For a trip out west, we picked up a Nintendo DS Lite. The Lite is basically a trimmed-down version of the original DS dual-screen portable game system from Nintendo. This one is in the arctic white color.

Nintendo has a winner here! While the Playstation Portable (PSP) has more “tech” to it, the packaging of the Nintendo, and unique dual-screen game play, give it a uniqueness in the market. The Lite version also boasts improved screen brightness, and the games tried on it so far look very colorful with good contrast and brightness. The bottom of the unit has a small pocket to store the pointing stylus, and there is also a removable bottom panel where you can put in an auxiliary memory module, or insert a Game Boy Advance cartridge…so you still have a way to play all of those GBA games! The DS has a sleep mode that only requires that you close the cover; the audio and video circuitry is shut down, and some games go into a proper pause mode when the lid is shut.

The other interesting feature is the DS’s WiFi capabilities. Once you go through a configuration process, you can actually play some WiFi capable games online with other users around the globe. The DS also lets you play locally with other DS players wirelessly, and they should also connect with the upcoming Nintendo Wii systems. With a game like “Animal Crossing: Wild World”, you can visit others’ towns, and you can invite others to visit your own town. In “Starfox Command”, you can battle one-on-one with others. What’s amazing is how small the DS cartridges are, and how much capacity they hold. The aforementioned “Aminal Crossing” game holds almost as many items as the GameCube version, although you only get one house to share among four players.

Overall it’s a nice package! It also feels solid and quite durable, which has always been a trademark of other Nintendo products.