DS Daily: Any Phats still out there?

by David Hinkle { Jul 23rd 2008 at 8:00AM }

In this day and age, we assume that any and every DS fanboy and fangirl has upgraded to a Lite, what with them being so easy on the wallet and chock full of great features. But, we know how much some of you out there like to hold on to things.

So, any of you out there still have your Phat? Do you play it? Has it been retired to a shelf or box somewhere, an elegant handheld for a more civilized age?

Tags: elegant-weapon, lite, phat, star-wars

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Martin Bormann @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:07AM

I have a phat just like the one pictured and still play it everyday. I'm holding out for the DS-Liter.

Brett @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:10AM

I still have a DS Phat. I bought it just before the Lites cames out years ago. It runs good and is still functional. However, I wish that it had the better screen and backlighting of the lite! I have often considered upgrading to the lite, but I could use the $$ to buy more games instead! The Phat still plays the games I wanna play!

aj @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:18AM

I love my lite, but I'm thinking about picking up a used phat just because it's a bit bigger, and I have giant hands that make dealing with the lite a bit difficult sometimes.

Of course, I'd rather just buy more games, and honestly, the lite is damn near perfect anyways. I'll just go buy one of those silly grip handles for my lite.

Duckula @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:26AM

I still use my phat as I'm too cheap to buy a lite.

Fiefdom @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:36AM

I don't see how the manly style DS is any less worthy of playing games than it was when it came out. I don't see the point in putting down $130 for a console that does the exact same thing and plays the exact same games. I got my DS at its launch in 2004 and it's the one I still use.

I didn't get a GBA SP either because my GBA functioned perfectly fine (It helped that I preferred the original design over the uncomfortably small clamshell design). My GBA was eventually broken by someone though, I think I'm more likely to get a Game Boy Micro than a DS Lite right now.

fdisk_format @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:39AM

I still have my grey DS Phat, a white DS Lite, and a cobalt/black DS Lite. And yes, I still use all three of them.

gs942002 @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:42AM

I don't have a Lite so yep, Phat all the time!

Marek Hryc @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:47AM

Got a Mario Kart Red Phat, still rockin it.
No point in buying a new one when the old one still works.

unreal mccoy @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:47AM

blue phat IN DA HOUSE!

ggamer2 @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:03AM

I use a nds phat just like the one on the picture, and I have it for some time and we are happy, also I use a fat PSP so I'm quite rad (or real cheap)

Hughesmar @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:17AM

I still have my phatty, I gave it to my five year old. It's now "his" DS. He's managed to beat Mario vs DK 2 with minimal intervention from Daddy. I was so proud.

supremejoker @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:19AM

Unfortunately, being a student means I haven't been able to afford an upgrade. Have had my phat since release and had to replace two broken top screens! It's still chugging along though.

Undead Priest @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:24AM

I still have my launch day gray Phat.

I've recently updated to a Lite, since my Phat refuses to hold a charge for more than 90 minutes to 2 hours. It also charges in about 30 minutes...

tekdroid @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:13PM

sounds like all you need is a new battery

Greyline108 @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:19AM

I still have a phat, and play it almost every day. I think the battery might be getting weaker, though, so whenever it starts wearing out too much, I'll upgrade to a Lite.

02sfraser @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:21AM

my cousin still uses his Phat but i upgraded to the Lite as soon as. i think its a gret machine and not exactly expensive

Chii @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:27AM

Still have a phat, and have had one since launch [replaced my original launch DS due to some screen issues - there was DUST in the screen...].

I doubt I'll upgrade; I'd much rather have new games than the same system.

Ghost-Silver @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:37AM

I still have and use my Phat: Hot Rod version, and I'm not planning to upgrade to a Lite soon.

