Nintendo repairs DS Lite casing cracks for free

Nintendo of America has issued a press release acknowledging that a small number of DS Lite consoles are showing cracks in their plastic casing on the left hand side of the hinge on the console, just above the power connector.

While claiming that the flaw is extremely rare - Nintendo cites a figure of 0.02 per cent of shipped units as having the defect - the firm has invited customers whose units have the problem to contact them for a free repair.

The response mirrors the firm's swift reaction to the problem of dead pixels on the LCD screens of the DS at launch, which Nintendo solved by sending a replacement unit to any customer whose system had a dead pixel.

"This cosmetic issue in no way impacts the gameplay or integrity of the DS Lite." Nintendo's press release today explains. "Nintendo stands behind the quality of our products and encourages DS Lite owners to contact our Customer Service Department if they are not happy with the functionality of their systems."

UPDATE: Nintendo of Europe has told GamesIndustry.biz that it will also repair any faulty DS Lite units for free, stating: "If someone experiences a problem with their DS Lite they should contact their local customer services department."

"The DS Lite carries a one year warranty for manufacturing defects. If the fault is covered under the warranty it will be repaired free of charge; if not, then customer services will provide a cost for repairing the product."