The Games of my Life

I bought it! Finally!

Bought the Mario Kart DS Pak, which includes that game, all for 150 euros. Also bought a Linksys WRK54G wireless router, because I had no wireless stuff at home, to allow the DS to use my internet connection to play Mario Kart DS (and future games, of course) online.

I didn’t have a lot of time to play with it, as I arrived home late, and today is a work day. Also, I spent more than an hour “fighting” with the wireless connection - more on that in my technology blog, if you’re interested.

So, a few random impressions about the hardware:

• It’s big - about the same size as a PSP, though the screens are smaller - there are two of them, though, and you can use a stylus with the bottom one, as everyone probably knows. It’s certainly too big to carry in a pocket, unless it’s a large one in a coat.
• It’s light - much lighter than you’d guess by looking at it. I’ve used heavier mobile phones.
• The screens actually feel “bigger” when you’re looking at them - much more “real estate” than in almost any portable stuff. Except a PSP, of course, but that one’s screen is huge.
• Most screenshots on the web look quite “blocky”, but when you’re using the “real thing”, they don’t look or “feel” blocky at all - they’re perfect for the screen size. Of course, static screenshots on the web look different.
• Mario Kart DS (more on that game later, in another post) is really fast and smooth - no matter what was on the screen, I never experienced the slightest slowdown or frame skipping. This is certainly not your dad’s Game Boy
• I haven’t had enough time to test how long a full battery lasts. The manual says it should last for more than 6 hours of constant playing.
• DS games come in a kind of memory cards, though they’re still referred to as “carts”. The DS also has a larger slot for GBA games.
• When you close the DS, it automatically pauses the game and goes into “sleep mode”, which uses less battery power. Opening it goes instantly to where you left it. Great if you’re leaving a bus, or something.

No photos yet, I hadn’t enough time yesterday.