Customer Reviews

Nintendo DS Electric Blue

5 star:		(1,052)
4 star:		(165)
3 star:		(53)
2 star:		(46)
1 star:		(159)

 

 

I just bought one for myself over the weekend (thanks to a tip from a friend who works at a store that one would not think of shopping for games at, and they just happened to have a few left!)

This unit is great! I already own a GBA SP, but wanted to buy a DS for the following reasons:

* Advanced graphics: The 3D capabilities of this machine are AMAZING. Mario64 DS looks better on a handheld than Mario 64 looked on the Nintendo 64 and a TV!

* Great sound: You can choose between surround sound, stereo, or headphones optimized. It also includes a built-in headphone jack, something that was noticeably absent from the SP.

* Backwards compatibility: It will play all GameBoy Advance games (though not original GB or GB Color), and can hold a DS game and a GameBoy Advance game at the same time.

* Touch screen: Gimmick or revolution? I like how touch was integrated into Mario64 and the Metroid Prime:Hunters demo that is included with the DS. I think future games will bear out whether it will be a true success or just a niche idea.

As it states in the product description, it comes with two screens, the bottom one being touch-sensitive. To touch the bottom screen you can use one of the 2 styluses that comes with the product, or a thumb strap that has a plastic piece that can be used for certain types of games.

Currently, the DS library is fairly limited (fewer than 20 games at present), but there are many games announced for the future. There are literally dozens of great GBA games, so if you're buying this as a present, don't be afraid to buy a GBA game if you can't decide on a DS one.

I purchased Nintendo DS system last year for 2 of my sons, ages 6 & 10. The purchase was actually on impulse because I happened to be in the store when they had just received a shipment. I really knew nothing about them and had never heard of them. This actually turned out to be one of the best electronic purchases I have ever made for the boys.

They each had Game Boy Advance's but were never really into "hand held" games as much as with their full sized TV games. I am really surprised at how much these systems are actually used!

Because the systems have a clock, the boys each use them for ALARM CLOCKS in the morning! I keep the chargers plugged into the outlets behind their nightstands. This insures the systems will always find their way back to that spot at the end of the day.

I like the fact that I don't have to buy batteries or battery packs or have charger stands. You just plug the cord into any household outlet and there is a little jack on the other end that plugs into the Nintendo DS. This charges up the system so it is ready. There are also indicator lights on the DS that let you know when the unit is charged or running low.

this system has a feature that my guys enjoy and use often. It is picto chat. You do not need additional software or accessories to use this. It is built right into the system. This feature enables anyone with a DS to wirelessly hook-up to each other and talk via text messaging. There is a little keyboard that shows up on the bottom screen and you use your little stylus to type in what you want to say. It is sent to the other DS. It is like a text messaging walkie talkie. My boys LOVE this feature.

There isn't an overwhelming selection of games...at least not yet. My boys keep going back to Yoshi's Touch and Go. The recent Nintendogs are great and are another favorite.

The games are tiny little square chips that slide easily into a port on the DS. I have purchased a plastic sweater box from the dollar store to hold the game cases. I have insisted that the games go into their cases and into the box because they are very small and could be easily misplaced.

There is a port to hold the older advance games so the investments we made in these games in the past are not dependant upon the older systems. I have found that my boys are playing the older games more and more on the DS than they did on their older systems.

The overall design is good for all sized hands. The fun of the games is in the use of the stylus to play the games. I am not into games but I enjoy picking them up on occasion and playing. There is a little slot on the system to hold the stylus when it is not in use.

The top closes so the screens are not exposed when not being used. This helps to avoid scratching.

An additional feature that the boys like is that by purchasing one game, both can play at the same time, what seems to be a mini-game version. Those of us with more than one chld knows that sometimes, two of the same are necessary but, it is nice to be able to buy only ONE of something on occasion.

I didn't buy any starter packs or other accessories because I wanted to see what exactly we would need. So far we have needed nothing except cases. The boys did not want these, I did.

This system also has a wrist strap that you can detach if you don't want it.

