The Nintendo DS Lite (DSL) is a smart, eye-catching update to the original Nintendo DS (NDS) that manages to add some important upgrades to functionality. Whether it's worth paying for another system just depends on your level of dissatisfaction with the old unit, but DS hold-outs should absolutely go straight to the DSL.

Though not its most important feature, the revamped exterior is definitely the most noticeable change to the DSL, at least initially. The new shell is very shiny and flat, and like the PSP and iPod, it picks up fingerprints like a magnet. As great as the DSL looks out of the box, it's going to look that great for all of half an hour unless you clean it everyday or handle it with gloves. Since this is a gaming system, and a portable one at that, you'll probably just let the fingerprints accumulate, which somewhat negates the whole point of it being shiny. But the real disappointment is that the attractive outer shell does not extend to the inside surfaces, making the DSL look completely different when opened up to be played. The matte finish inside is even off-tone, so the colors don't match. And while I'm picking nits, the edges where the system folds together appear to be yet another, lighter color. So while the overall presentation is still much better than the ghastly NDS, Nintendo didn't quite get it exactly right. If you're going to buy a system mostly for the looks, you do want the looks to be perfect.

But you shouldn't buy the DSL just for looks, because its best features by far are the new screens. These screens are so bright and clear that you'll want to run through all your old DS games just to see their true colors. Some dark games like Metroid Prime: Hunters look completely different when played on the DSL. Although there are four brightness levels, the highest one is too bright to be played indoors, though it can be useful if you want to play in sunlight. I found the second level to be just fine, much brighter and easier to see than the NDS screens, and the battery life at that level is actually better than the NDS's battery life. That's because Nintendo ramped up the storage capacity of the DSL's battery. It seems to last forever, compared to the original. The built-in speakers are not quite as loud as those of the NDS (which could get very loud), but that slight disadvantage may be negligible given that the DSL's headphone jack is much easier to access. Between the dramatically improved screens and the advanced battery, the DSL is just more convenient and more enjoyable to play than the old NDS.

The reduced size is a mixed blessing. It does make the system truly portable and much lighter, which lets you play longer with less hand fatigue. But the weight savings may be offset by wrist cramps induce by the difficulty of holding the DSL with adult hands. Games that require heavy use of the D-pad and/or face buttons present a problem, because anyone with moderately sized hands will not be able to tightly grip the DSL for any length of time. There are alternate methods such as resting the system on your fingertips and reaching to the buttons with your thumbs. Anyone familiar with the GBA SP should have some idea of what to expect, and most people should be able to find a comfortable way to hold the system. Games that heavily use the touch screen fare best, since you can easily rest the system in one hand (remember, it's lighter) and hold the stylus with the other. The stylus, by the way, has been redesigned for the DSL to be longer and thicker. It's a subtle but much needed upgrade, though some people will probably still want to get a third-party stylus that is even closer to the size of a pen or pencil.

The D-pad and face buttons themselves have been significantly changed. The DSL's softer, raised D-pad takes some getting used to, but it is far more comfortable for playing many GBA games and DS games that rely heavily on D-pad controls. I was able to build up powerslide boosts in Mario Kart DS much faster than with the NDS's clicky old D-pad. The four main buttons are similarly revised, but the advantages are not as pronounced as with the D-pad…that is, unless you are left-handed and play some games with the face buttons acting as your D-pad. The shoulder buttons are quieter but have a more discrete click than the NDS shoulder buttons, with equivalent responsiveness. Unfortunately, the Start and Select buttons have been moved down near the bottom of the system, and although they are raised much higher than before, they are not soft at all. These buttons are actually quite difficult to push on the fly, and they are placed so closely together that it's hard to push just one or the other.

You've probably seen photos of the DSL with a GBA cartridge sticking out of the bottom. It's ugly and could be a bit uncomfortable depending on how you hold the system. Nintendo was smart to anticipate that you would no longer want to leave in a GBA game by default, so they have included a shorter dust cover cartridge to plug into the slot. It's made of the same plastic as the outside of the DSL, so it blends in perfectly and looks great (despite the inevitable fingerprints). The less convenient GBA port seems like small potatoes these days, since there are actually plenty of great DS games to play. It wouldn't have gone over as well for the NDS launch, when GBA compatibility was a more important feature. It's still nice to have, and the DSL handles the games with ease, including Wario Ware: Twisted and its ilk. Compatibility is limited to single-player modes, as with the NDS.

So we've established that the DSL is a nice revision but is not strictly better than the original NDS. Is it worth your money? Well, if you've been holding out on buying any DS at all, definitely go straight to the DSL. If you like DS games but hate the dark screens or bulky form factor, the DSL upgrade is probably worth your money. If you're pretty satisfied with the NDS, you may want to wait until the DSL drops in price – it's not so fantastically better that I would suggest dumping your old NDS in the nearest landfill. Overall, the DS Lite is a well designed hardware upgrade, with plenty of enhanced functionality and far more style than its predecessor.

As of this writing, Nintendo has not announced launch dates or pricing for the DSL outside of Japan. As with all Nintendo portables, the system is perfect for importing; it plays games from anywhere in the world, and the charging cable is compatible with North American wall outlets. With the severe DS shortage in Japan now lifting, our import partners at Lik-Sang finally have DS Lites in stock (all three colors). They have also provided a discount code for PGC readers; it won't apply to hardware purchases, but you can use it for DS games and other stuff. The code is LS-7DA093455B and it's good for $5 off purchases of at least $40 USD. It can be used once per account and expires at the end of May 2006.