Nintendo DS

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This article is about the original Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite. For its third and fourth revisions, see Nintendo DSi. For its successor, see Nintendo 3DS.
Nintendo DS
An original DS
A ocean blue Nintendo DS.
ManufacturerNintendo
Product familyNintendo DS
TypeHandheld game console
GenerationSeventh generation era
Release dateOriginal version
Lite version
Units soldWorldwide: 144.59 million, including DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL units (as of December 31, 2010)[1] (details)
MediaGame Boy Advance cartridge
Nintendo DS Game Card
CPUOne 67.028 MHz ARM946E-S[2] and one 33.514 MHz ARM7TDMI
StorageCartridge save, 4 MB RAM
ConnectivityWi-Fi
Online servicesNintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Best-selling gameNew Super Mario Bros., 26.21 million (as of December 31, 2010)[3]
Backward
compatibility		Game Boy Advance (Original and Lite iterations only)
PredecessorGame Boy Advance (Game Boy line)
SuccessorNintendo DS Lite
Nintendo DSi (upgrade, concurrent)
Nintendo 3DS (successor)

The Nintendo DS (ニンテンドーDS, Nintendō Dī Esu, sometimes abbreviated to DS or NDS) is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in 2004 in North America and Japan. The console features a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP, with two LCD screens inside—with the bottom one being a touchscreen. The Nintendo DS also features a built-in microphone and supports wireless IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards,[4] allowing players to interact with each other within short range (10–30 m, depending on conditions) or online with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service, which launched later in the console's lifespan. The Nintendo DS is the first Nintendo console to be released in North America before Japan.

The system's code name was Nitro,[5] which can be seen in the model number that appears on the unit (NTR-001).[6] The console's name officially refers to "Developers' System", in reference to developers of new game designs the system was meant to inspire, and "Dual Screen", the system's most obvious and distinct feature.[7]

On March 2, 2006, Nintendo released the Nintendo DS Lite, a redesign of the Nintendo DS, in Japan. It was later released in North America, Europe, and Australia in June 2006. The DS Lite is a slimmer, smaller, and lighter version of the Nintendo DS; it also has brighter screens. Nintendo of America refers to the older model as the "original style" Nintendo DS.[6] It is often affectionately referred to by fans as the "DS Phat."[8] On October 2, 2008, Nintendo announced the Nintendo DSi, another redesign of the Nintendo DS, at the Nintendo Fall Media Summit.[9] It was released in Japan on November 1, 2008. It was later released in North America, Europe, and Australia in April 2009. The DSi's codename has been changed to "TWL" due to it being a substantial hardware upgrade including a faster CPU and more RAM, and requiring new development kits.

As of December 31, 2010, the various models of the Nintendo DS had sold 144.59 million units, making it the best selling handheld game console to date, and second best selling video game console overall, behind the PlayStation 2.

History

On November 13, 2003, Nintendo announced that the company would be creating a new console for release in 2004.[10] Nintendo stated that it would not be the successor to the Nintendo GameCube,[10] but rather it would be considered a "new Game Boy".[11] On January 20, 2004, the console was announced under the codename "Nintendo DS"[12] (which initially stood for Developer's System). Nintendo released a few details at that time, only saying that the console would have two separate 3-inch TFT LCD display panels, separate processors, and up to 1 gigabit of semiconductor memory.[12][13] Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said, "We have developed Nintendo DS based upon a completely different concept from existing game devices in order to provide players with a unique entertainment experience for the 21st century."[12] In March, the codename was changed to "Nitro" and a document containing most of the console's technical specifications was leaked.[14] In May, the codename was changed back to "Nintendo DS" and the console was shown in prototype form at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). All of the features of the console were revealed by Nintendo at E3.[15] On July 28, 2004, Nintendo revealed a new design, one that was described as "sleeker and more elegant" than the one shown at E3. Also, the codename "Nintendo DS" became the official name of the console that day.[16]

The Nintendo DS bears a striking resemblance to the multi-screen games such as Donkey Kong and Zelda in the company's Game & Watch line, their first handhelds.

