Nintendo DS

Not to be confused with Nintendo 2DS or Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo DS

An electric blue Nintendo DS
Also known as	iQue DS (China)
Developer	Nintendo
Manufacturer	Foxconn
Product family	Nintendo DS family
Type	Handheld game console
Generation	Seventh generation
Release date	NA: November 21, 2004 JP: December 2, 2004 Korea: December 29, 2004 AU: February 24, 2005 EU: March 11, 2005 China: June 15, 2005
Lifespan	2004–2013
Introductory price	US$149.99
Discontinued	2013
Units sold	154.02 million worldwide (as of June 30, 2016) (details)
Media	Nintendo game card, ROM cartridge
CPU	67MHz ARM946E-S 33MHz ARM7TDMI
Memory	4 MB RAM
Storage	Cartridge save 256 KB flash memory
Display	Two TFT LCDs, 256 × 192 pixels
Connectivity	Wi-Fi (802.11b, WEP)
Online services	Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Best-selling game	New Super Mario Bros., 30.80 million (as of September 30, 2016)
Backward compatibility	Game Boy Advance (DS and DS Lite only)
Predecessor	Game Boy Advance
Successor	Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo DS (spelled DS, or NDS for short) is a handheld game console from Nintendo. The system was first released in 2004 in America, Japan, and South Korea then in 2005 in Europe and Australia. The system was lastly released in China on June 15, 2005 by local distributor iQue, which branded it as iQue DS. The Nintendo DS is a small machine that can fold open to reveal two screens, one of which is a touchscreen. For this reason, the "DS" is short for "Dual Screen". The product was codenamed "Nitro" while it was being made. The games are stored on small cartridges, which are like memory card chips from digital cameras.

In 2011, the Nintendo DS was succeeded by the Nintendo 3DS, which features two screens like the Nintendo DS but allows users to view the top screen in 3D without the need for glasses. The system can also play Nintendo DS games through a method known as backward compatibility. The Nintendo DS line was eventually discontinued during the 2010s.

Hardware

The Nintendo DS has many new features. Its main feature is having two screens, the lower one being a touchscreen. The Nintendo DS comes with a pen-like accessory called a stylus, which is the way players are meant to interact with the system. The Nintendo DS still has physical buttons, all of the same ones as on a Super Nintendo Entertainment System controller: a directional pad and the A, B, X, Y, L, R, Start, and Select buttons.

The Nintendo DS features built-in firmware that cannot be updated. When booted, the system displays its logo—similar to the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance BIOSes—followed by a health and safety warning on the bottom screen. The firmware allows players to set the time, their birthday, name, and favorite color. Every Nintendo DS includes six language options; in most regions, these are English, Japanese, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. On the iQue DS, Simplified Chinese is the primary option and replaces Japanese, while Korean models feature Korean as the standard option, replacing Italian. Nintendo DS systems are region free, meaning they can play any cartridge regardless of the country, with the exception of iQue DS cartridges, which only work on iQue DS models.

The Nintendo DS has built-in wireless functions so that nearby users can play certain video games together or use a built-in chatting application called PictoChat. This feature was previously seen in the Wireless Adapter accessory for the Game Boy Advance, which was compatible with very few games, most notably Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. The system could also go online using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service until the service shut down on May 20, 2014. Online play was not available at launch; the first game to use it was Mario Kart DS, released on November 14, 2005, in North America—nearly a full year after the Nintendo DS was released in that region. The system could not connect to WPA-encrypted networks, and as more networks began to use this encryption, the Wi-Fi feature became less accessible over the years.

The system can display 3D polygonal graphics in addition to regular 2D sprites. The Nintendo DS is capable of slightly higher quality 3D rendering than the Nintendo 64, Nintendo's first system with 3D gameplay, though it is not as powerful as the Nintendo GameCube, which was Nintendo's main home console at the time of the Nintendo DS's release in 2004.

The Nintendo DS features a built-in microphone at the bottom-left that can record the player's voice in certain games or be used as a gameplay mechanic, such as by blowing into the mic.

The Nintendo DS is also compatible with Game Boy Advance games (in single-player mode only). Users can insert a Game Boy Advance cartridge into Slot-2, an opening at the bottom of the system. However, the Nintendo DS cannot play Game Boy or Game Boy Color games, like the Game Boy micro, a later Game Boy Advance model.

Competition

The Nintendo DS was a rival of Sony's PlayStation Portable. They fought for sales in the seventh generation era. However, both Nintendo and Sony have said that their products were aimed at different people. The DS has currently sold more units than the PSP has. In 2011, the DS briefly held the record for best-selling game console.

Another rival was the iPod touch made by Apple. Apple said that the iPod touch had an advantage because it has more multimedia features along with being a game system.

Games

The Nintendo DS has had many games made for it. Some games, such as Super Mario 64 DS, are launch titles, meaning that they came out on the same day as the Nintendo DS. Some of the games that sold the most copies are Nintendogs, Super Mario 64 DS, Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., Brain Age, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, and Advance Wars: Dual Strike.

Accessories

There are many accessories for the Nintendo DS, including different coloured styluses and protective cases. Some protective cases include the highly durable Nerf cases. Most Nintendo DS systems have a screen protector and a car adapter used to charge the Nintendo DS in a car.

Handheld revisions

Nintendo DS Lite

A white Nintendo DS Lite

Nintendo later made a newer version of the Nintendo DS, known as the Nintendo DS Lite. It was first announced on January 26, 2006 and released on March 2, 2006 in Japan, on June 1, 2006 in Australia, on June 11, 2006 in North America, on June 23, 2006 in Europe, and on January 18, 2007 in South Korea.

The Nintendo DS Lite plays the same games as the original Nintendo DS but is smaller and lighter and has brighter screens. The built-in microphone is located at the center of the hinge between the two screens. Due to its design, Game Boy Advance cartridges stick out slightly when inserted into Slot-2. The slot also comes with a cover that players can insert when it is not in use. The Nintendo DS Lite was originally released in white, black, pink, blue, red, and silver, and was later made available in additional colors, such as metallic rose, metallic silver, and black with white.

Nintendo DSi

A black Nintendo DSi

Main article: Nintendo DSi

On October 2, 2008, Nintendo announced a third model, the Nintendo DSi. It was released in Japan in 2008 and in 2009/2010 worldwide. It is bigger, thinner, and brighter than the DS Lite. It has an SD card slot, which is used to download games online. The Game Boy Advance slot was removed, which caused some disappointment when it came out.

Nintendo DSi XL

A black Nintendo DSi XL

Main article: Nintendo DSi XL

Nintendo announced another model in the DS family called the Nintendo DSi XL (called Nintendo DSi LL in Japan). Announced on October 29, 2009, it was released in Japan in 2009 and in 2010 worldwide. It is the biggest, heaviest, widest, and brightest of the Nintendo DS systems. It has the same features as the DSi.

Sales

In total, the Nintendo DS family has sold 154.02 million units as of 2026, making it the best-selling handheld console of all time until it was surpassed by the Nintendo Switch, a cross between a handheld and a home console.