So you get a DSi for $10 less than normal PLUS about $20 worth of games DSiWare games (I am ignoring the clock/calculator Apps since they aren't games)? Damn good deal. Every one of these bundles will be gone within 30 minutes of a store opening though (unless you live in a hick town where the Best Buy is so far out of the way that very few people will actually go to it).

Alright, time for me to get a DSi.

About time Nintendo started experimenting with stuff like this.  If you want people to use your download service, give them a taste and show them where to go for more.  I'm kind of surprised they're actually manufacturing a separate SKU for this, though.  You'd think they'd just manufacture an install DSi cartridge and pack it in with the system to save on having to program a whole line of DSi units just for this one company on this one day.

Nintendo rejects your logic and substitutes its own.

You'll be seeing these bundles at more than BB.

I don't think it much more difficult or different than what Nintendo does when it regularly upgrade firmware on new systems. All the systems have to be program anyway so Nintendo just added some extra code in when they do it. The main difference is mainly the art on box it comes in...

True enough, I suppose.  I am a little curious about the longterm logistics of this.  For instance, are these programs hard-coded on the DSi so they can't be removed, thus cutting down on the overall storage capacity of the DSi?  If not, once deleted can these programs be redownloaded for free considering the user never paid for them and thus never had it tied to an account?  Knowing Nintendo, the answers are probably "No" and "Yes", respectively, but you never know.

I didn't think they are tied to an online account but rather to the system itself. At least, that's how the Wii works I believe...

That's what I meant.  With the Wii, you "account" is your system itself.  I'm just curious if the DSi's online service will recognize the pre-loaded content on the DSi as "already downloaded" software so you can redownload it later if you wish.

They probably initialize the accounts for those systems with the right software.

the DSi is already $169 so how are these bundles any cheaper?! gosh if only they selling a DSi for even $20 cheaper than normal then I might as well say it's time to get a DSi... how many years after the initial DS released and they're not bringing down the price at all but they're actually raising it!!  new DSi=$169! new DSi XL=$220!!!

The included software is basically an added value solution. While yes it doesn't have a price drop it includes free software, sort of how Microsoft always releases holiday bundles. Free software will always entice people even if no price drop is present. Even if you buy a video game system you will always buy a game to play on your system, with included software you don't need to buy games for it since you already have some on the system.

I'm getting the metallic blue DSi since that shade of blue is one of my favorite colors and it has 2 games that I really want and I always wanted to try out WarioWare to see if it's as bad as people made it out to be.


The "Brain Age" bundle is the slightly better deal of the two; it includes software currently worth 2800 DSiWare points ($28.00), while the "Mario" bundle includes software currently worth 2200 DSiWare points ($22.00).   

The DSi is $179, not $169 (unless Nintendo dropped the price in the last 8 hours).

TJ, the DSi has always been 169.99.

I probably won't be taking up this offer... unless i get a close look at the blue DSI. I'd rather purchase a system i find cosmetically appealing and get my own ds-ware for it than settle for something i don't like just because its a bit better value.

According to the NeoGAF Black Friday thread (I don't know their source), Best Buy is also giving away a $20 gift card with every DSi system purchase. That makes it quite an enticing deal!

There we go, now that is something I can get behind!

Why would you go to NeoGAFs black friday thread?
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=13136.msg564475#msg564475

I've posted everything they probably have and maybe more.
Maybe I should consolidate it all into one thread though.

and you supposedly get the same deal at Target too.