Launch

See also: Nintendo DS launches

On September 20, 2004, Nintendo announced that the Nintendo DS would be released in North America on November 21, 2004 for US$149.99.[17] It was set to release on December 2, 2004 in Japan (¥15000);[18] on February 24, 2005 in Australia ($199.95);[19] and on March 11, 2005 in Europe (£99.99/€149.99).[20] The console was released in North America with a midnight launch event at Universal CityWalk EB Games in Los Angeles, California. The console was launched quietly in Japan compared to the North America launch; one source cites the cold weather as the reason.[21] Regarding the European launch, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said:

Europe is an extremely important market for Nintendo, and we are pleased we can offer such a short period of time between the US and European launch. We believe that the Nintendo DS will change the way people play video games and our mission remains to expand the game play experience. Nintendo DS caters for the needs of all gamers whether for more dedicated gamers who want the real challenge they expect, or the more casual gamers who want quick, pick up and play fun.[22]

Hardware

See also: List of Nintendo DS games
Styli for the DS Lite

The lower display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid with a touchscreen, designed to accept input from the included stylus, the user's fingers, or a curved plastic tab attached to the optional wrist strap. The touchscreen allows users to interact with in-game elements more directly than by pressing buttons; for example, in the included chatting software, PictoChat, the stylus is used to write messages, draw, or interact in game.

The handheld features four lettered buttons (X, Y, A, B), a directional pad, and Start, Select, and Power buttons. On the top of the device are two shoulder buttons, a game card slot, a stylus holder and a power cable input. The bottom features the Game Boy Advance game cart slot. The overall button layout resembles that of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System controller. When using backwards compatibility mode on the DS, buttons X and Y and the touchscreen are not used as the Game Boy Advance line of systems do not feature these controls.

The Nintendo DS features stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound (depending on the software) located on either side of the upper display screen. This is a first for a Nintendo handheld, as the Game Boy line of systems has only supported stereo sound through the use of headphones or external speakers. A built-in microphone is located below the left side of the bottom screen. It has been used for a variety of purposes, including speech recognition, chatting online between and during gameplay sessions, and minigames that require the player to blow or shout into the microphone.

Technical specifications

  • Mass: 300 grams (9.7 oz.)
  • Physical dimensions: 148.7 mm x 84.7 mm x 28.9 mm (5.85 in. x 3.33 in. x 1.13 in.)
  • Screens: Two 3-inch TFT LCDs, 18-bit depth (262,144 colors), resolution of 256 x 192 pixels, dimensions of 62 mm x 46 mm and 77 mm diagonal, and a dot pitch of 0.24 mm. The gap between the screens is approximately 21 mm, equivalent to about 92 "hidden" lines. The lowermost display of the Nintendo DS is overlaid with a resistive touchscreen, which registers pressure from one point on the screen at a time, averaging multiple points of contact if necessary.
  • CPUs: Two ARM processors, an ARM946E-S main CPU and ARM7TDMI coprocessor at clock speeds of 67 MHz and 33 MHz respectively. The ARM946E-S CPU processes gameplay mechanisms and video rendering while the ARM7TDMI processes sound output, Wi-Fi support and additionally, when in Game Boy Advance mode, processes what the other processor used to do.
  • RAM: 4 MB of mobile RAM, expandable via the Game Boy Advance slot (The expanded memory is officially only used by the Opera web browser.)
  • Voltage: 1.65 volts required.
  • Storage: 256 kB of serial flash memory.
  • Wireless: Built-in 802.11 Wireless Network Connection (802.11b compatible with WEP encryption support only).[23]

The system's 3D hardware performs transform and lighting, texture-coordinate transformation, texture mapping, alpha blending, cel shading, and z-buffering; however, it uses point (nearest neighbor) texture filtering, leading to some titles having a blocky appearance. Unlike most 3D hardware, it has a set limit on the number of triangles it can render as part of a single scene; the maximum amount is about 6144 vertices, or 2048 triangles per frame. The 3D hardware is designed to render to a single screen at a time, so rendering 3D to both screens is difficult and decreases performance significantly. The DS is generally more limited by its polygon budget than by its pixel fill rate. There are also 512 kilobytes of texture memory, and the maximum texture size is 1024x1024 pixels.