From a mom's perspective, this has proven to be a worthwhile investment. My boys love their systems and use them all the time. I cannot comment to the more technical aspects of the game because, well...I base my opinion on if the toy is great based on how much my children love it, how easy it is for me to set-up or break down, how much it costs me in accessories and add-ons after the initial purchase, and how much "play time" it receives.

Based upon that criterion, I give this system 5 stars.

It seems as if this system has not received the attention of the PSP, and I often wonder if my boys would have even asked for it if I did not get it for them last year. I am so happy and I am sure they are too that we have discovered this little gadget.

Rosemary

I know that a good deal of you are probably skeptical, but my girlfriend's mother does merchandising for Nintendo, and she was recently sent her very own DS. In turn, she has asked me to figure out all the particulars and report them back to her.

I have to admit that I was originally very skeptical about the system. I love my SP, and the last thing I want is to replace it (though Nintendo makes the claim that this is not a GBA replacement...ha). However, having actually sat down with it for a while and browsed through all the menus, I must admit I'm really impressed. Ah, who am I kidding? I'm thrilled.

How is it different than the SP? Its bigger, for sure (shaped like the old Game & Watch systems), and we all know about the new touch screen, but won't that system be awkward, trying to use a stylus with a portable game system? Once again, I thought so too, but it basically turns your game system into the coolest palm pilot in the history of the planet. I had a lot of fun, just surfing through menus and personalizing it (you can enter in your birthdate and your nickname). You can choose whether or not you want to keep the backlight on, should you want to save energy, and of course there's that cool pictochat function, which unfortunately I can't really use until there's another user to talk to. And I did all of this without ever putting down the stylus. In fact, the buttons on the right side became kind of unnecessary.

And it held over for the included Metroid: Hunters. Once again, there's not a whole lot I can do with the game (Hunters is mainly multiplayer, and well, there's no one else to play), but I gave the training a shot. I quickly got the hang of it. Firing with L, moving forward and strafing with my left hand, and looking around with the stylus. Brought me back to my high school days, playing Quake with four keys and a mouse. Is it perfect? No. But is it close? Oh yes.

In review, I'd have to give 4.5 stars, and only that low because I won't have a real opportunity to explore the network aspect of it until the system is officially released. Even though I already have it, I'm still looking forward to the release date, because when you all wander into multiplayer Metroid looking for a fight, I'll have been training for the past two weeks.

I purchased this Nintendo DS system last year for 2 of my sons, ages 6 & 10. The purchase was actually on impulse because I happened to be in the store when they had just received a shipment. I really knew nothing about them and had never heard of them. This actually turned out to be one of the best electronic purchases I have ever made for the boys.

They each had Game Boy Advance's but were never really into "hand held" games as much as with their full sized TV games. I am really surprised at how much these systems are actually used!

Because the systems have a clock, the boys each use them for ALARM CLOCKS in the morning! I keep the chargers plugged into the outlets behind their nightstands. This insures the systems will always find their way back to that spot at the end of the day.

I like the fact that I don't have to buy batteries or battery packs or have charger stands. You just plug the cord into any household outlet and there is a little jack on the other end that plugs into the Nintendo DS. This charges up the system so it is ready. There are also indicator lights on the DS that let you know when the unit is charged or running low.

this system has a feature that my guys enjoy and use often. It is picto chat. You do not need additional software or accessories to use this. It is built right into the system. This feature enables anyone with a DS to wirelessly hook-up to each other and talk via text messaging. There is a little keyboard that shows up on the bottom screen and you use your little stylus to type in what you want to say. It is sent to the other DS. It is like a text messaging walkie talkie. My boys LOVE this feature.

There isn't an overwhelming selection of games...at least not yet. My boys keep going back to Yoshi's Touch and Go. The recent Nintendogs are great and are another favorite.

The games are tiny little square chips that slide easily into a port on the DS. I have purchased a plastic sweater box from the dollar store to hold the game cases. I have insisted that the games go into their cases and into the box because they are very small and could be easily misplaced.

There is a port to hold the older advance games so the investments we made in these games in the past are not dependant upon the older systems. I have found that my boys are playing the older games more and more on the DS than they did on their older systems.

