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Is the DS really this fragile?
Over at flickr, user yatta has had a most unfortunate incident occur. His DS lite has been busted all to crap. It was only dropped about two feet, he claims, but since it fell right on its hinge, it pretty much exploded. Talk about your weak points for massive damage, eh? Maybe this gentleman could use a handy guide to help him fix it? Or, maybe just the phone number to Nintendo customer service.Any of you out there have horror stories about broken DSes?
Become the Dr. Frankenstein of the DS world
Let's get down to business: you can rebuild it. You can make it stronger. You can fix your own DS. Not that you would, since Nintendo has such amazing customer service, but the relative inexpensive price of the handheld means that you can feel free to tinker and disassemble your old one with no fear and get your learn on, as you purchase a newer model to keep you warm at night and actually play games. Replacing a screen, fixing a broken hinge and just about any other major overhaul you could need to do to your DS is covered in this guide. Handy, eh?
Nintendo replaces DS Lite, asks no questions
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Nintendo_replaces_DS_Lite_asks_no_questions'; What's that line from Batman Begins, something like "theatricality and deception are powerful agents" or something? Well, Consumerist reader Mike might not have been deceptive, but he certainly didn't do anything to stop the Nintendo rep from sending him a brand new DS Lite to replace his existing one that was rendered inoperable due to negligence. Nintendo ended up sending his new DS Lite out by 2-day UPS Air, asking that he only send back the damaged DS Lite to them. All of this, considering it was a friend that spilled beer (he wouldn't be our friend after that, as we can't abide by wasted beer) on the DS Lite. Kudos to Nintendo customer service, we suppose, for not inquiring how the unit became damaged and leaping to the rescue, no questions asked.[Thanks, Tracy!]
Ten reasons to stick with your Phat
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Ten_reasons_to_stick_with_a_Phat_instead_of_upgrading_to_a_DS_Lite'; Are you still waffling over whether or not you should hug your big ol' original DS goodbye and pick up a DS Lite? We know some of you are still clinging to the old ways, but never fear -- we're here to help! This week, we're going to look at ten reasons to make the switch ... and ten reasons to stick with what you've got. Oh, we never said we'd make the decision easy.Of course, the minute we convince you, Nintendo's apt to completely redesign the hardware all over again! But don't worry -- you'll be armed with a list of reasons to wait on anything new ... at least, until we decide to start convincing you to upgrade again. It's the circle of Nintenfandom; you know you're used to it by now.
Battered DS Lite makes baby Jesus cry
When it comes to adding troops to the DS Fanboy regiment, we make sure to fill our ranks with only the manliest of men. (Uh, and womanliest of women.). As far as bloggers go, we're as Ford tough as they get. Even in birth, we exited our mothers' wombs uncomplaining, ready for the hardship ahead. Still, our eyes welled up when we saw this broken and battered Nintendo DS Lite. According to an employee at Best Buy, the handheld was returned after its owner claimed that it had just "stopped working." Customer service must have neglected to give the DS a good look, because we can't imagine any store taking back a product in this condition. The right hinge has been knocked out of place, every recess is filled and marked with grime, and one of its corners bares the teeth marks of a childish fit.The two VeggieTales stickers marring the Crystal White's once-glossy finish are the worst offenses. Is there any hell that this DS Lite wasn't put through? Head past the post break for more unsettling photos of this portable's mistreatment.[Via Digg]
Nintendo: no love for Phat crack
Reader Kirk Winters has a problem. His DS Phat has succumbed to crack. As we previously reported, those of us who were still clinging to our Phats lost the high ground when they began to suffer the slings and arrows of cracked hinges, but we never thought it would come to this. Nintendo, it seems, is not repairing the Phats for free, as they are with the DS Lite.Ninty, where's the love? We thought we had something special. Kirk was heartbroken when his DS developed the same crack that raised such a stink with the Lites, but when he called Nintendo, he expected to get the same deal. No dice -- they'll haggle, but it's still not going to be a free ride if you end up in the same boat. But there's a light at the end of the tunnel. At first, Nintendo planned to charge for Lite repair, so maybe if we raise enough stink, we'll get the same treatment for the Phat. [Thanks for tipping us off, Kirk!]
DS Phat hooked on crack [Update 1]
When the big scare of hinge damage on a massive scale to shipments of DS Lites in America hit, we were all going over our units with a magnifying glass. We were all thankful that Nintendo was so kind as to offer free repairs for damaged handhelds. Turns out the issue might not only be Lite-exclusive.During the latest podcast from VGM Daily, it's revealed that a DS Phat developed a rather large crack at the hinge. If you're one of the few who didn't trade up for their DS Lite and kept your old unit, you might want to go check at the bottom of that dusty old box out in the garage that currently houses your DS Phat and make sure it's without crack.We've contacted our Nintendo rep and will update you as to how Nintendo will handle your broken DS Phat. Keep an eye on DS Fanboy for further updates.[Update 1: Cleaned up the wording a bit.]
