Bulky. Heavy. Ugly. That was the original Nintendo DS. And just when you think that handheld was dead, it starts trending on Twitter in Japan.
As Japanese website Dechisoku points out, this week, a tweet asking if people still had their original DS portables led to many Japanese Twitter users uploading photos of their Nintendo handhelds.
Many of the photos showed worn handhelds — some with broken hinges — that still worked. How many 11-year-old electronics can say that? Nintendo hardware has long had a reputation for durability (that Gulf War Game Boy is proof of that).
While “初代DS” (shodai DS or “first-gen DS”) might have trended this week (see above), for the past few months, Japanese Twitter users have been uploading photos of old DS handhelds, often found while cleaning, to reminisce. Others still use their original DS handhelds to this day.
Still can’t believe it’s been over a decade. Where did that time go?
掃除してた初代DS出てきたけど、びっくりするぐらい黄ばんでる pic.twitter.com/d1fmYYvd6h
— ほっしー (@hoshizora233) January 28, 2015
今日掃除してたらDグレ狂の私が当時使ってた初代DS出てきた pic.twitter.com/3hn2D3fEfZ
— ひとみ (@hitomi_all) February 6, 2015
以前に撮ってた写真と比べると更にバキバキになってしまったけど、まだまだ使える初代DSニキ pic.twitter.com/ifGAbVBUuh
— ななさり (@nanasary) February 2, 2015
オメガルビーをいったん封印し、今からソウルシルバーを初期化して新たな旅に出掛けます…
てか初代DS懐かしすぎて吐きそう！！！！
重い！！画面ちっさい！！ pic.twitter.com/yOBUL77ERT— 涼人 (@masimaro_sky) February 27, 2015
部屋の掃除したら3DSを買うまでお世話になった初代DS出てきたんだけどタケシまみれだしユーザー名は何故かタイガーウッズだった pic.twitter.com/47Q7DjLgnk
— 乙 (@kinoto_green) April 6, 2015
https://twitter.com/ktmpypyeee/status/602890349489463296
The name in the upper corner reads “Onara”, which means “fart” in Japanese. Of course, it’s a joke!
https://twitter.com/amamiyasouya/status/610441689354756096
https://twitter.com/solid_naked/status/636094406680903680
https://twitter.com/mariya_amlove/status/617951196062441472
必要に迫られて数年振りに引っ張り出した初代DS。画面の小ささに驚く。 pic.twitter.com/Evf5ZNRDbb
— カトリー (@catheriine27) June 22, 2015
https://twitter.com/NextStage0101/status/636062698468323328
へぇ 画面の回路は上の方だけにつながってるんだ
初代DSが上画面へし折っても下半分で使えるのと似たような理屈だな pic.twitter.com/Y1Aiuu0252
— 球磨蜂/구마바치 (@qumabachi) June 23, 2015
https://twitter.com/apple_spa/status/614086852694245377
Anyone remember DS TV?
押入れを整理した時に出てきた初代DSが瀕死の状態だがちゃんと使える #凄い pic.twitter.com/MMvbkjDTvX
— 赤すぐり❦ (@aka_suguri) July 3, 2015
ざ☆小学生！！！って感じだよね初代DSしか持ってません〜〜日焼けでホワイトがクリームくらいの色になってる pic.twitter.com/1eLmQupkrt
— 南雲はな✿ (@hn__821) August 10, 2015
わいの初代DSが出てきたよ！ pic.twitter.com/iqpFLQv17o
— ヘキサニトロヘキサアザイソウルチタン (@migawarininngyo) August 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/beta_dolphin_/status/636067692638679041
俺の初代DSはいまでも逞しく生きてるよ pic.twitter.com/wyKL84TYhZ
— 散弾 (@SNDN_pmLL) August 25, 2015
https://twitter.com/mofu_fuwatto/status/636088032098029568
俺が持っている初代DSはこれだ pic.twitter.com/9s463Otocu
— 第ちゃん (@oleleo92271) August 25, 2015
割れても使えるのが初代DSの長所だにゃー pic.twitter.com/bVnjuYA3mi
— 彼方 (@kanata1341398) August 25, 2015
Picture: Windows_XP__SP3
Comments
17 responses to “The First-Gen Nintendo DS Is Alive And Trending On Japanese Twitter”
I actually preferred the shape and size of it compared to the lites. I still have mine, battery doesn’t last long and I have a dead pixel near the middle, I put it through a lot.
I had a pixel die smack bang in the middle of one of the screens about 3 hours after the Australian launch in Feb 05. Still got plenty of use out of it though and once the screen got a bit worn/ smudged it wasn’t as noticeable.
I shit on Nintendo a lot, but they make sturdy, reliable handhelds and have the best understanding of the handheld games market. I love my DS/ 3DS.
I had exactly the same thing. Bought it at launch, tiny dead pixel on the lower screen. Didn’t bother me a tiny bit (get it? tiny bit? … heh). I still have fond memories of replaying Super Mario 64DS and WarioWare Touched. Good times.
The original, and the best.
Get outta here, Lite. You suck!
Also, can’t believe how many shattered hinges there are there.
Same here, I thought these Japanese people would take care of their stuff more
Think of how often they used them though. I’m sure it would be way more than the majority of handheld gamers in the west.
I used mine for 5 years everyday (4 hours a day) and it’s still in excellent condition 🙂
I’m sure that would be considered casual in Japan 😛
Impressive nonetheless!
I still have the old beast, by the time I went to trade it in and upgrade it was pretty much worthless, so just held onto it. Even still have my old Gameboy color in fairly good condition 🙂
IWATA-SAMA!!!
Never owned a fat DS – feel like I should’ve, but didn’t get into the DS until the Lite – which was ace, but I’m a dude with big hands. Not so ace for extended play. Found the DSi XL the best compromise on the DS front for me.
I still have mine. Not sure how they end up in such bad condition, I always took just basic care of mine and it still looks pretty good today, scratchy screen aside.
I still have mine that I got on launch day. Aside from a few scratches on the outer casing it looks and works perfectly fine.
Still have mine, my DS lite and my Gameboy pocket.
Traded in my 3DS XL though 🙁
Pretty much my favourite handheld console ever. You had access to the massive library of great GBA games in addition to the equally massive library of excellent DS games – and it was all REGION FREE!!!! 😀
Mine managed to have dust build up under the top screen which always puzzled me how it got there. Some day when I’m not afraid to break it I might try cleaning it out and replacing the poor, Nintendog-petting-abused touch screen.