The overall design is good for all sized hands. The fun of the games is in the use of the stylus to play the games. I am not into games but I enjoy picking them up on occasion and playing. There is a little slot on the system to hold the stylus when it is not in use.

The top closes so the screens are not exposed when not being used. This helps to avoid scratching.

An additional feature that the boys like is that by purchasing one game, both can play at the same time, what seems to be a mini-game version. Those of us with more than one chld knows that sometimes, two of the same are necessary but, it is nice to be able to buy only ONE of something on occasion.

I didn't buy any starter packs or other accessories because I wanted to see what exactly we would need. So far we have needed nothing except cases. The boys did not want these, I did.

This system also has a wrist strap that you can detach if you don't want it.

From a mom's perspective, this has proven to be a worthwhile investment. My boys love their systems and use them all the time. I cannot comment to the more technical aspects of the game because, well...I base my opinion on if the toy is great based on how much my children love it, how easy it is for me to set-up or break down, how much it costs me in accessories and add-ons after the initial purchase, and how much "play time" it receives.

Based upon that criterion, I give this system 5 stars.

It seems as if this system has not received the attention of the PSP, and I often wonder if my boys would have even asked for it if I did not get it for them last year. I am so happy and I am sure they are too that we have discovered this little gadget.

Rosemary

The Nintendo DS really is a great gaming system. I will rate it in five categories below.

Graphics - This is one of the low points if you are comparing it to the psp, but if you play games like metroid prime hunters, these graphics are actually amazing, but other games are just sticking with the 2d so i'll give this a 4.

4/5


Innovativeness (Creativity)

The DS will let you experience gameplay in a way that you never have. Whether it's with the two screens, or the touch screens. It give you a new way to play games.

5/5


Games / Software

The games for the DS right now aren't the best, but by the end of the year, we'll will have tons of great games such as Nintendogs, Metroid Prime Hunters, Kirby, Mario and Luigi 2, New Super Mario Bros, 007 Rogue Agent, and Mario kart DS, plus the games that are already out like Wario Ware Touched, and Super Mario 64. You can also play any gameboy advance game you want to play making the game library over 500 games already. A zelda game is sure to come out too, possibly a remake of Ocirana of Time, which is arguably one of the best game ever made, next to Final Fantasy VII. A super smash bros. game might come out too.

5/5


Online Capabilities

Nintendo is going to have a free wirless service for the end of 2005. The first game to use it will be Mario Kart DS. This means you could live in St. Louis Missouri, and race against somebody in Orlando, Florida with out hooking any thing up, but for those that aren't in bigger cities, they can just hook there ds up to a modem. And all of this will be free, according to the Magazine Nintendo Power.

5/5


Extra Features

The Ds has so many extra features. These include the two screens, the touch screen, gameboy advance capabilities, it will hook up with the nintendo revolution wirlessly, clock and alarm, calendar, personalizations, pictochat, and the whole new online system.

5/5

Overall 4.8, rounds up to 5 Stars

Great System

5/5

THE POSTIVE ASPECTS: I got my Nintendo DS last weekend, and let me tell you, it is awesome. This is definately the future of handheld gaming. The graphics are awesome. Personally, my total gaming experience of the new games are made up of Super Mario 64 DS and the Metroid Prime Hunters demo. Looking specifically at Super Mario 64 DS, on many levels the graphics are actually better than the original N64 version. Mario and Yoshi actually bear more of a resemblence to their Super Mario Sunshine counterparts rather than the original Super Mario 64 (refering to Yoshi's small cameo in the original).

The touch screen is awesome. This feature particularly stands out in the demo of Metroid Prime Hunters. It has awesome reaction. In the case of Super Mario, it allows you to move the camera around to better adjust your view. The great thing about the touch screen is that it will continue to offer a simple solution to any games that require more than the existing D-pad and 6-buttons. Additional screen buttons can be added in whatever amount the game makers choose.

The wireless connection is rather awesome as well. My girlfriend also picked up a DS, and we were playing the multiplayer feature on Mario 64 (which only require one person to have a copy of the game), and it worked very well. Also, some of the built in system features are pretty sweet, too. There are chat rooms in which you can use the touch screen pen to type messages and draw pictures and send them to each other. You do need to be within about 30 feet of eachother for the connection to work, so this will not work as a long distance form of communication, but it is still just fun to play around with.

