The Nintendo DSi (ニンテンドーDSi ,Nintendō Dī Esu Ai?)[10] is a handheld game console that was released par Nintendo in Japan, Australasia (Oceania), Europe, and North America between 2008 and 2009. Development started in late 2006 and the handheld was unveiled on October 2, 2008 in Tokyo, Japon during the Nintendo Conference.[11]
The Nintendo DSi is Nintendo's third iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld gaming console, following the Nintendo DS Lite.[9] The console retain many attributes such as having a clamshell design with two LCD screens inside—with the bottom one being a touchscreen—and adds new features. This iteration introduced two interactive digital cameras that can be incorporated into gameplay and let users modify taken photos. Other distinguishing features include connectivity with an online store and internal/external storage of content.[12]
History:The Nintendo DSi was conceived at the end of 2006, as the Wii began to ship. Masato Kuwahara from the Engineering Department began development on the DSi project per instructions from his supervisor. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld whose development was on a short schedule. One of the first major features added to the DSi that separated the handheld from its past iterations were the two cameras. When working on the DSi, Masato Kuwahara a dit one of the difficulties involved how to market the handheld, since it was based on and meant as a supplement to previously existing hardware. "We have to be able to sell the console on its own. It also has to be able to meld into the already-existing DS market."[13] Yui Ehara, the designer of DSi's outer shell, pushed for the speaker apertures to be altered to make consumers see plus of a distinction between the DSi and its predecessors. Ehara also pushed for this alteration due to the redundancy of circular perforations on its shell and since the change can be noticeable while keeping the unit neat. Yui Ehara wanted to keep the unit "neat" and "simple" with its new features.[13]
The original concept of the DSi consisted of the device to have two slots for DS games due to demand in-house and par fan requests. This caused the device to be approximately 3 mm thicker than the final version. The designs were unveiled within the company in October 2007. Kuwahara a dit "The response wasn’t that great, and, to tell the truth, we’d sort of been expecting that." This led to the removal of the extra slot to make the final product slimmer which was shown at Nintendo's fall press conference in the following year.[11][13]
Launch:The console was first released in Japon on November 1, 2008 for ¥18,900 (tax included; ¥18,000 before tax)[14] in matte black and matte white.[9] Nintendo had shipped 200,000 DSi units for this region's launch.[15][16] During its first two days on sale in Japan, the DSi sold 170,779 units according to Enterbrain;[17][18] ou 171,925 units according to Media Create.[19][20] In its first mois on sale, the DSi sold 535,379 units in Japan,[21] in comparison to 550,000 DS Lites sold in its launch month.[22] In its first two months of availability, the DSi sold 1,280,000 units in Japan.[23]
The DSi was released in Australia and New Zealand on April 2, 2009 for AUD$299.95/NZD$375 and in Europe on the following jour for £149.99 in matte black and matte white.[2][dead link][3] It was released in the United States and Canada on April 5, 2009 alongside the game Rhythm Heaven. The unit is available in matte black and matte blue, for US$169.99[4] and CAD$199.95.[24] Nintendo DSi's first two days on the United Kingdom market totaled 92,000.[25] According GfK/Chart-Track data, the console's UK region launch had the fourth fastest-selling opening weekend, higher than précédant records set par its predessors.[26] In the two-day launch period, Europe and North America sold 600,000 units combined.[27] In Australia, the DSi sold over 30,000 units within ten days of its release.[28]
Demographic:Nintendo launched the Nintendo DS in 2004 to target a wider demographic; the DSi is intended to expand its market.[11] Satoru Iwata, president and CEO of Nintendo, mentioned the console is meant to be the first camera for children and a means of social networking for older people.[29] A Nintendo representative a dit the company "hope[s] that the Nintendo DSi becomes plus than a game system and plus of a personal tool to enrich our daily lives". The lower-case "i" character in DSi is symbolic of its two cameras representing an "eye" and also the subject "I" and its personal individuality.[30] As opposed to the two lower-case "i" characters in Wii representing players gathering together, Nintendo defines DSi as a plus personal experience for the "individual" gamer.[31]
