DS questions...

[blastermaster]

So i am thinking i am gonna buy a DS lite, but i need to know a few things before i decide for sure, so here are some lovely questions!

 

1. How is the battery life?

 

2. will the screens last?

 

3. what are the best games (of all kinds, besides sports)

 

4. Any new news on the web browser?

 

5. lastly, does anyone know of a good hard case for it? i find most the stuff i carry around with me gets a beating, so i need a good hard case for it.

 

 

 

Thank you wise AA members!

[Zeptari1]

So i am thinking i am gonna buy a DS lite, but i need to know a few things before i decide for sure, so here are some lovely questions!

 

1. How is the battery life?

 

2. will the screens last?

 

3. what are the best games (of all kinds, besides sports)

 

4. Any new news on the web browser?

 

5. lastly, does anyone know of a good hard case for it? i find most the stuff i carry around with me gets a beating, so i need a good hard case for it.

 

 

 

Thank you wise AA members!

 

1. It matters how bright you set the screen to. lowest setting 15 hours brightest setting 9 hours.

 

2. ??? Mine's fine.. just take care of it....

 

3. Head over to ign.com and look at the reviews.

 

4. Why? Any PC will do the job.

 

5. again, go look at the one's at Gamestop.

 

Game I like: Age of Empire's, Mario 64, Animal Crossing, Nintendogs plus a bunch more.....

 

 

-Rick

 

Get one! Youll love it!

[Pixelboy]

I don't mean to highjack this thread in any way, but I just wanted to add a question: Does the touch screen scratch easely? I remember going to an EB store and there was this DS on display with a terribly scratched up lower screen. I know a little TLC will go a long way, but still, is a screen protector a necessity or just a moderately good investment?

[blastermaster]

i want to know about the browser due to the fact that i dont have a laptop, but am around wifi areas alot. also i wnated to know atariages opinions on this stuff, not ign or anything else.

 

 

 

~jon

[carpecarne]

I don't mean to highjack this thread in any way, but I just wanted to add a question: Does the touch screen scratch easely? I remember going to an EB store and there was this DS on display with a terribly scratched up lower screen. I know a little TLC will go a long way, but still, is a screen protector a necessity or just a moderately good investment?

 

The screen scratching is not as bad as you would think. You have to remember that the demo kiosk DSes are under a lot of wear and tear. More than any one sane person would handle their DS.

 

I have had mine since launch and I have noticed some light scratching in the middle due to a crap load of Metroid Prime Hunters matches, but you only notice it when it's off and turn it to its side.

[Jess Ragan]

Do get a screen protector, but don't get the adhesive kind sold by GameStop. If you ever need to remove them, they'll leave behind sticky goo that's almost impossible to remove. The thick plastic film also makes the touchscreen somewhat less responsive than before.

 

I've not heard good things about the Opera web browser. It makes good use of the DS's touchscreen features, but is agonizingly slow. Moreover, text is hard to read on the system's tiny screens. You're really better off with a wi-fi enabled Pocket PC or laptop for surfing the Internet.

 

Let's see... recommended games? Well, you can't go wrong with Bust-A-Move DS. I think it's one of the best puzzle games on the system, along with Magnetica and Meteos. The series has been in a slump for a few years, but BAM DS totally redeems it with the bright colors, cute characters, and addictive gameplay that made the game a Neo-Geo and Sega Saturn favorite.

 

Some other DS gems include Tony Hawk's American Sk8teland (Downhill Racer should end up being just as good!), Trauma Center: Under The Knife, Mario Kart DS, and Advance Wars (if turn-based strategy is your thing).

 

If you've got an urge for a classic side-scrolling platformer, take a coin out of your pocket and flip it. If it's heads, buy New Super Mario Bros. If it's tails, get Super Princess Peach instead. They're both great games, and it's almost impossible to choose between the two.

 

JR

[Lord Helmet]

I bought some PDA screen protectors for my DS. I just cut them to fit. they are cheaper and come like 15 to a package.

[dgo]

Best game? Uuuuuh... Supercard ?

[MetalSlime23]

Best game? Rocket Slime! That and the New Super Mario Brothers

[Atari Master]

Is Rocket Slime that good? I thought about getting it yesterday, then passed it up.

[King_Salamon]

Rocket Slime is great... I'm very early into it but it is a real treat (might be a tad on the easy side but I like that ) and if you are a fan of the Dragon Quest games, well it's just great!

 

New Super Mario rocks!

 

CastleVania is great as well!

