~~ The Nintendo DS: A Non-Techie Perspective ~~

I grew up with my brother and the two of us would play regular "board" games. Remember those? I cried many tears over my Battleship loses. Eventually, we started playing video games (Atari, Nintendo, Playstation) ... and so began my fascination with video games.

He purchased a Nintendo DS when it first came out. I actually haven't had much exposure to it until just a few months ago when I came to visit and he took out the two DS consoles and we started to play a game. I was perplexed ... We were playing each other on separate consoles with just one game cartridge ...

I knew it would only be a matter of time before I'd be hooked on the Nintendo DS.

The Product
The Nintendo DS is a gaming console that has a two-screen design for "multiple view gaming." The original price of the Nintendo DS was $129.99, although now there is a DS Lite on the market. The Nintendo DS is available at stores such as Target, Fry's and Best Buy.

Nintendo States
"Get ready to experience a totally new way to play video games."

Contents of Box
- Blue Nintendo DS
- AC adapter
- Rechargeable battery pack
- Instruction manual
- Wrist strap
- Extra stylus

Contact and Miscellaneous Information
- Website = www.nintendo.com
- Warning: If you have epilepsy or have had seizures or other unusual reactions to flashing lights or patterns, consult a doctor before playing video games.
- All games sold separately
- Made in China

Product information taken from product packaging.

My Experience
Physical Appearance
The Nintendo DS that I have is Electric Blue. It has a matte finish. When closed, the DS measures approximately 5.75 inches in width, 3.50 inches in length. When it is opened, it measures about 5.75 inches in width and 6.00 inches in length. The DS measures about 0.75 thick when it is folded. The screens measure approximately 2.50 x 1.75 inches each. The Nintendo DS does not look as sleek as the Sony PSP, but it is more portable and smaller in size. When I visited my parents in Northern California, I put the DS in my purse (a small purse) to keep me entertained during the flight up. It actually fit fine in my purse and didn't add too much weight or bulk. And the fact that it folds down is a plus because it keeps the screens protected during transport. The DS doesn't require a protective case like the PSP.

Dual Screens
When the DS first came out and I heard it was dual screens, I thought it was kind of silly. I'd have to look at one screen and then look down at the other? It sounded like a pain in the rump. However, since I have been playing with my DS for a while, it is actually a neat concept. For the most part, the top screen is the directional screen whereas the bottom screen is the interactive one. I like it the splint screens and find it not to be as cumbersome as I thought it would be. The lighting to the screens is good as I have played my DS on the plane (without the use of the overhead light) without difficulty. I have screen protectors on each screen, since I use the stylus on the screens, I want to protect them from scratches.

Portability
The Nintendo DS is very portable. It has travelled in my purse to many places and fits very well. Even though Nintendo has come out with a Lite version, I find the Nintendo DS to be suitable for transport. I like that it folds because it makes it easy and more portable.

Adaptability
I think it's great that Nintendo incorporated the Gameboy games into the DS as well. There is a slot for Gameboy games and a separate slot for DS games. This allows users to continue to play their Gameboy games on their DS, eliminating the need to carry both gaming consoles.

Wireless
I love this feature! I haven't used it too much, but when my brother brings his DS too we can play multiplayer games wirelessly. What's more is that we only need one DS game cartridge ... such as when we are playing Big Brain Academy. It is very convenient to be able to play wirelessly.

Clock and Calendar
When the DS is turned on, there is a clock and a calendar that pop up on the top screen, and then gaming options (DS, Gameboy, DS Download Play, or Pictochat) on the bottom screen. The clock is a convenient little feature.

Sound
There are two speakers located on both sides of the top screen. The volume control is located on the bottom portion of the DS on the left side and is a slider control. I find it difficult sometimes to adjust the volume as it either goes low or loud and the middle ground is a bit more difficult to adjust. There is a bit in microphone on the lower half of the DS -- this is needed in some games such as WarioWare. There is also a slot for headphones to be used but I have not used headphones with my DS.

Controls
The controls are located on the bottom half of the DS. There is a left and right shoulder button. Then there is a "+" shaped directional switch on the left side, with the power button located on top. Then on the right side are the A, B, X, Y buttons as well as the "Start" and "Select" buttons. The control buttons are easy to use, although most of the games I have require use of just the stylus, which stores easily on the bottom half of the DS. I like that Nintendo includes an extra stylus in case the one on the console is lost.

Battery Life
The battery life lasts a while on this; I have played it for several hours before the battery needs to be recharged. There is an AC adapter that charges the DS. There are lights (red and green) that indicated battery life.

Miscellaneous
I've logged more play time with the Nintendo DS than with the Sony PSP because I like the Nintendo DS games.

Overall Thoughts
The Nintendo DS is a fun, portable gaming console that will entertain and offer hours of fun.

Thanks for reading.
Pooks
Copyright 2007