A bit of a filler post while I’m writing the next blog post. Here’s every handheld console I currently own, there are only two missing: one is currently being used by a friend, the other still hasn’t arrived from Japan. Here’s the entire collection as of me posting this… and a bit of history behind them, too. Make sure to click on the pictures to enlarge them!

And now let’s talk about each one, in order of when I got them. Starting off with the DSi XL, I first got one of these back in November of 2018, and it was in pretty rough shape. Then I got a second one in June 2019, which I ended up breaking after messing around with the top screen connector so much… and the current one I got in December of last year, which I got from Japan and it ended up at customs for well over a month. I combined parts from each and came up with this. This is a more uncommon Latin American model (UTL-LTN), but aside from the shell it’s identical to a standard US model.

Originally released in 2009 in Japan and in 2010 in the rest of the world, the Nintendo DSi XL was the final revision of the original DS line, featuring all of the improvements of the DSi (faster processor, more RAM, SD card slot and two cameras), but in a larger form factor. This is actually my favorite of all the DS models, it looks great and the screens are bright and very vibrant.

Next is a 3DS XL, which I bought in August 2019. It’s seen better days, for sure. I got this from a middle schooler for only 35 bucks, an insane price considering how expensive these things have gotten. It came out in 2012, being the larger sibling to the 3DS. It’s got a pretty bad design flaw though, the hinges on these are very prone to breaking. Currently I’m not using it until I can repair it.

Later, in March 2021, I got myself an original DS for 10 bucks as a birthday gift. I bought this one from a guy who sold lots of retro games and such, but I haven’t seen him in a very long time. This one isn’t in the best shape, the top screen has some weird gray spots. But it works perfectly, other than that. Someday I’ll fix the screen and swap the shell.

Released in 2004, the DS was originally intended as a “third pillar” between the Game Boy Advance and the GameCube, and thus it shares a lot of similar design elements between them… it’s a face only a mother could love. Nintendo wasn’t sure if this thing would succeed, but it sold so well that it effectively replaced the Game Boy line. It’s based on a similar architecture to the GBA, but it can do 3D graphics in addition to 2D. And while it wasn’t the first console to feature a touch screen, you could argue it was the first one to do it well.

Then in November 2021, I got myself this white DSi for 30 bucks from the same guy as above. It was in great shape and I always liked how clean these look. Only problem is the shoulder buttons, they feel a bit flimsy. This console came out in 2008 in Japan and in 2009 worldwide, it put much higher emphasis on online features (all of which are now shut down) and it features two cameras, an SD card slot and better specs, but it did away with the second slot, which renders GBA games and accessories incompatible.

After that I waited until January this year to finally expand my collection again, but this time with something from the competition. This is a mint green PSP-2000, which I also got from Japan. Released in 2007 and commonly referred to as the “slim” PSP, this is a much lighter system than the launch model, and it makes improvements to the screen and it adds a video out feature. It didn’t come with a battery or Memory Stick, so I had to get them later on.

Next is a system I’ve wanted since I was a kid: a Game Boy Advance, which I got in March. This one was quite the journey, I bought a console from AliExpress and it was a very shoddy refurbished unit that was full of corrosion on the inside. Then from Japan I bought two “consoles” that ended up just being empty shells, and then I installed an IPS screen so I can actually see what I’m doing. Overall I am content with the results, but I am a bit afraid that it could fail at any moment, so I will consider getting another one someday.

Released in 2001, the GBA was a massive evolution over the original Game Boy line, featuring a 32-bit ARM processor and graphical capabilities that rival (and often exceed) the SNES, with more flexible graphics modes and the ability to scale sprites in addition to backgrounds. The sound capabilities were much worse though, it had no sound chip so all the sound coming out of it had to be generated in software. It later got two more models: the SP in 2003 (which was a clamshell and it featured an illuminated screen), and the Micro in 2005 (which was a very compact model that had no backwards compatibility with GB or GBC games).

In April I got myself a PSP-3000 which I got only because it was cheap, also from Japan. It came out in 2008, featuring a more rounded design compared to the 2000, and the screen is more vibrant and has almost no ghosting, though it introduces a weird interlacing effect. It retains the video out feature and it adds a microphone, which was barely used by any games. It’s my favorite model though, and I love the Vibrant Blue color it’s got.

In June, I went broke because of this thing… a New 3DS XL, which I bought from a seller in my country. I got this to replace my old 3DS XL as I’ve heard these don’t suffer from the hinge problem as much, but the paint on these has a tendency to flake off over time. It wasn’t cheap and I won’t say how much I paid for it, but it was worth it honestly. I transferred everything over from my old model.

Released in 2014 in Japan and Australia and in 2015 in the rest of the world, the New 3DS line features improvements over the regular models: a processor that’s three times as fast, twice the RAM, a more stable 3D feature, a second analog stick (or well, nipple) with a second set of shoulder buttons, a better web browser and built-in NFC for amiibo figures and cards. The regular sized model saw a much more limited release in the Americas, since Nintendo figured they’d sell more of the larger model. In 2017, three months after the Switch came out, the New 2DS XL was released, featuring the same improvements but without the 3D.

And as of today, my final handheld that I got was this: the Switch Lite, which I got for $150, supposedly refurbished, in blue because that’s the color I always liked. Yes, I’m the type to get into consoles when they’re already on their way out… and I’ll have to start building up my library, so far I only have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which belongs to my brother. It’s an absolute blast to play online, too.

The Switch Lite was released in 2019 as a cheaper and smaller alternative to the regular Switch, and it does away with the detachable Joy-Cons, the ability to connect it to a TV, the IR camera and the vibration. And the buttons don’t have the clicky feel that the regular Switch has, but it’s still compatible with most games, or well, the ones that work on handheld mode that is. Oh yeah, and my friend code is SW-7031-0021-4175 if you’d like to add me.

Finally, here’s the family photo, as I like to call it.

Anyway, so that was the blog post, I hope you found it interesting or at least mildly informative. See you all in the next post, which should be decently lengthy… I think.