GameStop no longer stocking Nintendo DS Lite

by Alexander Sliwinski on Apr 25th 2011 7:46PM

GameStop has confirmed to Joystiq that the mega retailer will no longer stock the Nintendo DS Lite. A company spokesperson informed us that in order to drive sales of the Nintendo 3DS and "take advantage of this unique product," along with the DSi and the DSi XL, the company will not restock the DS Lite.

We contacted Nintendo to ask if it's still manufacturing and shipping the DS Lite to other retailers. Charlie Scibetta, senior director of corporate communications at Nintendo of America told us, "Nintendo DS Lite is still available at most retail locations. Consumers will be able to find Nintendo DS Lite without much trouble."

Tags: ds, ds-lite, gamestop, nintendo

Reader Comments (49)

I still have my Electric Blue OG DS, and it works fine. When it dies (maybe sometime soon), it'll be a beautiful paperweight/artifact.

Don't know why anyone's buying Lites at this point anyway. The DSi is far, FAR superior in terms of hardware and features.

@PointlessPuppies

Except, you know, no GBA slot and worse battery life.

@Marshillboy
Ditto. For truth and great justice.

I'd rather have access to my GBA carts than to their proprietary DLC store. This is a sad day.

@Marshillboy

Whateva'.

I just ran a search on the DS' library.

Seriously...I don't know what the hell I was doing for the last seven years.

There's, like, four-and-a-half Dragon Quest remakes on this thing.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Two Kingdom Hearts games, God-knows-how-many Final Fantasy titles, something called "Contact" by Grasshopper Manufacture, and TWO Picross games????

Don't worry, people. I beat the living shit out of my own goddamn self.

Jesus. I've never been much of a handheld gamer, but how does a serious gamer go without playing TWO Zelda titles?

God. F*ck me. What a douche.

@Urethra Alfredo

...what?

@PointlessPuppies
As someone else pointed out; GBA compatibility.

The DS Lite is the best device for GBA games. The screen is perfect (no frontlight, bright backlight, longest battery life). To disregard that is to disregard one of the best gaming libraries of all time.

WELL DONE YOU

@Marshillboy

Actually, the DSi's battery life is better than the DS Lite's.

@PointlessPuppies
Also, the ds lite has soft buttons. The dsi has clicky buttons.

I don't like clicky buttons.

@IrateGamer

Downvote me, my source confused the battery lives.

@PointlessPuppies

@Urethra Alfredo

Just wanted to say you should really try out Contact. Especially if you are feeling drowsy or sleepy, that game has a really unique surreal mood that I've not seen replicated anywhere else.

@Urethra Alfredo

You're forget all the Super NES games available via the GBA slot. ;)

GameStop - the game store that doesn't sell games

@wcarnation

omgursofunnay

@wcarnation
Sorta like the MTV of games?.... Terrible network television at its.... Finest? Or would that be worst?

Another death in the long family line of Nintendo handhelds. As we gather here today, we not mourn the loss of this DS, but fondly remember the good times it has brought upon us. His eldest son, the 3DS, would like to say a few words now...

@jph89
Wouldn't the 3DS be the youngest son? Being that it's, like, the newest one?

@jph89

3DS: Daddy was like a father to me, taught me the ways of good gaming and fun. Unfortunately, I think I am disappointing him by some of my latest releases. I WILL AVENGE YOU FATHER! (Hope for another Super Mario release)

@sigma8

Only son so far. but we all know a new version will come in a year or two. the DSi is like the crazy brother, and the DSiXL is like that manly fat aunt.

@jph89
Oh right, a shop in America stops selling it so it's dead. How stupid are you to be so US-centralised? All major shops in Europe, Japan (lets just say Australasia) and South America still sell the DS Lite.

Case. Closed.

@jph89
If the DSi is the brother, then how is the 3DS the "only son"????? And how is it that the aunt gets born after the brother??

Should I be worried about your alien homeworld's impending invasion of earth? I hope it's not hinging on your understanding of how family and breeding work.

@AutobotIronhide

3DS: In many ways they say i was like my brother, but i stand out more....

@sigma8

I just assumed all DS's were rednecks.

@Banksyliveraa

Why you gotta be like that?

@Banksyliveraa

You are commenting on an American blog. About an American store.

Do they need to tack on "in America" on every story for you to get that?

Fire sale?

Fire Sale.

*sarcasm* shocker

I dont know what kind of strange hillbilly family trees you guys have, but we all know all Nintendo consoles have the same father.

@The Only Girl

Good response.

My Pokemon Ruby weeps as my GBA and DS lite break from old age.

@ColorblindMonk Yours still works? The internal battery died on my Sapphire version so I lost everything :(

Farewell... My friend.

I'll still be rocking mines proudly until the next gen Pokemon game comes out exclusively for the 3DSi Lite ('cause we all know it's coming).

