Nintendo announces DS Lite

by Vladimir Cole { Jan 26th 2006 at 3:15AM }

Nintendo just emailed us the following announcement of the redesign of the Nintendo DS (dual screen) handheld.

"Nintendo President Satoru Iwata today announced Nintendo DS Lite, a slimmer version of the best-selling Nintendo DS™. Also featuring brighter screens, Nintendo DS Lite will launch in Japan in March. Nintendo DS Lite will be less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter.

Nintendo DS has enjoyed extremely strong sales in Japan and around the world, selling more than 14.4 million units worldwide. The Japanese sell-through of the existing Nintendo DS hardware exceeded 5 million within 13 months, which made Nintendo DS the fastest-selling video game system there.

Nintendo will announce more information about the availability of Nintendo DS Lite in North America and other territories in the future."

Additional details can be found on Nintendo's Japanese site.

Japanese release date: March 2, 2006

Weight: 218g (compare to 275g for the current Nintendo DS)

Dimensions: 133mm x 73.9mm x 21.5mm

Higher-resolution images for you.

And closed:

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

wonky @ Feb 9th 2006 1:14AM

It looks way better than Nintendo's now second-most-recent redesign, the GBM. I may buy one just so it can fit with the iPod idiom(damn Sony for not releasing the Ceramic White over here in the US!). What's interesting to me is how Nintendo, a Japanese company, doesn't transliterate or otherwise alter the name using Roman characters into one which uses Japanese characters on their official press releases or in marketing.

Tim Wright @ Feb 9th 2006 4:18AM

Is it just me, or have they deliberately NOT shown this new unit from the most obvious angle???

THE SIDE! Surely everyone wants to see how deep(thick)
this is, cuz that was my only real gripe with the DS.

Oh, and the fact that the screen hinge was a bit brittle (yes I broke it - ooops!)

rob @ Feb 13th 2006 9:42PM

If I import this, will I have to buy anything else to get it working here in the U.S.? I've never imported anything before, but for this, I think I will.

mitchell @ Feb 15th 2006 8:41PM

coooooooooooooooooooooooooooool but i dont wanna buy a new ds just for some new stuff all nintendo wants to do is make a better handheld system than sony (or if the revoultion fails)or maybe mirosoft will join the handheld market!!!! w00t!

Austin @ Feb 20th 2006 9:03PM

i think thats its gay, i mean i actually LIKE the big one, once this 'lite' thing comes in and every body gets one, it wont be so cool anymore. Then ill be playing my sweet retro 'old' DS and it will kick a$$!!!

Steven Amber @ Feb 20th 2006 10:18PM

Sweet, I can't wait to buy this and play MarioKart online
:) Hmmm...can this DS play GBA games? or can it only store them?

Me @ Mar 3rd 2006 9:57PM

cool DS. the senario is like GBA to GBA Sp. y'know i like DS way more than PSP thats for sure

Chris @ Mar 4th 2006 9:17PM

It looks like ten times better than the original DS> I will probably get it if it is not too mutch money.

Hasan @ Mar 4th 2006 11:52PM

I wasn't planning on getting a DS because it looked to bulky for me... i was cool with my psp... but now i'm gonna get the DS lite & have both awsome systems! I can't wait! Kudo's to you Nintendo!

tsung @ Mar 6th 2006 3:51AM

does anyone know for sure if an imported ds lite will play north american games?

pete @ Mar 7th 2006 5:24AM

oh god, people wanting to sell their 'fat' ds's are in trouble now; noones gonna want to buy it. Espeacially with this sexy number about....

Ray @ Mar 7th 2006 8:09PM

HOLY FRIGING CRAP I AM GONNA BUY ONE THE DAY IT COMES OUT!!! OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. THIS IS SO AWESOME IM JUST PISSED I JUST BOUGHT A DS AND NOW I HAVE TO SELL IT IM ATTACHED TO IT I NAMED MY DS FRED.

pikminman @ Mar 8th 2006 5:29PM

quick chech out http://www.freewebs.com/revealingtherevolution

chris rocha @ Mar 8th 2006 10:05PM

do you know when it will be released in the us of a .

neo @ Mar 12th 2006 8:01PM

Wow.. shes damn sexy... it appears they've modeled it to resemble the nintendo revolution, and no not its not a fake i just got my april issue of nintendo power in the mail today and they featured a picture and an article. can't wait until it comes to the US... its a must have! i wonder if it will support GBA wireless multiplayer?

Kelly Camarillo @ Mar 22nd 2006 7:55AM

Why smaller???? Why not build the same size??? Now we can squint at smaller screen- I bet you consumers will buy more units if it was bigger

lewis @ Mar 30th 2006 4:01PM

i beleived the psp was the ultimate handhled console, but now i have seen the lite!, sleek, cheap, and top of the range designer looks the ds lite has it all

Ryan Leonski @ Apr 5th 2006 1:13AM

This is going to be awesome I just heard about this and about the tv and internet browser on it better than the psp's which i never learned how to use so i never did. plus i heard better graphics!

