Original DSi design had two DS slots, disliked by Nintendo EAD

by Griffin McElroy { Feb 21st 2009 at 3:00PM }

In the most recent (and arguably most forthright) installment of Iwata Asks, the Nintendo head honcho sat down to bounce a few questions off of a few members of the company's Development Engineering Department regarding the recently released Nintendo DSi. The devs outlined an interesting history of the shutterbugged handheld, one characterized on their end with "some frustration" -- apparently, sticking to the technological standard of an extremely popular device while simultaneously increasing its desirable features is a difficult compromise to make twice in two years.

One of the interesting features that fell by the wayside during this compromise was an additional DS cart slot, allowing the handheld to house two titles simultaneously. This feature was apparently included in the DSi's initial design, but lent itself to a slightly bulkier frame for the handheld, much to the chagrin of Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division. They shot the design down, leading to the single-cart, slimmed-down design that's currently taking Japan by storm. Man, where were those guys when the Virtual Boy was designed?

Tags: dsi, satoru-iwata

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Mr Khan @ Feb 21st 2009 3:12PM

EAD had less direct influence before 2004. There used to be a set of developers, like IRD, R&D, and EAD, but it was restructured in 2004 and IRD and R&D were largely siphoned off either into straight DED or EAD. Back in 1994 with the Virtual Boy, that was Gunpei Yokoi's baby, and it wasn't a baby he was allowed to nurture, apparently. Nintendo forced him to cut it short because they wanted to focus on the forthcoming N64, and that resulted in the half-baked device we all came to know. The catch-22 of it meant that Yokoi was pretty much forced to resign, and then went off to make the Wonder Swan

They could still make an SD adapter, that you could cram the slimmer DS cartridge into an SD Card like a lock-on, and then run it like a game. Two slots seems superfluous

Mr Khan @ Feb 21st 2009 3:51PM

To add a thought to that: Doesn't the line of symbols on the box denoting the device's features look scarily similar to the XMB?

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Taylor Swift Defense Force, Gobot in disguise) @ Feb 21st 2009 4:29PM

it reminds me more of the Rock Band instrument symbols

slycooper_rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 5:04PM

seems like a mix of both. i don't see why not though. it is a very functional and easy to use design, so no dsi owners get might get something similar. win-win right?

Gendreavus @ Feb 21st 2009 11:25PM

And if Yokoi hadn't been working on the Wonder Swan, he wouldn't have been rear-ended on that freeway, meaning he wouldn't have had to get out of the car, making it impossible for him to have been hit. That right there, is the Virtual Boy's biggest crime in my opinion.

Geist @ Feb 21st 2009 3:13PM

I can sort of see where the appeal for an extra card slot comes in, but except for some very specific games, this would be pretty pointless and would only lend itself to some mild convenience.

aj @ Feb 22nd 2009 12:42AM

I'd like two DS card slots. Two games is enough for any circumstances, and it saves you from lugging about a game wallet or something like that.

And yes, I know a flash cart would let me carry around a whole bunch of games. But I don't particularly want a flash cart.

jonathan @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:28AM

I thought DS stood for dual-slot too. :)

Jason @ Feb 22nd 2009 3:45PM

I personally would think that two DS slots would be very cool. You could use it to store two different games and be able to play either one without fumbling for another cart or you could do some interesting thing ala Sonic and Knuckles. Imagine them re-releasing older Pokémon games for the DS. When combined with Diamond or Perl, you can traverse both worlds.

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 3:20PM

Ok... I want to make a few commentd about the DSi:

The DSi supports SDHC cards, regular size, with a max of 32GB of storage. It also includes bigger screens, wireless G (DS Lite and PSP uses wireless B), WPA Security, 256MB of internal memory, improved speakers, the volume slider is now replaced with a volume rocker like the Gameboy Micro (you can also change the brightness while playing (just hold the L button and press the volume rocker up or down)... and some games will take advantage of the storage: for example, the upcoming DJ Max Technika will offer additional DLC songs for those who have a DSi.

Also... some people still thinks that the battery life is shorter, but that's not true. Well, the battery life is shorter at the highest brightness, but the DSi has an extra level of brightness compared to the DS Lite. If you turn the DSi brightness to the DS Lite max level, the battery last the same.