The Gameboy Advance games actually seem to look a little better on this system than they do on my Gameboy Advance SP (I did get a second opinion, and they agreed with me). I think the fact that the screens are backlit as opposed to the light that just kind of shines down on the screen on the SP makes a difference. I'm not saying it makes the games seem totally different, but it is a nice, extra touch.

The final postitive is the fact that the system has 2 separate slots for the DS games and the Gameboy Advance games. This allows you to put 2 games (1 of each type) into the system at the same time and select which one you want to play from the menu. This is partiuclarly great for anyone who usually just puts one game into their Gameboy and takes it with them, and doesn't like carrying a bunch of extra little carts with them.


THE NEGATIVES: While I do love the system and it is really awesome as the next generation of handheld gaming (which is the basis of the 5 star ratings that I gave it), there are a few negative aspects. The first of which (and probably the least) is the fact that in some cases (particularly in Super Mario 64) it seems like they just make uses for it that just are not necessary. While the camera aspect was mention earlier as a positive, when you go to choose between Saving, Contining, Quiting the game, etc, this is also touch screen based. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but its not like putting that on the main screen and having you select it with the buttons would be a big deal. This isn't really bad, but it does feel a little like Nintendo is sort of forcing the novelty of the touch screen in your face.
There is also the forementioned fact that you cannot be more than about 30 feet apart from each other for the wireless connection for games and chat to work, but the chat is more of a fun little novelty than something that is meant to be used from far away.

But, on to the real negatives. The system severly lacks in backwards compatibility with the previous gameboy systems. While it does play Gameboy Advance games, it does NOT play the ones from the original Gameboy or Gameboy Color (so, if you are still playing that old copy of Tetris, don't trade in your Gameboy just yet). It also does not have a port for the Gameboy Advance link cable. And since those games are not compatible with the new wireless connection that the DS games use, there is no way to use them in multiplayer mode. This also means that the Gamecube to Gameboy connection cannot be used. The Nintendo E-Reader does not fit into the system either. Granted, while some of these connective features were popular with a limited audience (of which I am part), it would still be nice to have the OPTION to use them.

If you don't care about the old Gameboy games, and your only use for the Gameboy Advance is to play the GBA games on a one player basis, then many of these compatibility issues won't effect you.
If you are someone who utilizes these features, don't let it discourage you from getting a DS. Just don't trade in your old Gameboy yet. I personally am hanging onto my GBA SP to keep using those connection features and playing those old Gameboy games with a light up screen.

So, in conclusion, As the newest technological leap for portable video games, the Nintendo DS is awesome. There are very few negatives in that sense. The only real negative is the lack of compatibility of the old Gameboy games and accessories.

I purchased this Nintendo DS system last year for 2 of my sons, ages 6 & 10. The purchase was actually on impulse because I happened to be in the store when they had just received a shipment. I really knew nothing about them and had never heard of them. This actually turned out to be one of the best electronic purchases I have ever made for the boys.

They each had Game Boy Advance's but were never really into "hand held" games as much as with their full sized TV games. I am really surprised at how much these systems are actually used!

Because the systems have a clock, the boys each use them for ALARM CLOCKS in the morning! I keep the chargers plugged into the outlets behind their nightstands. This insures the systems will always find their way back to that spot at the end of the day.

I like the fact that I don't have to buy batteries or battery packs or have charger stands. You just plug the cord into any household outlet and there is a little jack on the other end that plugs into the Nintendo DS. This charges up the system so it is ready. There are also indicator lights on the DS that let you know when the unit is charged or running low.

this system has a feature that my guys enjoy and use often. It is picto chat. You do not need additional software or accessories to use this. It is built right into the system. This feature enables anyone with a DS to wirelessly hook-up to each other and talk via text messaging. There is a little keyboard that shows up on the bottom screen and you use your little stylus to type in what you want to say. It is sent to the other DS. It is like a text messaging walkie talkie. My boys LOVE this feature.

