Nintendo DS Lite

I have had my DS Lite for very nearly 2 years. My partner bought it for my birthday and I remember he paid around £100 for it. Since then, the DS has come on a long way and the Lite edition is no longer available (unless buying preowned), but the new version - the DSi is available from Amazon currently for £99.99. The games available work on both the DS Lite and the DSi.

*What is the DS Lite?*
The DS Lite is a small, hand held games console. It is very small measuring around 5 inches long, 3 inches wide and less than an inch thick. There are a great deal of games available for it making it appeal to a variety of people.

*Using the console*
I find using the console really easy, I am not a games console person but found out that I could literally just turn the DS on and go.

There are 2 ways of controlling the DS, you can either use the buttons or the stylus, for those of you who don't know a stylus is a small pen like thing that you use to tap the screen with. For some games you can only use the buttons and for others you can only use the stylus but for most you can use both.

There aren't too many buttons, there are the usual directional ones and then there are A,B,X and Y. The buttons are used for action games such as Sonic or Mario and they are used to control your character and making it jump, duck etc. They are also used in racing games.

Most of my games need the stylus as I'm not really into many of the action games and instead I prefer puzzles. The stylus is really easy to use, the console recognises your movements well and I find it really simple.

The DS Lite has dual screen which makes gaming much more exciting as there is more to see. The bottom screen is the one where most of the gameplay takes place and this is the only top screen. The top screen is more to assist you and shows things that you just need to look at eg. A map on a racing game. The screens are both 3 inches and I find that I can see everything fine and never need to squint.

The graphics on the DS Lite are very good. All of the games look very cartoony compared to bigger consoles such as the Xbox 360 but there are plenty of colours and the pictures are defined well.

The battery lasts really well on the DS Lite. It is meant to last 19 hours from a full recharge and I think this is correct. I charge mine rarely and when it does need charging it is fully charged within a couple of hours. Another thing I like is that the battery does not go dead when you leave it for a while. Mine has been sat on the shelf for a good couple of months before without being turned on but when I came back to it it was still charged.

*What games can you get and how much do they cost?*
There are literally thousands of titles for the DS and there is something that will appeal to everyone, prices vary but older games can usually be found for around £10 online and newer ones usually cost less than £30. Some games available include:
Mario Kart
Brain Training
Professor Leyton
Sonic
Art Academy
Lego Batman
Harry Potter
Toy Story 3
Peppa Pig
These are just a few of the games that are available. There are many many games on the DS so there really is plenty for everyone.

*Who would enjoy the DS?*
I think everyone would enjoy the DS, my niece got her first one at age 7, I have mine and my Mum also loves playing on them and she is in her 50's. There are many games for the older player aswell as children and those in between. The DS is recommended for the over 3's and I have known 3 and 4 year olds to have them and they have managed fine. There is now a DSi XL available which has a bigger screen which might be useful for those who have poor sight.

*Would I recommend the DS Lite?*
Yes absolutely, I think the DS Lite will appeal to everyone as it has so much to offer. There are so many game titles available there really is something for everyone. The newer style DSi offers a camera and for £99.99 it really is a bargain.