And really, how many of you play the DS Lite with the max brightness? The max brighntess of the Lite is very bright... the eyes hurts. Most people play with the third level of brightness. I don't think I will be playing with another level of brightness of the DSi.

The DSi is not a new generation DS. It's just a new revision, kinda like the PSP-1000, PSP-2000 and PSP-3000. The system is not intended to be a replacement for your current DS system. If you need and want the added features, then go for it. If not, the DS Lite will have the same games (minus the DSiWare games)... the DSi is also for people who don't have a DS system or for people who wanted to buy a DS before but didn't get one because they wanted a system with all the other features.

And about the camera... the resolution is 640x480, just like almost every laptop integrated webcam. Nintendo never promoted the camera as a replacement for a digital camera or to make prints, etc. If you see the new ads, the DSi Camera is to have the pictures stored in your DSi system... play with the pictures, share pictures with other DSi owners, make slideshows, animations, a photo journal... but everything stored in your DSi. The camera resolution is more than enough, specially because the screens resolution. The pictures are intended to be used with the DSi system and nothing more.

And also, I have read a lot of comments about confused people: the DSi is not region locked. You can still play your copy of Ouendan or Jum Superstar on your american DSi. The DSi Store is the one that is locked. That means that if you import a DSi from Japan, you can't acces the USA Store. That's it.

The only real complaing would be the lack of GBA slot... but again. No GBA games are available now. And if you have a large collection of GBA, you already have a GBA system or a GBA Micro. And if you dont have those systems anymore: why? The GBA is backward compatible with original Gameboy titles, and if you complain about the DSi not having backward compatible with the GBA games, then you obviously kept the GBA to play backward Gameboy games, right?

But again: DSi is to people who dont have a DS system, or people who want the extra features. No one is forcing you guys to buy the new system. Both the DS and DSi will have the same library of games (minus the DSiWare games)

You guys can check more info about the DSi at http://tinycartridge.com/

LaughingTarget @ Feb 21st 2009 3:24PM

You forgot to add the part about this being a paid celebrity endorsement.

Night Elve @ Feb 21st 2009 3:26PM

Thanks for the infomercial.

Now guys if you call right now you will get FREE a care bear!

Nomi @ Feb 21st 2009 3:26PM

Is that Nintendo's PR release?

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 3:27PM

Again... I don't work for Nintendo, really.

This message has been brought to you by Nintendo® of America Inc. All rights reserved.

j.howlett @ Feb 21st 2009 3:38PM

i will still miss the gba slot

Rollins @ Feb 21st 2009 3:39PM

The only thing keeping me from wanting a DSi right now is that I still might want to import Pokémon from the old GBA games into Diamond/Pearl/Platinum. Unfortunately, that's not something that a GBA would let me do.

Josh @ Feb 21st 2009 4:04PM

Actually the DSi is more powerful than the DS/Lite, and there is the ability for publishers to release DSi-only retail games, or retail DS/Lite games that can also take advantage of the DSi's more powerful hardware when played on a DSi.

Lee @ Feb 21st 2009 4:35PM

DSi is for people who don't have DS'

Huh? I want one purely for the downloadable content.
And I play with the DS Lite at max brightness. Thing is though it's not that bright anymore. Next to my LED Macbook Pro the lite looks quite dull.

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Taylor Swift Defense Force, Gobot in disguise) @ Feb 21st 2009 4:39PM

I'd like to see a Day Planner-esque app come out for the DSi. Or maybe something like a pictochat journal. Or maybe a service similar to Skype. Who knows, since Nintendo seems to actually care about DSiWare and is pushing the idea of My DS, we might just see all those products and then some.

Shoyz @ Feb 21st 2009 6:29PM

If the DSi is supposed to be only a revision, why is it that there's no backwards compatibility for DSiWare? It's easily possible.

It's not a revision, it's a new model that loses more than it gains, at a cost much higher than necessary. I'm never going to buy in.

I will be waiting for some Homebrew Developer to figure out a way for the DS Lite to play DSiWare, though.

Lee @ Feb 21st 2009 6:51PM

So you're waiting for a way for these industrious hackers, who can't get SNES or Genesis emulation running smoothly on the DS, to somehow 'back port' DSi games that utilise a faster CPU and more Ram that the DS is physically incapable of running?

