Nintendo DS proven toilet-safe
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Nov 23rd 2005 at 12:30PM }
Portable devices are just itchin' to be brought along for a
bathroom trip. Just last night, on one such excursion, "chudgoo" was handling too many devices at once,
and amidst a rugged Mario Kart Wi-Fi session, found his DS tumbling into the toilet. Fortunately, the DS
was only rinsed (the toilet was flushing) for a few seconds, but it was enough to give the machine a thorough
soaking of toilet water and urine.
Don't fret, Nintendo has built a sturdy device—come morning, the toilet-tested DS was back to normal.
[Thanks, chudgoo]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Crazylink @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
Nintendo has always made the sturdiest consoles.
Nushio @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
Thats great news. I always stick my hands out and away from the toilet to prevent this sort of stuff from happening.
Toilet-Safe, heh, who would have thought?
Whats next? Gameboy Aqua? (Swimming pool safe)
Guy N. @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
This is why I stick with Nintendo when it comes to handhelds. They're so damn durable. I've dropped my game boys (sometimes on concrete) so many times, they really should be finished but they just keep on playing.
The psp on the other hand feels like it's going to break if you press a button too hard. That was fine when I used to buy $20 walkmans from them but after paying $250 you expect something that can hold up.
Dman @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
Yeah, it's hard doing two things at once, let alone wiping ones ass...
tintin @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
In related news:
I accidentally put a copy of Electroplankton through the wash, it was nestled in one of those little change pockets in my jeans, and it came out working fine! I'd like to see somebody try that with a UMD!
DS is for "Durable Sh*t!"
White Rose Duelist @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
I was wondering when a DS was going to get the flush test. Good to know that the Big N is still making indestructible hardware.
The cockraoches will eat Chee-tos and play Game Boy after armageddon.
SilverDogg @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
wow. i knew that nintendo made sturdy stuff, but that it would actually work after getting dropped into water, thats a surprise =D
giz @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
Cool....lets try it with the PSP now...oh wait..its already there....lol...lol....lol....lol
xbox360-forums.com @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
After this news, I finally feel like I am ready to buy the Nintendo DS.
murph @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
ewwww.
note to self: never buy used DS or PSP.
lyam @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
giz, you're an idiot.
g @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
lol i'd LOVE to see someone try this wth a PSP! HA! I wouldnt even take that thing anywhere humid! im surprised they work in florida
Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
4. Posted Nov 23, 2005, 12:42 PM ET by tintin
In related news:
I accidentally put a copy of Electroplankton through the wash, it was nestled in one of those little change pockets in my jeans, and it came out working fine! I'd like to see somebody try that with a UMD!
DS is for "Durable Sh*t!"
-----------
i'm sorry to be picky, but you're referring to as a 'little change pocket' is actually known as a 'fob'. it's designed for pocket watches. why they still put them on most jeans is a mystery to me.
Jack @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
Anyone want a used Nintendo DS?
Zell @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
White Rose Duelist: "The cockraoches will eat Chee-tos and play Game Boy after armageddon."
Hahahaha...
Bob @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
I just put my Spider-Man 2 UMD through the wash and it works and looks fine. So much for that theory.
LSSLAVE @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
UMD are in protective cases remember, so I am sure that helps to their survivability. And I am not talking the standard case, there is a shell over the actual discs.
Why do I know this when I dont own a PSP? I am not sure :/
The DS is definatly a sturdy handheld. One of Nintendos selling points to me is that they have ALWAYS been sturdy, back in the NES days (as a child, small child) we would be jumping and everything, pull the system down and knock the game right out. We put the machine back up and put the game in and continue playing, that simple.
I wouldnt trust a PS2 or Xbox to survive the stuff the NES and SNES went through...
The DS survived mount everest, but I guess people with weak bladders dont need to worry about putting the DS in their pockets anymore either. The real test for the DS is done day-to-day, the machine gets dropped I am sure by ALOT of people, small children and adults. You dont hear complaints about it breaking in 1 fall like the PSP does...
Nintendo offers the longest warranty, because their machines dont break, they dont have nearly as many returns. I am glad to hear the DS is so stable, but the thing is like a brick, you could probably beat someone to death with it, a little water wont ruin it ^^
ski @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
UMD's will not get broken from submersing in water. Maybe a few water spots but nothing in them can be harmed by water. Carts on the other had could start to corrrode or short circut when wet. Duh.
32_Footsteps @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
LSSLAVE: "I am glad to hear the DS is so stable, but the thing is like a brick, you could probably beat someone to death with it, a little water wont ruin it"
Wait, I thought there were no witnesses to that. It was self-defense, I swear.
