Nintendo DeSIre perfection

‘If ain’t broke don’t fix it!’ is a saying that most companies adhere to. But Nintendo isn’t most companies. As they have proven time and time again, when it comes to thinking outside the box they are possibly the best. Look at the Wii; not only did the concept make people a bit wary but the name itself made people snigger. And yet now the Wii is a household name.

Flawed, Improved, now Evolved

The same can be said for the Nintendo DS, but that flew off shelves. The first DS had a few flaws, though, so Nintendo rectified that with DS Lite; a simple and addictive console for gaming on the go.

However, the days of just having a console that fits into your pocket are slowly fading. Emerging from this is a new generation of handheld consoles packed with extra features. Nintendo have now addressed this new trend with the Nintendo DSi.

The DSi is a more mature looking console, with a matte finish and a more square looking design than the DS Lite’s shinier, curvier look. There have been some slight changes to the button layouts too, with sliders being replaced by buttons and then moved to more suitable positions. Another change is the D-pad and face buttons have been set lower into the console, so the buttons are almost flat to the console.

As nice as the external is, this is not the most important point. The most exciting prospect is what the console actually does. The DSi comes packed with two 0.3 megapixel cameras, an SD card slot, music playback capabilities, bigger screens and access to the DS Shop, where you will be able to download demos and games. As well as these, the DSi has more oomph under the bonnet, with 16mb of RAM and a 133MHz processor. (In contrast, the DS Lite has 4mb of RAM and 67MHz processor). This internal update allows the DSi to handle the New DSi software in the shop, but could also open the door for more powerful DSi software in the future.

The cameras are primarily used for taking pictures at present. They can then be used with the software installed on to the DSi; and for a bit of fun, you can deform, mirror and draw graffiti on the pictures that you have taken. If you know someone with a DSi themselves, you can even send pictures to them. Plus, if you have access to the net, you can access the DSi shop, where you can download WarioWare Snapped, which utilises the internal camera for unique picture-based gameplay.

And for it's next trick

As well as recording your own sounds using the DSi microphone, you can store and play back music on the DSi in AAC format using an SD Memory Card. The little speakers on the DSi can manage even the heaviest music without the sound being compromised. If you are on the move, you can plug a normal pair of headphones into your DSi and close the console so you can listen to you music on the move. As well as playing your sounds and music normally, you can also play about with the music in various ways, making the voices high pitched to slowing them right down.

The larger screens are a welcome addition. Although they aren’t massively bigger, you can definitely see the difference. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed playing games on my DS Lite, but due to the new screen size, I’m enjoying gaming on the DSi even more. Playing titles such as CoD: World at War, GTA: Chinatown Wars, Mario Kart, Tony Hawks: Proving Grounds and a host of other faves just seem to shine even more than they previously did. I’m not sure whether it is the new screen size, but the picture quality on the DSi does seem slightly clearer than the DS Lite.

As briefly mentioned above, the DSi also features a shop much like the Nintendo Wii. Here you’ll be able to download demos, games and applications specifically for the DSi. To pay for the games and applications, you’ll need to buy the same point cards that the Nintendo Wii uses - so you won’t need to put card details into the Nintendo DSi.

Ahead of the Curve...

The DSi is a real step in the right direction if Nintendo want to keep with the times; everyone wants more for their money, especially in today’s market. The DSi ticks all the right boxes, it’s still compact, it’s still fun, it’s still a DS. But with all these extra functions that the DSi can perform, does this mean that the DS Lite is now an obsolete console?

I’d say not. The DSi can co-exist with the DS Lite. The DS Lite is for the younger generation of gamers, those who are new to videogames and don’t want to be sidetracked with extra bits and bobs. The DSi on the other hand, with its matte finish and extra features, is for those who have grown up playing games, and want more multimedia features from their handheld. Either way, the DSi is another great addition to the Nintendo handheld family.

GAME's Verdict

• It looks so much better than the Lite
• The added functionality
• The bigger screens make playing DS games, if possible, more enjoyable

• Not being able to play DSWare from the SD Card
• The loss of the GBA Slot. No more Guitar Hero
• Waiting for more Applications on the DSi Shop

Review by: Tom "Nintendo" Daly
Version Tested: DSi
Review Published: 03.04.09