What Is a Nintendo DS Lite?

The Nintendo DS Lite is the first revision of the Nintendo DS hand-held video game system. Notable features of the system include its unique dual-screen interface and touch-screen capabilities, as well as backwards compatibility with Gameboy Advance games. The system has been released in a variety of colors and limited editions, often to accompany the release of a high-profile game.

History

The Nintendo DS Lite was released in Japan on March 2, 2006 and in PAL and NTSC regions in June of the same year. Since its release, the DS Lite has enjoyed marked success, as the aesthetic and functional revisions to original DS design broadened the appeal of the system.

Specifications

The DS Lite features two processors with clock speeds of 67 Mhz and 33 Mhz respectively, as well as 4 MB of Mobile RAM. These specifications allow the DS Lite to output two-dimensional and three-dimensional graphics on both the upper and lower screen simultaneously.

Features

The Nintendo DS Lite features four levels of brightness, built-in wi-fi connectivity, a touch screen interface and a microphone. The Nintendo DS Lite retains the Gameboy Advance compatibility of the original DS but features a smaller port for GBA games, which results in the cartridges sticking out 1 cm. A filler cartridge is included to keep dust and other hazards at bay.

Multiplayer

The Nintendo DS Lite is well-equipped to handle a variety of multiplayer modes. Many games offer wi-fi connectivity that allows players to connect anonymously to other players all over the world, or swap friend codes with people they know to organize games. Many games also support download play, which allows access to local multiplayer modes wirelessly with just one copy of the cart.

Success

The DS Lite has seen great success in the hand-held market, with its current sales putting it on track to be the single best-selling system of all time. As of March 2009, eighty million units of the DS have been sold. The system was often sold out and difficult to find on store shelves within the first year of its release.

Size and Weight

The Nintendo DS Lite is lighter and smaller than the original DS and as such is better suited for portable play. The system is small enough to slip unnoticed into a pocket or purse and weighs in at 21% lighter than the original DS. It also takes up just 68% of the total volume of the original DS.

Games

The Nintendo DS Lite features an extensive library of games, numbering well over 600 in 2009. Every genre is covered and many major franchises have at least one entry designed for play on the Nintendo DS. Best-selling games for the system include Nintendogs and New Super Mario Bros, which have sold approximately twenty million copies each.

References

• Information About Nintendo DS Lite Features