Features:A distinguishing aspect of this DS is its multimedia capabilities. An SD card can be used for external storage of pictures, downloaded software and to play AAC audio.[46] The built-in audio player feature called "Nintendo DSi Sound" serves as a voice recorder and musique player of AAC audio and some of its filename extensions (.mp4, .m4a, .3GP), but does not support MP3s.[47] This player lets users adjust pitch, playback and add filters when the aforementioned audio is playing. Audio can also be listened to while the device is closed.[4] The audio player lets users save and modify up to eighteen ten-second sound clips from voice recordings done via DSi's internal microphone then apply them to songs.[36] Another built-in software is called "Nintendo DSi Camera" that lets users modify photos with several options.[48] Live feeds from the DSi camera, photos taken from it and pictures imported from an SD card can be manipulated.[49] photos taken using the DSi can be synced to the Wii's photo Channel.[9]
Nintendo is planning to release "enhanced game cards" that can operate on the DSi and précédant console versions, and will also offer exclusive features for the DSi.[50] Similar to its competitor, the PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo's own Wii console, the DSi has upgradable firmware; a first for a Nintendo handheld system. All existing homebrew flash cards for the Nintendo DS and DS Lite are incompatible with the DSi,[33] but cards that can run DS software on a DSi are now being produced – the first one was created par Acekard.[51]
Nintendo has reported that the DSi uses region locking for DSi-specific software, since the handheld provides Internet services tailored individually for each region and it uses rating-based parental controls, which differ par country. However, certain elements are region-free: Internet browsing, photo sharing and Nintendo DS software.[52] The original DS and DS Lite did not support the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption for wireless networks.[53] The DSi supports WPA, but WPA and WPA2 support is not available with original DS games.[54]
Menu:The menu interface of the DSi console primarily consists of icones representing the system's applications. There are seven primary icons: card software, Nintendo DSi Camera, Nintendo DSi Sound, Nintendo DSi Shop, DS Download Play, PictoChat and system settings. Additional applications are available for download from the DSi Shop. Separate icones are graphically displayed in a grid and are navigated using a stylus ou the D-pad. It is possible to change the arrangement par dragging and dropping the icones using the same input methods.[55] The console's power button serves as a soft reset to return to the main menu for DS software. For DSi software, Kentaro Mita who is responsible for relaying ideas from the company to the team commenté "you can déplacer around, return to the menu, ou play a different game, without shutting down the power every time".[13] Once at the main menu, DS cards can be hotswapped.[56]
DSi Shop:The Nintendo DSi is able to connect to an online store called the DSi Shop.[44] Here, using a Nintendo Points Prepaid Card (previously known as Wii Points Prepaid Card),[57] users will be able to download DSiWare games and applications to the internal memory of the user's DSi system. The applications will either be free, ou cost 200, 500, ou 800+ (marked with a 'Premium' tag) points.[9] A DSiWare trial campaign offers 1,000 Points to each DSi that accesses its boutique application. This trial expire entirely par the end of March 2010.[58][59]
The DSi boutique was launched with the DSi Browser, a web browser available for free download.[9][44]
