I've done it again - another month between posts. This is getting to be a bad habit - but I do have a few reasons - well a couple of reasons - maybe. I went and bagged myself a Black DS lite. I've hade it since Friday - 6 days - and I've had to charge it 4 times so far. No it doesn't have a bad battery in it - I've just been playing it almost non-stop over the last week :P
Nintendo DS Lite
So, after almost a week of play, what's my verdict? In one word - Stunning
In more words...
It is noticeably lighter, thus holding on to it is much friendlier on your finger muscles. Everything about has been given a redesign to dump as much extra weight from it as possible (or so it seems at least). You can now control how bright you want the screen with 4 different brightness levels. The power cord seems to fit better, I always felt that my old DS one was too easy to yank out if you where still playing it. It also seems to charge faster too :P
However there are a couple of bad things to point out though - well not bad per say, just things that might have been done a bit better - possible, honestly you'll not notice them after about a day, but you'll notice them nevertheless. I know this is just nit-picking, but I feel it's got to be said.
<...Booting Nitpicking Engine v1.05...>
First the outer casing, yes it looks fantastic, when it's clean - it smudges up something rotten. Just taking it out off any case you might happen to have for it will guarantee a whole load of finger prints on it. In giving it that iPod look Nintendo have made the thing too damn shiny, a slightly more matt casing would have helped here, my original DS did not have this problem.
Second - the backlight. Yes it does have 4 levels of brightness now, but you can still only change them in the DS Dashboard (yes I know it isn't really called that, I just like that name better) or in game if it allows. Hang on, as I'm typing this I've just had a thought about the in game light change. The DS Lite has 4 levels of brightness but you can't turn it off (and let's face it why would you, the screens don't have enough of a reflective undercoating to make it visible in anything but the noon sun). In all the games I've seen with the light option all they've given is an on/off option. I'm going to boot up Mario 64 DS and see what it does...
... Oh my dear god. Well you can turn off the light in game, but trust me you better remember where the on button was on the screen 'cause you are NOT going to be able to see it. It was almost pitch black; even the original GBA screen was more visible then this. I know in the whole big scheme of things this doesn't matter but I realise now why Nintendo didn't program in a way to turn of the light normally.
I'm trying to remember if I had a third point to make, I can't quite remember now after doing that little test... ...Oh yes, the power connecter. It's still a proprietary Nintendo connecter, so you still can't use a universal charger (not that I would - I wouldn't want to risk my DS but I know some people would). The connecter is also smaller then it was on the DS, so if you had any spare chargers or battery packs (like I had here), you might as well chuck them.
<...Exit Nitpicking Engine v1.05...>
Ok enough of that - back to the good stuff - in other words, the games. I've recently expanded my DS games collection a fair bit - I've now hit double figures - and that figure is only going to go up and up :)
New Super Mario Bros
Ok to start off with let's talk about the New Super Mario Bros. Now let's be honest, we've been waiting for this game for a long time now, I mean why long, even before it was announced not long after the DS was announced. Lets face it, fun as the originals are to play, didn't it suck that for the GBA that's all Nintendo seemed contented to release! You know I'm right. But finally they have given us New Super Mario Bros. They wanted so much to make sure that everyone knew it was a new game and not a remake they forgot to change its development title :P
Right on to the good points. This is what we've been waiting for people, a return to the originals. It may be rendered in 3D but this is 2D platforming at its best, there is no room for error, if you fall off a edge it's your own fault, this game is pixel perfect on the collision detection. The in-game physics are nice and tight, with just enough of the Mario world edge to make this a game you MUST own. It looks amazing to put it bluntly, you'll find yourself bopping goombas heads on grassy plains to winter wonderlands and onwards to active volcanic areas. The sound is a classic remix of the original Mario music - it even has the original victory fanfare if you land on the end of course flagpole at the right moment :)
Now the bad points. This thing is too damn short and easy. I completed it in less than 2 days, admitted I'm still playing it so it has excellent replayabilty, but my main objective is over - Peach has been saved (again - and once again all Mario gets is a peck on the cheek, poor sod). You can finish this game by only every playing 6 of the 8 worlds, I know that's true of most Mario Games, but at least they where shortcuts and not part of the game design! By default you don't play worlds 4 and 7 unless you happen to beat worlds 3 and 6 a certain way
So in summery
Nintendo DS Lite
So, after almost a week of play, what's my verdict? In one word - Stunning
In more words...
It is noticeably lighter, thus holding on to it is much friendlier on your finger muscles. Everything about has been given a redesign to dump as much extra weight from it as possible (or so it seems at least). You can now control how bright you want the screen with 4 different brightness levels. The power cord seems to fit better, I always felt that my old DS one was too easy to yank out if you where still playing it. It also seems to charge faster too :P
However there are a couple of bad things to point out though - well not bad per say, just things that might have been done a bit better - possible, honestly you'll not notice them after about a day, but you'll notice them nevertheless. I know this is just nit-picking, but I feel it's got to be said.<...Booting Nitpicking Engine v1.05...>
First the outer casing, yes it looks fantastic, when it's clean - it smudges up something rotten. Just taking it out off any case you might happen to have for it will guarantee a whole load of finger prints on it. In giving it that iPod look Nintendo have made the thing too damn shiny, a slightly more matt casing would have helped here, my original DS did not have this problem.
