Littlest Pet Shop

The little stylus that fits snuggly inside the Nintendo DS Lite console is handy, but after a few minutes (or hours) of gameplay, some users find their hand cramping up a bit, or wish they had something a little more pencil-like. Fortunately, there are other options besides the thin, black plastic stylus that comes with the DS and which, by the way, is also available in a variety of colors.

Nintendo’s official word on styluses, or styli, is: “To avoid damage to the Nintendo DS Touch Screen, only use a Nintendo licensed stylus on the touch screen.” Also try not to use your fingernail, and even better, apply screen protectors to lessen the chance of scratches.

Nintendo has licensed some cute styluses in themes such as Littlest Pet Shop, Animal Crossing and Pokemon. There are small styluses that look like a Star Wars Lightsaber. Nintendo has even licensed a stylus that looks like a pencil, but it’s only available in Japan or through importers.

Princess Peach

If you’re looking for something more elaborate, the $15.95 PDA Panache Pro stylus is made of solid brass and boasts a screen-safe stylus tip, shaped finger grip and balanced weight. It fits in the DS Lite storage slot, but they no longer sell the version sized for the original DS.

You won’t be able to fit the large styluses in the storage slot, but you can easily stash them in your purse or Nintendo DS case for gaming on the go. With so many cute styluses to choose from, you’ll be stylin’ in no time.