"Great hardware. Terrible software."

Being a long time fan of Nintendo (nearly 15 years), and typically getting their system first each generation, I was an early adopter for the DS. Or should I say former fan? I'd started to notice several unfortunate trends during the Gamecube life span. Notably less reliable parts used, and ever worsening game quality. The nice, comfortable controller was ruined by an analog stick which wore out very fast. This is a DS review however. I will rate each category in hardware and software terms and give an average between them. Homebrew is not reflected in the scores.

Graphics - Hardware: 10, Software: 5, Average: 6.

Definitely a huge difference here. The DS system is capable of some amazing graphical feats, check out Metroid Prime Hunters and the Viewtiful Joe game. Partical effects are incredible, even having large numbers of objects on-screen produces no slowdown. Due to the lack of anti-aliasing there at least some jagged edges in all 3D games for DS. That isn't reflected in my score because it still looks good and does not affect gameplay. Two thumbs up!

But... Unfortunate to say, developers rarely use the DS to it's full potential. There are far too many games which use GBA code, therefore having significantly outdated visual quality. I could count a vast amount of those games. Still, whatever the reason, 2D software written from the ground up is quite pixelated. That might be because it has a 2D engine similar to GBA's. I don't know for certain. No real slowdown here either thankfully.

Sound - Hardware: 8, Software: 7, Average: 8.

Nothing stands out. Nor is there a major downside. Most devices have acceptable audio, DS is no exception. While the DS could have had some way to run MP3s without additional purchases, I don't use them myself so it's not really important. The one score is only 7 instead of 8 because the small capacity of game carts limits what can be done with voice acting a bit.

Multiplayer - Hardware: 7, Software: 7, Average: 7.

Pretty good if you're interested. The more games that allow single cart play, the better. Connecting to local systems is smoother than online as always. I've done some testing, and it would appear the original DS has more stable connections to a D-Link wireless router than DS Lite. This is important if you enjoy going online.

I haven't found multiplayer modes in DS games special though. Mainly since the only access point here is right next to my PC and several other online-enabled systems making it redundant. I suppose having an official way to trade and battle Pokemon via Internet now is cool. Before, you needed specially written emulators or one of the various programs that recreated parts of the game.

GBA support - Hardware: 9, Software: 8, Average: 9.

While the inability to use more than one player on GBA games with a DS is somewhat disappointing, there are quite a few gems worth playing for their single player anyway. I also noticed that my GBA Action Replay unit doesn't seem to work on DS systems. Why? Not a clue, there are newer versions which should. I don't have a DS-compatible cheat device, so all I can say is the ability to cheat took a while to become possible. Compatibility is very high nonetheless. No standard game I've tried has issues. In fact... GBA support is so accurate that many developers convert their code from it to make DS games on a lower budget. As I commented above, I do not like the trend.

Native DS games - Hardware: N/A, Software: 5, Average: 6.

This is where the system falls flat. Games do a few things very well, yet are then dragged down to mediocrity by others. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 is an example. Perfect graphics and sound, controls are odd but become natural over time. However, slightly repetitive gameplay plus having no Wi-Fi features make it dull to play more than once. I've found that replay value is the one aspect next to no DS game does right. Touch screen games in particular have this issue. They just get boring, very boring!

Even my favorites like side-scrolling Mario and Mega Man platformers just haven't translated well to DS. Running classic ones in emulation is still great, but those are merely using GBA backwards compatibility. It didn't help that Mega Man ZX was overshadowed by the generally-considered-better Mega Man games for PSP which were released soon before it.

Physical features - DS: 7.5, DS Lite: 8, Average: 8.

A special category. Instead of hardware versus software, I am comparing the physical features between the two DS models. This is things such as reliability, controller layout, and screen lighting.. It is split into paragraphs with their own scores for a detailed view.

----- Reliability - DS: 10, DS Lite: 10, Average: 10.

I haven't modded or dropped either of my DSs. So, I can't judge them on that front. I'll say they've worked as intended from day one with no manufacturer defects. This is a perfect rating.

----- Controller - DS: 7, DS Lite: 8, Average: 9.

Tough to compare. Each model has it's own benefits and drawbacks in controller layout. The original DS has better ABXY buttons and start+select. DS Lite has a better power switch, and is much more comfortable on the hands. Their layouts are both too similar to SNES, as many systems are. At least both DSs have more buttons than GBA. This is good. Still, I didn't mind the Saturn having 6 face buttons, that would be nice to see on more systems.

------ Stylus - DS: 7, DS Lite: 8, Average: 7

Now here is an area DS Lite is superior. It's stylus is longer and wider, making it easier to grip and less likely to fall out of a hand. Sometimes it does get a little uncomfortable to use either stylus for long periods of time. I tend to avoid using one unless needed.

----- Screen lighting - DS: 6, DS Lite: 7.5, Average: 7.5

I almost have to do a separate section to compare day and night play. In daytime, DS Lite beats DS vastly. Every last background detail is now visible in direct sunlight, no matter what game you're running. Superb! Yet... For pitch black night time, both DS models are too bright. They are hard on the eyes because of it. This is one quality the older "non-SP2" GBA SP won over them. It had the correct amount of light to be completely visible at night without being blinding. How about a DS that has optional lower settings, please?

Final verdict - DS average: 7, DS Lite average: 7.5, Overall: 6.5 (or 6 due to the submission form).

"No amount of advanced technology is entertaining if the programs are poor". That sums it up pretty well. Many systems end up with such an issue. It may have a larger game selection than some, but they just are not fun to play. Besides, where are the wrestling/boxing-style games? No WWE or TNA. Not even UFC, Fight Night, or something like that Ultimate Muscle anime. Huge gap in the library, a lot of potential for some incredible games exists there. DS is indeed capable of titles with critical acclaim such as No Mercy had, especially considering the DS allows for seamless online play.

I would recommend that if you're looking into a portable system, get a GBA SP, PSP, or possibly a laptop. All of those have better games. Except for the GBA SP, they also offer more multimedia (music, movies, etc.) options and at least a comparable online experience. Those interested in programming or to run various other software like office suites alongside games should go with the laptop. A vast amount of free and legal programs are there, no further money or any exploits needed.

So, that ends the review. I own both DS models and intend to keep them. However I may be found playing on PSP more often now that it has been replaced with a fully working unit.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 01/02/07