The system has 656 kilobytes of video memory[24] and two 2D engines (one per screen). These are similar to (but more powerful than) the Game Boy Advance's single 2D engine; however, the cores are divided into the main core and sub core. Only the main core is capable of vertex 3D rendering.

The Nintendo DS has compatibility with Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11b). Wi-Fi is used for accessing the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, compete with other users playing the same Wi-Fi compatible game, PictoChat[25] or with a special cartridge and RAM extension, browse the internet.

Media specifications

File:DS-card.jpg
The front and back of a Nintendo DS game card

Nintendo DS games use a proprietary solid state mask ROM in their "game cards", which resemble smaller, thinner versions of gaming cartridges for past generation portable gaming consoles as the Game Boy or Game Gear.[26] The mask ROM chips are manufactured by Macronix and have an access speed of 150 ns.[27] Cards currently range from 64 megabits to 4 gigabits (8–512 MB) in size (although the maximum capacity is unknown).[28][29] The cards usually have a small amount of flash memory or an EEPROM to save user data such as game progress or high scores. However, there are a small number of games that have no save memory such as Electroplankton. The game cards are 35.0 mm × 33.0 mm × 3.8 mm (about half the breadth and depth as Game Boy Advance cartridges) and weigh around 3.5 grams (1/8 oz.).

Based on an IGN blog by the developer of MechAssault: Phantom War, larger (such as 128 MB) cards have a 25% slower data transfer rate than the more common smaller (such as 64 MB) cards; however, the specific base rate was not mentioned.[30]

Firmware

Nintendo's own firmware boots the system. A health and safety warning is displayed first, then the main menu is loaded, similar to the Wii console. The main menu presents the player with four main options to select: play a DS game, use PictoChat, initiate DS Download Play, or play a Game Boy Advance game. The main menu also has some secondary options such as: date and time, GBA screen, and touch screen calibration.

The firmware also features an alarm clock, several options for customization (such as boot priority for when games are inserted and GBA screen preference), and the ability to input user information and preferences (such as name, birthday, favorite color, etc.) that can be used in games.

Battery life

The Nintendo DS contains a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 850 mAh. On a full four-hour charge, Nintendo claims the battery lasts a maximum of 10 hours under ideal conditions. Battery life is affected by multiple factors including speaker volume, use of one or both screens, back lighting, and use of wireless connectivity. The biggest effect on battery life is caused by using the backlight, which can be turned off in the main menu screen, or in selected games (such as Super Mario 64 DS). The battery is user-replaceable using only a phillips head screwdriver. After about 500 charges the battery life starts dropping.

To sustain battery life in the midst of a game, users can close the Nintendo DS system, putting the DS in 'sleep' mode that also pauses the game that is being played; however, closing the system while playing a Game Boy Advance game will not put the Nintendo DS into sleep mode; the game will continue to run normally, including the back light. Certain DS games (such as Animal Crossing: Wild World) also will not pause but the backlight, screens, and speakers will turn off. When saving the game in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Zoo Tycoon DS, SimCity DS, Tiger Woods PGA Tour,Digimon World Dawn, Mega Man Battle Network 5, or The Legendary Starfy, the DS will not go into sleep mode.[31]

Features

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

Main article: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection

The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is a free online game service run by Nintendo. Players with a compatible Nintendo DS game can connect to the service via a Wi-Fi network using a Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector or a wireless router. The service was launched in North America on November 14, 2005 with the release of Mario Kart DS. Various online games and a web browser are now available.

Download Play

With Download Play it is possible for users to play multiplayer games with other Nintendo DS systems using only one game card. Players must have their systems within wireless range (up to approximately 65 feet) of each other and the guest system to download the necessary data from the host system.

