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This ZeldaDS mod is pretty much exactly like the other well-known Zelda DS Lite: same raised sword-and-shield emblem, same lighting effects, and even the same two-tone design. The only real difference is that it uses two different tones. It's even being sold for charity like the last one. Australian high rollers can feel good about bidding on this item, because 15% of the final purchase price will go to the Child's Play charity.
While the previous effort evoked a very classic Zelda feel with its stately gold and black hues, this DS, with its vivid blue-on-white design, fits in more with the Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglassaesthetic, which is more DS-appropriate anyway!
Big hands cramping up when you play DS? Tiny screens getting you down? Then build a bigger one with tablet PCs, like this enterprising DS owner did. Known only as "loopy," this crafty individual put together the whole thing out of spare parts, but estimates that the rig might cost as much as $600 for imitators who start with nothing.
We've got a video of loopy's creation in action after the jump, and after watching it, we've got a massive urge to break out Kirby Canvas Curse again ... but now, our screens will seem so tiny and inadequate, and our Kirby so insignificant.
No amount of failedmoddingexperiments or roadsideaccidents could've prepared us for the "personalized" DS Lite we saw in Marion Hemming's deviantART gallery, a homemade project so terrible in its realization, we winced and turned to the side as it loaded on our screens, unable to look at it straight on.
To be safe, we've sealed its frightful visage past the post break, away from the casual reader's view. If you believe that Marion's "paint job" is something you'd like to see, then by all means, head past the jump. We stongly advise, however, that you keep your mouse pointer near, if not directly on, your browser's back button; you might find its mutilated face to be much more than what you bargained for.
One of our readers named chicagojosh created the delicious piece of gaming hardware you see above. Much like Frankenstein, the handheld was brought back to life after the hinges on his white DS Lite broke. In combining it with a new Onyx black DS Lite, he has officially made it into our BFF scrapbook.
But, one question begs to be answered: do you prefer it to the new black and red DS Lite? Or the enamel navy and white DS Lite?
Unlike Datel's Action Replay Max Duo, this game-save manager from Gametech doesn't require any GBA-slot jury-rigging or an unsightly device that sticks out of your handheld like an air conditioner. All you have to do is pop your DS cart into Gametech's discreet USB dongle, hook it onto a PC with the installed software, and you're good to go.
This $30 device can be really useful for titles like Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja or SimCity DS, both of which having only one save slot. You can also keep a back-up of your progress in case you accidentally lose the game or decide to trade it in later.
While we enjoy hacks just as much as the next blog, we're pretty sure we would never try this on our Game Boy. It's a treasure, to be held tightly at night as we drift off into a dream land filled with plumbers and bounty hunters. Some folk don't see it the same as we do, though, as they gutted open a Game Boy, stuffed it with 1MB of flash memory, a serial interface, and a custom ROM, turning it into the drum machine you see above.
If you're lacking the small amount of cash it would cost you to pick up a Rumble Pak of your own, there's always the DIY solution. With just a little elbow grease, a spare Pokemon PinballGBA game, and a spare Nokia 5100, you can create your own Rumble Pak that fits in flush with your DS Lite. Of course, one could argue that it isn't worth the effort and suggest just plunking down the dough for one, but then you wouldn't have that sense of accomplishment that comes from doing it yourself and the future comfort of bragging to your friends that you're better than them.
During last night's Game Night, we were approached by reader Brad Mecoli, who asked us if we wanted to see some hacked Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin video. After about .68 seconds of deliberation (which, for an android, is nearly an eternity) we agreed, and Brad took us to a good place (heh, heh, heh): YouTube.
He found a character portrait test sequence in the ROM, which, using a hex editor, he was able to display. It features every character in the game cycling through all of their facial expressions while chanting ka ge ma sa, which, as Brad reminded us, is the name of the founder of Konami.
We find it very creepy for some reason whenever the veil is pulled back on internal development materials within a game. But we also find it funny. Watch after the break and enter a Kagemasa traaaaaaance.
Bored with the dull gray, clunky design of her old Nintendo DS, Marie decorated the dated handheld with lace trim and a ribbon bow, gluing her himegyaru-styled artwork onto its lid. The brick's interior was also gussied up, but with what, we're not sure. Daffodils and closed-eye kisses from Prince Charming maybe?
On its completion, her project sent out a rainbow-tailed shockwave that was felt for miles, magically transforming tough-guy motorcycles into purple unicorns, perfuming musky-scented men, and X-ing out every Y chromosome in its path. Squeal and swoon past the post break for a better view of this girly mod and its Princess Cupcake hood.
The past few DS Lite mods we've featured didn't venture far beyond lodging LEDs into the handheld's face, so we're glad to have a twist to that formula for today. AcidMods forum administrator F00 f00 installed light-emitting diodes into the back of his portable. To emphasize its glow, he used what looks like Onyx Black casing and a clear replacement shell for the DS's frame.
