> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Falling Back in Love with the Nintendo DS Lite - URL: https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/falling-back-in-love-with-the-nintendo-ds-lite/ - Published: 2026-11-02T14:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-02T18:35:17.000Z - Description: Not Lite on nostalgia - Author: Cat Webling - Tags: Opinion, Retrospective, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite **The Nintendo DS family launched in 2004, and by 2007, it was the hottest console anywhere.** I was nine years old; my family owned a Wii thanks to my grandparents, which my siblings and I played all the time, but I dreamed of having a console that was just for me. I had my sights set on the newest model: the Nintendo DS Lite, specifically in the metallic rose colorway. I saved up my pocket money for an entire year, doing odd jobs to earn a little more and not spending a cent until I had the $150 necessary to buy it for myself, and I was so very proud of it. My dad took me down to our local Walmart, and I walked up to the counter and bought the console all by myself (and most definitely *didn't* get a little help from him covering the tax, which I hadn't accounted for — Thanks, Dad!). I loved my DS a ridiculous amount. I played on it for hours and hours at a time, cycling through my favorite games and enjoying the sheer novelty of having a device that was completely mine, that I didn't have to share. I'd hide it under my pillow to play late at night when I should really have been asleep, and my siblings and I would giggle about silly drawings in Pictochat. On rainy days, my favorite place was curled up in my mother's office, on a worn-out old yellow couch, wrapped in a blanket and playing on the DS. I got older, of course, and at some point, put my DS down and didn't pick it back up. I eventually lost it in the depths of my childhood bedroom. This year, on a visit back home, I happened to find it at the bottom of a storage bin. I was over the moon; I'd thought occasionally about replacing that old DS Lite, but of course my childhood self had picked one of the more costly colorways, so I just hadn't bothered yet. Now here it was again, my darling first personal console, perfectly intact and ready to be played nearly two decades later. But was it worth picking back up? Was this outdated children's console still useful to me in 2026, now that I'm all grown up (at least in theory), or was it better left as a cheerful childhood memory, with no modern frustrations to tint the nostalgia? ![A DS Lite open and on the boot-up screen.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/10/PXL_20261030_160609776.jpg) The opening sequence for this console hits like a nostalgia brick. Image by the author. ## A True Pocket Console The DS Lite system itself was revolutionary at the time of its release. Following closely in the footsteps of the original DS system, the DS Lite was more compact, intentionally designed to fit in kids' pockets. The two-part closing design meant that you didn't have to worry about your screens getting scratched while you were out and about, which was and still is incredibly convenient. Of course, the driving force of this whole console line was its dual screens — one regular screen on top and a touch screen requiring a stylus on the bottom. This gave game developers a whole other dimension to play with when designing their games; you could have two displays going at once, or hop between the two screens depending on the game's needs. The DS Lite's screens were considered pretty sizable at the time, but are much smaller than later DS models and considerably dimmer. The DS Lite is also backwards-compatible with Game Boy Advance games thanks to its secondary game slot at the front of the device, which was incredibly convenient and meant that GBA owners could upgrade their systems without losing access to their game libraries. In the original DS system, a GBA cartridge would sit practically flush with the edge of the device when inserted; in the DS Lite, GBA cartridges stick out a little bit from the edge of the device. I believe this was done to preserve room inside the console for hardware, but it's still a little annoying, as it causes a bit of concern when carrying it around that the game will snag on something and cause damage to either the game itself or the console port. I'll note, though, that I've never had that happen, both when I was first using it as a child and now. This console had very, very limited internet access — as in, you could access Pictochat or share games via DS Download locally, but without the seperately-sold browser software and attachment, you couldn't do anything else. This functionality still exists, if you want to use it, but I don't find myself needing it very often, especially now that I'm not running into people with DS's all the time. The DS Lite isn't Street Pass compatible either, so there's really no reason to leave it connected. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/10/image-33.png) Source: IGDB. ## Nostalgia and New DS Gaming Experiences I have a mix of childhood games and games I've purchased recently that I've enjoyed rotating between. First, and perhaps this is indicative of the kind of child I was, I have a copy of Brain Age, a mental agility program designed by Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, an actual neuroscientist. The doc's idea was simple: give people little games they could play daily to retain and improve cognitive function over time. You take a quiz comprised of a couple of these mini-games to determine your "brain age," with 20 being the best possible score — the lower, the better. The games themselves used memory puzzles, simple math calculations, and reading aloud to stretch your brain muscles and improve your focus and problem-solving speed. I liked seeing my progress in each game with the little daily graph