Nintendo announces the DS Lite
Posted by inpheaux on January 26th, 2006 at 9:24 am
Just over a week after Nintendo claimed a DS redesign was "purely speculation", we - of course - get a counter-announcement claiming the exact opposite.
Thismorning we got word from Nintendo of Japan [ie: the Nintendo that Matters] announcing this new DS redesign. Let me give you the executive summary:
- Significantly smaller than the DS in all dimensions except thickness
- Same screen size(s), but the screen is even brighter than the recently-rereleased GBA SP
- Looks like the design was contracted out to Apple [though really it just looks like they're trying to make it match the Revolution controller.]
- Japanese release date: 02 MAR 2006
Warning: potentially controversial opinions ahead.
I really don't Get this redesign. The only thing I'd really count as a "benefit" is the new screen technology . . but personally, I'm already completely content with the DS's screen. It feels like the GBA Micro announcement or the Gameboy Pocket all over again. Once again the changes are all primarily aesthetic, and when it comes to console purchasing, I don't care how lickable or sexy the device looks, I care about how fun the games are.
So I guess this all just means the DS redesign isn't for me, just like the first few Gameboy redesigns weren't for me, and the GBA Micro redesign wasn't for me. I just feel slightly displeased when my favourite international gaming corporation seems to forget about me when it comes to hardware redesigns, but then again, I can't think of a single thing I'd really want fixed with the DS, so . . whatever. This is the kind of shiny crap the masses will eat up purely based on the fact that it looks pretty, so I guess anything that nets Nintendo large sums of cash is good, even if it's not something I'll personally be enjoying.
Source: 1up
Discuss this article on the forums.