How long will it be before we see a DS Lite kitted with ambient lighting? Staring into those bright screens while you're in the dark puts a lot of strain on your eyes, and there are times when turning on a light just isn't an option (e.g. like when you're hiding in a blanket because there are ghosts floating around your bed). Put on some sunglasses and check past the post break for more photos of F00 f00's mod.
Pokesav is an editor program that allows you to hack your Pokemon Diamond and Pearl saves, adding rare Pokemon, changing their abilities, and doing all kinds of crazy hacky stuff. It appears that not only can you generate any Pokemon, you can then assign them abilities outside their type, and with more PP than the abilities can usually have. You need some kind of homebrew ability to do this, obviously, since you need to get your savegames onto the computer.
There's even a database of downloadable Pokemon, so you can get started cheating right away. We wouldn't recommend you use ill-gotten Pokemon online, but for your own use, we don't see why you should be bound by the limitations of the game.
Check after the break for a tutorial video sent to us by the Hall of Bards. Pokesav is serious business.
Rocky's ultra-modded DS Lite has gotten to the point where you can literally station it on the coastline, its LED beacons guiding ships to safe harbor. His latest hack installs LEDs under the ABXY buttons, sticking them in place with hot glue. We're not sure if the mod has any functional purpose -- save serving as a navigational aid to sailors at sea -- but it's certainly something we haven't seen done before with the handheld. Float your boat past the post break for larger photos of the DS lighthouse.
It isn't like it used to be. You'd sneak your Game Boy to school and level up your Pokemon (with the ultimate goal being to evolve them) at lunch or between classes, maybe even during class. On the bus ride to and from school; any available minute was spent battling and tending to those Pokemon. Well, now we've all grown up a bit and have responsibilities, we can't give our Pokemon the attention they once received.
Enter Joshua, who managed to figure out that for every 256 steps you take with your Pokemon, it gains one happiness point. This means that in order to achieve the maximum 250 happiness points for your Pokemon, you would need to take 64,000 steps in-game, which is no small feat.* Joshua was determined to get his evolve on though and managed to find several spots in the game with moving floors, allowing him to take 13 steps every six seconds. He'd still have to sit there and do it though, right?
Wrong. Joshua set up a pair of wrenches to handle his meatbag hands' job and after a good night's rest, he woke up to find several super-happy, fully-evolved Pokemon. Way to cut corners, Joshua!
It's amazing what people are turning into computers these days, as this original Game Boy has become the case for one of the smallest Windows XP PCs we've ever seen. Complete with 2 USB ports, LAN and VGA outputs, the cartridge slot has even been turned into a Compact Flash drive. This thing is sick!
So, you found all the coins in New Super Mario Brothers? Easy. All the levels on Super Mario World? No problem. If you're after a real challenge, try Hard Relay Mario Brothers. This swirling maelstrom of spikes, jumps and spinning fireballs looks almost impossible to play through. You'll need to take advantage of minor glitches in the game to complete this emulator-only hack. You'll also need patience, skill and balls of steel if you want to make it to the end. Making use of emulator save states might also give you an edge.
A lot of the jumps here involve lining Mario up exactly with the bottom of each block. If this done correctly, the game tries to push Mario through the block, enabling him to jump again. Around the 11.30 mark, more than 20 of these jumps are strung together - impressive stuff.
Unlike Datel's Action Replay Max Duo, this game-save manager from Gametech doesn't require any GBA-slot jury-rigging or an unsightly device that sticks out of your handheld like an air conditioner. All you have to do is pop your DS cart into Gametech's discreet USB dongle, hook it onto a PC with the installed software, and you're good to go.
Bored with the dull gray, clunky design of her old Nintendo DS, Marie decorated the dated handheld with lace trim and a ribbon bow, gluing her himegyaru-styled artwork onto its lid. The brick's interior was also gussied up, but with what, we're not sure. Daffodils and closed-eye kisses from Prince Charming maybe?
The past few DS Lite mods we've featured didn't venture far beyond lodging LEDs into the handheld's face, so we're glad to have a twist to that formula for today. AcidMods forum administrator F00 f00 installed light-emitting diodes into the back of his portable. To emphasize its glow, he used what looks like Onyx Black casing and a clear replacement shell for the DS's frame. 
Pokesav is an editor program that allows you to hack your Pokemon Diamond and Pearl saves, adding rare Pokemon, changing their abilities, and doing all kinds of crazy hacky stuff. It appears that not only can you generate any Pokemon, you can then assign them abilities outside their type, and with more PP than the abilities can usually have. You need some kind of homebrew ability to do this, obviously, since you need to get your savegames onto the computer. 
Rocky's ultra-modded DS Lite has gotten to the point where you can literally station it on the coastline, its LED beacons guiding ships to safe harbor. His latest hack installs LEDs under the ABXY buttons, sticking them in place with hot glue. We're not sure if the mod has any functional purpose -- save serving as a navigational aid to sailors at sea -- but it's certainly something we haven't seen done before with the handheld. Float your boat past the post break for larger photos of the DS lighthouse.
