:::NOTE: originally posted in my other blog 8-18-2007 & 8-21-2007:::
DS lite
Ok I'll finally say it.
I'm getting one.
Oh come on... did you really NOT see this coming? Like seriously?
And the DS stands for Dark Side... hehe, just kidding.
There wasn't exactly one killer app per se, but a package deal:
Red & black. That looks NICE.
Damn that colour scheme is sexy. That really does look sweet.
*MmHmmm*.... fold it open honey, show me what you got..... Oh YEAH baby, you KNOW that's what I WANT.... come on sweetcheeks... I want to see that RED interi--
--WHAT DA FUG?! IT'S ONLY ALL BLACK INSIDE?!?
That is seriously disappointing. Not that the black (or is that "Onyx") looks terrible, but for the last month+ I've only had that pic of the DS lite closed to go by & I assumed that the red half was ALL red, you know what I mean?
It just seems like if they made the top half all red, it would look so stylish even when it's open. I am bummed. But I'm still going to buy it if I can get one.
And then there's the case:
It looked not bad.... until.....
It opens up to reveal that there are NO SIDES to it?!? Errr.... WHAT????? As far as cases go, that seems rather useless. I kinda like the slots for the DS games tho. But still, I would put a DS lite in my pocket vertically, so a case with sides is pretty important to me.
Sigh.
That package isn't the only reason I'm getting it. I do want Brain Age 2; my brain is definately turning to mush. I've been playing a lot of Carol Vorderman's Sudoku lately (What was that? No, me neither, but it's Sudoku) on my PSP, I'd been looking for a good Sudoku game on PSP, it suffices. But yeah, I need some games that don't turn my mind to porridge, hopefully BA2 will slow the decay.
So that package, and BA2 are not the only reasons. I've already bought 2 DS games. Yes, I've devolved to the point where I'm now buying games for systems I don't even own yet. I also have a GameCube game (Rogue Squadron II)... not only do I *not* own a Wii to play it on, I don't have the needed GameCube controller + GC memory card to plug into the Wii (which I don't have) to play the game.
I did buy Justice League: The Flash before I had my Game Boy Micro, but I had already ordered the GBM, I just didn't know when I was getting it exactly. These systems I haven't even got on order. Just some vague hope that I will get them. Someday.
Sad.
DS lite
So I bought that DS Brain Age 2 bundle I was talking about. Popped into Future Shop this morning, there was one really
Man... the actual DS package box was a total nightmare though! Of all the things i'm worried about with the DS; dead pixels, hinge cracks, the LAST thing I'd ever have expected was that the BOX would be a COMPLETE sonnuva-bitch to deal with.
It looks great in the pictures:
From those pictures, it looks like it'd be easy enough to open. Not so. Every flap was glued, and not the hard glue that you give a bit of a tug & it cracks, this was wet glue that was SUPER sticky.... not just in dabs, but COMPLETELY coated on the flaps. I used a butter knife to try to pry one of the flaps up--- *THEN* I used a hair dryer to try to soften the glue.... even after ALL THAT, I realized that I was not going to get more than 1 flap open that way. So I pulled another flap as far from the box as possible, & took an X-Acto knife to it.... trying very hard not to nick the delicate contents inside. I nicked the inside flap, which came really close to the box with the DS in it. Why did Nintendo have to make such a retarded packaging? Especially considering how comparitively easy the DS box & the Game Boy Micro box are to open than this monster.
Once that was over with, I charged it up & have had some on/off time with it... I gotta say, the DS is a pretty neat system. I was surprised that the body has a matte finish that feels rough in texture. And the system feels more toy-like than the PSP, yet it's still elegant. It's so light; I almost couldn't believe how much lighter it feels than the PSP. I'm still getting used to the stylus, I don't want to press hard on the screen. Not sure if I'm going to get some screen protectors, like Invisible Shield or Bestskinsever.
I am very nervous about the hinge crack issue... I've heard that black DS's don't suffer as many cracked hinges as white ones... but this is anecdotal testimony from gamers, so I don't expect much intelligent analysis has been done. It's like if anyone ever tells you that PSPs don't have many cases of dead pixels any more, they're an idiot.
And I'm concerned about dead pixels on the DS. My screens look great so far. We'll have to see in a week, hopefully it'll continue. My Game Boy Micros don't have any dead pixels at all.
When I open my DS up, it makes a loud snap when it's opened right up. That kind of scares me. I hope that's natural, maybe to lock it into position or something?
One of the games I bought before I got the DS is Star Trek: Tactical Assault. I know, back when I got it for PSP I ragged on it pretty hard, but one of my main complaints was that even though the game is exclusive to BOTH the PSP & DS, they obviously favoured the DS version for some inane reason. So I figured the DS one would be fun, especially since they have the touchscreen to add controls. It is interesting to compare the same game on both handhelds, the DS one definately takes a hit in graphics & presentation. Graphics aren't everything in gaming, but still, man. The DS screen is nice & bright, it still looks great in situations where the PSP would be completely washed out, like in daylight.... but PSP graphics are definately a step up in quality.
Yesterday I was in Wal-Mart still looking for a Wii... and some tall guy with his mom comes in, he gets her to ask about the Brain Age 2 DS... the guy working the electronics doesn't normally work that section regularly (he tells them that) and he knows NOTHING about electronics. They don't have them in, and he says they sold out. So the guy buys an Onyx DS.... I *could've* told him that Future Shop was getting them in the next day... but after all this Wii craziness crap, I'm just not going to give anyone a leg up-- over me. I hope that karma doesn't come back to bite me... I feel a bit sorry for the sucker buying a regular DS the day before the one he wants went on sale, but hey, it's not like I told him to buy a DS right then & there. He could've waited & done some research if he wanted the BA2 DS that bad.
Now to go seek some more approval from a disembodied, floating nerd head.
later
don
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