Some Nintendo DS retailers feature DS Download Stations that allow users to download demos of upcoming and currently available DS games; however, due to memory limitations, the downloads are erased once the system is powered off. The Download Station is made up of 1 to 8 standard retail DS units, with a standard DS card containing the demo data. On May 7, 2008, Nintendo released the Nintendo Channel for download on the Wii. The Nintendo Channel uses Nintendo's WiiConnect24 to download Nintendo DS demos through the Nintendo Channel. From there, a user can select the game demo he/she wishes to play and, similar to the Nintendo DS Download Stations at retail outlets, download the demo (until the user turns off the console) to their DS' 4MB RAM.

In collaboration with fast food restaurant chain McDonald's, a service called "Nintendo Zone" will start in the Kanto, Chūkyō and Kansai regions of Japan. It is an extension of the DS Download Station that offers exclusive content to each area and demos of upcoming and currently available DS games. The DSi has the necessary software built-in to detect and use these zones, while previous versions require downloading the "Nintendo Zone Viewer."[32][33]

Multi-Card Play

Multi-Card Play, like Download Play, allows users to play multiplayer games with other Nintendo DS systems. In this case, each system requires a game card. This mode is accessed from an in-game menu, rather than the normal DS menu.

PictoChat

Main article: PictoChat

PictoChat allows users to communicate with other Nintendo DS users within local wireless range. Users can enter text (via a small on screen keyboard), handwrite messages or draw pictures (via the stylus and touchscreen). There are four chatrooms (A, B, C, D) in which people can go to chat. Up to sixteen people can connect in any one room.

On Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite systems users can only write messages in black. However, the DSi and DSi XL includes a new function, letting users write in either black or rainbow colored pen.

Compatibility

Game Boy Advance game slot on Game Boy Advance SP (below) and Nintendo DS Lite (above).

The Nintendo DS is backwards compatible with Game Boy Advance (GBA) cartridges. The smaller Nintendo DS game cards fit into Slot 1 on the top of the system, while Game Boy Advance games fit into Slot 2 on the bottom of the system. The Nintendo DS is not compatible with games for the Game Boy Color and the original Game Boy, due to a slightly different form factor, voltage requirements, and the absence of the compatibility mode. The Sharp Z80 compatible processor used in the older systems is still included, and indeed necessary for some GBA games that use the older sound hardware.[citation needed]

The handheld does not have a port for the Game Boy Advance Link Cable, so multiplayer or GameCube-Game Boy Advance link-up modes are not available in Game Boy Advance titles. Only single player mode is supported on the Nintendo DS.

The Nintendo DS only uses one screen when playing Game Boy Advance games. The user can configure the system to use either the top or bottom screen by default. The games are displayed within a black border on the screen, due to the slightly different screen resolution between the two systems (256 × 192 px (approx. 0.05 megapixels) for the Nintendo DS, and 240 × 160 px (approx. 0.04 megapixels) for the Game Boy Advance).

Nintendo DS games inserted into Slot 1 are able to detect the presence of specific Game Boy Advance games in Slot 2. In many such games, either stated in the game during gameplay or mostly explained in the games' instruction manuals, extra content can be unlocked or added by starting the Nintendo DS game with the appropriate Game Boy Advance game inserted. Some of the content can stay permanently, even when the GBA game has been removed after content has been added.

Additionally, Slot 2 can be used to house expansion paks, such as the Rumble Pak, the Nintendo DS Memory Expansion Pak, and the Guitar Grip for the Guitar Hero: On Tour series. The Nintendo DSi does not have a second cartridge slot and does not play Game Boy Advance games.

Regional division

The Nintendo DS is region free in the sense that any console will run a Nintendo DS game purchased anywhere in the world; however, the Chinese version games can only be played on the Chinese iQue DS, whose larger firmware chip contains the required Chinese character glyph images. Although the Nintendo DS of other regions cannot play the Chinese games, the iQue DS can play games of other regions. Also, as with Game Boy games, some games that require both players to have a Nintendo DS game card for multiplayer play will not necessarily work together if the games are from different regions (e.g. a Japanese Nintendo DS game may not work with a North American Nintendo DS game, even though some titles, such as Mario Kart DS and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl versions are mutually compatible). With the addition of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, certain games can be played over the Internet with users of a different region game.