 

Hey Jess... BAM is good? It looked kinda weird on the back of the case (do you use the stylus to aim?) and the double screen thing looked kind of awkward.

 

 

My screen shows wear but I never had a protector on it and it is a launch system. Still works perfect though! Maybe when I kill this DS I will upgrade to a new Lite one.

 

The DS is the first system in years that I really spent a lot of time with. You can't go wrong with this one!

[Atari Master]

Hmm, whats the plot, etc?

 

And I've never really played any of the Dragon Quest games, so meh.

[Jess Ragan]

Hey Jess... BAM is good? It looked kinda weird on the back of the case (do you use the stylus to aim?) and the double screen thing looked kind of awkward.

 

Yeah, Bust-A-Move DS is great! The stylus control is actually an asset, giving you better control over your shots. There's also the bubble swap which lets you trade your current bubble with one that's held in reserve. You can't abuse this, though, because the old bubble doesn't just vanish... it becomes your reserve. This forces the player to swap strategically or in times of distress.

 

What I liked most about Bust-A-Move DS is that it's a genuine Bust-A-Move game, with the same vivid artwork and endearing cast of characters. The next gen BAMs starting with Super Bust-A-Move went from cute to creepy in five seconds... the new characters were utterly ghastly, looking like the misbegotten love children of Homestar Runner and Hello Kitty.

 

Ultra Bust-A-Move on the Xbox upped the creepiness ante by introducing a whole new set of abstract heroes in bondage gear. At that moment, the series not only jumped the shark, but introduced Oliver, sent the Smurfs back through time, replaced the fat guy's wife on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, moved Urkel to a new network, and gave Roseanne Barr a lottery ticket.

 

JR

[blastermaster]

just got the DS lite 2 days ago! its pretty damn great, i must admit. i got metos, feel the magic, and big brain, didnt have the cash for any others, but i plan on getting Mario and some other game from a friend of mine soon. Also one of my friends gave me nintendogs, they found it on the groud somewhere...its a bad bad game, but i intend to trade it in or something...anyway, thank you all for the info, twas helpful!

 

 

taa taaa

[King_Salamon]

just got the DS lite 2 days ago! its pretty damn great, i must admit. i got metos, feel the magic, and big brain, didnt have the cash for any others, but i plan on getting Mario and some other game from a friend of mine soon. Also one of my friends gave me nintendogs, they found it on the groud somewhere...its a bad bad game, but i intend to trade it in or something...anyway, thank you all for the info, twas helpful!

 

 

taa taaa

 

Glad you are enjoying the DS.. as for Nintendogs... it's not that bad. I enjoyed raising a pup for a while. It has limited gaming for single sittings but if you play it daily and train your pup, you can have alot of fun with it. I had the Daschund version and had a pug. On the other hand, if you get tired of it you can likely get a decent trade value for it as it is a popular title.

[King_Salamon]

Hey Jess... BAM is good? It looked kinda weird on the back of the case (do you use the stylus to aim?) and the double screen thing looked kind of awkward.

 

Yeah, Bust-A-Move DS is great! The stylus control is actually an asset, giving you better control over your shots. There's also the bubble swap which lets you trade your current bubble with one that's held in reserve. You can't abuse this, though, because the old bubble doesn't just vanish... it becomes your reserve. This forces the player to swap strategically or in times of distress.

 

What I liked most about Bust-A-Move DS is that it's a genuine Bust-A-Move game, with the same vivid artwork and endearing cast of characters. The next gen BAMs starting with Super Bust-A-Move went from cute to creepy in five seconds... the new characters were utterly ghastly, looking like the misbegotten love children of Homestar Runner and Hello Kitty.

 

Ultra Bust-A-Move on the Xbox upped the creepiness ante by introducing a whole new set of abstract heroes in bondage gear. At that moment, the series not only jumped the shark, but introduced Oliver, sent the Smurfs back through time, replaced the fat guy's wife on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, moved Urkel to a new network, and gave Roseanne Barr a lottery ticket.

 

JR

 

That settles it then, I'll grab a copy next time I see one... my wife will take over control of the DS when I show her that one. (She recently got ahold of Break Em All and she likes the stylus paddle control.. LOL)

[n8littlefield]

How is Break Em All? I keep thinking about buying a copy but end up picking up something else every time.

[cyberfluxor]

1. Already been answered, but it's a good length of time and can be recharged via USB on a device/PC, car lighter/aux power, and the AC cord that comes with it.