Reception:The DSi has received mixed to relatively positive reviews with most reviewers cited similar strengths and weaknesses. IGN gave the Nintendo DSi a 7.8/10, saying "we found the DSi to be an global, ensemble worthwhile update to the DS Lite," although noting that they "do miss backwards compatibility via the GBA slot," and the two cameras were practically useless pointing out that "taking photos in dim environments is practically impossible, and if toi do manage to take a photo where the subject matter isn't a shapeless black blob, the couleurs take on a bluish ou greenish tinge." They called the removal of the GBA slot as a "reasonable tradeoff for access to the DSi boutique and SD card support". global, ensemble IGN a dit of the DS Lite upgrade that "When it comes to hardware, there are evolutionary redesigns and there are revolutionary redesigns, and the DSi would most readily be identified as the former."[60] Bit-tech praised its facial tracking capabilities, but stated use of the cameras in-game is unlikely par many developers since they are "a gimmick that would alienate all the DS Lite owners out there".[33] Although having equal global, ensemble design and portability as the DS Lite, it concluded that currently the online store and cameras are not enough justification to unquestioningly spend extra to purchase a DSi.[61] Defective par design has argued that the DSi provides few significant new features, and is primarily a vehicle for DRM.[62] PC World gave the handheld a 75/100, replying that Nintendo "puts in smart nips and tucks to its already-svelte handheld while adding a radeau of useful multimedia features."[63] CNET.com rated it 3.5/5, saying that "While not all précédant DS owners should upgrade, the DSi is an ambitious and solidly designed portable gaming system."[64] BusinessWeek rated it 4.5/5, saying that the DSi is "well worth the money," and "Despite some drawbacks, the new handheld game console incorporates significant improvements over its predecessor and is a lot of fun."[65]
The Nintendo DSi is Nintendo's third iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld gaming console, following the Nintendo DS Lite.[9] The console retain many attributes such as having a clamshell design with two LCD screens inside—with the bottom one being a touchscreen—and adds new features. This iteration introduced two interactive digital cameras that can be incorporated into gameplay and let users modify taken photos. Other distinguishing features include connectivity with an online store and internal/external storage of content.[12]
History:The Nintendo DSi was conceived at the end of 2006, as the Wii began to ship. Masato Kuwahara from the Engineering Department began development on the DSi project per instructions from his supervisor. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS handheld whose development was on a short schedule. One of the first major features added to the DSi that separated the handheld from its past iterations were the two cameras. When working on the DSi, Masato Kuwahara a dit one of the difficulties involved how to market the handheld, since it was based on and meant as a supplement to previously existing hardware. "We have to be able to sell the console on its own. It also has to be able to meld into the already-existing DS market."[13] Yui Ehara, the designer of DSi's outer shell, pushed for the speaker apertures to be altered to make consumers see plus of a distinction between the DSi and its predecessors. Ehara also pushed for this alteration due to the redundancy of circular perforations on its shell and since the change can be noticeable while keeping the unit neat. Yui Ehara wanted to keep the unit "neat" and "simple" with its new features.[13]
The original concept of the DSi consisted of the device to have two slots for DS games due to demand in-house and par fan requests. This caused the device to be approximately 3 mm thicker than the final version. The designs were unveiled within the company in October 2007. Kuwahara a dit "The response wasn’t that great, and, to tell the truth, we’d sort of been expecting that." This led to the removal of the extra slot to make the final product slimmer which was shown at Nintendo's fall press conference in the following year.[11][13]
Launch:The console was first released in Japon on November 1, 2008 for ¥18,900 (tax included; ¥18,000 before tax)[14] in matte black and matte white.[9] Nintendo had shipped 200,000 DSi units for this region's launch.[15][16] During its first two days on sale in Japan, the DSi sold 170,779 units according to Enterbrain;[17][18] ou 171,925 units according to Media Create.[19][20] In its first mois on sale, the DSi sold 535,379 units in Japan,[21] in comparison to 550,000 DS Lites sold in its launch month.[22] In its first two months of availability, the DSi sold 1,280,000 units in Japan.[23]