There isn't an overwhelming selection of games...at least not yet. My boys keep going back to Yoshi's Touch and Go. The recent Nintendogs are great and are another favorite.

The games are tiny little square chips that slide easily into a port on the DS. I have purchased a plastic sweater box from the dollar store to hold the game cases. I have insisted that the games go into their cases and into the box because they are very small and could be easily misplaced.

There is a port to hold the older advance games so the investments we made in these games in the past are not dependant upon the older systems. I have found that my boys are playing the older games more and more on the DS than they did on their older systems.

The overall design is good for all sized hands. The fun of the games is in the use of the stylus to play the games. I am not into games but I enjoy picking them up on occasion and playing. There is a little slot on the system to hold the stylus when it is not in use.

The top closes so the screens are not exposed when not being used. This helps to avoid scratching.

An additional feature that the boys like is that by purchasing one game, both can play at the same time, what seems to be a mini-game version. Those of us with more than one chld knows that sometimes, two of the same are necessary but, it is nice to be able to buy only ONE of something on occasion.

I didn't buy any starter packs or other accessories because I wanted to see what exactly we would need. So far we have needed nothing except cases. The boys did not want these, I did.

This system also has a wrist strap that you can detach if you don't want it.

From a mom's perspective, this has proven to be a worthwhile investment. My boys love their systems and use them all the time. I cannot comment to the more technical aspects of the game because, well...I base my opinion on if the toy is great based on how much my children love it, how easy it is for me to set-up or break down, how much it costs me in accessories and add-ons after the initial purchase, and how much "play time" it receives.

Based upon that criterion, I give this system 5 stars.

It seems as if this system has not received the attention of the PSP, and I often wonder if my boys would have even asked for it if I did not get it for them last year. I am so happy and I am sure they are too that we have discovered this little gadget.

Rosemary

I'm not a gamer, but I'm a mother of one! My son has every Game Boy from Color to Advanced to the DS and I have to say, this is the best by far. I checked out the PSP and the DS is better in quite a few ways (and not only because of the price!). First of all, it folds in on itself, protecting the screen. (The PSP does not and it's very fragile) No need to buy an elaborate (and extra) carrying case. He takes it on the bus everyday and so far, after a year, very little if any scratching as happened. In addition, his other Game Boy games will also play on this, so he can use any games, past or present on the system. The touch screen is great as well and since he basically used my husbands palm pilot all the time, it can replace that as well! (calendar, address book, etc all built right in)
It keeps it's charge for a long time...longer than I expected, actually. Very nice screen and the wrist carrier works well.
I'm happy we got this, he's gotten a ton of play from it and still likes it after all this time. That's saying something in this rapidly changing market!

Ok, first off, just let me say that i'm older than 13, I just don' feel like signing up with amazon. ;)

Ok, the ds. I'll list it's pro's and con's starting with con's.

After that i'll tell what really annoys me about other people's false reviews.

CON'S

D-pad- After using the d-pad for a while, you hands get cramped up. Maybe that's just me, but it gets very aggrivating after playing for a while.

Duel screens- It's hard to keep track of both screens at the same time, and looking at the other screen can sometimes cost you a life in the game your playing.

Gimmicky games- With innovation comes gimmicks. Granted, not all of the ds's games are just gimmicks, but some are.

Bad starting line up- The games that came out with the system were few, and only one or two were good. They are making up for that now though.

PRO'S


Touch Screen- This can make many games more enjoyable, and makes it MUCH easier if you have to sift through item screens. It also leads to innovative games.

Durability- Very durable, you can drop it however many times you want, and it doesn't break, or at least, that is what my experiences have shown. (No, I don't drop it on purpose).

WiFi- With games like Mario kart and animal crossing becoming WiFi compatible for the ds, how can you NOT like WiFi?

Sleek Design- I know some people hate the design, but personally, I love it, though I wish they had more colors avaliable at launch.

WHAT ANNOYS ME FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S REVIEWS:

1. Nintendo is kiddy:

Ok, granted nintendo does make many kiddy games, but you people always conveniantly forget about games such as resident evil. I wonder why?

2. The graphics [..]!:

Yes, psp's graphics are better than the ds's, but no one really had a problem with the gba's graphics, and the ds graphics are as good or better than gba graphics.