at the end, and seeing whether I could beat my scores over time. I also loved the Sudoku mode with about a hundred puzzles to complete. As an adult, I appreciate Brain Age as a little wake-up exercise before work, and I use the Sudoku puzzles to wind down or pass the time while I'm waiting for chores like laundry or an oil change. I've found it to be the most convenient way to play Sudoku, with the ability to write multiple numbers in the same slot to organize your thought process and save your puzzle for later. Next, I have a couple of different I Spy games. When I was a kid, we had the I Spy books and a copy of I Spy Fantasy for the PC; I played that game to death! I adore this series for its whimsy — the tableaux of absurdist, wonderful scenes that fit the themes, full of strange objects for you to pick out, paired with a poem full of the objects you were looking for. It all felt so fun and refreshing, as if there was something new to look at every time you opened a scene. My current choice is I Spy Castle, where, unsurprisingly, you're looking through a castle for clues about its mysterious past full of princesses, knights, and dragons. My favorite scene at the moment has to be the feasting table, with its roast pig and smiley-face plates and fireplace with mystery shapes. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/10/image-34.png) My highest score in this game is 130,620 points in Classic Mode, which I think is pretty good. Image by the author. Bejeweled 3 is another one that I loved on a different platform first; I believe I first had it on an original Kindle Fire, of all things. This is by far my favorite version of the classic shape-matching format. The music is fun and feels like a sci-fi adventure soundtrack, and the wide range of game modes means there's always something new to try when I open it up. I've been enjoying the poker mode, where you match "hands" based on the kinds of gems you can line up. I also finally picked up Mario Kart DS. I had Mario Kart 7 for my 2DS XL (which I bought toward the end of the DS family's run), and I have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart World on the Switch 2, but there's something nostalgic about the simplicity of Mario Kart DS. This was before the days of tricks and gliders and all the other fancy mechanics; it was just you and the road against the other players, and it's a lot of fun. It's especially great seeing tracks I already know well from later variants in their original formats. This is such a great grab-and-go game that doesn't require any long time investment; I can pick it up and put it down as I please for a quick session when i just need a few minutes' break. Finally, I managed to find a copy of the GBA game The Sims: Bustin' Out. I absolutely adored this title as a kid! Like any other Sims game, you create a character, build relationships with other characters, and decorate your space. Unique to this experience (at least for me) was the fact that there was a progressive storyline — you move into your Uncle Hayseed's barn in Sim Valley, spending the summer away from your home in Sim City, and build a life there, eventually moving into your own place and progressing through a story that weirdly involves bikers, cowboys, sailors, and aliens. I can still happily sink hours into this game, playing all the job mini-games, chatting with all the NPCs, and decorating my little house just so. ![The DS Lite in metallic rose. There's a small chip in the finish of the lid, but it is in otherwise perfect condition.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/10/PXL_20261030_160526639.MP.jpg) I hope I get to keep playing this console for a long, long time. Image by the author. ## Is the DS Lite Worth Playing in 2026? While I've been deeply enjoying the nostalgia trip, I have to wonder if the DS Lite would be a worthy console to invest in today for someone who didn't grow up with it. I've come to the honest conclusion of...maybe? I think the DS Lite still holds up as a fun, playable device. The form factor is a big part of this; I love how portable and durable the clamshell design is, especially for people who want something easy to throw in a pocket or backpack without worry of scratching. It's durable enough for children (stick to eight years old and up) and still comfortable for adults without feeling cramped. The system has a massive library of fun, exciting games for all ages that you have to physically own to play. Multiplayer capabilities are limited to local co-op or competition, avoiding the risks associated with online gaming. I'd have to say that this is one of the best starter consoles for parents to offer their kids even after all this time. It's still worth it even as an adult, as a console you have complete control and ownership over, which is a rarity in the modern landscape of digital-first systems and subscription services. Do I think it's the best console on the market? No, not at all. There are much more powerful modern handhelds that can play the DS library, including original systems like later 3DS and 2DS models and third-party consoles like the AYN Thor. Heck, these systems can play much more than the original DS library! But I do think there's still some charm and practicality in the DS Lite. It's still relatively cheap (you can find a used console in perfect working order for around $80, sometimes less, on various marketplaces), making it great for those on a budget. As a bonus, the hardware is relatively easy to repair and replace with the correct tools — there are hundreds of guides online and tons of repair services that specialize in these systems. It's durable, has a long battery life, and can be a great everyday player. All in all, the DS Lite remains one of my favorite consoles of all time. I'm happy to keep using mine for years to come, and I'd love to see more of them come back into fashion. How else am I going to get back to using Pictochat?