Some Wi-Fi enabled games (e.g. Mario Kart DS) allow the selection of opponents by region. The options are "Regional" ("Continent" in Europe) and "Worldwide", as well as two non-location specific settings. This allows the player to limit competitors to only those opponents based in the same geographical area. This is based on the region code of the game in use.[citation needed]

The Nintendo DSi, however, has a region block for the DSiWare downloadable games, as well as DSi-specific cartridges. It still runs normal DS games of any region, however.

Accessories

Main article: Nintendo DS accessories

Although the secondary port on the Nintendo DS does accept and support Game Boy Advance cartridges (but not Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridges), Nintendo has emphasized that its main intention for its inclusion was to allow a wide variety of accessories to be released for the system, the Game Boy Advance compatibility titles being a logical extension.

Nintendo announced at E3 2005 that it would launch "headset accessories" for voice over IP (VoIP) enabled games. (This will plug into the VoIP plug next to the Ear Phone jack, not the Game Boy Advance slot.)

Rumble Pak

Main article: Rumble Pak § Nintendo DS

The Rumble Pak was the first official expansion slot accessory. In the form of a Game Boy Advance cartridge, the Rumble Pak vibrates to reflect the action in compatible games, such as when the player bumps into an obstacle or loses a life. It was released in North America and Japan in 2005, as a separate accessory and bundled with Metroid Prime Pinball.[34] It is not compatible with the DSi, due to the lack of GBA slot.

In Europe, the Rumble Pak was first available with the game Actionloop, and later Metroid Prime Pinball. The Rumble Pak was also released separately.

Headset

The Nintendo DS Headset is the official headset for the Nintendo DS. It plugs into the headset port (which is a combination of a standard 3.5mm(1/8-inch) headphone connector and a proprietary microphone connector) on the bottom of the system. It features one earphone and a microphone, and is compatible with all games that use the internal microphone. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2006.[35] The headset was released in North America on April 22, 2007, alongside Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, two games that have built-in voice chat. Other communication headsets not made by Nintendo will also work as the mic. It was released in Australia on June 21, 2007, also alongside Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

Browser

Main article: Nintendo DS Browser

On February 15, 2006, Nintendo announced a version of the cross-platform web browser Opera for the DS system.[36] The browser can use one screen as an overview, a zoomed portion of which appears on the other screen, or both screens together to present a single tall view of the page.[37] The browser went on sale in Japan and Europe in 2006,[38][39] and in North America on June 4, 2007.[40] Browser operation requires that an included memory expansion pak is inserted into the GBA slot. As a result, it is not compatible with the DSi. However, the DSi has an internet browser available for download from the DSiWare shop for free.[41]

Wi-Fi USB Connector

Main article: Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector

This USB-flash-disk-sized accessory plugs into a PC's USB port and creates a miniature hotspot/wireless access point, allowing a Wii and up to five Nintendo DS units to access the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service through the host computer's Internet connection. When tried under Linux, it acts as a regular wireless adapter, connecting to wireless networks, an LED blinks when there is data being transferred. There is also a hacked driver for Windows XP/Vista to make it function the same way. The Wi-Fi USB Connector has been discontinued from retail stores.

MP3 Player

Main article: Play-Yan

The Nintendo MP3 Player (a modified version of the device known as the Play-Yan in Japan) was released on December 8, 2006 by Nintendo of Europe at a retail price of £29.99/€30. The add-on uses removable SD cards to store MP3 audio files, and can be used in any device that features support for Game Boy Advance cartridges; however, due to this, it is limited in terms of its user-interface and functionality, as it does not support using both screens of the DS simultaneously, nor does it make use of its touch-screen capability. It is not compatible with the DSi, due to the lack of the GBA slot, but the DSi includes a music player via SD card. Although it stated on the box that it is only compatible with the Game Boy Micro, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite, it is also compatible with the Game Boy Advance SP and Game Boy Advance.

