Nintendo Hopes to Score With DS Lite

TechNewsWorld reports that Nintendo is launching the DS Lite on June 11 in the U.S. and will sell it for $129. The device has been selling well in Japan and will be launched here with the latest Mario Brothers game.

JupiterResearch analyst Michael Gartenberg said, "It looks like a really nice evolution to what has already been a pretty successful product."

According to Nintendo, "the new DS Lite is less than two-thirds as large and is 20 percent lighter than the original Nintendo DS. It features the trademark two LCD screens that now have four lighting settings for different conditions and better battery life. Other features of the updated handheld, initially available in "Polar White," include a microphone in the center, a larger stylus, and more ergonomic start and select buttons." The DS Lite will also sell for $20 less than the DS' orignal price.

Jupiter's Gartenberg noted that "although it may have fallen back from its competitive position with the regular console, Nintendo is known for succeeding and improving on its designs, particularly in mobile devices." He said, "Nintendo has won a lot of praise in this platform and for driving the games forward."

Gartenberg added, "as it did when improving on the Game Boy, which was followed by the Game Boy Micro, Nintendo has managed to make the DS "more pocketable" and less expensive while retaining its unique features, including dual screens, touchscreen functionality and wireless capability."

Michael Cai at Parks Associates pointed out that "while Nintendo's original Game Boy found its greatest audience among young gamers, the space is now opening up to more young adults, business people and older, casual gamers."

According to Cai, "there are mobile gaming device buyers in nearly half of the U.S. households equipped with Internet access," and "the market continues to open up to a wider audience." He also thought "Multi-player and interactive game play also appeal to more consumers, which furthers the expansion trend."

I'll have to check out the DS LIte when it's launched. My wife has been playing Brain Age on my daughter's DS, mostly for Sudoku, so maybe I'll use some of my $600 credit at Amazon to get her the DS Lite....