Nintendo DSi

== Nintendo DSI ==

Since 2009 the third DS game console from Nintendo is for sale, named the Nintendo Dsi. The Nintendo Dsi is the follow up from the Nintendo Dsi lite and looks a lot alike, but there are differences. One of those differences is the higher price and that makes many people wonder is it really worth buying this new more expensive Ds?

=== The brand Nintendo ===

In the year 1889 Fusajiro Yamauchi ...
...made game consoles like the Nintendo 64, Nintendo Wii and the Game Boy with games as Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda.

=== The Nintendo DS ===

Nintendo Dsi is the third game console in the Nintendo Ds range. The first Ds was introduced in the year 2005 en was the follow up of the Game Boy. The biggest difference with the Game Boy was the two screens. That’s where the name comes from: Dual Screen. All DS game consoles have ... more

Nintendo DSI

Since 2009 the third DS game console from Nintendo is for sale, named the Nintendo Dsi. The Nintendo Dsi is the follow up from the Nintendo Dsi lite and looks a lot alike, but there are differences. One of those differences is the higher price and that makes many people wonder is it really worth buying this new more expensive Ds?

The brand Nintendo

In the year 1889 Fusajiro Yamauchi started the company Nintendo in Japan and started making card games and focused on making toys. Almost a hundred year later the company changed their focus from toys to making videogames and introduced in 1980 its first game console. This game console was Game & Watch and introduced the characters Mario and Donkey Kong. After Game & Watch the company made game consoles like the Nintendo 64, Nintendo Wii and the Game Boy with games as Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda.

The Nintendo DS

Nintendo Dsi is the third game console in the Nintendo Ds range. The first Ds was introduced in the year 2005 en was the follow up of the Game Boy. The biggest difference with the Game Boy was the two screens. That’s where the name comes from: Dual Screen. All DS game consoles have these two screens where the bottom screen is a touch screen. Next to the two screens the Ds has a microphone, two shoulder buttons (left & Right), four controlbuttons, select buttons, a powerbutton (on & off) and volumecontrol. The Dsi also has a Wi-Fi function where you can connect to other Ds systems and play against other people, but you also have the possibility to chat with others through the program Pictochat.

Nintendo Dsi

The Nintendo Dsi is available since 2009 and is the follow up of the Nintendo Ds lite, which was already 40% smaller then, the first Ds. The Dsi is 12% smaller then the Ds Lite, but the biggest difference is that the Dsi has 2 cameras: 1 camera on the inside and one on the outside. The first time you use the Nintendo Dsi, it will ask you to take a picture that will be saved to your profile. This picture will be used with the program Pictochat but also during games. Another difference is that the Nintendo Dsi has bigger screens, which are always handy while playing the games. Other differences are the music player, a new web browser and the possibility to download games through the Internet. A disadvantage with the Dsi is that the GBA slot has been removed. With this GBA slot you had the possibility to play your old Game Boy Games. Instead of a GBA slot you now got a SD card slot.

Other differences are:
Ram memory is 16 mb
The Dsi has an internal memory of 256mb
Less battery life of 14 hours (Ds lite 19 hours)
Old flashcards can’t be used anymore

What can you do with the Dsi?

The Nintendo Dsi is not only a game console, which you can play, games with, but this Dsi has a lot of other possibilities that make more interesting:

Downloading of games

One of the possibilities of the Dsi is to make contact with the Dsi Ware. This is an online shop where you are able to download games or software. The Nintendo Dsi will save the game on the internal memory of 265 MB. The most games are available which you will have to pay for but there are a few free games. The expectation is that Nintendo will offer new games through this channel and will be only playable with the Dsi.

Listening to music

The Nintendo Dsi has a music player and you can record sounds with the build in microphone. You have the possibility to save the music on your memory card. The music files are in a ACC format. On the Dsi is a program where you can play the music, record the music and even put some effects in.

Chat with each other

Another application on the Dsi is the chat function. You can chat with other people trough the program called Pictochat. Here you can chat with other people in four different rooms.

Play against each other

You can do more than just chat with each other. You can play games against each other. The dsi has the possibility to play against others wireless, as long as the game support this.

Internet

The Nintendo Dsi offers the possibility to go onto the Internet. You can download the browser for free at the Dsi shop. The only thing you need is a wireless router, so you can connect to the Internet. It’s a very slim browser won’t be good to go onto the bigger websites like ciao and Youtube. You can’t watch any videos on Youtube with it.

Take pictures and play with them

Why the Dsi has two cameras? I don’t really know, but you can take pictures with it that you can use with the chat and in the new games. The dsi also has a program where you can adjust and play with the pictures to add some effects.

What kind of games can you play with the Dsi?

In the end you will buy a Nintendo Dsi because you can play games with it. It’s nice to have other possibilities but it will come down to the games. Here are three of my favourite games:

Mario & Sonic: the Olympic winter games

An old and familiar face is Mario who has been with Nintendo from the beginning and Sonic from the Selga game console. Together they are going to the Olympic Winter games in Canada, with another 20 characters like Yoshi, Donkey Kong and Luigi. During the games they battle with each other.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

This game is about the Princess Zelda. You are playing the hero called Link that has to rescue the Princess of the bad guy Ganon. The story is taking place in fantasyland Hyrule and this time it’s about the pirate princess Tetra, who’s really Princess Zelda. Link has to rescue her after she is turned into rock. It’s a really fun adventure game.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

This game is one of my old favourite that i first started playing on my pc, but this game is the fourth part for the Ds and takes place in Liberty City. Huang Lee has the assignment to bring an antique sword to his uncle in Liberty City. A very important assignment because his family needs it to control the Traids gang. But after his arrival in the city things go wrongs and Huang Lee needs to fight back.

Flashcards Dsi

Since the introduction of the Ds there have been flashcards. Flashcards are cards that you can use for the Ds and are the same size like a normal game card. The purpose of a flashcard is that you can play your own made games or games that you have downloaded. The flashcards works with a SD memory card where you can put your games on. Nintendo has always been against these cards in their fight against illegal downloaded games. Therefore they made sure that you can’t use your normal flashcards with the new Dsi. But of course there are new flashcards that you can use with the dsi and therefore you can use your own made of downloaded games again.

My opinion

Since the introduction of the Nintendo Dsi many have asked is it worth buying the more expensive Dsi. Especially for the people that already have the Ds lite version, its doubtful if they should buy the new one, because of its price. When you look at the differences between them, then the Dsi has 2 camera’s, bigger screens, is lighter, but also the battery life is shorter and the GBA slot is gone. The existing games can be played on the old version, but the problem lies with that Nintendo will issue new games that you can only play with the Dsi. That means that as a user of the Ds lite, you will be stuck with the old games. There are of course other arguments why you would or wouldn’t buy the Dsi, but it differs for everyone. If you don’t own a Nintendo Ds, it’s worth buying the new Dsi, otherwise you won’t be able to play the new games. If you are a user of the Dsi lite, i would just wait until the Dsi gets cheaper before buying it.

General information

Specification

Resolution 256x192 pixels
Internal memory 256 MB
Screen Diagonal Size 3.25 inch
Camera inside 0.3 megapixel
Camera outside 3 megapixel
Audio format aac
Cardreader SDHC
Batterylife 14 hours
Charging time 2,5 hours

Size Nintendo Dsi
Width 5.2 in
Depth 0.9 in
Height 2.9 in 

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