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The First Gen Nintendo DS Is Alive and Trending on Japanese Twitter

Bulky. Heavy. Ugly. That was the original Nintendo DS. And just when you think that handheld was dead, it starts trending on Twitter in Japan.

As Japanese website Dechisoku points out, this week, a tweet asking if people still had their original DS portables led to many Japanese Twitter users uploading photos of their Nintendo handhelds.

Many of the photos showed worn handhelds—some with broken hinges—that still worked. How many 11-year-old electronics can say that? Nintendo hardware has long had a reputation for durability (that Gulf War Game Boyis proof of that).

While “初代DS” (shodai DS or “first-gen DS”) might have trended this week (see above), for the past few months, Japanese Twitter users have been uploading photos of old DS handhelds, often found while cleaning, to reminisce. Others still use their original DS handhelds to this day.

Still can’t believe it’s been over a decade. Where did that time go?

https://twitter.com/embed/status/602890349489463296

The name in the upper corner reads “Onara,” which means “fart” in Japanese. Of course, it’s a joke!

https://twitter.com/embed/status/610441689354756096

https://twitter.com/embed/status/636094406680903680

https://twitter.com/embed/status/617951196062441472

https://twitter.com/embed/status/636062698468323328

https://twitter.com/embed/status/614086852694245377

Anyone remember DS TV?

https://twitter.com/embed/status/636067692638679041

https://twitter.com/embed/status/636088032098029568

Top photo: Windows_XP__SP3

To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter@Brian_Ashcraft


Kotaku East is your slice of Asian internet culture, bringing you the latest talking points from Japan, Korea, China and beyond. Tune in every morning from 4am to 8am.

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