After seeing this thread over at NeoGAF, we spent a little time thinking about the DS Lite. Obviously, we're fans, but we're not going to say it's perfect. There can be problems at times. We're not sure we're ready for a whole new redesign (though we don't hate Shogmaster's mockup design at all), but if someone handed us a free new DS with a few issues fixed (d-pad, anyone?), we wouldn't argue. So we thought we'd ask you: what would you change? What would you fix? What do you think the Lite didn't address when it moved up from the DS?
DS Daily: Problems and solutions
After seeing this thread over at NeoGAF, we spent a little time thinking about the DS Lite. Obviously, we're fans, but we're not going to say it's perfect. There can be problems at times. We're not sure we're ready for a whole new redesign (though we don't hate Shogmaster's mockup design at all), but if someone handed us a free new DS with a few issues fixed (d-pad, anyone?), we wouldn't argue. So we thought we'd ask you: what would you change? What would you fix? What do you think the Lite didn't address when it moved up from the DS?







Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-27-2007 @ 10:10AM
hvnlysoldr said...
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa81/hvnlysoldr/6b27c41d.jpg
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7-27-2007 @ 10:42AM
Michael said...
My only large complaints are the placement of the start and select buttons they are a bit out of the way for quick pauses, not a huge deal but yeah. Also I'm always afraid of accidentally turning it of with my hand mid game, i liked the power button on the inside where i didn't have to worry about the system turning itself off in my pocket between saves. Perhaps the ability to adjust brightness in game would be handy along with button customization for gba, and i think we'd all like if gba games actually fit inside... more changes then I thought I wanted... weird.
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7-27-2007 @ 11:00AM
NeoteriX said...
physical brightness switch.
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7-27-2007 @ 11:14AM
Opus said...
I want to second physical brightness button. You go from inside to outside when you're in the middle of a game, and you either have to deal with not seeing well, or get back to the main menu to fix it.
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7-27-2007 @ 1:23PM
jrr said...
Each Nintendo controller since the 64 has gotten progressively smaller and more painful to use. I'm pretty sure my hands haven't grown all that much since then =D
Seriously, though the d-pad on the cube/NDS is *tiny*!
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7-27-2007 @ 2:10PM
Davemo said...
I think something a bit more maliable for the clamshell screen. I'm always affraid I'm going to snap my NDSLite in half or something rediculous.
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7-27-2007 @ 2:45PM
John said...
Said it before, and I'll say it again:
WiFi needs to utilize WPA2 instead of only WEP. I have an N router running with WEP and at B speeds because a DS needs to use WiFi around the house.
Brightness button would be okay, but really, I don't really mess with the setting that much anyway.
Main four buttons could be a bit bigger and spread out to match the older style layout of a SNES controller.
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7-27-2007 @ 3:39PM
Al Miller said...
Shoulder buttons slightly longer, so your finger can be further toward the center of the DS and still depress it.
D-pad a little bigger and a little lower on the unit. Same with the face buttons. All of these would help alleviate hand cramp in adults.
I could probably play games like Metroid Prime: Hunters for much longer with a DS layout like the one I'm talking about.
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7-27-2007 @ 3:40PM
Grey Acumen said...
To upgrade the DS:
Betteraudio quality. I mean seriously, this is the first thing that needs to be done, improve the mic and speakers on the DS.
Manual brightness controls. You can even have it like the volume controls on the old TVs, where you'd go from power off to power on with low volume, if you keep sliding it, it goes gradually to power on high volume. Do the same thing with the DS lite's current power button, except instead of adjusting the volume, it adjusts the brightness
Drop GBA support entirely, replace with built in rumble, with manual on/off switch for it.
Also use the extra room that has been freed up to include a larger stylus. This stylus should me extendable and the body should be metal, much like a radio antenna. This will allow the extra length needed without it feeling like you're going to snap it in half.
Now, some people may be questioning the decision to remove GBA support, but actually, this creates a chance to REALLY support all the older software. Sold separately will be the GameBoy DS that connects through the DS game slot, but has an additional slot which fits flush against the back of the DS, into which a GBA, GBC or even original GB game cartridge can be plugged in.
Essentially this would work like the SuperGameBoy (the one that let you play GB games on your SNES) except this would still keep the portability intact.
On top of that, you could add additional functionality as well, such as allowing you to use the DS's wireless connection instead of needing the cables for those GBA, GBC, and GB games that allowed multiplayer connection. These connections could be managed on the lower screen.
By removing the need to play GBA games, it should let you reduce the thickness of the DS, which would allow extra space to be devoted towards audio quality.
Instead of having your GBA game stick out of the edge of the DS, it would now fit flush against the back of the DS, and on top of this, you would also be able to play all the old GBC and GB games that you still have lying around AND you would also have the multiplayer access for all of these as well.
Also, the next iteration of the DS should allow multiple touch points at the same time, and have a slightly larger, better resolution screen on top. A little bit more memory on the DS itself might be nice as well. Other than that, there's not really much more than needs to be done with it.
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7-27-2007 @ 5:20PM
whatchaknow said...
...I still only have the original DS... :( LOL!
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7-28-2007 @ 6:33AM
ackers said...
I'd like the D-Pad to be as good as the Phat's, built in rumble, built in motion control, a better volume control button (not a cheap one which makes noises when you shake the DS) and more power (PSP goes up to 333mhz!). Oh and how about a USB port?
Well I'm just dreaming up a whole new system here :p
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7-28-2007 @ 5:33PM
david said...
The design of the ds lite is good it just needs a few tweaks - 2 3.0-3.5 lcds with better speakers and tad bit thinner (not much) and flash memory better OS with more features and make the ds more powerful you can't even put a new card in or switch from picto chat to a game while the system is on. it needs more ram! and maybe a decent video, mp3 player and a micro sd card slot.
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7-29-2007 @ 12:21AM
Almadi said...
I still think they should release this DS:
http://madiart.blogspot.com/2006/04/nintendo-ds.html
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7-29-2007 @ 12:03PM
Amelinda said...
A more ergonomically designed ds would rock my world.
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7-29-2007 @ 10:46PM
Toney said...
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/nintendo-ds-2
I like this design it a gameboy sp at heart but still a ds
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7-30-2007 @ 12:24PM
knocturnal said...
1.Better Speakers. I swear the original ds had louder speakers.
2. Brightness button
3.Better built in software/tools
4.Being able to change Ds settings without having to restart to get back to the main game selection screen ( I am shocked they didn't do this for the Dlite')
5. Buttons that didn't change color
6. Toghter Casing so duct and dirt wouldn't get inside.
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8-09-2007 @ 3:03AM
Kyle said...
The DS Lite has way too many little problems that would make any nit picky gamer (if he was informed of it) exchange and exchange until he got a perfect one. The only thing I want is for every DS Lite unit to be the same as the next one.
1. Heightened diagonal sensitivity on the D-pad (Horrible for games like Bleach DS and Lunar Knights)
2. Different tints -- Sometimes slightly warmer and sometimes yellow -_-
3. Dead Pixels
4. The black ones have the D-pad defect more often than the white ones but the black DSlite's speakers sound better. (Just from what i've experienced. I've owned two blacks and two whites)
I went through four -- sadly, I went through nintendo repair first instead of exchanging at the store and it was a huge waste of time. They repaired the D-pad problem but sent me back a DS with dead pixels. And continued to send back units in worse condition.
At this point, I've given up on trying to find a DSLite without any problems. I'm sorta hoping they release another version like they did with GBA -- GBA, GBA SP, GBA Micro...
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