What will the next DS model be like?

Every generation of portable Nintendo consoles thus far has had three models: The original, and two redesigns. For the original Game Boy, we had the big, thick, pea soup-screened basic model, followed by the Game Boy Pocket and the Game Boy Color. With the Game Boy Advance, there was the original model, followed by the Game Boy Advance SP and the Game Boy Micro. And now, with the DS, we have the original version and the DS Lite. What will the second redesign be like? Here's my take on how things should be when it comes to the third DS design.



It will be even smaller

The Game Boy Advance SP was smaller than the original model, and the Micro was smaller still. The same will most likely be true of the third DS. How will they possibly manage to outdo the DS Lite's minuscule size? For starters, I'm betting they'll totally get rid of Game Boy Advance support, at least out of the box. Perhaps there'll be some sort of adapter for GBA support, but I doubt we'll be able to simply slip our old games into the DS 3. As for everything else, size reductions should be possible without any more radical changes. The top half of the DS housing the LCD screen could easily be slimmed down. The speakers may have to be moved to the lower half, perhaps above the buttons.

A revised menu

When the DS Lite came out, it was nearly identical to the original model on the inside, right down to the operating system. Even the screen for changing the GBA screen display still featured an image of an original DS. What the DS needs is a more Wii-like menu, with big buttons and simple images.

A brightness slider

The DS Lite's several brightness levels were great, but you still had to restart the system in order to change the settings. The next DS needs a slider, like the volume switch on the previous models, but for brightness settings. Not only will this enable brightness setting changes mid-game, but it will also allow players to choose the brightness level right for them. Say on the DS Lite, setting 3 was too dim, but setting 4 was too bright. Well, this would no longer be a problem, as there would be no brightness levels. Think of it as a dimmer switch, but for your DS screen!

A more light-friendly screen

When playing the original DS outside, you could switch off the backlight and simply let the sun be your brightness setting. But with the DS Lite, for some reason, this wasn't so. No matter where you were, if it was sunny, it would be near impossible to see the screen. If I had to describe it, I'd say the DS Lite screen is too reflective. Too much light bounces off the screen, obstructing the player's view. If Nintendo could somehow mix the clearness of the DS Lite screen with the non-reflectiveness of the original model, it would be amazing.

These are just my thoughts, though. What would you like to see in the next DS?

The Duck Has Spoken.