Reviewed: February 18, 2005
Reviewed by: Mark Smith, Loki, Roger Cox

Manufacturer
Gamer Graffix

Type: Custom Mod Skin
System: Nintendo DS

Rating: 8.0

Features

For the affordable price of $20 you can pimp your console with dozens of designs. Recently, Gamer Graffix sent us three of their Nintendo DS Skins which we distributed to the three people on staff with DS systems. Here are some independent thoughts on this exciting new product.

My chosen skin was the “Visible Wind”, which between the time it was sent and the time of this review has been taken off their website, so you’ll just have to take my word for how cool this skin looks. It's basically several shades of blue swirls that look like air patterns that transition between the various decals.

Applying the skin is a “sticky” proposition. Once removed from the backing material the vinyl decal is surprisingly adhesive and given the thin nature of some of the strips used to border the DS screen and control surfaces, you have to be VERY careful not to tear the skin while removing it from the backing or repositioning on the DS during installation.

I only have one complaint with the DS skin and that is that once installed the combined thickness of the two inner decals keeps the screen from fully closing. It’s not a huge problem and I don’t really think you can hurt the hinge if you accidentally force it shut, but the problem does exist and short of cutting away the portion of the vinyl near the hinge there is no real fix.

Other than that, I love my DS skin. It really makes my DS standout while protecting it at the same time. If you hang out with a group of DS owners then this is a must have add-on for your DS.

Loki here and my chosen skin was the “Plasma Storm”, a funky shower of purple energy that looks like somebody is arc welding on my DS. I too found it a bit difficult removing the skin from the paper backing and it was rather tricky to keep the various pieces of the decals centered and straight.

I also had the same problem of not being able to completely close my DS after installing the skin. I even tried putting the bottom decals lower and the top decal as high as it would go without invading the screen space and they still touched at the hinge and kept my DS open about a quarter-inch. The decals also add a bit of weight to your DS. It's nothing you are going to sprain your wrists over but it is surprisingly noticeable.

The most impressive thing for me was how noticeable my DS is now that I have the skin applied. Most of my friends have seen my DS and when they first saw it “plasmafied” they were all like, “dude…did you get a new DS?” I know of at least two people who are getting or have already ordered their skins just by seeing mine. It’s an affordable way to make your DS special.

Roger – Both of you are correct and I totally agree with everything you said except for the difficulty of removing the stickers. I personally found it to be very easy and had no real trouble. But as far as centering the sticker and so forth, it is challenging to do and will require patience.

Like both Mark and Loki have stated, the most annoying aspect of the stickers is not being able to fully shut your DS. True, it can be frustrating having it stay open a quarter of an inch, but it’s worth it in the long run.

The skin I received is a black-blue-green combination, "Chemical Flame", that looks like grass (title image). It’s a very unique style that’s been getting a lot of looks around campus. In fact, my friends asked me if I got a new DS as well.

Being noticed with your new DS is one of the best investments you can make besides getting a carrying case. You can expect people to stare and comment on your DS everywhere you go. Just be prepared to explain that it isn’t a new style of DS. On the other hand, maybe you want people to think it is one-of-a-kind. Either way, you are sure to feel good knowing you have a tricked out DS.