Guitar grip controller

The "Guitar Grip" fits into the GBA slot on the Nintendo DS Lite to simulate the guitar controller.

The Guitar grip controller comes packaged with the game Guitar Hero: On Tour and is plugged into the GBA game slot. It features four colored buttons just like the ones that can be found on regular Guitar Hero guitar controllers for the stationary consoles, though it lacks the fifth orange button found on the guitar controllers. The DS Guitar Hero controller comes with a small "pick-stylus" (which is shaped like a guitar pick, as the name suggests) that can be put away into a small slot on the controller. It also features a hand strap. The game works with both the DS Lite and the original Nintendo DS as it comes with an adapter for the original DS.[42] It is not compatible with the DSi, due to the lack of GBA slot. The Guitar Grip also works with its sequels, Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades, Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits, and Band Hero.

Hacking and homebrew

Main article: Nintendo DS homebrew

Since the release of the Nintendo DS, a great deal of hacking has occurred involving the DS's fully rewritable firmware, Wi-Fi connection, game cards that allow SD storage, and software use. There are now many different emulators for the DS such as NES, SNES, Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, Neo-Geo Pocket, Neo-Geo MVS (arcade), as well as many other older consoles like Game Boy Color.

There are a number of cards which either have built-in flash memory, or a slot which can accept an SD, or MicroSD (like the DSTT and R4) cards. These cards typically enable DS console gamers to use their console to play MP3s and videos, and other non-gaming functions traditionally reserved for separate devices.[43]

In South Korea, many video game consumers exploit illegal copies of video games, including for the Nintendo DS. In 2007, 500,000 copies of DS games were sold, while the sales of the DS hardware units was 800,000.[44]

Another modification device called Action Replay, manufactured by the company Datel, is a device which allows the user to input cheat codes that allows it to hack games, granting the player infinite "health", power-ups, access to any part of the game, etc.

Emulation

Main article: Nintendo DS emulation

Reception

Marketing

The system's promotional slogans revolve around the word "Touch" in almost all countries, with the US slogan being "Touching is good." The Nintendo DS is currently seen by many analysts to be in the same market as Sony's PlayStation Portable, although representatives from both companies have said that each system targets a different audience.[citation needed] At the time of its release in the United States, the Nintendo DS retailed for US $149.99. The price dropped to US$129.99 on August 21, 2005, one day before the anticipated North American releases of Nintendogs and Advance Wars: Dual Strike. At one point, Time magazine awarded the DS with a Gadget of the Week award.[45] Nine official colors of the Nintendo DS were available through standard retailers. Titanium (silver and black) were available worldwide, Electric Blue was exclusive to North and Latin America. There was also a red version of the DS which was bundled with the game Mario Kart DS. Graphite Black, Pure White, Turquoise Blue, and Candy Pink were available in Japan. Mystic Pink and Cosmic Blue were available in Australia and New Zealand. Japan's Candy Pink and Australia's Cosmic Blue were also available in Europe and North America through a Nintendogs bundle, although the colors are just referred to as pink and blue; however, these colors were only available for the original style Nintendo DS; a different and more-limited set of colors have been used for the Nintendo DS Lite.

Sales

Main article: Nintendo DS sales

Editions

Main article: Special versions of the Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS Lite

Nintendo DS Lite

The Nintendo DS Lite (ニンテンドーDS Lite, Nintendō DS Raito) is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, brighter, and more lightweight redesign of the Nintendo DS, designed to be aesthetically sleeker, while taking styling cues from the Game Boy Advance SP, and to appeal to broader commercial audiences. It was announced on January 26, 2006, more than a month before its initial release in Japan on March 2, 2006 due to overwhelming demand for the original model.[46] It has been released in Australia, North America, Europe, New Zealand, Singapore, and defined regions in South America, the Middle East, and East Asia. As of September 30, 2009, shipments of the DS Lite have reached 84.49 million units worldwide, according to Nintendo.[47]

