I don't even know if I'll trade my old one in. I don't need to do it for the money, and it'll be nice to have an extra one lying around (my mom likes playing the sudoku on Brain Age, so now I can let her do that without interrupting my gaming). Besides, I don't even know if I could trade it in, since the sticker under the system (the one with the serial number and stuff) is practically gone.

I'm fucking pumped for the next few months. The incoming barrage of AAA DS games is absolutely unstoppable, and I really cannot wait.

YES!

I was debating importing a black DS Lite, so this is a must-have for me.

September 11th, a day which will forever live in our hearts as the day of NEW DS LITE COLORS!

I really wish they brought Navy Blue over here. I'm a little bit tired of seeing black. I'm probably still going to buy it though, making it my third DS purchase. :(

Um...I think I just severely injured my DS. I dropped it while it was on, and, well...

http://content.imagesocket.com/images/IMGP0015b57.jpg

Besides taping it together, is there any way to fix a broken screen hinge like this, or should I just plan on buying a DS Lite ASAP...maybe when the pretty new colors come out? My system still works, but the top screen wobbles around a lot, and it looks like it's probably going to fall off completely if it gets bumped again.

No offense to anyone, but I am a bit disappointed in the durability of the DS systems. The shoulder buttons on my first DS quit working after about a week, and, while I'm not angry about this one breaking (I did drop it, after all), I am a bit disappointed...it seems like anything that's portable should be able to stand falling three feet onto carpet.

I have no problem with the durability of the system. I've dropped it a couple of times, and I even threw it a few times (onto a bed, but still), and nothing is wrong with mine. I have noticed something though when playing my sister's DS: the silver DS is a lot lighter than the blue one, so maybe that's why it's not as durable (we might just have a different version or touchscreen or something, even though we bought them at the same time).

As for yours though, I know I wouldn't want to play with it when it's like that, so I'd just get a new one if I were you. Perfect timing too, with the new colors coming out next week.

The DS' clamshell design takes quite a bit more beating than PSP's design. That's for sure. No offence but maybe you should not drop your systems ya clumsy bastard. Seriously though, go call up Nintendo's customer service and they should be able to fix your DS good as new. You might still be under warranty and get it fixed or exchanged for free. I've heard of plenty of people that were out of their warranty and still got theirs fixed for free. But hell, you might as well just go get a DSlite though. Black and Pink are coming out pretty soon.

Yeah, my blue DS has been really durable too although I haven't tested it much of course. I'm extremely paranoid about this sort of thing, and this is the first portable system that I feel just fine about sticking in my bookbag or pocket for the day since there's no worries about it being damaged. The only problem I've had is that my screen is kinda weird. It has a grid of dots on it that can be seen if you play in direct sunlight or fluorescent lights sometimes, but other DSs I've played don't have that.

Black DS? Yes, please.

http://www.joystiq.com/media/2006/06/dscf0026.jpg

Look at that! Its like sex in a small tiny black package.

Yeah, it looks like that when it's brand new and untouched, sure. Once you've opened and played with it for the night, it's going to be covered in fingerprints and debris and shit. They could have used the same texture on the inside of the handheld but no.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/6...75851osau5.jpg

bastard...?

Um...anyways, I guess that Nintendo wants $75 to do any out of warranty repairs, though I don't think their warranty covers dropping! Guess I'll be buying a new system then...the new DS Lites are really pretty, anyways.

Just messing with ya, dude.

Seriously, go give Nintendo a call. See what they can do for you first. Their customer service is the best out of all videogame companies. Trust me. You may get a new DS for free. Others out of warranty have in the past.

My brother's DS had the same problem. Personally, if you have the money I'd buy a Lite. Black comes out September 13 or something, so if you don't like white you don't have to wait long. I bought the Lite without even needing a new DS and I'm happy as a clam.

My bro's lasted quite a while with a broken hinge (even while playing WW Twisted, although I advise against that), so you should be fine if you decide to wait.

However, Nintendo might still fix it. We didn't call Nintendo, we just shipped it to them thinking that once they got it, they might be more inclined to fix it. It's easier to shoot us down over the phone. We got the DS back a little while later, good as new, with a note telling us that the warrenty didn't cover the damage, so don't send it back like that again. In total it cost like $7 for the shipping.

If you want to fix it, fill out a form at Nintendo.com and just send it in. You're likely to be denied by phone.

