History of Nintendo DS Lite

Prerequisites for the Nintendo DS Lite

In many ways, the Nintendo DS owes its existence to the Playstation Portable. Even during the early development of the Nintendo DS, the PSP announcement significantly changed Nintendo's course. At that time, Nintendo understood that they could lose a head-to-head battle. They took a different approach: instead of focusing on performance and graphics, they emphasized new control methods and approaches to games. This strategy undoubtedly paid off 100%. Consumers have always loved Nintendo for its unusual approach to games and interesting control methods.

But in any case, this approach is no excuse for releasing an unattractive console with poor screen backlighting.

If you look at the NDS's main competitor, the PSP, comparing the screens is simply impossible because there's nothing to compare.

Here's what Chris Roper (a journalist from IGN) wrote about the consoles' screens: "However, compared to the PSP, the quality of the Nintendo DS screen is poor. The viewing angles are not as good, and the colors and overall clarity are simply incomparable." Summarizing, the journalist concludes that the PSP wins in screen quality, while the Nintendo DS wins in interactivity (two screens + stylus control).

This was obvious to Nintendo themselves, and they immediately began developing a new console.

Console Development

Just before the release of the Nintendo DS Lite, on November 10, 2005, Reggie Fils-Aimé (head of Nintendo of America) confirmed that the Nintendo DS Lite had been in development since the release of the Nintendo DS.

The main idea during development was to make the console smaller and more aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, Nintendo understood that they couldn't just shrink the console for the sake of minimizing size. Many factors had to be considered: balance, center of gravity, ease of use, and more.

The developers were given the goal: to minimize the console as much as possible without reducing the screen size or changing the button layout compared to the Nintendo DS.

To reduce the console within these constraints, Nintendo developers had to work directly with component manufacturers. The latter helped Nintendo develop some special parts: the display and speakers.

In the case of the Nintendo DS, the top and bottom displays were the same. But this resulted in a large "hump" on the console.

The bottom display in the Nintendo DS Lite remained exactly the same as in the NDS. But the top display changed dramatically. Unfortunately, at that time, there was no screen of such thinness. Nintendo decided to develop a new LCD module that would be thin and durable enough to withstand constant opening and closing of the lid. In the end, with the help of display manufacturers, they managed to create a sufficiently thin and durable screen. It was also brighter. This added a couple of extra problems. Increased brightness meant increased power consumption, which led to reduced battery life. But the developers managed to increase the battery capacity by 20% without changing its size. They also noticed that such brightness was excessive at night and added 4 backlight levels.

Since the top lid of the console had to be significantly reduced, new, thinner speakers had to be developed.

However, as Kazuo Yoneyama later complained, such developments and component reductions have some disadvantages. First, it's simply more expensive (when selling 93 million devices, even $1 saved on each console would have turned into $93 million in profit), and second, not every factory can handle the production of such thin components.

But Nintendo didn't just work on the screen and speakers. Many small changes were made to the Nintendo DS Lite.

At that time, many games required the console to be held vertically rather than horizontally.

For example, Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training

Note the microphone - the black hole on the right, closer to the bottom.

In such cases, the microphone was used as a way to interact with the game: you had to answer questions by voice. And it was completely covered by the hand, which interfered with the game.

Nintendo developers moved the microphone directly to the center, in the part where the hinges are hidden.

The power switch was moved to the outside of the console. This was done for applications where the screens are not used (e.g., audiobooks).

And perhaps the most interesting: the developers changed the buttons. In the Nintendo DS, the buttons consisted of three components: the top plastic part of the button, a rubber pad underneath that returns the plastic part to its original position, and at the very bottom, the actual button (i.e., two plates, one flat with contacts and the other curved, which clicks when pressed and clamps the flat plate). In the Nintendo DS Lite, the buttons also remained three-part, but the bottom part is now not a button but a simple metal plate that is clamped by a conductive rubber pad.

These changes led to the buttons feeling different. And many people didn't like it. Although personally, I don't feel any discomfort.

By a strange coincidence, this console retained the ability to output images to larger screens. And you can already buy a ready-made board for installation in the console.

By the way, this is the most convenient way to record and take screenshots from the Nintendo DS Lite screen.

Nintendo DS Lite XL

After the DS Lite, Nintendo developed an enlarged version of this console - the Large-screen Nintendo DS Lite.

But this console was not released. The factory simply didn't have enough capacity, and Satoru Iwata abandoned the release of this console. However, the idea didn't die but smoothly transitioned into the development of the Nintendo DSi XL.

Console Release

Interest in the new version of the Nintendo DS began as early as February 2005. But the first confirmation that the console was in development came on November 10, 2005, when Reggie Fils-Aimé confirmed it. The development was so secretive that even David Yarnton (director of Nintendo UK) said on January 24, 2006, that he knew nothing about any new consoles.

By January 2006, rumors began to spread. In Japan, stores complained that they didn't have enough Nintendo DS units to sell, and Nintendo responded by saying to wait, as an announcement was coming soon.

On January 13, 2006, a note was published on the lik-sang.com website stating that the console would be announced on January 16. However, on the same day, a Nintendo of America employee denied these rumors.

One thing is certain: despite Nintendo's efforts to keep everything secret, rumors continued to spread. And on January 26, 2006, the console was announced on the Nintendo website.

The announcement revealed the console's name - Nintendo DS Lite. The name comes from the words: light, bright. The console was positioned as a higher-class model. The release date was set for March 2, 2006. An image of the console was also provided.

The console was first shown at the "Nintendo DS!" conference on February 15, 2006.

The console could be touched and even compared to the Nintendo DS.

All starting colors were also presented:

On February 24, 2006, Nintendo announced that only the white console would be available for sale on March 2. Sales of the mint and blue consoles would be delayed until March 11. Despite this, huge lines formed on March 2, with the first buyers lining up the night before.

In the morning, the lines grew even larger.

At the "Bic Camera Shinjuku West Exit" store, sales started at 8:45 and ended at 9:00.

They immediately changed the sign to indicate that the consoles were sold out.

Overall, the hype was enormous, with consoles selling out in all stores by 10:00.

Epilogue

93 million sales. This number speaks for itself. The Nintendo DS Lite is almost the only console in the Nintendo DS family that I recommend for purchase. The only console that can compete with the Nintendo DS Lite is the Nintendo DSi XL, and that's only because of its larger screens.