Today, a
Nintendo DSi showed up on our doorstep. (Thanks, Mr. Stork!) After lovingly cradling the package for a moment, we got down to business with unboxing the little guy, introducing it to its
jealous big brother, and, of course, poking around inside its newborn applications. But we don't want to grow too attached -- we'll be giving this DSi a new home through a Joyswag giveaway in the
(very) near future (now, where did we put that fingerprints cloth ... ). Stay tuned!
In the meantime, please,
get acquainted:
Unboxing Video |
DSi vs. DS Lite Video |
Camera App Video |
Sound App Video |
{ Apr 2nd 2009 at 3:15PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Cody @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:18PM
Why are all the journalists and media outlets getting the black DSi??? There better be one for me on day one to purchase!
Speaking of which, anyone know whats the deal with any stores doing a DS Lite swap out discount for the DSi?
jetsaredim @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:34PM
gamestop is offering $70 credit for DSL
Duke @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:38PM
Oh, I bet some little camper is about to start hyperventilating. Don't worry, they made plenty.
Eb2412 @ Apr 8th 2009 5:25PM
don't be top sure about that, I got the last of the pre-orders at the gamestop close to me and they said thats all they were getting
Cody @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:46PM
lol Duke... the "attorney" at law.
Funny how you're holier-than-thou self has sunk so far into trollville. Shouldn't you be off defending the 360 in some Joystiq Playstation thread?
WRE @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:22PM
Nintendo made plenty of DSi units = trolling?
Duke @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:25PM
I made a joke and that's your comeback? Why does me being an attorney bother you so much? Weird.
Markez @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:32PM
He see Duke trollin'. He hatin'. Patrolling he tryin' to catch Duke riiiidin' diiiiirty. Er, no.
But yeah, seriously, Duke is hardly a troll. Has his own opinions and all, but not near anywhere the scale of dbagginess you see here on a regular basis lately. That tool sexualchocolate is one of the more useless and unamusing trolls we have had on here in awhile, and he's nowhere near that. Ugh.
A DS lite trade-in credit *kinda* appeals to me, but I'd still have to drop a hundred beans on it, and I don't see that compelling a reason (like screens from phat to lite) to lay that kind of dough down.
Markez @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:36PM
DUKE, COMMENTER AT LAW!
And that just made me think of a movie quote "I'm Bill S. Preston, ESQUIRE! And I'm Ted Theodore Logan!"
BlaqueBeird @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:17PM
Joystiq should have a news feed specifically for trolls, like they do for the other systems. That way, you can troll to your heart's content, and the rest of us who like discussing things like normal people don't have to see it.
Dirty @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:37PM
I would like a comment system for one liners.
Bloodfrost @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:43PM
Just a heads up, bring an extra $5 if you plan on swapping your DS Lite for a DSi at Gamestop. I just swapped my DS Lite at a game stop in New Hampshire today, and even though there was a huge sign saying they'd give you $70 credit towards the DSi, it's really only $65. I asked what was up and they guys working the register said that it was lowered to $65 in the system without warning. I wasn't gonna argue because my DS Lite was probably on it's last legs, so getting anything for it was huge.
Timerider @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:20PM
Now your making me want one more. But I don't have MONEY...
jjbtexas @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:07PM
the minute they announced the dsi's April 5 release date i sold mine on ebay so i would have the cash. i spent the past month getting my fix with an emulator
Shimrra @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:23PM
Hey how come your boys at Engadget got there DSi in a "special" box and not you. Unless they got your mail. I say you go over there with a bat and have a special "talk" with them.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/02/nintendo-dsi-unboxing-and-hands-on/
Timerider @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:31PM
Watch the unboxing video. They did get a fancy box. They also flashed the serial number which they really shouldn't have.
Killiam XXIII @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:32PM
You need to watch the unboxing video.
Mr Khan @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:34PM
remember the chart from yesterday? Engadget is #2, Joystiq is #19
Anticrawl @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:21PM
The Serial Number isn't valid apparently so either someone already registered it or I dunno.
Lars @ Apr 3rd 2009 5:47PM
What I want to know is what's with the gloves in that DS comparison video? Creepy!
I gotta give props to Nintendo. This is the first time I've wanted one of their handhelds since I was a kid. It has matured to the point where it rivals the PSP's functionality, so I think I'll snag one, carry it around for a couple months and see how it holds up. Though I think (like the PSP) nothing will stack up to my Pandora.
butaneko @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:29PM
I yawn in your general direction Nintendo DSi
HyeWarrior @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:43PM
Am I the only one that would still rather get a used DS Lite for almost a hundred bucks less? I like the look of the DS Lite more anyways... The only significant improvement the DSi has is the bigger screens... Who cares about a crappy camera? My LG Dare has a better resolution. I have my iPod for music... And the DS store seems like a pointless feature imo...
*looks on craigslist for a DS Lite*
BeeChan @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:43PM
From the videos, I'll say it doesn't look half bad. It's sleek, lighter, and seems more fitted for when you're continuously mashing buttons.
One thing I'm wondering about is how much can the camera's withstand before they crack?
MowDownJoe @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:51PM
That letter you show off is giving me a headache trying to read it. Then again, I'm actually tilting my head to read it.
