Nintendo DS
Hacker ApprovedRanked 5 of 18 handheld game consoles by recommenders
People recommend it as a pocket-sized, long-lasting handheld with fun games and an easy touch screen, still enjoyable years later. Critics note a rough, hard-to-emulate software ecosystem.
People recommend it as a pocket-sized, long-lasting handheld with fun games and an easy touch screen, still enjoyable years later. Critics note a rough, hard-to-emulate software ecosystem.
25 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 18
- criticize it
- 7
- approval share
- 72%
Recommended in 9 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it carries the badge
- 18 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 2.6 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 9 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Great portable gaming system
“probably the greatest portable gaming system to ever exist”
Comment from 31 Jan 2026 in “Nintendo DS code editor and scriptable game engine” “I was surprised how fun it still is today”
Comment from 5 Oct 2026 in “Replacement of petroleum based products with plant-based materials (2025)” Pocket-sized with long battery life
“The DS Lite can fit in your pocket. Comfortably.”
Comment from 1 Feb 2026 in “Nintendo DS code editor and scriptable game engine” “I can play Nintendo DS for multiple days”
Comment from 2 Feb 2026 in “Nintendo DS code editor and scriptable game engine” Easy touch interface and approachable 3D
“Something like the NDS UI is at least fast and easy to use, aided by the touch interface.”
Comment from 16 Apr 2026 in “The Death of Character in Game Console Interfaces” “The basic hardware on the ds makes 3d pretty approachable.”
Comment from 9 Mar 2026 in “Ask HN: What Are You Working On? (March 2026)” Clean, pixel-crisp low-resolution screen
“it's weirdly professional looking. A little on the sterile side but it works great for the low resolution.”
Comment from 19 Nov 2025 in “Ask HN: What operating systems, apps, etc. had your favorite UI designs?” “there is something very warm, fuzzy, and cosy about clearly being able to see each individual pixel”
Comment from 1 Feb 2026 in “Nintendo DS code editor and scriptable game engine”
Other handheld game consoles people recommend
The four most recommended other handheld game consoles, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | 143 | 103 | 58% | 12 | 8 yrs12 owners | — |
| Playdate handheld console | 43 | 15 | 74% | 11 | — | Approved |
| Sony PlayStation Portable | 24 | 4 | 86% | 5 | 21 yrs3 owners | Approved |
| Nintendo 3DS | 21 | 6 | 78% | 8 | — | Approved |
| Nintendo DSThis page | 18 | 7 | 72% | 9 | — | Approved |
What people said
23 of the 25 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“I was surprised how fun it still is today”
“playing my Nintendo DS on the toilet many years ago gave me hemorrhoids that still persist decades later”
“Absolutely idiotic design, especially since that port was just 5V input anyway”
“does the job and you can use it as a walkman too”
“no longer recognises anything in either cartridge slot”
“Would I have ended up happier, had I instead chosen not to bring a digital device to bed?”
“it felt like an ocean of possibility compared with those two”
“could have only existed on the DS and 3DS with the little stylus pen”
“Something like the NDS UI is at least fast and easy to use, aided by the touch interface.”
“it's much easier to emulate GBA software on a phone or a Steam Deck than it is to emulate DS software”
“the DS requires a nontrivial amount of code and knowledge to get started without an SDK”
“It was a rough ecosystem back in the day, but a very exciting one.”
“It was fun to see our childhood consoles run low-level programs written by us.”
“The basic hardware on the ds makes 3d pretty approachable.”
“they were so good at doing so with the ds”
“I can play Nintendo DS for multiple days”
“The DS Lite can fit in your pocket. Comfortably.”
“rather get a used DS for cheap than help pay for GabeN's next hyper-yacht”
“the DS lite's ability to play the entire GBA library is pretty cool”
“there is something very warm, fuzzy, and cosy about clearly being able to see each individual pixel”
“probably the greatest portable gaming system to ever exist”
“a modified Nintendo DS would have done much more for the same price”
“it's weirdly professional looking. A little on the sterile side but it works great for the low resolution.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.