Features

  • Capable of receiving Wi-Fi signals from other Nintendo DS Lite systems, the original Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi systems, Nintendo Wii systems, and Wi-Fi access points. WEP encrypted and unencrypted networks are supported. WPA encryption is not supported.[48]

Technical specifications

  • Size: 73.9 millimeters (2.9 inches) tall, 133 millimeters (5.2 inches) broad, 21.5 millimeters (0.85 inches) wide.
  • Top Screen: A backlit, 3.12-inch, transmissive TFT color LCD with 256x192-pixel resolution and .24mm dot pitch, capable of displaying a total of 262,144 colors.
  • Touch Screen: Same specifications as top screen, but with a transparent analog touch screen.
  • Wireless Communication: IEEE 802.11b; wireless range is 30 to 100 feet; multiple users can play certain multiplayer games with one DS game card using DS Download Play.
  • Controls: Touch screen, embedded microphone for voice recognition, A/B/X/Y face buttons, directional control pad, L/R shoulder pads, Start and Select dimples, and Power slider. The stylus is 1 cm longer and 2 mm thicker than the stylus of the original Nintendo DS.
  • Input/Output: Ports for both Nintendo DS game cards and Game Boy Advance game packs, terminals for stereo headphones and a microphone. A removable cover for the Game Boy Advance game pack slot provides added protection from dust and other foreign materials.
  • Other Features: Embedded PictoChat software that allows up to 16 users within local range of one another to chat at once; embedded real-time clock; date, time and alarm; touch-screen calibration. The alarm can only be activated if the power is on.
  • CPUs: Two ARM processors, an ARM946E-S main CPU and ARM7TDMI coprocessor at clock speeds of 67 MHz and 33 MHz respectively.[49]
  • Sound: Stereo speakers providing virtual surround sound, depending on the software.
  • Battery: Lithium ion battery delivering from 15 to 19 hours of play on a three-hour charge; power-saving sleep mode; AC adapter.
  • Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Italian.
  • Repair parts: L-R switches: NKK type SKRTLA available from Mouser and others

DS Lite vs. original DS

Original DS DS Lite Change Notes
Weight 300 grams (11 oz) 218 grams (7.7 oz) -27%
Dimensions Template:Convert/3 Template:Convert/3 -41%
Screen size1 3 inches (76 mm) 3.12 inches (79 mm) 4%
Battery capacity 850 mAh 1000 mAh 18%
Battery life2[50] 10 to 14 hours 15 to 19 hours 42% Battery life drops after 500 charges.[50]
Screen brightness backlight on/off 4 levels The option of turning the backlight off in the main menu has been removed.
Stylus[51] 75.0 mm × 4.0 mm 87.5 mm × 4.9 mm 75% The stylus is side-loaded and located next to the power switch.
D-pad 18.6 mm -16% Lines are printed into pad, similar to Wii Remote, Game Boy Micro, and Nintendo DSi
Wrist strap Included, with thumb stylus Included in Japan, without thumb stylus
Start and Select buttons Above A, B, X, Y Beneath A, B, X, Y Size decreased.
External connectors Compatible with GBA EXT2 port Incompatible with GBA EXT2 port Connector is only used for the AC adapter.
Power toggle Button above D-pad Slider on right side
Status indicator light Below bottom screen On right hinge
GBA cartridge slot Cartridges flush with system Cartridges protrude 1 centimetre (0.39 in) Filler cartridge included to block dirt
CPU[52] Larger, with greater power consumption Smaller, with less power consumption
Microphone Below bottom screen Middle of hinge

1 Screen size is measured diagonally.
2 Battery length is based on gameplay with lowest brightness settings.

Larger model

A larger model of the DS Lite was an unreleased alternative to the DS Lite.[53] It was ready for mass production but Nintendo decided against its release as sales of the DS Lite were still strong. Instead Nintendo prepared the DSi and released an "XL" version of that console a year later.

This larger DS Lite featured an increased screen size of 3.8 inches (9.7 cm) (slightly smaller than the DSi XL's 4.2-inch (11 cm) screens) and lacked the wide viewing angle of the DSi XL.