Good luck on that!

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 7:18PM

Shoyz

DSiWare is an extra for thise who want to pay for a DSi... by your logic, the PSP-2000 and PSP-3000 are a new system and not a revision, because Skype is not backward compatible with the PSP-1000.

And also... well. I'm all in favor of homebrew, and legal applications and games... but not piracy like you.

Al2x @ Feb 21st 2009 7:31PM

The DS Lite used Wireless B (not mixed, not N), and the PSP has always used a mix of b/g. This is why SO many of my friends complained that their DS online didn't work because they strictly had Wireless N routers since they are rich as all balls.

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 7:36PM

Al2x

What are you talking about? Bot the PSP and DS/Lite only has capabilities to run in wireless B. It doesn't matter if your router is an N or a G.

You can use the wireless in both the DS and PSP with an N, G or B, but the speed and range of both the PSP and DS are only B. And both the PSP and DS only support WEP encryptation.

The DSi is the only handheld at the moment you can use WPA encryptation and G capabilities.

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 7:40PM

http://www.pspworld.com/sony-psp/accessories/full-official-specs-for-the-psp-3000-009181.php

http://loot-ninja.com/2008/09/01/full-psp-3000-specs/

http://psp.about.com/od/hardwarefirmware/a/psp3000specs.htm

DangerMouse @ Feb 22nd 2009 12:05AM

Wireless B or G wasn't the issue, it's the encryption. And Fernando, the PSP can do both WEP and WPA, while the DS can only do WEP. So for those older games, the DSi doing WPA2 doesn't mean much for the older DS games that have the WEP only built into the actual game.

Vidikron @ Feb 22nd 2009 2:14AM

"Also... some people still thinks that the battery life is shorter, but that's not true. Well, the battery life is shorter at the highest brightness, but the DSi has an extra level of brightness compared to the DS Lite. If you turn the DSi brightness to the DS Lite max level, the battery last the same."

This isn't true. The battery life IS shorter.

http://kotaku.com/5057883/lets-compare-the-ds-lite-and-the-dsi

Mert @ Feb 22nd 2009 10:16AM

Marry me.

SKI @ Feb 23rd 2009 9:32AM

"why is it that there's no backwards compatibility for DSiWare?"

You mean Forwards compatibility. For instance, the PS3 is forward compatible with any future Blu-ray profile. It's a lot harder to do then backwards compatibility.

Nigeria @ Feb 21st 2009 3:32PM

I've had fleeting thoughts that the DS could benefit from from having two DS slots, mainly when I'm playing Sonic Rush/Adventure. The Sonic & Knuckles lock on memories come on strong.

But at the same time, that would mean I would have to put up with more Marine, who is rather intolerable, even for a Sonic sidekick character. So I don't know.

Roto13 @ Feb 21st 2009 3:34PM

*shudder* Marine. The first Sonic character that has ever really annoyed me. >_>

Roto13 @ Feb 21st 2009 3:32PM

Odds are the extra slot would be more expensive than the tiny three-card plastic cases I use.

Obie @ Feb 21st 2009 3:34PM

Whoa the DS was almost into DP! :p

slycooper_rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 5:08PM

lmao +1

McWeen @ Feb 21st 2009 3:34PM

The game.com by tiger which had a touch screen interface had 2 cartridge slots. While unnecesary it was nice carrying 2 games around at all times without extra cases.

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 3:44PM

Well... the added storage will let you have the DS Browser stored in the internal memory or in the SDHC, and also with some games, like Dr. Mario, ArtStyle series, the recently announced Katamary, Mr. Driller, Brain Age, Card games, WarioWare...

I hope they include a Virtual Handheld: GBA, Gameboy Color, Gameboy games, GameGear, etc.

Also, Nintendo is including 1000 DS Points with every DSi. Also, the DSi Moving Memo application is free. These are some examples of the animations that you can create with the free DSiWare app:

http://ugomemo.hatena.ne.jp/09BC8D104CD82527@DSi/movie/D82527_0896694183CFF_000

http://ugomemo.hatena.ne.jp/0C4A62604CD80696@DSi/movie/D80696_0892FF88AF4BF_014

This is the official page to upload the animations: http://ugomemo.hatena.ne.jp/

Josh @ Feb 21st 2009 4:06PM

Are they including the 1000 points anywhere other than Japan?