My Ds-lite has had the life sucked from it. I am PROUD to say I have a broken hinge, scratched up cover, broken L, dpad all creaky, faded serial sticker, and dusty gba/ds slot. Despite the injuries, I love it dearly. And so, my dslite cannot be replaced in my heart. I believe I am ready to move on to the 3ds.

I'm not ready to ditch my Lite yet. None of the new revisions are tempting enough for me to upgrade.

Yet, anyway.

My DS Lite is still in perfect condition. Bought on launch day and has lasted me until now. I never bothered with a DSi. The shorter battery life turned me off and the exclusive DSi library (ware) didn't interest me one iota.

@Noksukow

I found Trajectile to be a lot of fun... but, yeah, most of the games are pretty lame.

I traded in my launch phatso for an Onyx Lite, and I love it. My phatso was in mint condition when I traded it in four years after buying it.

I remember the wife.....'what do you need TWO screens for?'

She has two lites right now, and had a phatso.

DS Lite will be missed for its insanely awesome battery life.

Will probably buy one for the first time this summer.

Cobalt and Blue all way! You will live on forever!

... unless i drop you and break you...

*knocks on wood*

GameStop ? More like GameStopped.

So glad I still have my original "Pokeman Gold" version of GBA, and GBA SP, plus a White DS Lite. But am also glad I bought the GBA Player for the Game Cube. Nothing like playing the FF GBA remakes on the big tv.

@sdghjtyjty

Thats a purty house

So?

I just got a Gameboy Advance a few months ago...

@psnNukdollars

Oh, I certainly hope you bought a snakelight, or perhaps a headband-shaped flashlight you can wear while playing it. :) I've gotten so old, I can barely play my GBA micro without glasses and a well lit room. :)

Seriously though. I've got my Ruby Red DS Lite and my Blue DS Phat (along with my DSi/3Ds) and I have to say the DS Lite, in spite of its awkward 'bulging' when the GBA cart was inserted, is a nice, handy little package. I will have to pick one up as a spare (I regretted not picking up a spare micro)... like I do with all my consoles... and remove the battery pack so I can store it for the months it will be waiting for my current Lite to crap out. :)

I don't get why this is a big deal. For those of us with huge GBA collections, we already have a DSLite or fat. Anyone buying a new DS at this point most likely doesn't care about GBA support.

And while the Lite was the "definitive" DS model, it was also the most fragile. I know far too many people with broken hinges on their lites. It's such a widespread issue I've heard Nintendo fixes it for free, even outside of warranty. The design on the right side of the hinge is not sturdy. No other model of the DS, including the 3Ds, has this problem.

Besides, the DS Lite sold the most units out of all the different models, and used units will be available for a long, long time. The only thing that I think is bad about the lack of availability is that it means the cheapest Nintendo handheld you can buy new (at gamestop, anyways) is $150. I remember buying my GB Color for $80, and the ridiculous price of handheld gaming in the modern era is pretty sad to me.

@CaramelZappa
Nintendo will only fix your hinge for free if it was the left side. (where the top screen's ribbon cable is) If it's the right side, they'll charge you $80.

GameStop no longer stocking Nintendo DS Lite

Reader Comments (49)

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 7:48PM HybridPara said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 7:51PM PointlessPuppies said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:02PM Marshillboy said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:04PM sigma8 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:12PM Urethra Alfredo said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:16PM AutobotIronhide said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:28PM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:42PM IrateGamer said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 9:15PM KyGuyTC7 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:47PM IrateGamer said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 10:36PM psnNukdollars said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 5:42AM AnimeJet said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 8:41AM SirUrza said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 7:56PM wcarnation said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:01PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 9:09PM FunkMasterRitter said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 7:57PM jph89 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:05PM sigma8 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:14PM AutobotIronhide said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:28PM jph89 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:30PM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:36PM sigma8 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:38PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:47PM jph89 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:48PM jph89 said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 12:38AM Drakkenfyre said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:02PM Jechtshot78 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:02PM psnshe69mee said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:23PM The Only Girl said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 7:18PM Marco le Polo said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:16PM ColorblindMonk said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:59PM megapenguinx said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:18PM Mmmmz said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:27PM MGTrey said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:29PM The Only Girl said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:30PM Jacksons said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:31PM Banksyliveraa said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 9:48PM Vidikron said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:46PM Nook said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 8:49PM Raffi256 said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 9:26PM ch3burashka said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 9:47PM FreakSheet said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 10:01PM ByteMyAscii said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 10:17PM evilbastard said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 10:24PM HybridPara said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 10:38PM psnNukdollars said

Posted: Apr 25th 2011 11:41PM mechafenris said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 2:34AM CaramelZappa said

Posted: Apr 26th 2011 4:48AM The Only Girl said

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