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Amazingly, the 100 millionth Nintendo DS handheld video gaming console has been shipped. Since the original Nintendo DS launched way back in 2005, at least here in Europe, it has pretty much dominated the handheld market despite strong competition from Sony with the PSP.

Nintendo tell me that, as of the end of December 2008, there were some 83 Nintendo DS titles which exceeded 1 million global shipments, and no less than seven titles which managed to exceed 10 million shipments. Brain Training anyone? Indeed, it was games like Brian Training which helped Nintendo to reach beyond the traditional young male audience to attract girls, adult men and women and as unlikely as it sounded at the time, even seniors.

A Nintendo spokesperson says "Nintendo DS games demonstrate an evergreen quality: They frequently remain in the top-selling lists, months - or even years - after their launch."

Sometimes they even win awards, like the Nico Bellic beating Super Mario Galaxy which just yesterday picked up the Best Video Game award at the BAFTAs. what with the recent news that Nintendo enjoys half the total video games software market in the UK. it must be feeling pretty pleased with itself I reckon.

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Good roundup by — a useful snapshot. A couple of practical notes for people who land here years later and want to buy, preserve, or just understand why the DS mattered beyond the usual headlines.

The hardware story that enabled the DS's reach was the input and social design: two screens (one touch), a stylus-friendly lower display, a built-in microphone and simple ad-hoc/Wi‑Fi multiplayer. Those features let developers build intuitive, low-friction experiences and new genres rather than chase raw GPU power. GameSpot buyer’s guide / overview of DS features. (gamespot.com) (electronics.howstuffworks.com)

Which DS to pick today depends on tradeoffs. The DS Lite is the most balanced pick for general playing: slimmer, brighter screens and better battery life while keeping the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot. The DSi adds cameras, an SD slot and a downloadable store but removed the GBA slot — so it does not run GBA carts. For most people wanting the broadest physical library, a DS Lite (or original DS) is the safer choice; get a DSi only if the built-in camera/DSiWare features matter to you. NintendoLife on model differences. (nintendolife.com)

Software notes: most standard DS cartridges play across DS, DS Lite, DSi and later DSi XL, but Nintendo introduced “DSi‑enhanced”/“DSi‑exclusive” content and DSiWare downloads that depend on DSi hardware and regional services — the DSi Shop was discontinued in 2017, so downloadable DSi content is no longer straightforward to obtain. Keep that in mind if you care about digital-only titles. Nintendo DSi system/software summary. (en.wikipedia.org)

Quick buying/preservation checklist: test the hinge and both screens for dead pixels, confirm the GBA slot if you need it, test cartridges before buying, check battery hold and charger port, keep carts and contacts dry and clean (isopropyl on a cotton swab), and avoid grey-market flashcarts (legal and reliability issues). These simple checks will keep a DS collection playable for years.

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