Nintendo DS Lite Review

On Sunday I got my Nintendo DS Lite, after two weeks of searching online and about 5 stores to see if they could go any lower than $129.99. Unfortunately not though. I searched many stores, and Target was the only one with the Crimson colored DS Lite...

The Packaging for the DS Lite is really nice. It's a nice hefty box, but not big. It features the colored DS on the front. Open the box up and you will find a bag of Manuals and troubleshoots. Also a guide to PictoChat, which is a built in Chat that allows the user to draw, type, etc. to another person with Wi-Fi, I'll get into that in a bit... On the bottom of the cardboard case, is a AC Charger. It plugs into the back of the DS. There is also a stylus, but there is already one inside the system, so it's just a neat extra. The cardboard housing unfolds and the DS Lite is in a foam bag. My Crimson DS has a shiny Crimson red top with two raised dual screen designs in the middle to signify the dual screen feature of the DS. The rest of the DS is a matte black. It's pretty small compared to the PSP, but it's nothing you can't grip onto for gameplay.

The external features of the DS in the volume button, headphone button, power switch, and two slots. The main reason I got this was because they had two slots, one for the DS games and one for the old GBA games, in which I played Street Fighter, and it stills looks great. The GBA Cartridge does stick out quite a bit, but they include a "fake" cartridge when a GBA game is not in use. There is also a slot for the stylus, so there are no loose accessories needing to be carried around, nice! The DS also features to rubber paddings on the bottom for flat surface gameplay.

Open the top up on a hinge and you reveal the dual screens, D-Pad, ABXY buttons, and start and select buttons. There are also speakers, which are pretty loud on full blast. There is a microphone slit on the hinge, and lights to signify Wi Fi connection and battery power. The top half of the DS has two rubber paddings on the sides so it won't scratch when you close it.

When you turn it on for the first time they ask you for a name, b-day, etc. Everytime you turn it on, they give you a warning and and you have you use the stylus to click on to move onto the menu screen. The menu screen gives you the options of four light stages, and it's pretty bright, even lighting up my room in the dark at night. There is also a setting button, and wi-fi button located on the bottom. In the middle of the screen is when you can select PictoChat, the GBA or DS game. Pretty self explanatory. I did find out that you have to put the GBA game in before you start up the system. Just for anyone unaware, the BOTTOM SCREEN is the only one with TOUCH FEEDBACK. Don't go tapping, then stabbing the top screen...on that note as well, the touch feedback doesn't require a lot of force, just a light tap...

Now onto the Wi-Fi. It wasn't what I was expecting. I have DSL, and I clicked the button to search for Internet access. My search came up with my sister's Internet connection, and two un-named connections. One didn't' support the DS Wi-Fi, and my sister's and the other connection required a password. So I'm left in the dark. It's not that instantly accessible as I thought...

With the $129.99 price tag, it's definitely a strong purchase, not too much with just the system itself. You gotta get a game. These games aren't high priced like, say, Xbox 360 games. They range either from $40 or lower, depending on what you get of course. By all means go ahead and get it, it's great for on the go, but get a game, a fun game something like Pokemon Platinum...

Score out of 10s

Price: ********/8

Fun: **********/10

Deal: ********/8

Features: ********/8

Wi-Fi: **/2

Size: **********/10

Overall: *********/9

SDCC is over!

Well, it wasn't that exciting I must say for this year. The new MLs were a surprise, since most people thought the MU line was going to be the future of Marvel figures. They hauled out the new MU figures and everyone was amazed, even me. They would certainly fit in with my GI Joes. I like the Iron Man MU line. That War Machine kills! Other stuff that I liked was the NECA SF figures. They look huge in the packaging in stores, and we finally get a decent Akuma. He's ripped and mad. They alternate costume of Chun-Li is awesome. Black and red always make my day.

The TF panel was great, even though the lack of physical evidence. The Movie Lockdown looks cool and a new Deluxe movie Ratchet mold. I look forward to the TRU exclusives of the Commemorative figures.