The DSi was released in Australia and New Zealand on April 2, 2009 for AUD$299.95/NZD$375 and in Europe on the following jour for £149.99 in matte black and matte white.[2][dead link][3] It was released in the United States and Canada on April 5, 2009 alongside the game Rhythm Heaven. The unit is available in matte black and matte blue, for US$169.99[4] and CAD$199.95.[24] Nintendo DSi's first two days on the United Kingdom market totaled 92,000.[25] According GfK/Chart-Track data, the console's UK region launch had the fourth fastest-selling opening weekend, higher than précédant records set par its predessors.[26] In the two-day launch period, Europe and North America sold 600,000 units combined.[27] In Australia, the DSi sold over 30,000 units within ten days of its release.[28]
Demographic:Nintendo launched the Nintendo DS in 2004 to target a wider demographic; the DSi is intended to expand its market.[11] Satoru Iwata, president and CEO of Nintendo, mentioned the console is meant to be the first camera for children and a means of social networking for older people.[29] A Nintendo representative a dit the company "hope[s] that the Nintendo DSi becomes plus than a game system and plus of a personal tool to enrich our daily lives". The lower-case "i" character in DSi is symbolic of its two cameras representing an "eye" and also the subject "I" and its personal individuality.[30] As opposed to the two lower-case "i" characters in Wii representing players gathering together, Nintendo defines DSi as a plus personal experience for the "individual" gamer.[31]
Features:A distinguishing aspect of this DS is its multimedia capabilities. An SD card can be used for external storage of pictures, downloaded software and to play AAC audio.[46] The built-in audio player feature called "Nintendo DSi Sound" serves as a voice recorder and musique player of AAC audio and some of its filename extensions (.mp4, .m4a, .3GP), but does not support MP3s.[47] This player lets users adjust pitch, playback and add filters when the aforementioned audio is playing. Audio can also be listened to while the device is closed.[4] The audio player lets users save and modify up to eighteen ten-second sound clips from voice recordings done via DSi's internal microphone then apply them to songs.[36] Another built-in software is called "Nintendo DSi Camera" that lets users modify photos with several options.[48] Live feeds from the DSi camera, photos taken from it and pictures imported from an SD card can be manipulated.[49] photos taken using the DSi can be synced to the Wii's photo Channel.[9]
Nintendo is planning to release "enhanced game cards" that can operate on the DSi and précédant console versions, and will also offer exclusive features for the DSi.[50] Similar to its competitor, the PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo's own Wii console, the DSi has upgradable firmware; a first for a Nintendo handheld system. All existing homebrew flash cards for the Nintendo DS and DS Lite are incompatible with the DSi,[33] but cards that can run DS software on a DSi are now being produced – the first one was created par Acekard.[51]
Nintendo has reported that the DSi uses region locking for DSi-specific software, since the handheld provides Internet services tailored individually for each region and it uses rating-based parental controls, which differ par country. However, certain elements are region-free: Internet browsing, photo sharing and Nintendo DS software.[52] The original DS and DS Lite did not support the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption for wireless networks.[53] The DSi supports WPA, but WPA and WPA2 support is not available with original DS games.[54]
Menu:The menu interface of the DSi console primarily consists of icones representing the system's applications. There are seven primary icons: card software, Nintendo DSi Camera, Nintendo DSi Sound, Nintendo DSi Shop, DS Download Play, PictoChat and system settings. Additional applications are available for download from the DSi Shop. Separate icones are graphically displayed in a grid and are navigated using a stylus ou the D-pad. It is possible to change the arrangement par dragging and dropping the icones using the same input methods.[55] The console's power button serves as a soft reset to return to the main menu for DS software. For DSi software, Kentaro Mita who is responsible for relaying ideas from the company to the team commenté "you can déplacer around, return to the menu, ou play a different game, without shutting down the power every time".[13] Once at the main menu, DS cards can be hotswapped.[56]