Launch and development

Japan

The Nintendo DS Lite was released on March 2, 2006 in Japan, with the suggested retail price of ¥16,800, but due to lack of supply and excessive demand of Nintendo DS systems at retail price following the Nintendo DS Lite's launch in Japan, many Asian electronics distributors raised the retail price of the redesigned handheld console to ¥23,300. On some Japanese auction sites it was being offered for prices as high as ¥40,000.[54] Even though Nintendo managed to release 550,000 units in March 2006[55] (which was above their initial projections),[citation needed] the DS Lite was sold out soon after its launch.[56] The shortage was supposed to be eased after Nintendo released 700,000 Nintendo DS Lites during April 2006; however, retailers in Tokyo sold out yet again by late May 2006.[57] This shortage would last for most of 2006 and 2007[56] with retailers all around the country having permanent ads apologizing for the shortage and announcing the ignorance of when a restock would arrive. When the product arrived, it would sell out within days. Since restocking was erratic, looking for the product often involved several visits to different retailers, and most of the time without finding the product. This was still the case in Japan as of April 25, 2007, with stores turning away potential customers every day and selling out quickly.[58][59]

Australia

The Nintendo DS Lite was released in Australia on June 1, 2006 for A$199.95. It came with a demo for Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?[60] As of mid 2009, the device sells for approximately A$188.00.[61][62]

North America

The Nintendo DS Lite was released on June 11, 2006, for US$129.99 in the United States, and CA$149.99 in Canada.[63]

There have been various reports of North American Target, Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Meijer stores having sold Nintendo DS Lite units as early as May 30, 2006, breaking the official launch date.[64]

On June 12, 2006, GameSpot reported that North American Nintendo DS Lites had sold out at major online retailers, as well as several brick-and-mortar stores.[65]

On June 13, 2006, Nintendo announced that 136,500 units were sold in two days since the DS Lite went on sale in North America, and seemed to be on pace to the 500,000 sold by the original Nintendo DS in its first ten days.[66] Shortly after its launch, the DS Lite was sold out at major US retailers; however, it did not have the same ongoing shortages in the US as it did in Japan through 2006 and 2007.[56]

Europe

The Nintendo DS Lite was officially released in Europe on June 23, 2006, for £99.99 in the UK, €149.99 in the Eurozone. In Finland and Sweden, the DS Lite was released on June 22, 2006, due to Midsummer. In just 10 days, Nintendo announced it had sold 200,000 Nintendo DS Lites in Europe.[67]

On June 12, 2006, Chinese media organization Sina.com reported that a container intended for shipment to Europe was stolen, which contained HK$18 million (US$2.32 million) worth of goods, including black Nintendo DS Lites and games.[68][69] Later, GamesIndustry.biz reported that Nintendo had indeed confirmed that "A number of White DS Lite made for the UK market were stolen in Hong Kong."[70]

South Korea

Nintendo opened its latest subsidiary, Nintendo of Korea, led by Mineo Kouda, on July 20, 2006. The DS Lite is the first console to be released in South Korea by the subsidiary,[71] being released on January 18, 2007 for ₩150,000.[72] Popular Korean actor Jang Dong-gun and Ahn Sung-ki has been enlisted to help promote the console. Nintendo Korea stated that they have sold more than one million units in the first year of sale with around 1.4 million sold as of April 2008.[73][74]

Software development

To be accepted into Nintendo's official developer support program, companies must have a game development team and adequate experience in certain areas. Additional information is available from the Nintendo Software Development Support Group.

Alternatively, anyone can use publicly available knowledge from sites such as NDSTech,[75] and tools to create their own programs. A popular SDK and compiler toolchain for creating software known as devkitARM[76] can be used for DS software development on many platforms, including Linux, Windows, and Mac. When writing software, there are two routes to being able to run your creations on actual DS hardware. One requires a method for running Nintendo DS programs from the Game Boy Advance port. At least six methods are available for this option: PassMe, PassMe2, WiFiMe, FlashMe, NoPass, and the use of a Nintendo DS data storage device.

See also

References

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External links

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