Mattel was great too, they had a lot of great figures, Powergirl, Black Canary, Movie Zod. It's all great, sculpt is there. Powergirl should have a bit more bust for accuracy, but as the rumor says, it gets bigger in every comic. So maybe this is just the beginning of her reign... They are also releasing an online exclusive of the Sinestro Corps. In which I really want the Yellow Lantern scary chick (forgot her name).

The GI Joes weren't biting this year, not many interesting figures for me. Most are just repaints of figures. Pretty depressing. I'm not getting much vibe from the movie figures either. The only cool thing is Baroness, but I'll wait until the Paris Pursuit version comes out...or they can release the Resolute figures in stores, not online retailers..

The pics were from Cool Toy Review, which is linked to the right, they had the best photos out of the sites I went to, to get the coverage.

Leader Starscream

This is the first shot of the supposed Leader Class Starscream. Which I wouldn't mind having. Looks so detailed, hopefully the paint job on it will bring it out. I enlarged it a bit to see if it catches any details. Maybe this can be even more accurate than the already amazing Voyager 'Scream, which I have yet to get. Maybe they'll show off 'Screamer at SDCC...

SDCC: It has begun...

Well Preview night, was, last night. Pretty cool things seen so far. Some new ML are coming out. A new freakin' ML Deadpool too. I had my eyes on White Phoenix and Black Widow. There are so many other figures to look forward to. There were Constrictor, Classic Costume Ms. Marvel, BAF Hulk, etc., lets just say, if they are released in lots, so everyone can get them, everyone will be happy. Though the MLs might be one of the main parts of the show, the 3 3/4" figures are probably going to steal it. They are downgrading most of the figures to that scale nowadays. New Marvel Universe figures were shown, plus an MU scaled Iron Man movie line, and MU scaled Spider Man line. I am rather intrigued by the Rhino figure, it has tons of finely sculpted details.

Transformers is kinda eh now, just repaints, rereleases. The only thing I saw interesting were the exclusives which, hopefully will be chugged out into the stores. They had Walmart Exclusive Materpiece Skywarp, Walmart Exclusive Movie Ram Jet repaint, and TRU exclusive Commemorative Perceptor. I hope Skywarp reaches my Walmart, I always loved that mold, but lacked the Starscream when he was released.

Now jump into GI Joe, which I am very excited about, they never fail to impress. Though I wish they didn't have SDCC Exclusives, I'd like to get my hand at the 12" Baroness. Pretty cool looking. The sculpt looks dead-on with a smirk. It seems they are releasing Past and Present Target Exclusive packs, in which they include the original mold of the figure and vehicle and the updated version of the figure in vehicle. In this case, they show Snow Job and the Rockslide ATV, and the little tag says ARP of $12.99. What the hell? The exact ATV that is on the shelves are listed at $15 or so dollars, for the vehicle and figure. Who knew adding more degraded the price...don't care though, it all works out in my pocket, huzzah! They also have some 12" figures, which are bleh to me, never got into it really...

This was just a preview, in the upcoming days, they'll release other info on more cooler stuff. This was just the icing on the cake...

Target Exclusive Conquest X-30 with Python Patrol Viper Review

Oh hell yes! I am back from a long computer virus run. I have no avoided social sites like Facebook and Myspace. I had the Koobface virus, so I couldn't update you guys on the other stuff from the previous week. The Voyagers were not on sale, regular price, so I was kinda iffy that day anyways. Really wanted that Starscream. I went to Target today to check out the new GI Joe movie figures, at first it looked awesome, then I looked closer and went bleh. I don't know, I think I like the classic looks more that the new modern looks. Mostly every clearanced items were moved to the back of the aisles. There I found the 3 3/4, and 6 inch terminators on sale. $5 for the small ones, $7 for the $6 ones. They had 12 inch ones, but I didn't like the looks of them. After some thorough searching, finally found some GI Joe, since all of them were cleared out, they only had some Mighty Muggs, and two Conquest X-30, and you won't believe the price on the Conquest... $6.24! Freakin' $6.24, DAMN!

