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View Full Version : DS Lite or DSi XL?



Nico87
05-18-2010, 01:32 PM
Right, bought my DS Lite two years ago.

Now I'm thinking of buying an XL, but I have no way of comparing a DS Lite/DSi to a XL. I've been to every local game store (and there aren't many!) where I live, but none hav a DSi XL on display, or for comparison.

Many people say it depends wether you want the GBA slot or not. Truth be told, I can live without it. There's only about five games I find interesting, them being Metroid: Zero Mission, the two Summon Nights games and the two Boktai games. The Golden Sun's and the Castlevania's I can live without. The Advance Wars games too.

I was planning on selling the DS Lite if I decide to get a DSi XL. Keeping them both just for the GBA port on the Lite isn't something I'm considering.

Also, I'm sure I'd treat an XL like a new handheld console, so I doubt the "I'm so used to the DS Lite, this is a pain" would be an issue for me. And really, is it THAT big? Does it make the PSP feel small in comparison? I'm not much for carrying a console around wherever I go, I'm a stone cold gangsta and I fear that the homies might look down on me if I'd ever do that. I just want to play on the thing, at home, in my bed or wherever. I just don't want something too big.

It's probably down to the graphics, and if the DSi XL is maybe too big. How does the game looks? I've read about thirty online reviews, about 20% of them are like "only buy this if you're old or have problems with your sight", while 80% are saying that the big screen "breaths new life into old games", and makes them look "refreshing". As we all know, Nintendo didn't change the resolution of the screen, and as a result, according to some reviews, some games looks blocky and whatnot. Is it really that bad? Is there really a huge difference, graphically, on a game played on the DSi XL compared to one on the DS Lite/DSi?

Also, I'm fairly sure that I'll be getting a 3DS when it's released, but that's not really an issue for me. It's like a year away, unless Nintendo surprises ut with a Christmas 2010 release (which I'm suspecting). Truth be told, I haven't touched my DS Lite for a good amount of months, and the DSi XL might be a good motivator for me to get back into DS-land.

Anyway, sorry for a very long post. I'm basically trying to hear people's opinion on what I wrote above. Feedback from people who have extensively played on both the DS Lite/DSi and the DSi XL would be great. It's not a money issue at all, but I don't like buying things for fun that just ends up gathering dust. I only buy what I think is worth a purchase, and for the moment I can't for the life of me make a decision on wether to keep my DS Lite or buy a DSi XL.

SpasticFuctard
05-18-2010, 01:35 PM
In before flamewar!

Nico87
05-18-2010, 01:36 PM
/me strikes down SpstcFtrd

kupomogli
05-18-2010, 02:49 PM
DS Lite sucks. I'd sell it and get an original DS.

PapaStu
05-18-2010, 02:55 PM
DSLite = GBA BC/ DS game support that use the GBA slot. Tons of color choices.

DSi/DSiXL = Brighter/Crisper screen than DSLite, DSiWare Store access, better battery life than DSLite, Camera, NO GBA support and semi better than DSLite D-Pad. DSi has great color choices, DSiXL/LL has horrible color choices.

Nico87
05-18-2010, 02:56 PM
Getting it from Japan, so it would be a white DSi XL.

I can always get a GBA Micro one day if I one day can no longer resist the GBA games mentioned above, plus a few others. I've always wanted one!

It's mainly about how the DS games look with the same resolution that was used on the DS/DSi, on a XL.

eastbayarb
05-18-2010, 03:45 PM
I personally have a backlit (most GBA's are frontlit) GBA SP for playing Gameboy Mono/Color games as well as GBA, and DSi XL for DS. Now, I can play every incarnation of nintendo portable systems.

walrusmonger
05-18-2010, 03:45 PM
I sold my Japanese DSi on the forums because I'm in need of money, when I told my mother the reason why she bought me an XL for my birthday (I was really shocked).

It's quite a bit larger, but the screens are WELL worth the added bulk. I have owned multiple units of each version of the DS-

Original DS, Teal DS

White DS lite, Pink DS lite, Guitar Hero DS lite

Black DSi, Bronze DSi XL


If you do most of your playing on the go, you'd be better with a standard DSi, but if you play primarily at home then an XL is the way to go.

walrusmonger
05-18-2010, 03:47 PM
And the only things that look worse on the XL are the system's homescreen and the camera, games look FAR better and don't look like they're stretched at all.

eskobar
05-18-2010, 05:52 PM
Buy now a DSi XL, the difference is noticeable.

You WILL have a better DS experience.

unwinddesign
05-18-2010, 06:48 PM
If you haven't played your DSLite in a few months and plan on getting a 3DS, I'd just wait and put your money towards the 3DS down the line. At the end of the day, the DSi XL is still a DS, albeit a deluxe version, so it seems kind of pointless to get a new DS if you're not playing a tremendous amount of DS in the first place.

The screens are a lot bigger, but the games are going to be the same, regardless.

Jorpho
05-18-2010, 06:55 PM
DSLite = GBA BC/ DS game support that use the GBA slot. Tons of color choices.

DSi/DSiXL = Brighter/Crisper screen than DSLite, DSiWare Store access, better battery life than DSLite, Camera, NO GBA support and semi better than DSLite D-Pad. DSi has great color choices, DSiXL/LL has horrible color choices.

I guess the relative availability of flash carts doesn't really factor in?

lookfun78
05-18-2010, 07:44 PM
It's a matter of guitar hero, gameboy advance player (ds light) or a camera, music player, internet and dsi shop (dsi xl)

ScourDX
05-18-2010, 07:52 PM
I would wait until Nintendo unveil their new handheld.

PapaStu
05-18-2010, 08:40 PM
I guess the relative availability of flash carts doesn't really factor in?

Not to a person who doesn't pirate anything and who owns 400 DS games.

Use the system for what its intended, playing its games on media it supports, not via a flashcard that is loaded with ISOs/ROMs emulating other systems or games for the system you don't own.

retroman
05-18-2010, 09:23 PM
i would wait for the ds3d....

Trebuken
05-18-2010, 10:23 PM
DSI XL.

My understanding is that the XL's screen is the same resolution as previous DS's, yet larger. Technically that would make the graphics less sharp -- yet they still look good, they are larger, I prefer the larger.

The determing factor for you should be whether or not your going to take advantage of the Wifi. If you are, XL it.

Jorpho
05-18-2010, 10:32 PM
Use the system for what its intended, playing its games on media it supports, not via a flashcard that is loaded with ISOs/ROMs emulating other systems or games for the system you don't own."But I only want to run legitimate homebrew!" is the obvious response.

Gameguy
05-18-2010, 11:13 PM
"But I only want to run legitimate homebrew!" is the obvious response.
Or if you don't want to carry a backpack/suitcase full of games around wherever you go. It's a main reason why I found Gameboy multicarts useful to get.

Richter Belmount
05-27-2010, 02:36 AM
Definitely The Dsi XL I love it ever since I got last week. If your worried about gba compatibility just get the gba player for gamecube.

j_factor
05-27-2010, 02:46 AM
I don't have an XL but from what I've seen on display it's a big improvement. I almost never play my DS due to comfort issues and the small screen. I have better than 20/20 vision too.