Kehinde @ Apr 8th 2006 8:00AM

ds is way better than ds lite

ds lite looks like a gamboy sp

have faith the ds lite wont sell as much as the ds

this is another kick in the arse for the psp

Kehinde @ Apr 8th 2006 8:01AM

ds is way better than ds lite

ds lite looks like a gamboy sp

have faith the ds lite wont sell as much as the ds

this is another kick in the arse for the psp

boon @ Apr 19th 2006 9:09PM

ds sucks monkey nut and nintendo is for fag jap losers. buy a psp u niggs.

boon @ Apr 19th 2006 9:11PM

get a life u douche bags.

boon @ Apr 19th 2006 9:12PM

buy a psp u arses

Frank @ Apr 21st 2006 8:30AM

WOW, I am importing one from hong kong right now from ebay, I shold receive in 10days and counting!!! I will post another comment to tell you ghuys what I think, but im mad because I just purchased my FAT DS, well o well. I sold It on Ebay for 96$ so I guess I got my moneys worth
!!!!!!!!!!!!! HURRAY NINTENDO, Now if you could just get graphics of naked women to be good...

Everblunt @ Apr 21st 2006 9:45AM

I have been holding off on buying a DS, biding my time with my GBA SP untill something like this comes up. I know it�s pretty pointless to say but it was amusing to hear from all the psp owners who seem a little jealous over the enthusiasm for the DS.

Sareh @ Apr 24th 2006 4:23PM

If I buy Nintendo DS LITE (JAPANNSE VERSION) what will be different, besides for the obvious lang. Because you can go in the system and change the lang. to ENGLISH. Will I be able to go online in AMERICAN and play all American games?

Vida @ Apr 25th 2006 12:43PM

My boyfriend bought several of the DS Lites for me and his family. They are great. They are much smaller, and the clarity of the screen is amazing.

Probot @ Jan 26th 2006 3:25AM

You know, I warned my friend that there might be a redesign soon, so she should hold off on getting a DS. After no news came last week, she decided to get one. I can't wait to share this little bit of news with her.

As for the redesign, it looks like they've moved the power button from next to the conrol-pad, which I think is a great idea. I'm used to it now, but when I first got it, I was shutting it off accidentally all the time.

SoBe @ Jan 26th 2006 3:26AM

Wow I'll have to be importing. Very very slick.

yjs @ Jan 26th 2006 3:26AM

This addresses all problems I have with the current DS. D-pad, buttons, screen brightness, style, weight, size. I can't WAIT for this baby.

BTW it still retains the GBA slot. Here are the measurements: 133.0 x 73.9 x 21.5mm, at 218g. The old DS was 148.7 x 84.7 x 28.9mm at 275g)

Jau_Peacecraft @ Jan 26th 2006 3:30AM

I got my DS as a christmas present... so I guess I'll actually buy the DS lite. It depends; if it's just slimmer and dosen't have any other major differences other than the button positioning, then there'd be no point.

NyaR @ Jan 26th 2006 3:32AM

lets announce were not making design changes and then make design changes!

Raven @ Jan 26th 2006 3:36AM

That looks way to photoshopped...

James @ Jan 26th 2006 3:38AM

I can't believe Nintendo denied the whole thing after Lik-Sang said there would be a new DS unit soon.

Silver @ Jan 26th 2006 3:41AM

Source for those who care:
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/news/060126.html

MaC01 @ Jan 26th 2006 3:44AM

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG! IM SOO GLAD I WAITED!!! yes yes i am a 'fanboy'!

SetupWeasel @ Jan 26th 2006 3:45AM

They probably delayed it *because* Lik-Sang said they would announce it. Nintendo likes their secrets, and they may have wanted a little egg on Lik-Sang's face.

robotplague @ Jan 26th 2006 3:45AM

I can't wait to see pictures of it. I'll definately be getting it but I'm a bit dissapointed. I was hoping they would fix the ergonomics of the design. Either way this is a welcomed improvement. I can't wait to get my hands on one.

Jed Merrill @ Jan 26th 2006 3:46AM

I want three!

Conrad Quilty-Harper @ Jan 26th 2006 3:48AM

Had to happen only a month after I bought my "fat" DS!

Ninegauger @ Jan 26th 2006 3:50AM

That looks pretty neat... definitely in the Revolution/iPod vein. I'm definitely looking forward for some real pictures and such.

Varian @ Jan 26th 2006 3:51AM

For a size comparison:

http://www.australian-postcodes.com/ds-comparison.jpg

Original dimensions: 148 x 85 x 28mm
New dimensions: 133 x 73.9 x 21.55mm

Old weight: 275g
New weight: 218g

Microphone is in the middle of the two screens.

Power button is moved.

Still has the GBA slot.

Uses the GBA Micro D-pad.

Chris @ Jan 26th 2006 3:51AM

PSWhat?

That is better then the iPod.

Thanks nintendo, I never lost faith.

Colin McCain @ Jan 26th 2006 3:52AM

I held out from buying a DS because I had heard of a redesign. Then they said they weren't issuing one, so I went out and bought the mario kart DS package (good buy either way). Now I'll have to find out when it's being released and sell my DS so I can get this new one.

Anyone want to buy a DS?