Nintendo DSi
Logo of the Nintendo DSi | |
Promotional image of the Nintendo DSi | |
Manufacturer | Nintendo |
---|---|
Product family | Nintendo DS |
Type | Handheld game console |
Generation | Seventh generation era |
Units sold | ~170,800 (in its first two days of availability)[4][5] |
Units shipped | 200,000 (as of November 1, 2008)[2][3] |
Media | Nintendo DS Game Cards, SD cards |
Storage | Cartridge save
256 MB Internal flash memory Secure Digital card |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi (with WPA and WPA2 support)[6] |
Online services | Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection DSi Shop Nintendo Zone[7] |
Best-selling game | Nintendogs, 20.03 million, all versions combined (as of September 30, 2008)[8] New Super Mario Bros., 15.89 million (as of September 30, 2008)[8] |
Predecessor | Nintendo DS Lite (concurrent) |
The Nintendo DSi (ニンテンドーDSi, Nintendō Dīesuai)[9] is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld.[7] It was first announced during the Nintendo Conference on October 2, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan.[10] It is currently available in Japan only and will not be released outside of Japan until sometime during the first half of 2009.
Specifications
The Nintendo DSi is about 12% thinner (2.6 mm) than the Nintendo DS Lite.[7][11] The new handheld has two digital cameras; VGA (0.3 megapixel)[7] one on the internal hinge pointed towards the user and the(3 megapixels)second one on the outside of the shell.[12][13][14][15] It also has larger screens (3.25 inches, up from 3 inches) and improved speakers.[7] The power switch has been replaced with a power button, as the original DS had, now located next to the bottom left side of the touch screen. The DSi has five brightness settings compared to the DS Lite's four; however, battery life is reduced compared to its predecessor.[16] The internal rechargeable battery may still be replaced by the user at the end of its useful life of (typically) several hundred charge/discharge cycles.
A new SD card slot is utilized for external storage of pictures and downloaded software and to play AAC audio.[7] The front slot for Game Boy Advance (GBA) cartridges has been removed,[7] thus removing the unit's backward compatibility and its compatibility with accessories that require the GBA slot, such as the Guitar Hero: On Tour grip, which is essential to play the game. The removal of backward compatibility also prevents games such as Pokémon Diamond and Pearl from accessing saved data stored on GBA cartridges. The DSi has 256 MB of internal flash memory.[17] Photos can be synced to the Wii's Photo Channel.[7][18]
All existing flash carts for the Nintendo DS and DS Lite are incompatible with DSi;[19] however, flashcards designed for DSi are available. Similar to its competitor, the PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo's home console, Wii, the DSi will have upgradable firmware. This is a first for a Nintendo handheld system.
It has been reported that the DSi utilizes region locking for DSi-specific software, since it provides Internet services tailored individually for each region,[20] but the DSi itself does not have region lock-outs, so Nintendo DS games from any region can be played.[21] In addition, the DSi uses rating-based parental controls, which differ by country. The WPA and WPA2 support is not backward compatible with original DS games. Only DSi services can use WPA. [22]
DSi Shop
The Nintendo DSi is able to connect to an online store similar to the Wii Shop Channel,[7] called the DSi Shop. Here, using Nintendo Points (previously known as Wii Points),[23] users will be able to download DSiWare games and applications to the internal memory or the SD card of the user's DSi system. Each DSi that accesses the DSi Shop prior to March 2010 will receive 1,000 Nintendo Points.[24] The applications will either be free, or cost 200, 500, or 800+ (marked with a 'Premium' tag) Nintendo Points.[7]
The DSi Shop was launched with the DSi Browser, a web browser being made available for free download.[7][25]
DSiWare
This is a list of downloadable games on the Nintendo DSi that are downloaded from the DSiWare section of the DSi Shop. Note that blank boxes in some columns represent currently unconfirmed or otherwise unknown information, and release dates are subject to change. DSiWare games will be available for download at the end of 2008.[7]
Title | Developer(s) | First Available | Regions Released | Nintendo Points |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brain Age 1[26] | Nintendo | TBA | TBA | |
Brain Age 2 | Nintendo | TBA | TBA | |
Paperplane | Nintendo | TBA | 200 | |
Pyoro | Nintendo | TBA | 200 | |
Utsutsu! Made in Wario[27] | Nintendo | TBA | 500 |
Release
The system was first released in Japan on November 1, 2008 for ¥18,900 (tax included; ¥18,000 before tax),[28] around US$192,[2] in matte black and matte white.[7] In Japan, Nintendo had shipped 200,000 DSi units for its launch.[2][3] During its first two days on sale in Japan, the DSi sold 170,779 units according to Enterbrain;[4][29] or 171,925 units according to Media Create.[5][30]