McWeen @ Feb 21st 2009 4:07PM

Umm well I wasn't ripping on for not having 2 slots I was just referencing that it was not an original idea. Are you a sales rep for Nintendo or something?

esposch @ Feb 21st 2009 5:03PM

Fernando Rocker, you SURE you don't work for th big N?
Anyway, what are you gonna announce at E3? Is it Kid Icarus?
TELL ME FERNANDO (Imagines Wonder girls)

littlejim @ Feb 21st 2009 4:01PM

Wow ninty really know how to open up your wallet. What a waste of money, everyone will nuy one though anyway. In that interview it says it has a biger screen and better speakers, they didnt realise the screen was to small and the speakers where rubbish up to now?

Timerider @ Feb 21st 2009 4:00PM

Why are they so concerned over a half-cm of legth? I'd rather have more features than a slightly smaller and crappier version. Maybe add the GB slot back? My idea for a new DS version included the ability to play all GB games, not eliminate it entirely.

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 21st 2009 4:03PM

But the DSi does have more features than the DS Lite...

I prefer the DSiWare store to download new games than the GBA slot.

mko @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:12AM

I prefer downloading GBA games from DSi Store.

Timerider @ Feb 22nd 2009 7:13PM

So, you would rather pay again for something you already have?

Moptimus Slime (Leader of the Taylor Swift Defense Force, Gobot in disguise) @ Feb 21st 2009 4:27PM

can someone tell me why people hate the AAC format? It has a better sound quality, more sample frequencies, more channels, higher efficiency, better ways of compressing, etc.

And then look at what uses AAC as the standard, the PS3, Sony PSP can play AAC along with MP3, Sony Walkman, Sony Ericsson phones, notice a pattern? Not to mention the most popular portable music player (HINT: It rhymes with iPod) uses AAC as the default.

Admit it, for an industry that's all about pushing new technology, it makes no sense to use the old and outdated MP3 format.

Lee @ Feb 21st 2009 4:37PM

You're entirely right but it doesn't stop people complaining. Ever since I discovered the AAC format I've only ever used it for my compressed music. It really is a better codec.

sam @ Feb 21st 2009 5:28PM

People hate the AAC format because they have files in MP3 format (still by far the most popular) that won't play on devices that only support AAC. If you're going to rip things specifically for a device, sure AAC is a decent format. (AAC, Ogg Vorbis and er... maybe some other one I forget... are all pretty much on a level as 'slightly better than mp3'.)

I still find it unlikely that anyone will use DSi as a media player for more than an hour or so to play with the features. I mean, why not just use your phone? That can probably play both AAC and MP3, and you always carry it with you...

Lee @ Feb 21st 2009 6:55PM

Of course it won't get used for media playback. As a PSP and R4 DS owner I've never used either device in place of an iPod or iPhone. Doesn't help that the PSP headphone jack is on the bottom of the unit. good luck not damaging that in some kind of pocket-like dedicated storage location. But the sound output quality is terrible compared to iPods.

I'm hoping for custom soundtracks in DSWare games is all.

Metayoshi @ Feb 21st 2009 11:19PM

sam is really the right one on this topic. I really don't hate the AAC format, as it's my preferred format for ripping music and listening to it from my iPod, but I already have SO MANY music files in mp3 format that there is NO WAY I'm converting them all to AAC just so I can play it on a single device (not only that, but converting from mp3 to AAC would have no benefit since mp3 is the lower quality format).

I can't see why Nintendo can't just get the licenses for both AAC and mp3 playback. A phone would definitely be a better option since many recent phones play both mp3 and AAC formats (I know my phone does). Just get a 2.5 mm - 3.5 mm jack converter, and you can use your high quality earphones to listen.

aj @ Feb 22nd 2009 12:48AM

The DSi should support lossless FLAC so that the pre-amp I duct tape to the back of my DSi will really make me get the most out of my 900$ wood cone headphones.

....God, I hate audiophiles.

MP3, AAC, whatever. The point is that your music player (which you will pay a great deal of money for) should PLAY YOUR MUSIC. The DSi not playing MP3 is a bad thing for a lot of people.

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