It's the end of an era. Not only have we recently had the news that DSiWare is shutting down and Nintendo is bringing DS cart production to a close, but we've now heard that NCL is stopping Nintendo DS console repairs in its homeland.
Repair support for all colours of the very first DS (model number NTR-001, also known as the DS "Phat") is stopping, the reason being that spare parts are now becoming scarce. The final date for receiving NTR-001 DS for repairs is April 30th. Nintendo has stated however that if spare parts run out before that date, booked repairs may not take place.
It's not quite the end of the DS line, though - the DS Lite (USG-001), DSi (TWL-001), and DSi LL (UTL-001) are still being taking in for repairs for the foreseeable future.
[source nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 38
Didn't nintendo still carry on offering repairs for the nes until a few yrs ago or am I imagining that
Hope they will still be repairing them in the West for some time. Those systems have pressure sensitive screens, trully a gem in the whole DS family. (DS Lite may have the screen as well but as I never had one I cannot be 100% sure).
What's with all the doomy DS news lately
They might just be trying to cut down on spending in preparation for the next generation.
I really hope the DS line doesn't end with the 3DS... please make an HDS someday, please Ninty...
Looks like there'll be more of a market for fixing or modding DS systems, maybe?
There are sites like Kitsch-Bent for gameboys and such.
Stop calling it phat! It just has big bones!
It's really sad hearing all this about ending production on DS hardware, those were some great times.
Fortunately - I have 10 Nintendo DSi consoles. . ( don't ask me why - it's a long story - but mainly 'cos colours and Korg DS10+ dual mode region lock )
Nintendo as a note is no longer offering repairs on the DS lite and DS phat in America. They recommend getting a 3DS as it plays most of the games.
Wow, Nintendo is still repairing that silver frankenstein monster until now?
I haven't seen the offer to repair a DS Phat in the US for a while. Anyways i've been looking for a replacement housing for my silver phat for a while. Can anyone link or suggest places to find a quality replacement housing? I would love to repair my hinge.
I remember the day I got that machine, and it just reminded me of an Ice Cream truck.
In comparison, the PSP was this sleek bit of hardware.
And the DS, was this silver brick, which was purely about fun.
It's pretty much in pristine condition, and hasn't lost its charge for over 3 years now.
Mind you, never go on the thing now.
@Moon I agree. Really love dual screen gameplay. If that goes for NX, I'll be really upset.
it's teh end of an era that most people had no idea we were still in.
@Socar without a dual screen, it turns into a gaming experience no different than a mobile. i think they know that they need to offer something not found anywhere else so it will probably stay. they even integrated dual screen into their home console with the wii u.
I never had a phat but my black DS Lite got a lot of love over the years. Weird to see that era ending. But here's to the future and whatever the NX portable may be.
That makes sense.
@Moon I will be so sad if the next handheld doesn't have stereoscopic 3D But I'm sure that will be the case... Not many people know it's awesome when it works well (like on new 3DS) and therefor see it as a negative.
Maybe they're doing this for the NX?
Well, good thing mine is pristine even though it's 12 years old or so. I can't imagine having a DSi LL though, seems like you bought your thing at the wrong time.
I was listening to a podcast last night and I never realized how bad piracy was on the DS. Hard to imagine that ~100,000 R4 devices were confiscated just in the UK.
Nintendo's gearing up for the next big thing: THREE SCREENS!
But man, it is sad seeing the DS being phased out. Hopefully my 3DS won't die for a few years yet!
@Socar I love the dual screen approach and will miss it if it goes away.
@AyeHaley Unfortunately, I think you're right. The 3D aspect wasn't massively well received... I even hear a lot of 3DS fans say they play with the 3D off or don't bother with it altogether. So I can't see it being featured on another of their consoles, which is a shame.
Makes the 3DS that bit more special though, I guess.
I personally love the 3D effect. I'm not technically minded by any means, but the only positive I can think of is that if there's no 3D in the next system, they'll at least be able to use that processing power towards something else. (I think the 3DS has to render everything twice for the 3D effect or something)
This is an understandable situation though. Twelve years of official technical support is nothing to snuff at. The original Famicom continued to have official technical support until 2000!
Good thing mine still works.
Well, unless you count the broken-off top screen.
But the important bits for Pokemon transferring still work.
@Moon That is pretty much why I have 5 of them, I want to be sure I'll be able to play in 3D, like intended, in x to xx years.
For me playing games like 3D Land, A Link Between Worlds, the Zelda remakes and Luigi's Mansion 2 with 3D turned on is either pivotal and/or adds to the experience. I know it's silly to say... but it still feels special to me.
This makes me want to repair my DS Lite (my first console) before it's too late. The shoulder buttons+mic have been broken for quite some time.
@AyeHaley Doesn't sound silly to me, mate
@ekreig Real handhelds have curves!
Who wants a slim tablet? Gimme some OG DS booty!
Shame, it's a beautiful handheld
So many great memories with my brick and Lite. Rest well, my dear handheld friends.
@KTT It does, I tried with "Colors!" homebrew. It's really a function of resistive screens though, I think they can all read pressure sensitivity but few actually send data other than X and Y. It's nowhere near the kind you get with a pressure sensitive pen.
Don't think there should be a 'but' in the second sentence!
@LemonSlice Ah, thank you for the info, this expand the possibilities. I may get an used Lite someday, just in case my Phat break. Or any of those two to have a system in reserves.
They have removed the feature starting from DSi. I guess they were afraid that kids will keep breaking the screens? Or perhaps they were saving the battery power? Nevertheless they never advertised this feature and eventualy they got rid of it.
I find the pressure on my system satisfying. Lacking, but satisfying for a small portable digital art device. And DS works even better on sunny weather.
My lite broke, that old thing with the hinges, but my phat's still running beautifully.
The original GameBoy was often cited as either "being built like a tank" or being made from "Nintendium", and it so happens the DSphat has outer dimensions almost exactly the same as that guy.
@KTT I found a few things you might be interested in:
http://amzn.com/B00HWHQKFI
http://amzn.com/B00MGU8LIK
http://amzn.com/B010PKT6C2
NCL does offer rather long repair and production lives compared to other Nintendo subsidiaries. Famicom systems were produced until 2003 and repaired until 2007 (citing the same reason of parts running out).
Despite the pragmatic reasons, I find this event to also serve a symbolic purpose, the ideologies behind the Nintendo- DS and Revolution has died.
(This comment might sound silly in the future.)
@WireWare LOL
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