Hello Internet people! For all you DS and 3DS owners out there, there is a new 3rd party stylus that is not only comfortable, but can easily replace your stock Nintendo DS stylus.
Created by Elton Leung, founder of Hong Kong-based GreenBulb, the XStylus Crayon is a transforming wide-grip stylus aiming to provide a comfortable gaming experience for DS gamers without sacrificing performance.
The XStylus Crayon is a stylus made of two plastic pieces secured together by a small screw. The stylus is the same size as the 3DS stylus when neither are extended. Once transformed, the XStylus is just a bit longer than the extended 3DS stylus. This allows the stylus to rest easily and comfortably in between your thumb and index finger.
To transform the XStylus, simply push the back piece of the stylus downwards and swivel the piece around so the back piece intersects with the front, and creates a bulge in the front piece. (I currently do not have the descriptive powers to accurately describe the process in which one extends the stylus, it's a bit hard to describe actually. Here's a video by Elton Leung that better shows off the stylus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfFCcLcbBWs )
Because of its form and shape, there seems to be only one way to hold the XStylus. However, it is easy to hold the stylus and it feels very natural to do so. The wide-grip of the XStylus gives it the feel of a normal pen or pencil and allows for longer play sessions without the hand cramps. With this in mind, I can easily recommend this stylus to people who use art applications for extended periods on the DS and 3DS like Colors! (homebrew), Art Academy, Flipnote Studio, and the upcoming Colors! 3D in addition to normal games.
The stylus tip is hand polished, and does not scratch the touchscreen at all. The stylus glides quickly and smoothly across the screen, with every swipe and tap registering just as well as a stock stylus. I've played Kirby Mass Attack (a touchscreen-only game) for several hours with this stylus, and I can say that game play is perfect with this stylus with no hand fatigue at all.
Since the untransformed XStylus Crayon is the same size as the non-extended stock 3DS stylus, it fits in the 3DS stylus slot and will also fit in the DS, DS Lite, and DSi/DSi XL stylus slots. The XStylus is slightly thicker than Nintendo's 3DS stylus and fits snugly in the stylus slots. The stylus won't “jiggle” in the slot as much as the stock styli and is less likely to fall out of the slot. No matter what DS model or 3DS the stylus is inserted into, there will always be a little piece of plastic jutting out, for easy removal of the stylus.
Durability-wise, the stylus performs well. In its untransformed state, the stylus feels pretty solid for something made of two pieces of plastic and a screw (not as solid as a stock stylus, obviously). Once transformed, though, the stylus takes on a flimsy appearance. However, it is anything but. The XStylus can take light bending easily, making it good enough to be stored in something like a backpack without fear of breaking. I have tested how much punishment the transformed stylus can take, considering its skeletal appearance. I have dropped it from the second floor of my house on to tile floor, thrown it full force at a wall, and have...accidentally...left it to survive the washing machine and dryer. In all tests, the XStylus Crayon remained intact, none of the plastic pieces broke and the tiny screw securing them together still held up perfectly. I've noticed that after a while the screw may feel a little looser and the XStylus becomes easier to transform, but it never falls apart.
All in all, the XStylus Crayon is an excellent third-party stylus, beating out even Nintendo's DS and 3DS styli in terms of comfort and matching them in performance. The XStylus Crayon is sold in packs of four different-colored styli: one red, one blue, one black, and one white. True to the name, each XStylus comes wrapped in a red piece of paper with the word 'crayon' printed on it, giving it the appearance of a real crayon. Each pack costs $19.99, with each stylus costing roughly $5 individually. The price is well worth it, though, as this is the best third-party DS stylus I know.
GreenBulb's Official Website: http://www.greenbulb.com
The XStylus Crayon's page (Buy it here!): http://www.greenbulb.com/?page_id=22
For those who have tried and like this stylus, Elton has also recently created the XStylus Touch for capacitive multitouch screens, like those used in smart phones and tablets (and the upcoming Playstation Vita). It is the heaviest capacitive stylus so far, and uses the same transforming mechanic as the XStylus Crayon.
You can pre-order it here for $35: http://www.greenbulb.com/?page_id=814
This is my first review for anything, so please excuse the sloppiness.
