So my DS Lite's hinge is finally showing signs of falling apart. I always figured I was immune, but just tonight, I snapped it closed and noticed it was awfully loose feeling. Part of the hinge on the right is starting to detach. Apparently it's about $50 to get it repaired at Nintendo, but I am desperately trying to save for a new video card. On top of that, my Playstation 2 is also on the verge of melting down, and repairing that is also $50.  I don't have a lot of cash to play with here so it has to be one of these three things. I can do without my PS2 for a little while, but my DS basically goes with me wherever I go. But replacing this faulty video card is also important. Decisions...
 
Of course, I could always check and see if I ever sent the Warranty card in for my DS. I think I ended up registering my DS through Nintendo.com anyway, but checking Nintendo's customer support just now says that its serial is not in their database so we'll see. I might be able to get this repaired for free! 
 
The DS Lite hinge issue has always been so weird, to me. Nintendo is known for making some remarkably sturdy hardware; you recall tales from Nintendo Power of kids accidentally sending their Gameboys through the washing machine and upon pulling it out and letting it dry, it plays just fine. There are images out there of the Desert Storm Gameboy, charred and black from a fire, a copy of Tetris permanently melted in to the cartridge slot - but it still plays.  
 

So my DS Lite's hinge is finally showing signs of falling apart. I always figured I was immune, but just tonight, I snapped it closed and noticed it was awfully loose feeling. Part of the hinge on the right is starting to detach. Apparently it's about $50 to get it repaired at Nintendo, but I am desperately trying to save for a new video card. On top of that, my Playstation 2 is also on the verge of melting down, and repairing that is also $50.  I don't have a lot of cash to play with here so it has to be one of these three things. I can do without my PS2 for a little while, but my DS basically goes with me wherever I go. But replacing this faulty video card is also important. Decisions...
 
Of course, I could always check and see if I ever sent the Warranty card in for my DS. I think I ended up registering my DS through Nintendo.com anyway, but checking Nintendo's customer support just now says that its serial is not in their database so we'll see. I might be able to get this repaired for free! 
 
The DS Lite hinge issue has always been so weird, to me. Nintendo is known for making some remarkably sturdy hardware; you recall tales from Nintendo Power of kids accidentally sending their Gameboys through the washing machine and upon pulling it out and letting it dry, it plays just fine. There are images out there of the Desert Storm Gameboy, charred and black from a fire, a copy of Tetris permanently melted in to the cartridge slot - but it still plays.  
 

They don't make stuff as good as they did back in the day  :-) 
 
Everything has to be lighter and cheaper these days, so it is inevitable that stuff doesn't last as long.  I had a session on my SNES on the weekend just passed and as regular as clockwork, Mario Fart, F-Zero and Streetfigher all worked a treat.  My only experience with Nintendo was when my first DS Phat died 15 months old.  It was going to cost $150 to fix a $200 machine, so I contacted the most senior manager at Nintendo (in Australia).  I convinced him to fix it for free based on how much Nintendo product I had ( a lot).  I can't see that helping you this time.  Good luck with though.  Life is not worth living without a DS,

God damn oldschool, you should have recorded that phone call and posted it online.

Dang. Registering this through Club Nintendo counts as registering it for warranty purposes. Talked to a friend today who said he's spoken to people that talked Nintendo reps down to $20 or $30 for the repair cost, but that it depends on what rep you get and how hard you push. 
 
I don't know if I'm that good at "pushing" for that kind of stuff (said the guy who got 50% off his Xbox 360 repair cost).

My DS Phat lasted me six years. The top hinge broke, so now I have to play DS upside down.
 
I was relieved the 3DS was announced, meaning I don't have to buy a replacement (the DS actually rose in price since launch).

The gamecube was a tank. 
 
I knocked it off a table while playing it and it didn't skip a frame

The DS Lite hinge is not well made. I have a busted hinge that results in too many accidental closures, as well as a broken L button.