3. All the games are mario:

Ummm...no actually. Yes, there is mario kart (great game), and many other mario games will probobly show up on the ds as well, but there are DEFINATELY more games than just mario, plus, most of the mario games are actually good.

4. Don't waste your money! The psp is better!

Everyone has there own opinions, but this is not the place to compare the psp to the ds, it's the place to say if you like the ds or not. If you like the psp better, great, but you don't need to tell us that under the NINTENDO DS reviews. ;)

Thanks for taking the time to read my review (if you actually did), and I hoped this helped you decide on whether or not to buy the ds.

Many of psp fanboys are complaining about ds, because it cannot play movies, or it has too childish games, etc. ì'm going to write most of psp fanboys complains about ds, and their solutions:

psp fanboys: "it cannot play any movies or mp3"
solution: for mp3 and videos, buy a play-yan ( it's a device that fits on the GBA slot on the ds. it can play music and videos, and, besides, it's cheaper than buying a memory stick duo for music and movies , that costs $100).

psp fanboys:" it has better graphics "
solution: um, yes, i think.... i think you won this time,... um,...eon..HAH!!!!!! Got you, just watch Meteos intro movie, and those complains will worth...NOTHING.

psp fanboys: "control ls better on psp, because it has an analog stick.
solution: now the ds games like metroid prime hunters or ridge racer use the touch screen as an analog screen, and you don't have to look to the touch screen (HA).

psp fanboys:there's too many kiddie games on ds
solution: um, helloo.....feel the magic, goldeneye, sprung, trace memory, splinter cell...WAKE UP!!!! more and more are coming

psp fanboys: we have internet
solution: on november internet ds games are goin to be relased, like mario kart ds, animal crossing ds, tony hawk, and on 2006, more are coming, but the best part is that the connection is goinG to be FREE.

psp fanboys: " ds is too fragile "
solution: yeah, whatever... let drop a ds, with an incorpored nutshell, and a psp, with the plasma screen with NO protection, and let's see wich one is more fragile.

psp fanboys: ds it`s too big.
solution: ok. it's a little bigger than the psp, but it`s $100 cheaper and it comes with a PLAYABLE demo(psp comes with a disc with non playable demos, just videos, and you're lucky if it doesn`t come with dead pixels ,(around 1-15 dead pixels on each, and the number increases while using it), a stuck square button, a broke ( or scratched) plasma screen, etc. some people say that 90% of the psp's in the world come with these problems.

psp fanboys: "it has very little and horrid games"
solution: lots of cool games are going to be relased on this year like:
Advance Wars: dual strike, Animal Crossing ds, Electroplankton, Kirby Canvas Curse(now in stores), Mario & luigi 2, Mario Kart ds, Meteos(now in stores), Metroid Prime hunters, Nintendogs, New Super Mario Bros,Viewtiful Joe ds,Castelvania: dawn of sorrow, Yu Gi Oh! nightmare troubadour, Lost in blue, Goldeneye: rouge agent(now in stores), Madden 2006, Need for Speed: most wanted, ultimate Spiderman, Sonic rush, pac'n'roll, and this is just the beggining.

Conclusion: psp has been beaten in all categories. Here`s a quick review

Music: play yan
Videos: play yan or game boy video
memory: it saves on the game card and not on a $100 memory stick
screen: 2 nutshell protected screens agains a totally unprotected psp screen
control: a very comfortable touch screen as an analog screen against a easy breakable psp analog stick
price: ds: $100 less, double fun. psp: "$100 more, $100 more money wasted on a non working, not fun and very less durable handheld system.
durability: ds nutshell protects the buttons and screens from dust and scratches. psp screen is exposed to smashes, scratches and even fom break, addin all the factory failures that comes on it; like dead pixels, a stuck square button, etc.
graphics: right now, meteos is beggining the ds revolution of graphics. on 2006, ds it`s going to kick some psp's butt.

games: more adult, free internet access and better games are coming this year, while on psp same puzzle, racing, sport and violence games are going to be relased.

final word: ds:10 psp:0 (or-1)

buy a ds. it`s better... trust me