There's nothing elegant or alluring about Nerf's DS Lite Armor cases, but they look protective enough to guard against even the most rugged lifestyles. The $12.99 ensemble holds the handheld close with a plastic shell and swaddles it with Nerf's unique foam padding. Nothing short of a tactical nuclear weapon (or a puppy that loves to chew on your valuables) will penetrate its cushioned coat.

Though GameStop advertises that the cases won't be available until next month, Fanboy reader PW was able to acquire one early by setting his DS clock ahead. According to his impressions, the extra padding allows people with "giant gorilla hands" to finally play games on a DS Lite without having to suffer hand cramps. We've got more photos of his Nerf DS Lite Armor after the post break, so don't miss out on those.

You should note that while PW's case is orange, that particular color isn't listed as an option on its packaging or on several online sites. Maybe this is an in-store-exclusive edition? You might want to head to a brick and mortar shop if you want to purchase one anyway, as GameStop's online product page states the following gem: "The DS Lite Nerf Armor comes in 4 colors: Pink, Blue, Black and Green. Colors are chosen at random when shipped."

Who's the genius that came up with that plan?!