Nintendo DS Lite - For Reals, this time

So apparently the web got a hold of some FCC filing papers, which included shots of the prototype Nintendo DS Lite, causing the usual Schadenfraude.  Yadda yadda, blah blah blah.  Nintendo just went live with their Japanese site for it, and the following facts are revealed.  It looks much nicer than the prototype pics (big surprise, there...) and it comes in the following three colors: Crystal White, Ice Blue and Enamel Navy, as seen here:

That Enamel Blue is nearly black, but not quite.  Nintendo has a bad habit of baiting their customers with colors YOU CAN'T HAVE, so this is a nice change.  Very iPod, I can't help but think.  The stylus is longer, but the unit itself is both smaller and slimmer (although the screen remain the same size.  In a capitulation to size, the DS Lite will force GBA carts to stick 1cm out of the DS lite, much like Game Boy carts in GBA’s.  I'm not sure how I feel about that, but it's a minor quibble, as I play fewer and fewer GBA games on the DS.  The keypad is redesigned, with the d-pad resembling the GB Micro design (which also resembles the Revolution controller's d-pad), and the keys are place further up, which should be more comfortable, I think.  Still kinda miffed that there's no black...but I guess they felt really, really dark blue was a good compromise.  [shrug]

In other Nintendo news, some interesting notes: the highly anticipated (and by highly, I mean for a FRIGGING YEAR, now) game, Metroid Prime Hunters, for the DS, not only features 4-player wifi over Ninty's WiFi service (which means of the net), but it will support a voice chat feature.  however, it's only in the waiting room...shades of "It came from Xbox-Live!".  Still, it's a good start.  Ninty also revealed that they were planning on creating a web browser for the DS, but they were under the impression a 3rd-party licensor was working on it already, so they're holding off...but if no one steps up to the plate, they'll make one.  Further, this year they're going to start rolling kiosks to places like Best Buy and Target with free wifi downloads of game demos and movie trailers.  Just bring your DS and download the demo right there.  Last year, I downloaded some demos to the DS (thank you Internet), and it's a blast to get a sampling of a game.  It doesn't hurt that I've since purchased two of those games.

Right now I'm playing Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, which is a sequel to the GBA Mario & Luigi: Superstars for the GBA.  It's a fun little arcade-RPG, and I'm sure the kids will enjoy it when they get older.  This weekend, I plan on starting the next DS game I've got, Resident Evil: Deadly Secrets, which certainly is NOT for the kids.  Although I'm sure the barbarian would love to kill zombies, it's a bit much. ;)