Second - the backlight. Yes it does have 4 levels of brightness now, but you can still only change them in the DS Dashboard (yes I know it isn't really called that, I just like that name better) or in game if it allows. Hang on, as I'm typing this I've just had a thought about the in game light change. The DS Lite has 4 levels of brightness but you can't turn it off (and let's face it why would you, the screens don't have enough of a reflective undercoating to make it visible in anything but the noon sun). In all the games I've seen with the light option all they've given is an on/off option. I'm going to boot up Mario 64 DS and see what it does...
... Oh my dear god. Well you can turn off the light in game, but trust me you better remember where the on button was on the screen 'cause you are NOT going to be able to see it. It was almost pitch black; even the original GBA screen was more visible then this. I know in the whole big scheme of things this doesn't matter but I realise now why Nintendo didn't program in a way to turn of the light normally.
I'm trying to remember if I had a third point to make, I can't quite remember now after doing that little test... ...Oh yes, the power connecter. It's still a proprietary Nintendo connecter, so you still can't use a universal charger (not that I would - I wouldn't want to risk my DS but I know some people would). The connecter is also smaller then it was on the DS, so if you had any spare chargers or battery packs (like I had here), you might as well chuck them.
<...Exit Nitpicking Engine v1.05...>
Ok enough of that - back to the good stuff - in other words, the games. I've recently expanded my DS games collection a fair bit - I've now hit double figures - and that figure is only going to go up and up :)
New Super Mario Bros
Ok to start off with let's talk about the New Super Mario Bros. Now let's be honest, we've been waiting for this game for a long time now, I mean why long, even before it was announced not long after the DS was announced. Lets face it, fun as the originals are to play, didn't it suck that for the GBA that's all Nintendo seemed contented to release! You know I'm right. But finally they have given us New Super Mario Bros. They wanted so much to make sure that everyone knew it was a new game and not a remake they forgot to change its development title :P
Right on to the good points. This is what we've been waiting for people, a return to the originals. It may be rendered in 3D but this is 2D platforming at its best, there is no room for error, if you fall off a edge it's your own fault, this game is pixel perfect on the collision detection. The in-game physics are nice and tight, with just enough of the Mario world edge to make this a game you MUST own. It looks amazing to put it bluntly, you'll find yourself bopping goombas heads on grassy plains to winter wonderlands and onwards to active volcanic areas. The sound is a classic remix of the original Mario music - it even has the original victory fanfare if you land on the end of course flagpole at the right moment :)
Now the bad points. This thing is too damn short and easy. I completed it in less than 2 days, admitted I'm still playing it so it has excellent replayabilty, but my main objective is over - Peach has been saved (again - and once again all Mario gets is a peck on the cheek, poor sod). You can finish this game by only every playing 6 of the 8 worlds, I know that's true of most Mario Games, but at least they where shortcuts and not part of the game design! By default you don't play worlds 4 and 7 unless you happen to beat worlds 3 and 6 a certain way
So in summery
- Graphics: 8/10
Mario looks great in 3D traversing a 2D world - Sound: 8/10
All the classic Mario tracks remade for the new system - Replay Value: 7/10
You'll play it again for the challenge each level has - Gameplay: 9/10
It plays too good - Overall: 8/10
A worthy addition to the Mario collection that could be a bit longer
On to the next game...
Metroid Prime Hunters
This is another game we've all be waiting for a while. I remember playing the demo that game with my DS oh soon long ago. So - has it been worth the wait? The short answer - yes. Here's why.
The good - this game really pushes the DS to its limits, graphically there is little else out there on the DS that can match Hunters, the enemies look good and varied, and the weapon effects are nicely done. The sound effects are spot on and the background music is full of atmosphere.
The control scheme is truly amazing, it brings to a handheld almost true PC FPS controls. Using the D-pad as WASD and the styles as the mouse, it does take a bit of getting used to, but once you are in the zone everything dies :D
Now the not so good.
The control scheme will kill your hands - I am not kidding, to play more then an hour of this will cause your hands to die. I am slowly getting used to it, but man it hurts to play for a long stretch.
So in summery
Metroid Prime Hunters
This is another game we've all be waiting for a while. I remember playing the demo that game with my DS oh soon long ago. So - has it been worth the wait? The short answer - yes. Here's why.
The good - this game really pushes the DS to its limits, graphically there is little else out there on the DS that can match Hunters, the enemies look good and varied, and the weapon effects are nicely done. The sound effects are spot on and the background music is full of atmosphere.
The control scheme is truly amazing, it brings to a handheld almost true PC FPS controls. Using the D-pad as WASD and the styles as the mouse, it does take a bit of getting used to, but once you are in the zone everything dies :D
Now the not so good.
The control scheme will kill your hands - I am not kidding, to play more then an hour of this will cause your hands to die. I am slowly getting used to it, but man it hurts to play for a long stretch.
So in summery
- Graphics: 10/10
I swear at times you think you're playing the GC version - almost - Sound: 8/10
Excellent sound effects and atmospheric background noise - Replay Value: 8/10
The Wi-Fi multiplayer will keep you coming back for more - Gameplay: 8/10
It plays well, it's only dampener is the fact your hands hurt - Overall: 9/10
A true classic with unbelievably excellent controls - even if they do hurt :(