Nintendo DSi Review - Features - The Armchair Empire

Tech Specs:

Display: 3.25 inches Overall size: Width 137mm, Length 74.9mm, Thickness 18.9mm Power

Supply: AC adapter for Nintendo DSi

Weight: Approx. 214g (with touch pen)

Charging time: Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes Battery life: The lowest brightness (9-14 hrs), low brightness (8-12 hours), medium brightness (6-9 hours), high brightness (4-6 hours), highest brightness(3-4 hours)

Software: Software for Nintendo DS, Software for Nintendo DSi.

Input-output: DS card slot, SD memory card slot, AC adapter connection, stereo headphone/mic jack

Newsletter

Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly.

Enter E-Mail Address Below:

Nintendo DSi

Some have dubbed the DSi as the DSwhy? for very valid reasons. Besides bigger, brighter screens, a SD card slot, a more solid feel to the unit, and two built-in cameras (with some integrated software to muck around with), there’s not much different from the DS or the DS Lite. So, if you already own a DS or DS Lite, I’m not sure what would convince you to buy a DSi. However, if you’re just getting into this whole hand-held gaming thing…

In only a few minutes fiddling around with the review unit, my nine-year old son identified what the hardcore crowd has complained about since the information was released: a lack of GBA slot. I believe the trade-offs are worth it; for the versatility

Advertisement

and potential for video conferencing that removing the GBA slot allows, it was the right call.

The big draw for the DSi are the two cameras: one on the front, one facing the user (located at the hinge). There’s a brief tutorial on the basics of switching camera views and manipulating photos that even my son skipped but still managed to figure out

Advertisement

the more “advanced” options. He spent a good deal of time taking pictures of his Lego people then using the tools to create a frame-by-frame comic book. These pictures were stored on the SD card – the DSi is compatible with SD cards up to 4 gigs; lots of room for all those downloadable games – so transferring those to the PC for further manipulation is a simple step.

Picture quality is definitely fair to middlin’. The DSi definitely won’t deliver the kind of picture quality even a low-end, current-gen digital camera (or even some cell phones) can provide but for a device like the DSi which actually does a whole lot more than just take pictures I didn’t have my expectations set very high.

There’s also the ability to fool around with self-recorded audio files, so you can quickly and easily make yourself sound like Alvin or one of the other Chipmunks or some mobster in protective custody speaking through a voice changer. As far as I can tell there’s no way to join the picture elements with the sound elements, which seems to be the next logical step.

Though there’s some download software that uses the DSi’s cameras to some extent there’s no mind-blowing games that make use of the extra functionality, which is a bit of a disappointment. However, I went back and playing several games that I’m very familiar with to compare the DSi’s screens with the DS Lite. I put in some time with Elite Beat Agents and New Super Mario Bros. and I was consistently impressed with the screens. Granted, they’re not that much bigger than the DS Lite but combined with the extra brightness (at least it seems that way) the games never looked better.

The biggest weak point for the DSi at the moment is that there’s no killer app for the extra functionality – there’s no marquee game that makes the DSi a must-have piece of hardware. Nintendo seems to be able to come through when it comes to taking full advantage of its own hardware, so I’m confident that’ll come eventually. (E3 should hold some announcements, I’m sure.) Until then, if you already have a DS or DS Lite, and you’re happy with those, you can comfortably wait on getting the new hardware.

- Aaron Simmer

(April 29, 2009)