Getting Started with Your Nintendo DS

A Nintendo DS, or DS for short, is a semi-expensive electronic. The regular DS is around $100. The DS lite, is a smaller DS, with four light modes. The light modes allow you to choose how light or how dark you want your screen. The DS Lites are around $150. They are more expensive but worth it. I have one of them and it works great.

Turning On Your DS :

Now we are going to turn on a Nintendo lite. The power button is at the right side, on the top of your DS. You will see a switch. This is the power button. To turn your DS on, put your finger on the button, slide it up, then slide it down. It won't stay and that's ok. You will see a skinny rectangle light flash green at the top on the front. It will keep flashing. This means that your DS is on, but is closed.

Getting Started :

Now that your DS is on, you want to take your stylus (pen) out then open up your DS. I usually open my DS first. Unlike the old Gameboy, the DS has two screens, one on the top and one on the bottom. To view these, you have to open your DS up. Look on the bottom side and you will see a crack. Put your finger against is and gently push up. There! That's was easy! The top screen will say Nintendo DS. The bottom is just safety information. To get rid of this screen you have to pull your stylus out. If you look by the power button, you will see another crack, follow that crack to the back of the DS where there is the end of the crack and a little indent for your nail. Stick your nail under the crack and you pen will easily slide out. Lightly tap the touch screen. Now you will see the main screen. Here you can personalize it. Just tap the little DS picture at the bottom. It will take you were you need to go. It can be changed later so don't worry about what you put.

Playing a Game :

To play a game, the first thing to do is properly put the game in. On the top of your DS you will see a hole. With the picture facing away, push the game in until it clicks, then let go. To take it out, push on it then release, it will pop up. Now, to actually play it. On main menu, there will be 3 boxes if your game is in correctly. Tap the top box, which will take you to your game. Then you can play. Simple enough!

Pictochat :

The two boxes underneath of it are features that come with every DS. Regular and lite. The one on the right is Pictochat. Pictochat is where you can talk wirelessly with your friend. If you tap it ( the Pictochat button ), it will take you to a screen with for letters on it, A, B, C, and D. These are rooms. Your friend has to be in the same room with you or you can't chat. It will tell you how many people are in each room so you know which who is in there. There can be up to 16 people in 1 room. After that you can just play around and do what you like.

DS Download :

The last box on the right is DS Download. Some games you can play wirelessly with other people when they don't have the game. If your friend has this game, you can play together. One of the games that has this is Super Monkey Ball Touch & Roll.

You can connect with your friend in almost every game but most of the time, your friend needs that same game to work. Nintendogs is a great example of this type of game.

Playing Gameboy Games :

You can also play Gameboy games on the DS to. You can choose what screen you want it on to. ( top or bottom screen) To play these, remove the piece of plastic on the bottom of the DS. Stick the game in, again, with the picture facing away from you. It will stick out a little and that's ok. When you put a game in, a box will appear on the main screen below DS download and Pictochat that says Gameboy Game. Tap on it and your ready to go!!

Last Minute Tips :

Some last minute tips; put the game in first, then turn your DS on; in case of locking up the Nintendo. And NEVER shove your pen into the touch screen (bottom screen) because it can and will break. Just remember these tips and you will do fine!

HAVE FUN!