DSi Shop:The Nintendo DSi is able to connect to an online store called the DSi Shop.[44] Here, using a Nintendo Points Prepaid Card (previously known as Wii Points Prepaid Card),[57] users will be able to download DSiWare games and applications to the internal memory of the user's DSi system. The applications will either be free, ou cost 200, 500, ou 800+ (marked with a 'Premium' tag) points.[9] A DSiWare trial campaign offers 1,000 Points to each DSi that accesses its boutique application. This trial expire entirely par the end of March 2010.[58][59]
The DSi boutique was launched with the DSi Browser, a web browser available for free download.[9][44]
Reception:The DSi has received mixed to relatively positive reviews with most reviewers cited similar strengths and weaknesses. IGN gave the Nintendo DSi a 7.8/10, saying "we found the DSi to be an global, ensemble worthwhile update to the DS Lite," although noting that they "do miss backwards compatibility via the GBA slot," and the two cameras were practically useless pointing out that "taking photos in dim environments is practically impossible, and if toi do manage to take a photo where the subject matter isn't a shapeless black blob, the couleurs take on a bluish ou greenish tinge." They called the removal of the GBA slot as a "reasonable tradeoff for access to the DSi boutique and SD card support". global, ensemble IGN a dit of the DS Lite upgrade that "When it comes to hardware, there are evolutionary redesigns and there are revolutionary redesigns, and the DSi would most readily be identified as the former."[60] Bit-tech praised its facial tracking capabilities, but stated use of the cameras in-game is unlikely par many developers since they are "a gimmick that would alienate all the DS Lite owners out there".[33] Although having equal global, ensemble design and portability as the DS Lite, it concluded that currently the online store and cameras are not enough justification to unquestioningly spend extra to purchase a DSi.[61] Defective par design has argued that the DSi provides few significant new features, and is primarily a vehicle for DRM.[62] PC World gave the handheld a 75/100, replying that Nintendo "puts in smart nips and tucks to its already-svelte handheld while adding a radeau of useful multimedia features."[63] CNET.com rated it 3.5/5, saying that "While not all précédant DS owners should upgrade, the DSi is an ambitious and solidly designed portable gaming system."[64] BusinessWeek rated it 4.5/5, saying that the DSi is "well worth the money," and "Despite some drawbacks, the new handheld game console incorporates significant improvements over its predecessor and is a lot of fun."[65]
From Etrain:
Become an Artist! Easy Sketching
Become an Artist! Everyone’s Painting Series
From Gameloft:
Earthworm Jim
Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
Real football 2009
Real football 2010
From Square-Enix:
Dragon Quest Monster Battle Road V, special color code scanner
From Takara-Tomy:
Nari Kyara Homeroom Teacher Hitman Reborn!
Nari Kyara Naruto: Shippuden
From Tasuke:
At Sports! Pro Baseball 2010
From Nintendo:
Flipnote Studio
Nintendo DS Browser
Pocket Rurubu Series
From Hudson:
quizz musique Time w/ Karaoke JOYSOUND Wii SUPER DX Song Navi
Sudoku: 50 Beginner Puzzles!
Sudoku: 150 Puzzles!
This liste applies to Japon specifically, but toi can expect that some of the titles will be nontransferable in North America/Europe as well – Flipnote Studio, the DSi Internet Browser, and Earthworm Jim, for instance.
Become an Artist! Easy Sketching
Become an Artist! Everyone’s Painting Series
From Gameloft:
Earthworm Jim
Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
Real football 2009
Real football 2010
From Square-Enix:
Dragon Quest Monster Battle Road V, special color code scanner
From Takara-Tomy:
Nari Kyara Homeroom Teacher Hitman Reborn!
Nari Kyara Naruto: Shippuden
From Tasuke:
At Sports! Pro Baseball 2010
From Nintendo:
Flipnote Studio
Nintendo DS Browser
Pocket Rurubu Series
From Hudson:
quizz musique Time w/ Karaoke JOYSOUND Wii SUPER DX Song Navi
Sudoku: 50 Beginner Puzzles!
Sudoku: 150 Puzzles!
This liste applies to Japon specifically, but toi can expect that some of the titles will be nontransferable in North America/Europe as well – Flipnote Studio, the DSi Internet Browser, and Earthworm Jim, for instance.