Topic: Nintendo DSi Launches in North America

[NWR_Lindy]

The gaming world rejoices, Nintendo counts its money, and GameStop has a midnight launch party in L.A.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=18118

 The Nintendo DSi is officially available in North America as of today, and Nintendo had a party at the Universal CityWalk GameStop in Los Angeles to commemorate the occasion.  Nintendo Executive VP of Sales and Marketing Cammie Dunaway was there to personally hand a DSi to the first purchaser in line, and the band Gym Class Heroes also made an appearance.  That Mario guy was around too.
   

GameStop lackeys put the DSi on the shelves
   

Nintendo DSi on the shelves and ready for purchase
   

Cammie Dunaway hands out the first DSi sold
   

FIRST!
   

Mario hangs out with the band Gym Class Heroes
   

Do you have any DSi launch stories?  Were you able to get one?  What do you think of the new DSiWare games and the system's new features?  Discuss it all in Talkback!

[NWR_pap64]

I might get it later when I get some money. When I tried to play my DS Lite the other day the top screen flickering annoyed me to the point where I convinced myself to get a new one ASAP.

[TJ Spyke]

I don't have the money to get one right now, I do plan to get one in a few months though (makes me glad I never wasted money to replace my DS with a DS Lite).

[AV]

i'll just sit back and wait for nextds in 2-3 years

[Mop it up]

If the DSi decreases the value of the DS/Lite then I might try to get a really cheap used one somewhere down the line.

[KDR_11k]

Midnight launch? Why bother? I went and got mine when I was out for lunch anyway.

[Plugabugz]

I love the way how the adverts for the DSi here only make mention to the camera and then says "a rich library of Nintendo DS games". Is that really all it has going for it?

[TJ Spyke]

Of coarse not, but they tend to focus on what they think will appeal to casual users most. It's the same way Apple only mentions the App Store in their current iPhone/iPod Touch commercials.

[nickmitch]

I got mine today.  I needed ink for my computer and some juice for my fridge.  Target has both of these things.  I saw they had a good few just sitting in the display case, so I bought one.  I also bought batteries.

[Plugabugz]

Of coarse not, but they tend to focus on what they think will appeal to casual users most. It's the same way Apple only mentions the App Store in their current iPhone/iPod Touch commercials.

So why not advertise the DSi Store?

[KDR_11k]

Nothing really interesting on it yet? Either way, I got the DSi because we were looking for a second DS anyway and getting a Lite doesn't make sense when the DSi is just 20€ more.

[Shecky]

I've already developed a caveat... maybe a staffer can mention this in a review so that people aren't mislead.

WPA/WPA2 Support Clarified

[UncleBob]

Here's a great story.  I went in at Noon to wait in line.

At midnight, I was the only one there.

FIRST!

Then, 12 hours later, around Noon today, I had talked my wife into letting me buy her one (she wanted my old DS Lite. HA.).  We went back to Walmart.  Bought the third one.

[Mop it up]

That's interesting UncleBob. I admit I thought this thing would be selling like... well, like the DS, though that's based mostly on the popularity of the DS and not any other factors. I wonder if $180 is just too much for the third edition of a handheld system?

[NWR_Lindy]

I think that the problem is that, from a totally non-technical person's standpoint, it's really no different than the DS Lite (camera aside).  Gamers like US know about DSiWare and DSi Store, SD Card integration and all that, but the average Joe will surely look at the DSi and say, "$180 for what?  How is this different from/better than the DS Lite?"

Dare I say that the DSi almost reminds of the PS3 and PSP in the sense that it has several new features that tech nerds cream over, but mean nothing to the average person.

My router at home supports WPA/WPA2, so I'll fool around with the settings.  Thanks for the heads-up, Shecky.

[Tuxedo.Bond]

I wonder if you can play GBA games from a flash card with a modification. Have key components (other than the slot of course) for the GBA backward compatibility been stripped?

[KDR_11k]

Then, 12 hours later, around Noon today, I had talked my wife into letting me buy her one (she wanted my old DS Lite. HA.).  We went back to Walmart.  Bought the third one.

But... WHY?

[BeautifulShy]

I wonder if you can play GBA games from a flash card with a modification. Have key components (other than the slot of course) for the GBA backward compatibility been stripped?

As far as I know nothing else has been removed aside from the GBA slot.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I so want my DSi, Tuesday seems so far away!

[UncleBob]

But... WHY?

She really wanted one.  Once I showed her the ability to download games so she wouldn't have to carry multiple games with her (and risk losing one - and my wrath!), she was sold.  She spent most the day yesterday playing the Brain Age Express and Elite Beat Agents.