The Conquest X-30 is housed in a box of sturdy cardboard. It's pretty light since the box is kinda big. The box features art of the Conquest firing away in a desert like setting with another Conquest flying behind it. There is a window to view the Python Patrol Viper, along with art right next to it. The box is decorated with a Python Patrol insignia and a "Only at Target" sticker. On the back of the box it features the toy itself and has tags pointing at certain parts of the vehicle to show its' gimmicks. They read, "Removable Missiles!", "Removable Bombs!", Canopy Opens!", and "Fold-Up Landing Gear!". Most of which are common sense when you open the box. They do fail to mention some removable panels on the Conquest, which I'll get to later. There are two file cards on the bottom of the box, awaiting to be cut out like old times...

The sides are taped so anything sharp is required to open it. Inside the Conquest is fully assembled, except for the plain black back fins, missiles, and bombs. Upon assembly it looks pretty bland. It features printed on panels on black and silver "camo". The Conquest itself is a dark blood red. The black nose cone is a softer plastic, with the white glue marks still seen. The missiles and rear thrusters are a bright yellow, and the bombs are darkish grey. The canopy is a smoky translucent. Inside the cockpit is a plain grey seat with electronics. Removable panels behind the cockpit shows the same plain gray engine. Behind that is also another removable panel with the thruster internals. Underneath the retractable landing gear is a grey with the dark blood red caps, and perhaps rubber wheels. Panels are attached to the landing gear to hide it when retracted. The rear landing gears actually have gears that spread the wheels out and in.

The Python Patrol is the same as the regular Cobra Viper released before. The colors aren't like the part or production photos in the box. The art and proto figure is all black with some skin showing on his arms, and yellow highlights on his vest and pants. The visor is a red. The figure released isn't all black, he's mostly grey with black boots, gloves and helmet. The yellow is the same though. The backpack is just a plain grey with no paint apps at all, and the gun is plain black. Sadly you can't leave the backpack on him when you set him in the cockpit. You have to leave it on his lap or something...

Details on the Conquest are just panel and vents. Nothing to outrageous. There are sculpted machine guns at the front of the plain, but they are "camo" as well.

Sticker decals are included for the ole, sticker application that mostly everyone hates. These stickers are really, erm..sticky. I mean you better have a good shot at it first, because once it's on, it's not coming off. The sticker really adds to the plainness though. They have eye stickers like a snake...really cool. 31 is the number of the say for the Conquest, you get three 31 stickers, but the instructions feature a fourth one for application under the rear wings, wonder if it's an error.. The Cobra Insignia features wings on them. Several warning stickers are located near the landing gear, thrusters, etc. There are stickers that have arrows and the word panels on them to signify where the panels are removable. Python Patrol stickers are scattered on the wings...

Just a notice on the instructions sheet for the sticker application, it also has statistics. Number two on the list is "Reconditioned Snake Skin Pilot Seat". Now that's badass..

This is a pretty nice vehicle, considering the cost right now, I mean right now. Last time I checked was last week, it was $17 and had a mass of vehicles, now there are marked to the teeth and bones and only had 2. I am lucky enough to even get one, these things would go clean if they didn't put them in the back of the bottom shelf. Look carefully. But even at this nice price, I still think it'd still be worth the original $25. The colors really fit, though the yellow might throw you off... I really liked the all black and yellow highlighted Viper proto, but I guess you get what you can. This set, with the Viper gets a 9.5 out of 10. The Conquest itself is a 10 out of 10, the Viper is about 7.5 out of 10. They should have stuck with the art colors. The black would've really made a difference to keep that Black Ops stated in the file card. Again, this is a great set, especially at this current price tag. If you can paint the Viper, you are set to kill off some GI Joe.