Nintendo fesses up to DS Lite hinge defect, will fix for free
We suppose it's a bit of a stretch to call Nintendo's DS Lite hinge problem -- which according to Nintendo affects 0.02 percent of shipped units -- much of a defect, but the big N has heard the cries of its users, and will now fix the problem for free. Multiple Lite-o-holics have reported a small crack on the left side of the hinge that holds the two screens together, and even our pals over at Joystiq have encountered the problem. Up until now Nintendo was charging $50 to repair the incidental damage, as it was considered outside of warranty, but now they're changing their tune with free repairs for all. This keeps up with their track record of consumer love, which they established with the "single dead pixel" policy on the original DS. Thanks Nintendo, we love you too.
Nintendo gives in, offers free repair
While we reported that Nintendo did indeed recognize the problem, we weren't sure if they would repair the issue for free or continue charging the $50 US fee to repair the unit. Word is, they'll do it for free, with both American and UK spokespersons verifying the statement as truth. And why not, their release even states its such a freak problem that it wouldn't even cost them that much to repair them. So, got a crack in the hinge? Call 'em up![Thanks Patrick!]
Nintendo answers hinge claims
Being a part of the Joystiq network, we here at DS Fanboy feel humbled every day, to have both incredible readers like yourself, and to be in charge of finding and reporting on all things Nintendo DS. However, when we reported on problems of the hinge sort, we knew we would not be able to command the presence that Papa J does and contact Nintendo for answers, so we left the task of sending an appropriately-titled WTF Nintendo?! email up to them. Nintendo's response reads:"In the U.S., the reported number of small cosmetic cracks in the plastic hinge of DS Lite systems represents less than 0.02 percent of the total units sold. This cosmetic issue in no way impacts the gameplay or integrity of the DS Lite. Nintendo stands behind the quality of our products and encourages DS Lite owners to contact our Customer Service Department if they are not happy with the functionality of their systems."Honestly, Nintendo may have fudged up the numbers a bit. That percentile deals with only the reported cases of "hinge crackage" and not the actual ratio of unharmed-to-cracked DS Lites. While I cannot speak for the other bloggers here, my DS is without harm. Whether this is due to how I open it (see: like a book) is unknown, but I do treat it very well. Regardless, we feel that the warranty should cover this issue and collectively wag our finger at Nintendo.
Less than 1 out of every 5,000 DS Lites cracks, claims Nintendo
Nintendo finally got back to us about reports of cracked DS Lite hinges. Here's the official statement we were sent:"In the U.S., the reported number of small cosmetic cracks in the plastic hinge of DS Lite systems represents less than 0.02 percent of the total units sold. This cosmetic issue in no way impacts the gameplay or integrity of the DS Lite. Nintendo stands behind the quality of our products and encourages DS Lite owners to contact our Customer Service Department if they are not happy with the functionality of their systems."The 0.02% figure is based solely on reported cracked hinges, and as such, does not reflect the actual percentage of defective DS Lites. While merely cosmetic -- know that some reports claim the damage can worsen -- the crack, in our opinion, should be considered under the DS Lite's warranty. But don't go crying to Customer Service just yet ... if the instance is as rare -- and harmless -- as Nintendo claims, these imperfections will no doubt end up as collector's items sold on eBay. Who wants to place the first bid on ours?
Nintendo: "We are not aware of any problems with the hinge of the DS Lite"
MaxConsole has received Nintendo's response, via Cake PR, to reports of the DS Lite's hinge cracking. The official statement is as follows:"We are not aware of any problems with the hinge of the DS Lite, however if someone experiences a problem with their DS Lite they should contact their local customer services department. The DS Lite carries a one year warranty for manufacturing defects, if the fault is covered under the warranty it will be repaired free of charge if not then customer services will provide a cost for repairing the product. For warranty repair information, all technical enquires [sic] including servicing products, guarantee information, troubleshooting, part orders and release dates in the UK, please contact our Customer Service department (Monday - Friday 8:30am-7pm)."In an effort to make Nintendo 'aware,' MaxConsole has compiled an impressive list of DS Lite owner testimonials, scooped from the pages of Arstechnica, Digg, GameSpot, and, yes, even Joystiq, each representing a unit with a near-identical crack, located on the left side of the hinge. While for most, the crack remains merely a cosmetic nuisance, some reports claim that the damage can worsen, resulting in the loss of the hinge's plastic casing, which in turn, affects the stability of the top screen.Regardless, Nintendo should investigate this matter further, in order to determine if the crack is, as speculated, a design flaw. Currently, customer service representatives are attributing the crack to misuse ("you dropped it"), and repair is being offered for a $50 fee.