Hmmm... well I guess you should go with KnowsNothing's suggestion then. I've heard they're pretty good over the phone. Oh well.

Actually, I called Nintendo, and, while they didn't offer to replace it for free (it is almost a year out of a warranty that doesn't cover the damage to it, after all), they offered to repair it for $75, or they would send me a new one and let me keep the sorta-broken one...for $65. I don't quite understand the logic there, but that was nice of them. My mom can always use the old one to play Tetris DS!

hmm...Serious question to anyone who's used both types of DS-do you think it's worth paying $60 extra for the Lite, or should I just buy a replacement?

I'm glad to hear that you got your DS repaired, KnowsNothing, but I don't really think I could get away with sending the system to Nintendo's service center, especially since it's so old. They'd probably just send it back to me...and make me pay the return postage.

Personally, I'd just wait a bit and buy a black or pink DSlite if that's what you want. I got a white DSlite at launch and there's no going back. The screen really is that much better.

I still have my old DS though. Just in case it's needed for multiplayer. You never know.

By complete chance, I've stumbled upon a possible solution for you Rakka.

On EB's site:
It does say that the deal is trading in an old DS Lite, but with the usual intelligence of many EB/Gamestop employees you're very likely to find a store that will do the deal with a regular DS.

Am I the only one who actually prefers the white DS Lite over the black?

Nah, not the only one. I love my white DS Lite. Going to be getting a white Wii to match.

I prefer the white as well, for the reasons above.

Like someone said, it's like a car. Black cars show the dirt and scratches easier, while white ones don't.

Ahahahahaha, way to fuck up that analogy.

Drop a white DS lite into a bag of dirt and tell me it doesn't show.

Since when do black cars show more dirt? I lived on a dirt road for several years, and our white car basically turned tan colored within a day or two while our black car barely showed anything. That's pretty much the same reason I don't want a white DS Lite. Dreamcast controllers show grime a heck of a lot easier than PS2 controllers.

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2...d185qt7.th.jpghttp://img204.imageshack.us/img204/6...2601ve9.th.jpg

I suppose it depends on the dirt and area you've covered. This is the best comparison I could find.

Similarily, if you take a dirty black PS2 controller and put it in the light you'll be able to see the dirt in the cracks. If you take a dirty white PS2 controller and put it in the light, you'll probably see about as much dirt as you would without lighting. But that's nothing I would worry about, it's the scratches that annoy me. I'm certain scratch marks show easier on dark cars/black DS Lites.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/218/scratch6cl5.th.jpg

The scratch marks and fingerprints would ultimately end up piss me off pretty fast.

Over a period of time, yeah. But Dreamcast controllers aren't any major task, and they can be cleaned. I've done it myself. You can't exactly clean a DS Lite very well.

Um... What? For one thing, you can't compare the back end of a car to the hood of another for dirt collection. That black car's hood looks more like it's been driven around near a beach too, so of course it's going to look filthy. That "scratch" is bright because it looks like someone's keyed that car. Why on earth would you have a scratch that deep in your DS Lite?

Also, you fully admit that a Dreamcast controller looks grimier than a PS2 controller over time. How easy it is to clean a Dreamcast controller is irrelevant.
So you agree that black controllers look fine as long as you're not in a very bright area, whereas white controllers show their crap all the time?

I don't really want a black or white DS Lite to be honest. A white DS Lite will look dirty after awhile, and a black DS Lite would look too much like a PSP. I'm hoping Nintendo releases a shade of blue sometime around Christmas or right after.

It's possible to have scratches that deep in a DS Lite, so don't rule it out. The point which was missed was that the black DS Lite will show more scratches (and fingerpritns) in bright areas, much like the white DS Lite will show more dirt in bright areas.

I said that the Dreamcast controllers become dirty over time and show the dirt that way. Which can be cleaned. Cleaning a DS is going to give anyone trouble.

Haha oh wow. It's not like a white product becomes IMMEDIATELY DIRTY as soon as you take it out of the box. How long does it take an iPod to get dirty? Or a Mac? Quite awhile. If you aren't playing in a bright area you shouldn't be worrying about dirt, fingerprints, scratches, or even the color.

Yes, you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. But it's a COLOR. You're going to be looking at the screens, not the DS itself. Maybe you should just pick a color and stick with it because you're going to find problems with either regardless.