Topic: Nintendo Announces Official North American DSi Release Date

[Jonnyboy117]

How exactly would DS games work on Wii? Especialy those that utilize the touchscreen. Not to mention the dual screen problem.

You could still hold the DS to use as the controller, but one or both displays would be shown on the TV screen (similar to the capture stations).  It should be pretty easy to add an optional feature to highlight on the touch screen display where you are holding the stylus.

As an added bonus, this would effectively give you a Game Boy Player for Wii, if it could be somehow implemented for older DS versions.

[PopeReal]

Nice!  Much sooner than I expected.

Choices are good people, if you don't want/need the DSi because you think the Lite is better than thats your choice.  For me I don't play GBA games so this is a no brainer.  Larger screen and improved Wi-Fi are the big draws for me

[blackfootsteps]

What's the price of the DS lite over there?

[NWR_Neal]

If Lindy ever confirms that we're getting a review copy, I intend to travel around the country and kill off my fellow editors until I am the only staffer left, and the system will HAVE to come my way.

I think the editors should have some kind of battle royale involving Mario Kart (the only reliable online Wii game) to see who gets the DSi. :-)

Either way, I'm totally getting one. My DS Lite is scratched to hell, the joint is cracked, and I regret slapping all those Guitar Hero stickers on it. I could care less that the GBA slot is gone--I still have a GBA SP, and I never play On Tour. It'll be sad to see the Rumble Pack go, though, because I think it really added to games like Space Invaders Extreme...

Its on, Zach. My DS Phat is getting old.

[AV]

meh. Allow me to play Virtual Console games from Wii on it. Than I'll be interested.

[TJ Spyke]

What's the price of the DS lite over there?

DS Lite is $130 in the US (same price the original DS was when the DS Lite came out).

If I do get the DSi, at least I didn't waste money on a DS Lite (I still use my original launch DS, the DS logo on the front has worn off and the sticker on the back is scratched to hell, but the system still works).

[KDR_11k]

The Lite is 150€ here. Makes me wonder what the DSi will cost.

[Mop it up]

As the first truly interactive digital camera in a video game system with 10 different interactive "lenses" that can manipulate your photos, the Nintendo DSi Camera offers an easy way to take and share your photos with family and friends.

Yeah, never mind the EyeToy, or even your own Game Boy Camera that this clearly builds upon.

I think the key word there is "in". This is the first videogame system to have a camera included in the hardware and not as an optional accessory. That's our Nintendo, they always try to find ways in which they're the first to do everything.

Anyways, I still don't understand the point of the DSi. These kinds of features should be held off until the real successor to the DS is released, which could be in the next couple of years (but might be longer now that they've released this thing). The DSiWare exclusive games are bad enough, but if there are also going to be special DSi games alongside the regular DS games that's just going to cause confusion and even more market crowding. The DS Lite is still selling just fine, all this is going to do is split the userbase and anger those who just bought a DS... such as myself. Although, I probably wouldn't have gotten a DSi anyway since it doesn't come in pink.

These kinds of "micro evolutions" are my main problem with Nintendo right now. They're blatantly trying to squeeze the industry for every penny it is worth.

I must admit though, I expected the price to be higher. Based on Japan, I thought it would be $200. It's even lower than the rumoured $180.

[TJ Spyke]

You expected it to be $200? The system is about $186 in Japan, and game systems are usually cheaper here than in Japan.

I don't think there are gonna be any DSi only games (outside of DSiWare of coarse). I have seen one company say they may release DS games that get do take advantage of the DSi's features when used in a DSi, but will still work fine in DS/DS Lites. I guess you could compare it some Game Boy games that could play in color when played on the Game Boy Color, or how the Zelda Oracle games got extra features when played on a Game Boy Advance.

[Ian Sane]

I don't think there are gonna be any DSi only games (outside of DSiWare of coarse).

But Nintendo said there would be in their press release.

[TJ Spyke]

Haha, I guess I should actually read the PR releases. I guess Nintendo wants to force people to buy the DSi rather than hanging on to their DS or DS Lite's.

[Mop it up]

You expected it to be $200? The system is about $186 in Japan, and game systems are usually cheaper here than in Japan.

I didn't know what it was in Japan, I was basing my assumption on import prices, of which I saw it selling for $250-300.

[TJ Spyke]

Import prices are always higher than the actual price. I just check Wikipedia and saw that the DSi launched in Japan for ¥18,900 (including tax), which is about $192.

[AV]

my fear is that all the casual gamers will jump on board and sell the DS Lite they have for this. Nintendo will view it as a huge success and they will continue with baby steps and never release a real successor.

Wii with DVD support, 720p with 20 gig internal memory in 2010 seems more likely.... (when they could have and should have done that in the first place )

I really thought the failure of the Game Boy Micro taught them a lesson, well casual gamers are different beasts lets hope they don't help drive nintendo into foolish hardware updates for the sake of soft sales.