When the battery finally dies I'll get a Lite

LocalToast @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:38AM

I have a Phat from Christmas '04. Halloween of '06 I bought a black DS Lite, and a few months ago I was given a broken pink DS Lite. I ended up breaking my black DS Lite, so I'm actually getting a replacement in the mail today. And since Nintendo doesn't require me to return the broken DS Lite, I ordered parts to fix both the pink and black Lites.

In a few weeks, I'll have 4 fully working DS's xD

Zealot @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:05AM

I still use my silver DS Phat, and have never once felt the need to upgrade. Paying $130 more for a slight aesthetic change is unthinkable to me.

Brian @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:10AM

I have a phat and it's great, the only DS I've ever had. I'm too cheap to buy a new one and I like the phat better.

Jon @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:12AM

I bought a Lite for my fiance and I to have and gave my mom the Phat. I think this year for Christmas I'll get her a Lite of her own and put the Phat out to pasture.

Roto13 @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:30AM

I have a Phat, still, but the top screen is broken. That's the only reason I bought a Lite, actually. Not that the Lite isn't great, it's just that I don't buy things I already have a working version of. :P

bill @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:32AM

still have mine, havent played it because havent seenany ganes i wanted to play.... :( my psp is hurting ass well, only my 360 is getting love, im waiting for a new game to change the handheld market, i just need something for my train ride

Cheesemonkey @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:45AM

My Phat is my main form of DS. I was planning on buying a lite, but rumors of a DS 3.0 stopped me. Then I bought a Wii instead.

It's in poor condition, but it plays games and it's portable.

I'm probably the only DS fanboy who still has a phat :P

Dustin @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:01PM

Still rockin' a DS phat. The Lites are still awesome, but somewhere I read there was a brown DS in the works but I found it was a figment of my own imagination. I was going to get a Lite, but when the rumors of a new DS started flying I was afraid I'd buy one and three months later have another on deck. My touch screen is on the way out so I think its time to upgrade. It will be missed.

tevetorbes @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:23PM

I have a phat and a Lite. Don't really play the phat anymore, but my wife (a nongamer) occasionally will pick up the phat and play a bit.

I just felt I had to comment to all of those saying decrying the virtues of upgrading to a lite. Fact is, as a phat and lite owner, I can say with 100% certainty that there IS a HUGE difference between the two in terms of screen brightness AND sound quality (from the built-in speakers) in addition to the slimmer size and weight.

Now, you're right, no sense upgrading a gadget that still does what you want it to do (first-gen iPhone user here, you're preaching to the choir in that regard) but don't for a second think that the Lite isn't far superior to the phat in just about every way. Sure, the phat plays games just fine, but the Lite does it better (brighter screen, better sound.)

It's your prerogative to not upgrade, absolutely, but I feel like I'm catching a whiff of indignation from some posters who just can't BELIEVE that someone would upgrade to a Lite....

Zealot @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:55PM

Indignation? That's a bit presumptuous. You're reading way too much into these comments if you think Phat owners are being narrowminded and unreasonable or railing against Lite owners by expressing that they can't personally justify the purchase of a second DS. We here are, by and large, polite and rational people and, as such, really shouldn't feel the need to prefix everything we say with "To each his own, but for me personally..." when it's already implied.

tevetorbes @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:04PM

Well, since your comment is the one that I feel probably made me make the comment that I did, I have no problem quoting it:

As I stated above, upgrading to the Lite is far more than a slight aesthetic change.

And by the way, I don't think anybody is being narrow-minded or railing against anything. As I said above, if you don't want to upgrade, cool. But don't for a second think that the upgrade only involves aesthetic changes: it's not like buying another Lite in a different shade (which, by the way, is also not "unthinkable" but rather "prerogative").

Swampy @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:24PM

Still got and use on a semi-daily basis my original from launch grey/silver DS phat, or DS brick as we call it down here.

I'm not going to upgrade until my brick breaks!

DucRam @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:26PM

After my trip to Tokyo, where I purchased a Navy DS Lite, I passed my Red Mario Kart Phat on to my mom. She plays it daily.

