DS Lite to replace original DS

Staff 13 Comments 722 views Infendo

While it was rumored that Reggie said in his recent Spike TV interview that the original DS would be phased out, I never saw it on the video feed. Virgin is reporting that the DS Lite will in fact replace the original, which makes sense. From the article: “The original Nintendo DS is set to be dropped later this year in favor of the recently announced DS Lite. Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, told Spike TV the old version would be phased out between August and September and will be replaced exclusively by the new Lite version.”

Anyone selling their original for a “lite” upgrade?

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13 Comments

  1. I wonder if Nintendo will move the redesign trend into their console market. The Revolution looks so slim and tasty, I don’t see them slimming it down like Sony did with the PS2. I’m just thinking about those folks who didn’t buy the DS because they “just knew” that it would be redesigned. Think they’ll claim the same reason for not buying a Revolution in its first year out?

    Then again Nintendo did redesign the NES and the SNES, but not until the end of the life cycle for those products.

  2. I’m surprize the original DS isn’t going to be around like the original GBA is still around.

    I guess it has more to do with the new DS isn’t adding or changing the DS much, except making it smaller, so there isn’t really a need to keep the original around like the original GBA vs the GBA SP.

    The good news in that is the DS lite will be 129 vs 150.

  3. It seems like the old DS would be more appealing to kids… More like a toy, less like some expensive electronics.

  4. Mr Invisible – I think people will buy Nintendo stuff when they want and can afford it. I knew Apple would bring out a skinnier, sexier version of their iPod but I bought one when it suited me (moving country, wanting an easy way to transport all my music).

    It’s a very good point though. I do wait on for mobile phones, as you say, I know there will be a better one round the corner – maybe 6 months to a year, and I can wait and “suffer” my current tech.

    Sorry to go on about this but, I want to buy a new Apple laptop but perhaps if I wait for a moment, there will be a cooler one coming soon…gah! The Pace! The PassioN!

  5. @ Real Floyd Hayes – I like that you have PassioN with a capital N!

    I’m not going to trade in my original DS. I will keep it if/when I get the DSL. Chances are there will be benefits of gaming in the Revolution age when you have two DS units instead of one. Little things that required 2 GBA units to do, like Pacman VS or swiping Super Mario Advance 3:Super Mario Bros. 3 card-e level cards, etc.

    Plus, it’s an easy way to say to your better half “hey, let’s get some 2player going on…”

  6. Is GBA still selling? Here it’s been phased out in favour of GBA SP and I would imagine it won’t be too long till that is phased out as well. I’m not trading in my old DS cus I never had one in the first place! lol I knew something sleekier would come out from day one.

    As for Revolution, well GameCube didn’t get any slimmier and it’s sleek looking already. This is one instance where Nintendo’s design department gets it right

  7. I will keep my old DS AND get a new one. That way I can be guaranteed to have some multiplayer Mario Kart, Meteos, Zoo Keeper and so on whenever I have a friend over. Wether or not he has a DS of his own. Excellent!

  8. I was one of many in my work center that was putting off buying a DS until more games appealed to us. I mean, you buy a console/handheld for the games. If they don’t appeal to you, you won’t spend the money on the hardware. I just so happened to recently hear on the Infendo columns that there might be the DS redesign in the works (aka DS lite) and this is the opportune time. Games that I want, and a handheld that I need for those games. I do believe that the original DS will eventually be phased out, the new design will help drive down the cost to the original. People will still buy the original due to the cheaper cost. Although there are many more people that may have felt like I, and now is the time. At least in Japan. Supposedly by the end of summer 06 in the US.

  9. @ Special K, my finger slipped but thanls!

  10. Here’s a question: I got my DS for Christmas, and it has two broken pixels. From what I understand, my warranty lasts for a year, and they’ll replace units with even one broken pixel. So if I wait until after the old DS is phased out, and I send my DS in to be replaced, will I get a DS lite? Cause if so, that’s definitely what I’m doing.

  11. Nope, I’m keeping all my DS’s. When Nintendo is going to release their Web browser for it, I’ll leave one in each room to have instant web access points around the house.

  12. I’m taking my original DS to Japan in a month so I doubt I’ll be able to trade an American DS in for a Japanese DS Lite (although they are for all intents and purposes the same machine). Anyway I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “I ain’t buying no DS Lite until there is a pink one.”

  13. I don’t like the new DS Lite. Especially the new position of the Start/Select buttons which are no good!

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