[Mop it up]

I just check Wikipedia and saw that the DSi launched in Japan for ¥18,900 (including tax), which is about $192.

What a coincidence, that's my lucky number! I wonder if this means I should buy one...?

[TheYoungerPlumber]

The Micro was a blip on the radar. They did it because, in their own words, they could. GBC was a success. The various peripherals on Wii are a success so far. In fact, I'd argue Nintendo has had this mentality for a very long time in the portable spectrum, and has finally been able to reproduce the micro-evolution success in the console realm.

[Nick DiMola]

my fear is that all the casual gamers will jump on board and sell the DS Lite they have for this. Nintendo will view it as a huge success and they will continue with baby steps and never release a real successor.

My fear is that this won't happen. Yes, this sounds pretty backwards, but I think the DS is in-stride right now. A ton of companies have signed on with it, they know how to use the hardware well, and are able to crank out quality games on a fairly quick and consistent basis. I'd much rather continue to receive excellent titles on a near-weekly basis than have to wait for a successor to eventually ramp up and reach the point the DS is at right now.

Realistically, what would the DS successor feature besides better graphics? Clearly that isn't a big enough draw or else the PSP would be far more successful than it currently is. DSiWare is a great new addition, and should make it even quicker, and easier to produce great single serving games.

My concern is that the price point is too high to justify yet another DS purchase for many people, and as such it won't really catch on here. With the massive profits Nintendo has already seen with the DS, I fully expected a more reasonable DSi price (prior to its Japanese release).

I'm hoping the system won't really catch on at its stated price, and will drop down to something more reasonable ($130-$150).

[Mop it up]

Realistically, what would the DS successor feature besides better graphics?

It would feature all of the additions that this DSi has as well as a hardware upgrade. It shouldn't be released now, it should come out after the DS has run its course. It would also have backwards compatibility of course so people could still play their existing DS libraries. The GBA slot would still be axed, but at that point I doubt very many people would care.

This DSi is what is making the DS successor have little room to grow besides better hardware.

[TJ Spyke]

I really thought the failure of the Game Boy Micro taught them a lesson, well casual gamers are different beasts lets hope they don't help drive nintendo into foolish hardware updates for the sake of soft sales.

The Game Boy micro came out after the DS had already launched, so that was a huge strike against it. Add in the fact that it could only play Game Boy Advance games (support for Game Boy and Game Boy Color games was removed) and there was very little reason to buy it.

[Tanookisuit]

Well... I wish they hadn't made the DSi, but I'll probably buy it.  That blue one is beautiful.  I have a Gameboy Micro I never play as well.

[Kairon]

I blame the weak dollar.

But I still want one. DSi games alone I expect to be worth the purchase for aficionados.

[AV]

Realistically, what would the DS successor feature besides better graphics? 

i would have loved to see DSi not only have better graphics, so many developers are maxing out the system now. However some more innovations would have been dual touch input like iPhone, and an accelerometer inside , as well as rumble built in.

Apparently the DSi only has 256 megs of memory, http://ds.ign.com/articles/954/954616p1.html   thats half the size of Wii. As of now you can't save stuff to SDcard and load them onto the game. So the same exact "fridge" problem is happening with the DSi that happened with Wii. Sure right now its not an issue since DSi downloads will be small, but this lack of foresight is really what angers me.
 

[Kairon]

A small fridge on the DSi has many ramifications, not all of them negative MAV.

For one, Nintendo has to manufacture these suckers like crazy. Higher end components would probably cause severe shortages and give the DSi a hard time building up an install base. For another, there's the issue of price, which many already are balking at.

But above all of that, Nintendo has to deal with major issues of piracy, and I bet they're loathe to give hackers any memory space on their hardware to work with.

[TJ Spyke]

I blame the weak dollar.

I'm not sure the dollar (which has improved in the last few months) can be blamed solely. Even in Japan the price is more expensive. The DSi launched at 18,900 Yen while the DS Lite launched at 16,800 Yen. That is about a $20 increase, so it is less of a increase than the US is getting (but does make the prices more even, the DS Lite was about $30 cheaper in the US while the DSi is about $20 cheaper in the US).

[Ian Sane]

In fact, I'd argue Nintendo has had this mentality for a very long time in the portable spectrum, and has finally been able to reproduce the micro-evolution success in the console realm.

I really don't like this micro-evolution stuff at all.  It only benefits Nintendo and preys on consumer stupidity.  So I won't deny that I hope Nintendo trips up on one of these micro-evolutions.  Not enough to kill them off or put them in serious danger or anything.  Just enough to keep them in line - a nice embarassing financial disaster that will scare them off of this mentality.

The DSi probably won't be it though.  They have such market dominance in the portable market.