David Hinkle @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:53PM
Copy the image, drop it into paint, then turn it 90 degrees. ;)
BxGT @ Apr 2nd 2009 3:53PM
I wonder when fox news will run a story on how the dsi's voice recorder is helping pedophiles.
Zenith @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:13PM
Hahaha... yeah... lol
BlaqueBeird @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:21PM
Animal Crossing: Big White Van, coming to DSi this fall!
Danny @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:14PM
reserved and paid for :)
I even picked up world at war for it.
Markez @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:07PM
Don't have sound at the moment, but the camera video was pretty cool & funny.
Dave - How much bigger/better are the screens over the DS Lite in your opinion?
David Hinkle @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:48PM
You'll notice the screens on the DSi are larger than the DS Lite almost immediately. Having played Retro Game Challenge and GTA Chinatown Wars on the thing so far, I'd say it's a big jump, but I don't have any duplicate games to compare side-by-side, which I wanted to do for this feature. :(
Anticrawl @ Apr 2nd 2009 4:49PM
People planning on picking one up Sunday I would suggest not watching the videos. Still after watching those I can't wait to pick mine up.
@David Hinkle
I hear the DSi reads SDHC cards, but does it read up to the 32gb capacity or does the DSi OS limit it to 8gb?
Anticrawl @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:24PM
I haven't been able to get an answer from anywhere other than "it does read SDHC so it /should/ read up to 32gb" but the DSi might limit it to 8 or 16.
David Hinkle @ Apr 2nd 2009 5:41PM
I actually don't have any SDHC cards to test with, sorry. :(
Professor Lario @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:45PM
@ David Hinkle
Any chance to compare D-pads? The D-pad on my 'like new' Lite is wonky at best. Playing games such as FF:CC or GTA is difficult due to their dependence on that D-pad.
Anticrawl @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:07PM
He compared them in one of the videos. Said the on one the DSi is a lot more shallow, smaller, and feels a little "wobbly" I think was the word. But it click, looks fine to me.
Luke @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:00PM
The audio feature would be kinda cool with MP3s, but alas. The cameras aren't appealing to me at all. GB Camera was fun when I was 12, but that was before digital and any knowledge of Photoshop. So its only redeeming quality to me is that it can read SD cards. And the DSi Shop. Eh. Not worth it. I'll stick with my R4 and homebrew. I wonder how long it will take for someone to emulate the DSi interface for the Lite?
Anticrawl @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:09PM
Also has double the CPU speed and four times the RAM. So potentially we may get somewhat slightly better looking games.
Mazrael @ Apr 2nd 2009 6:58PM
So it's an improved DS, with camera's we won't really care about..?
the power button looks too accessible.. then I don't like the home button on the Wiimotes, it's knocked far too easy, the volume control too right under you finger.. I'll wait til we see some software, I'm not certain if's actually amore power ful DS game wise or it's only really the camera feature that's the improvement..
Markez @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:26PM
How on earth do you accidentally hit the home button on the wiimote? Knocked far too easily? Seriously?
Mazrael @ Apr 3rd 2009 5:10AM
done it quite a few times.. I know I've done it on Wii Sports, then a few of the games than need A & B together.. it used to happed on Wii Sports, but as the buttons aren't needed I hold it with my thumb on the d-pad..but with games like Red Steel, Trauma Centre & Resi 4, it's gonna happen. holding the Wiimote now, I think I solved it. on my right thumb it a small bump (a fat lump? - I'm not fat, according to my BMI, I'm almost underweight)... looks like I have to alter my grip, higher up, & more to right, based on what I'm playing..
ZeroCorpse @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:19PM
Yay! Now you, too, can get a gimped Nintendo DS for the same price as the full-featured one. Backwards compatibility? Forget about it! You'll buy the same games from the DSi Store and LIKE them! And I hope you like camera-based games, because (following the gimmick-based example of the Wii's software library) the floodgates of camera-based shovelware have been opened, and you're going to get more camera-based, poorly-made games than you can shake a stylus at!
Yes! The Nintendo DSi..! Now you're playing with gimmicks!
Now get your ass to the DSi store and buy Metroid AGAIN, dammit!
Diskoboy7 @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:44PM
So what are those 'free games' you get from the DSi store?
Or is it even up yet?
gaph2000 @ Apr 2nd 2009 7:52PM
Not really free games so much as 1000 free DSi points.
David Hinkle @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:55PM
No DSi store yet, sorry. It doesn't open until the handheld official launches. Plus, with us giving this away soon, would you even want us to use the free 1,000 points? :)
Jacksons @ Apr 2nd 2009 8:00PM
Noise during the menu seems silly to me, other than that, looks good!
Not good enough to replace my lite, but good none-the-less!
KidKobun @ Apr 2nd 2009 9:02PM
My first born for this DSi right now.
I'll sign the contract in blood with my stylus.
Let's do this!
JRM @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:37PM
What Colours are coming out for the US launch? Is it only black and white?
Also, once you hold the DSi in your hands, it does feel like it's a different system. I'm not saying radically different, but different enough--especially the ABXY buttons.
And, don't worry about the power button. It has a solid "click" feel, like the start/select buttons on the DS Lite.
hey @ Apr 2nd 2009 10:58PM
You people are going to wipe the memory before you give it away right?
David Hinkle @ Apr 2nd 2009 11:55PM
Already done!