Nintendo loves to reinvent their handheld video game consoles, and we'd probably make fun of them if they weren't so good at it. Take their new DS Lite, for example. This handheld video game console is better than the original in almost every way, and yet Nintendo is selling it for the same price.

Obviously, the DS Lite is smaller and lighter than the original video game console. But until you hold it in your hands, you don't realize how much smaller it really is. The DS Lite is nearly two-thirds the size of the original console--about as small as Nintendo could make it and still have room for both screens and both hands.

The dual screens have also been improved. There are four brightness settings available, and even the dimmest one is brighter than the original DS console. The bottom screen is still the touch screen, although the stylus is now stored in the right edge of the video game console.

The button layout of the video game console has undergone some changes as well. The D-pad is slightly smaller, but feels just as responsive, and the Start and Select buttons have been relocated below the main buttons on the right side. The power switch is now on the right edge of the video game console, eliminating any confusion between on/off and start/select.

The DS Lite is still backwards compatible with the vast library of GameBoy Advance games, but the smaller frame means that the GBA cartridges stick out of the system when they're inserted. It doesn't interfere with the gameplay, however, and the video game console comes with a filler cartridge that protects the GBA slot when not in use.

Like the original DS, the Lite features built-in WiFi for multiplayer gaming. There's no Web browser available yet, but the free online service allows for head-to-head playing of many DS titles.

The video game console is only available in white here in the U.S., although other colors are on the way. But iPod white isn't so bad, since it's been reported that the darker colors really pick up fingerprint smudges.

If you already own a Nintendo DS, you may not find the smaller redesign worth the upgrade. But if you're in the market for a handheld video game console, the Nintendo DS Lite is the one to choose.


Pros: Much smaller and sleeker, brighter screens
Cons: GBA cartridges stick out

Warranty
12 month