The DS Lite is a well-designed system, easily compactable, and can run for a pretty long time depending on the settings, not needing a charge for quite some time. Despite the seemingly perfect design, it wasn’t until I tried the Nyko Charger Grip Lite that I found out the feel of the system and the performance of it could be improved and enhanced. Sure, it isn’t as easily portable now, but if portability is the least of your problems, you’ll love this accessory.

When comparing the PSP and DS, the one thing that always struck me about the PSP is that it just naturally feels better in my hands, partly because of the size of it and my natural gaming grip fit right with the system. As for the DS, though brilliantly designed, for some like myself – whose hands can be quite big – you can really get a cramp and find some discomfort while playing the system for long stretches of time, as the compact nature forces your hands to become vulture like claws as you conform your fingers to fit into place. The first thing about the Nyko Charger Grip Lite that we love – and honestly we’d purchase the accessory for this reason only – is that the grip transforms the DS, making it feel more like a controller than a square, brick system. The DS fits into the frame, resting on a strong yet comforting white foam padding, and is held tightly in place by the charger aspect that slides into the power port at the top of the system, while a locking pin is interested into where your stylus would go (no worries about having to carry a stylus around in your hand, as the grip has a built in stylus slip since it’s using your original slot). When the grip is placed properly you’ll find that the grip adds an extra quarter of an inch on both sides and about three-fourths of an inch to the depth; those numbers might not sound like much, but they help tremendously in giving the system a completely new feel. When the DS is opened and you’re playing, we found that the design fit our hands instantly, as our thumbs rested on the D-pad and buttons, our index fingers on the shoulder buttons, our middle fingers down the contored slide from the sides, and our last remaining two fingers rested around the controller like bottom that comes from the bottom. The system not only naturally feels better in our hands with the grip attached, but it makes it easier to game too when you are mostly using a stylus, as the grips let you easily hold on to the system with one hand, not needing it to rest on your knee, lap, or surface to maintain balance. The grip is also cutout in such a way so that you have easy access to the power button, volume control, and headphone jack without anything being obstructed by the grip itself.

One thing we absolutely hate is really getting into a game, only to see those warning lights start to flash on our DS, signaling that we don’t have a whole lot more time to get our gaming fix in before the system dies and need a recharging; the fact hurts even more when you’re away and unable to charge the system. Thankfully, besides just improving the ergonomics of the system, the grip also acts as a battery/battery saver, letting you not only get your DS’ usual play time limit, but giving you an extra eight hours in the process. The charger fits in where the usual charge plug is and acts as a locking mechanism as well. Nyko was smart to make it so that players could easily charge both the DS’ battery and the charge’s storage unit at the same time, meaning you can do all of them with one plug process instead of needing to fiddle with two. The colored light system works much like the usual DS one, letting you know how long you have still to go, and the on and off switch of the grip is in a proper position so that it is easy to reach and yet you won’t accidentally flip it off by accident.

The only negative to the Nyko Charger Grip Lite is the fact that it does add a bit more bulk to the system, but all in all not too much, though if you constantly walk around with your normal DS Lite in your pocket then this issue will nag you considerably. If you carry your DS in anything else but your pocket – or play the system while at home as if it was a normal system – then the extra girth will matter very little when you consider the fact that the two things you get for the changing of another really is a benefit in our mind.

Unless you’re a stickler for having your DS Lite be as absolutely small and compact as possible, then we can’t find any reason why you shouldn’t be happy to have the Nyko Charger Grip Lite.

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