 

2. I was afrade of this for awhile but really it's fine. Just don't borrow it to people with dirty hands and want to nearly punch the screen with their thumbs. You can get

 

3. Castlevania, New Mario Bros, Phenix Wright, Trama Center, Tetris, Mario Kart, Bomberman, Bust-A-Move... It just goes on

 

4. If you want a portable device for surfing the internet then you're better off with a laptop, tablet PC, or blackberry.

 

5. I got mine off Ebay for under $10 shipped from Hong Kong. They have some decent cases available on there that are hard and small so you don't have the larger suitecase GameStop and Best Buy sell. Of course if you're planning on carrying around a lot of things then go with their brands or look online for cheaper alteratives because theirs range between $25-35 or so. The one I got can store the power cable, 3 games and the unit.

[King_Salamon]

How is Break Em All? I keep thinking about buying a copy but end up picking up something else every time.

 

I know what you mean... I kept putting it off and grabbing other titles but I am glad I did get it finally. It's a simple enough game but they've put enough in it to keep it from getting dull. For the price, I consider it a deal!

 

There's an added game mode that I tried once and quickly left it alone as I have no clue what was going on... it wasn't your typical Arkanoid game but something entirely different (I'll have to read the manual on that one to know what the heck was going on).

 

For the price, it's a decent buy. If you are a fan of the Breakout/Arkanoid gameplay, it's fun.

[BrianC]

Hey Jess... BAM is good? It looked kinda weird on the back of the case (do you use the stylus to aim?) and the double screen thing looked kind of awkward.

 

Yeah, Bust-A-Move DS is great! The stylus control is actually an asset, giving you better control over your shots. There's also the bubble swap which lets you trade your current bubble with one that's held in reserve. You can't abuse this, though, because the old bubble doesn't just vanish... it becomes your reserve. This forces the player to swap strategically or in times of distress.

 

What I liked most about Bust-A-Move DS is that it's a genuine Bust-A-Move game, with the same vivid artwork and endearing cast of characters. The next gen BAMs starting with Super Bust-A-Move went from cute to creepy in five seconds... the new characters were utterly ghastly, looking like the misbegotten love children of Homestar Runner and Hello Kitty.

 

Ultra Bust-A-Move on the Xbox upped the creepiness ante by introducing a whole new set of abstract heroes in bondage gear. At that moment, the series not only jumped the shark, but introduced Oliver, sent the Smurfs back through time, replaced the fat guy's wife on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, moved Urkel to a new network, and gave Roseanne Barr a lottery ticket.

 

JR

 

If you don't mind importing, there's also Puzzle Bobble DS, which I actually prefer over Bust-A-Move DS. Like Bust-A-Move DS, there are none of those odd characters like in Super Bust-A-Move or Ultra Bust-A-Move. The only characters in Puzzle Bobble DS are classic Bubble Bobble characters.

 

I like Bust-A-Move DS, but one problem with it is that the levels are often too random. There are too many levels in Bust-A-Move DS that rely more on luck than skill. In general, I found the Bust-A-Move DS levels to be generally well designed, but there are some levels that can't be completed without a random item. Puzzle Bobble DS doesn't have this problem. The levels in Puzzle Bobble DS are designed a bit better IMO.

 

The double screen in BAM DS definatly works. I like the slingshot control. Puzzle Bobble DS's gameplay is limited to a single screen with the status on the top screen. PB DS can be played with the stylus, but it plays much better with the D-pad. No slingshot control, but the control works in Puzzle Bobble DS.

 

I like the graphics better for Puzzle Bobble DS. Bust-A-Move DS's graphics aren't bad, but some of the backdrops are pretty ugly. The graphics look more polished in Puzzle Bobble DS. Puzzle Bobble DS has excellent music too.

 

Puzzle Bobble DS also has some cool modes not found in Bust-A-Move DS. About all of the modes in Puzzle Bobble DS have the option for "DS Style". This is not the slingshot style mode found in the other game (in fact, Puzzle Bobble DS is a completely different game from Bust-A-Move DS). The "DS-Style" in Puzzle Bobble DS is a new mode where you can get random items by destroying question mark bubbles. The items are shown on the right part of the screen and correspond to a button on the DS. Despite the name, "DS Style", the stylus is not required for the mode and the items can be used by pressing the button they correspond to on the DS. Puzzle Bobble DS also has a nifty edit mode where you can create your own levels.

 

One of the best parts of Puzzle Bobble DS is that most of the menus are in English. Even the edit mode does not require Japanese to use.

 

Puzzle Bobble DS can be found at play-asia for about 30 dollars. Here is a link.

Edited September 28, 2006 by BrianC