Amiculi @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:45PM

I really dislike the Lite myself, the controlpad and buttons are horrible in my opinion and it's far too tiny. My gigantic monkey mitts just can't use it, so I stick to my phatty, and it sees use about every day.

ryan @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:46PM

I have 'gigantic monkey mits' but the Lite is no problem as long as you hold it right. You're supposed to cradle it with your fingers, not wrap your hands around it.

Maxx the Slash @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:58PM

I still have my original debut DS that came with the First Hunt demo for Metroid Prime Hunters.

Mr.Mudkip @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:12PM

thats the only kind of ds i have personaly i think its better.

law1994 @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:18PM

Everyone moans about phat DS's light power but my Phat has the power of a DS lites interchangable light :D
(dont ask me how it was kinda accidental when i flashed it!)

Holden @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:30PM

I had a launch DS (and I still have the Metroid Prime demo to prove it) and I suffered with it for a very long time.
Phat and heavy and sturdy - they remind me of the rusty old machinery that a dentist may look upon, remarking on the reliability, yet disowning the pain.
Phat was a prototype - but Lite is truly the butterfly of the system, where DS 1.0 is a caterpillar in so many respects.

Seazn @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:53PM

I've had the original DS (refuse to call it phat :

Seazn @ Jul 23rd 2008 1:57PM

Oops.

I've had the original DS (refuse to call it phat) since European release and it's pretty much in mint condition still after probably over 9000 hours of gameplay.
I don't own a DSlite and I won't be switching to one anytime soon. My siblings owns a DSlite (black, silver) and it seems rather good. However, it's easily broken (L trigger became a bit lose after a month on both) so not sure if I should spend my money on one. Might wait for another DS version to be announced and released.

(first time commenting, sorry :P)

Deozaan @ Jul 23rd 2008 2:30PM

I have the one pictured. But I couldn't resist the Cobalt/Onyx DS Lite when it came out earlier this year. I'm thinking of giving my Phat to my nephew, who doesn't have a DS and for some reason doesn't like the Lites.

Linka @ Jul 23rd 2008 2:33PM

I was a Phat user, until just very, very recently. I've found the change to be remarkable, and given how much I played the original DS, getting a Lite wasn't that bad of a deal.

But I won't be getting rid of my old system anytime soon. It's perfectly playable, it works just fine, and hey; I have a easy way to do any possible trades between systems, when Pokemon Platinum comes about.

Garst @ Jul 23rd 2008 2:53PM

I still only got my phat DS from day one when it was launched.

KaBob799 @ Jul 23rd 2008 3:34PM

Yep I still have my phat but I would upgrade to lite if they started selling enamel navy here I would probably buy it.

Abscissa @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:00PM

My DS is a Phat (original silver). I refuse to get a Lite because the DPad is shit, GBA carts stick out, headphones require a dongle, and there's no improvement that I care enough about to make me want to re-buy a system I already own.

fdisk_format @ Jul 24th 2008 10:29AM

Headphones don't require anything, and the D-Pad takes a little getting used to. About 15 minutes was all it took to get accustomed to it for me.

Trixie @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:09PM

Yes, I still use my Polar white DS phat (yes, I imported). I love it. No one else has it. I see no reason to "upgrade" when the DS lite is practically the same product. I'll buy a new ds when mine breaks.

Jade @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:47PM

I still have and play on my Phat. The lite is too beautiful for a player like me and my wallet (or lack thereof) to deserve! *cries*

Tuesday @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:02PM

I was given a silver DS Phat as a gift in '05. The little tank still works, so I still play it.

Kiyote23 @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:06PM

Got my Phat for Christmas of '04, and I've been happy with it ever since. It's got a scratch on the top of the clamshell that I've been considering getting some sort of decal to cover, but other than that it's been wonderful. I love the feel of it-- the Lite looks a little too small to me.