmenu_1773156", true);[/QUOTE]

Guile from good ole' SF2
 
[quote name='Tybee']Dude...You haven't finished unlocking Mario Kart DS? Do you have a life or something? ;)[/QUOTE]

LOL! There aren't enough hours in a day! What happens when you unlock it?
 
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