Neko Tsukimi @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
That's perfect considering the best place for Mario Kart Wi-Fi action (other than my bed) is the bathroom! Never have bathroom trips been so enjoyable.
Sense @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
A few years ago I got a GBA and Metroid Fusion for Christmas. Awesome game BTW. I put Metroid in my "fob" pocket and ran it through the washing machine. I thought I had lost it. When I found it again it still worked, but I could no longer save my game. I even cracked open the cartridge and tried to replace the battery but no go. :(
RareHare, I thought the dealy at the end of a pocket watch chain was called a fob. Are you sure that's what the fifth pocket is called?
Juan @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
Looks like this guy was luckier than I..same thing happened to mine, and it fried. =(
chudgoo @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
One thing to note about cartidges/UMDs/minidiscs/flash drives/memory cards/etc...
When they are *unpowered*, there is almost no risk of harming them unless, of course, there is an energized component like a capacitor inside.
(digital cameras that have a flash can go *pop!*, cease to work, and smell funny if they get wet when the cap is charged up)
Provided the are dry when you try to use them again, they will work.
--
For what it's worth, my DS (that fell in the toilet) was ON at the time which is why it's pretty remarkable that is still works. Luckily nothing shorted out (permanently) and nothing was damaged. Many chips would have been totally destroyed by this. The DS runs on 3.7v so I guess there isn't too much (potentially destructive) juice onboard anyway....but still! Nintendo builds tanks and I'm very thankful for that!
Jay @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
I've always been uber careful with my possessions but my NES took beatings decades ago. it still works. hell, even my Amiga that I ripped open once is still fully working. A computer from 1993 with sever case problems. Some things are built tough.
KirbyMeister @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
I thought the 5th pocket was the 'nano' pocket.
I remember a year ago I opened a bottle [plastic] of root beer - yes, that sticky, sugary stuff - and it exploded, all over my SP.
Guess what? After a quick dry-up, the thing works 100% normally.
Soothsayer @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
-snort-
I wonder how much Nintendo fanboys would pay for a DS dropped into Miyamoto's toilet.
cyberfelon @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
I dropped my DS on the train once and it hit the floor so hard the cart flew out and the system turned off. I immediately put the game back in, switched it on, and everything worked fine. That was several weeks ago and there hasn't been a hint of damage to it since. Gotta love well-made products. Would a PSP survive a fall like that? (That wasn't flamebait, by the way, I'm actually curious about how sturdy the PSP really is)
Speaking of things going through the wash and working, I once left a set of headphones in one of the pockets of my jeans when they got washed and they worked perfectly afterwards. Someone should do a big roundup of tech gear that survives (or doesn't survive) a wash :D
Eli @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
"I wonder how much Nintendo fanboys would pay for a DS dropped into Miyamoto's toilet."
I would buy that. I wouldn't play it, or go near it, but I could put it in a trophy case and when my friends come over I'd be like "Miyamoto dropped this DS in his toilet!"
Kenofthedead @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
fob: A small pocket at the front waistline of a man's trousers or in the front of a vest, used especially to hold a watch.
You can also have a fob in a shoe, though why I don't know. Perhaps for a shoe phone.
Google Nazi @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
On related news... Women begin playing with their nintendo ds in the girl's bathroom in schools, and public lavoratories. Man drops revolution in toilet and goes through the drain! Too bad it was made too silent and small to actually notice the drop. :P (I need sleep)
Joseph @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
This reminds me of a story I read in an old Nintendo Power where some kid accidentally flushed like 3 gameboy games down the drain, and they got jammed up and created a clog. So they had a plumber over and he dumped industrial grade clog removal (pretty much acid) a few times to try and melt them out. Since that didn't work he had to take the pipes apart and get them out. The labels were gone and they were filthy, but aparently they worked perfectly fine.
On another occasion some people found a NES after their house burned down, and it still worked. They had a picture of it and it was pretty burned up, with a big hole in the top. Crazy!
Excel @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
XD
Once I dropped my DS from about 4ft, open. A small amount of the hinge covering broke off, but it still works fine. :3
Olly @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
My friend had his DS in his bag when his drink leaked all over it.
The DS itself works fine, but the wireless stopped working - he now needs to buy a new one in order to play mariokart on-line!
joe @ Dec 18th 2005 10:01PM
my ds got pepsi spilled on it ! , unfortunately the sound dosent work anymore , just makes a low buzzing noise. I havent tried the wifi , there are no hotspots around. too bad , it costs $90 canadian to fix! any solutions? email me a deltaandroid AT gmail.com