Nintendo DSi Reviews

Although the Nintendo DSi has yet to be released in the UK, it should be appearing sometime in spring 2009, and there have already been a number of reviews appearing on the internet.

Generally reviewers liked the new matte finish of the Nintendo DSi which is resistant to fingerprints, and the larger and brighter screen. The larger screen and the higher brightness level means that for vividly colourful games such as Elite Beat Agents the Nintendo DSi easily beats the Nintendo DS Lite. However, they did include the caveat that using the screen on its highest brightness setting did reduce the battery life. Although at 2 hours and 30 minutes re-charging the Nintendo DSi is 30 minutes faster than the Nintendo DS Lite. The larger screen and the slightly longer stylus pen should make for better gaming sessions. Reviewers also enjoyed playing with the new cameras and the music capabilities of the Nintendo DSi.

They were less happy with the loss of the Game Boy Advance slot. The SD card slot was considered a plus as, although there is 256 MB of onboard memory, hard-core gamers will need the extra space. In trials, downloading the software (only the web browser at the moment is available) worked seamlessly, the only gripe being that the web browser could not be launched from the SD card, but had to be moved to the internal memory. Reviewers also liked the new Nintendo DSi menu; simply tapping the power button will return you to the menu, and the fact that it is now possible to hot-swap game cards. As soon as a DS card is inserted it appears on the menu. The move of the power button to the front of the console rather than as a slider on the side is also considered an improvement as the user is less likely to accidentally switch off the console in their bag or pocket. Overall the Nintendo DSi was seen as an excellent refresh of what was already a good hand-held games console.

The real test of the Nintendo DSi will be whether new games are released that can utilise the console’s new features such as its cameras. Wario: Photograph is one such game that has already been announced. Its success will also depend on how easy it is to use and whether gamers are willing to download content from the DSi Shop.

In spring 2009 UK retailers should have the Nintendo DSi in stock. A word of caution for those desperate to try out the new console – unless you are importing a Nintendo DSi you should not purchase one before its UK release, otherwise that ‘Nintendo DSi cheap price’ will not turn out to be as good a deal as you first thought. The Nintendo DSi price for the UK is probably going to be around £120 so if someone is offering a Nintendo DSi at a significantly cheaper price then it may well be a fake.