Nintendo DS Lite

Posted by T3 Online on Fri 26 Oct 2007

Could the latest DS spell "Game Over" for PSP?

Nintendo has cracked out the scalpel to perform the mother of all makeovers on its innovative touchscreen machine. Having seemingly studied at the iPod night-school of cool, the DS has been toughened up, brightened up and made into a genuine rival to the PSP.

Where the DS Mark 1 felt about as robust as a dunked Rich Tea, the build quality of the Lite is reassuringly solid. Despite being 20 per cent lighter, its new compactness and deluxe, polished finish make it feel more, not less, substantial.

The top screen now clicks weightily into place. The motion of the new volume and power switch sliders is satisfyingly smooth, and the stylus is now larger and less tooth-picky. You'll find the rubberised and remoulded directional pad, face and shoulder buttons more comfortable, too.

Both LCD screens, although no bigger than before, are now significantly brighter, producing brilliantly vivid colours that inject new life into all your old games. You can now manually flick between four brightness levels. The upgraded battery gives you about seven hours on full beam (that's three hours more than a PSP, and up to a marathon 19 hours on its dimmest setting.

DS and PSP used to occupy opposite ends of the playground, with Nintendo's machine the snot-nosed brat to PSP's suave, multi-media headboy. Today, supported by a diverse games library, free global Wi-Fi gaming, and the upcoming bespoke Opera Web browser with touchscreen links, Nintendo's "toy" has truly come of age.