Nintendo Gameboy DS Lite

"Dr. Sue, you just have to get the new Gameboy DS", mrbiotech said to me about 2 years ago, when the original DS came out. I didn't believe him. Why would I need a new gameboy? I bought my cute blue Gameboy SP with backlight and rechargable battery in 2003, and didn't see the need for a new unit, especially since I didn't play it that often, usually limiting myself to the the various Mario games on the market, or some classic arcade games from my youth. Last year, Rich let me borrow Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga for the GBA, and I had a blast with that. See? I didn't need the DS. 2 screens? A touch screen that requires a stylus? 2 MORE buttons? Waaaay too much work for me, thank you very much. I am too old to try and figure something like that out. Besides, I didn't really like the look of the original DS, it looked bulky and uninspiring, and I didn't like the location of the start and select buttons (above the ABXY buttons).

Then, I found out out that there was going to be a sequel to Superstar Saga, Mario and Luigi, Partners in Time. I was excited, I loved SS and was sure that PiT would be as good a time as the earlier game. To my dismay, PiT was to be released as a DS game only.

Then, this year, Nintendo updated the DS unit to make the DS Lite, which improved upon the original DS, it is smaller, lighter, has brighter screens, new locations for the start and select buttons and a bunch of other things I didn't even think about.

Here is a picture comparing the two.



I decided it was time for me to cast aside my old SP and move up to the DS, although I was still nervous about the dual screen, multiple buttons, and touch screen/stylus additions. I had my husband buy me the DS lite in the Costco combo pack that came with the New Super Mario Brothers, game cartridge case, extra stylus, and a bunch of other doodads for Christmas. I had my sister buy me Partners in Time, so I would be ready to play once Christmas day arrived. (I gave my old gameboy SP to my niece, who asks me if she can have it every time she comes over to my house, she was working on an old GBA, with no backlight or recharging capability, so we both have moved up.)

Christmas morning arrived, and along with the other stuff I received (some of which I will be reviewing in future posts), I opened my DS lite. First of all, I like how electronic units come with at least some charge in them when you open the package, so you can fire it up right away, without having to charge it for several hours prior to playing with your new toy. I got the polar white unit, and it is slick. I popped in the New Super Mario Brothers cartridge (tiny!) and WOW! Totally awesome. The dual screen is not hard to handle at all, it is actually quite natural. Most of the action takes place on the top screen, but when you send Mario down a pipe, the action moves to the bottom screen, a nice touch. The graphics are amazing, the 3D rendering is really cool (so says Rich), and the extra buttons are not too hard to deal with (in Partners in Time you need all 4 ABXY buttons).

The downsides. 1) It is biased, as are most things in this world, for the right handed. The stylus is stored on the right hand side of the unit, and I am a lefty, so if I want to use it mid game (as in the New Super Mario Brothers to retrieve a stored powerup), or if I are getting directions in its use (as in March of the Minis), I either need to already have it out near my left hand (which is what I do for March of the Minis), or I need to pause the game get it out with my right hand and try to use it awkwardly with my non-dominant hand, or transfer it to my left hand. I could hold it in my left hand, but it makes maneuvering with the directional pad difficult. The unit comes with 2 styluses (stylii?), so I don't see why they couldn't put 2 storage ports in it, 1 for leftys and 1 for rightys (yes, I know the battery is currently located on the left hand side, but there COULD have been a way. Us leftys are growing in number every year, now that children aren't forced to not be left handed anymore. Jamie, aren't you a lefty too?). 2) The battery life isn't nearly as long as the SPs was. I could get a good 12-14 hours out of the SP, especially if I turned off the backlight during the day, when it wasn't needed, but the DS does not seem to have that option, although I have yet to read the manual to find out for sure. I realize that the dual screen will suck down a lot more power, but I am barely getting 5-6 hours of charge before the light goes red. 3) The sound is good, but the volume control slider is not as sensitive as I would like, especially in the quieter range.

All in all, I love my new gameboy DS Lite, and am eager to finish this review so that I can get back to my Partners in Time game! (PS, Partners in Time is a very worthy Sequel to Superstar saga, even if the storyline is a little weak, the activities are a lot of fun and I love baby Mario and Luigi!)

Tickle Me Elmo Extreme

A few days ago, my 2 year old daughter got a "TMX: Tickle Me Elmo Extreme" from her grandparents for Christmas.

Trying to get it out of the box was very annoying. They have placed a little speaker that constantly reminds you that "Elmo is ticklish in here". I think the headache started at that point.

When Elmo finally emerges from the box, he is about a little over a foot high and has some rather large feet (you know what they say about Muppets with large feet?) to hold the six AA batteries.

Compared with the other presents that required "some assembly", Elmo was a breeze.

All that was left was to tickle him.

Then something surprising happened. Elmo really started to impress me. Not from a stupid red doll standpoint, but from an engineering standpoint. Whoever designed this thing was doing some really advanced robotics. Elmo can pretty much fall on the floor and then get up from practically any position. It even tries two times if it doesn't make it on the first attempt.

I do question how much children are going to like this. They really can't carry Elmo around because he is very heavy for them as well as "anti-soft". I could almost compare TMX to a Big Mouth Billy Bass, fun to watch, but not a very good toy.

I'm guessing that the novelty will soon wear off and we will be looking at Elmo in a closet every year when we are searching for Christmas ornaments.

Until then, I'm enjoying him....tickle on.....

Here is a link to a YouTube Video showing TMX in action. I like the dog.