The DSi will be released in regions outside of Japan before Q4 2009 according to Satoru Iwata.[2][3] Rose Lappin, Managing Director of Nintendo Australia has not commented about the release of the DSi in Australia, but it is expected to be released around the same time as Europe, as they are both part of the PAL region. The DSi is being released in Europe in spring 2009.[31] Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime claimed that DS Lite sales in the United States were still strong, so introducing the DSi to the USA is not a high priority, [1] and will not be available in North America until, "Well into 2009."[32]
References
- ^ a b c Klepek, Patrick (2008-10-02). "New Nintendo DSi Won't Be Sold In U.S. Until 'Well Into 2009'". MTV. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b c d e f Kiyoshi Takenaka, Hugh Lawson (2008-10-31). "Nintendo sees overseas DSi launch by next summer". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
- ^ a b c d e David Jenkins (2008-10-31). "Iwata: DSi Western Launch Before Autumn 2009". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
- ^ a b Chris Iaquinta (2008-11-05). "Japanese Nintendo DSi Sales". IGN. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ a b Rob Crossley (2008-11-07). "PS3 Outsells All Home Consoles in Japan". Edge. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ "任天堂、新型ゲーム機「ニンテンドーDSi」を発表−SDカード対応で音楽再生可能。カメラも搭載" (in Japanese). AV Watch. 2008-10-02.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Nintendo introduces DSi". Nintendo of Europe. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b "Financial Results Briefing for the Six-Month Period Ended September 2008" (PDF). Nintendo. 2008-10-31. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
- ^ "ニンテンドーDSi" (in Japanese). Nintendo of Japan. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ Satoru Iwata (2008-10-02). "Nintendo Conference Fall 2008". Nintendo. pp. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
{{cite web}}
:|pages=
has extra text (help) - ^ "任天堂新機種「DSi」11月1日発売 カメラや音楽再生機能を搭載" (in Japanese). MSN. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ Thorson, Tor (2008-10-02). "Nintendo: No US DSi until 'well into 2009'". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Ashcraft, Brian (2008-10-01). "Liveblogging the Nintendo Press Conference Liveblog". Kotaku. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
- ^ Cocker, Guy (2008-10-02). "Nintendo announces DSi". GameSpot. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Kohler, Chris (2008-10-02). "Liveblogging the Liveblogs: Nintendo's Japan Conference Kicks Off". Wired. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Ashcraft, Brian (2008-10-03). "Let's Compare The DS Lite and the DSi". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
- ^ Gantayat, Anoop (2008-11-01). "DSi Versus The Internet". IGN.
- ^ Yoon, Andrew (2008-10-02). "Nintendo officially unveils Nintendo DSi". Joystiq. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
- ^ "DSi incompatible with existing flash carts?, Early reports suggest just that". GBAtemp. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ^ Greenhough, Chris (2008-10-06). "Nintendo DSi is Region Locked". DS Fanboy. Joystiq. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
- ^ Miller, Paul (2008-11-03). "DSi taken for a spin, wept over for lack of homebrew". DS Fanboy. Engadget. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
- ^ http://www.gamecyte.com/iwata-dsis-wpa-security-not-backwards-compatible
- ^ Satoru Iwata (2008-10-02). "Nintendo Conference Fall 2008". Nintendo. pp. p. 3. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
{{cite web}}
:|pages=
has extra text (help) - ^ Satoru Iwata (2008-10-02). "Nintendo Conference Fall 2008". Nintendo. pp. p. 4. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
{{cite web}}
:|pages=
has extra text (help) - ^ Gantaya, Anoop (2008-11-01). "DSi Versus The Internet". IGN. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ^ http://www.nintendo-dsi.org/news/brain-age-1-and-brain-age-2-being-republished-for-dsi/
- ^ DSiWare - game details (Made in WarioWare DSiWare/WiiWare title connection)
- ^ "Add video and audio features - with the camera! The new 2008 DSi of the Nintendo DS on November 1!". Famitsu. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ David Radd (2008-11-05). "DSi Sells Out in Japan in Four Days". GameDaily. AOL. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ David Radd (2008-11-06). "GTA IV Tops Japanese Sales Charts". GameDaily. AOL. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
- ^ Simbulan, Jessie P. (2008-10-05). "Nintendo Dsi Availability: Dsi Comes to Japan in November and to the US in 2009". Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ Hsu, Dan (2008-10-02). "Exclusive Interview: Reggie Fils-Aime & Nintendo DSi". G4. Retrieved 2008-10-03.