Joystiq

Mario DSi XL and DSi temporarily make us forget the 3DS

JC Fletcher — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:40:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Japanese DS fans face a critical choice: start saving for a 3DS to be able to buy one at launch, or buy one of the swanky Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary DSi LL systems announced last night. Nintendo has revealed an image of the system (above), along with a surprise: a 25th Anniversary DSi, also in red, and also with Mario graphics. That's going to make choosing even more difficult.

The DSi LL will be available in Japan on October 28 for 18,000 yen ($215). The DSi, featuring an adorable little Mario jumping over the camera, will be available the same day for 14,800 yen ($177) -- but only from 7-Eleven and its online shop.

Mario DSi XL and DSi temporarily make us forget the 3DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo reveals Super Mario 25th Anniversary DSi XL [update: now pictured!]

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 01:32:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

At it' press conference in Japan this afternoon (well, in Japan it's the afternoon), Nintendo announced plans to release a Super Mario 25th Anniversary Edition DSi LL (DSi XL, as it's known in the West) to the Japanese public on October 28. Andriasang's liveblog of the goings-on also give it an ¥18000 ($215) price point. Unfortunately, like all other things regarding Super Mario's big two five, this is likely to stay grounded in Japan.

Update: here it is, straight from Nintendo's site.

Nintendo reveals Super Mario 25th Anniversary DSi XL [update: now pictured!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 01:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monster Hunter Frontier Online boosts Xbox 360 sales in Japan

JC Fletcher — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:07:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

The combination of new hardware and a "newish" Monster Hunter gave the Xbox 360 a considerable sales bump in Japan last week. Media Create reports that 17,000 Xboxes were sold in that time (versus 2,060 the previous week); 15,000 being the new model. That hardware sales rise coincides with the sale of 92,807 copies of Monster Hunter Frontier Online Beginner's Package. Neither the new Xbox owners nor the existing ones saw any need to round out their game collections with additional games -- there were no other 360 games among the top 50 bestselling software for the week.

Though Xbox 360 sales were much higher last week relative to the console's typical performance in Japan, the clear winner was the DSi LL, thanks to a combination of several factors: a price cut, the release of three new colors of the system, and Love Plus+, the latest version of Konami's breakout hit dating game ... which also coincided with three more special-edition DSi LL systems. See the rest of the top ten bestsellers after the break.

Update: changed "Freedom" to "Frontier" in the headline.
[Image credit: GAME Watch]

Continue reading Monster Hunter Frontier Online boosts Xbox 360 sales in Japan

Monster Hunter Frontier Online boosts Xbox 360 sales in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DSi XL launching in Europe March 5

JC Fletcher — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:45:00 EST

Nintendo of Europe has provided a firm release date for the DSi XL, the up-sized, spectator-friendly version of the DSi. European gamers will be able to take the system home in a big bag on March 5.

The European edition of the system will launch in Wine Red and Dark Brown, skipping the Natural White color from the Japanese release, and comes preloaded with DSiWare, including A Little Bit of... Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: Arts Edition, Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function and the Nintendo DSi Browser. We have no idea why Flipnote Studio, which is included with DSi LL systems in Japan, is absent. It's free, so users will have to download that themselves.

DSi XL launching in Europe March 5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DSi XL's Japanese launch is also pretty big

JC Fletcher — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST

[Image Source]

Like Honeycomb cereal, the DSi XL (LL in Japan) is big, yeah yeah yeah. And according to Enterbrain data, its launch sales weren't small, no no no. The super-sized handheld sold 103,524 units in its first two days on sale. Its immediate predecessor, the regular-sized DSi, moved about 170,000 units at its launch, and its most recent competitor, the PSP Go, only sold 28,000 on its Japanese launch day. Clearly, Sony should have made the PSP bigger instead of smaller. The DS Lite, whose launch predated the DS craze that ... it helped cause, sold 68,438 in its launch week.

Either the strategy of making a DS aimed at families and older gamers is working, or there's a large contingent of Japanese gamers who feel compelled to buy every new DS. Actually, it's probably a little of both.

[Via Andriasang]

DSi XL's Japanese launch is also pretty big originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo DSi LL gets DS-ected

Randy Nelson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST

[Image Source]

The Nintendo DSi LL (DSi XL here in the West) may be big, but it's still susceptible to being dissected by anyone with the proper screwdriver and no qualms about potentially ruining a 200-plus-dollar piece of electronics. In this case, it's the daredevils at PC Watch who had the guts (and spare yen) to pop open the Big N's newest handheld offering.

The site has posted step-by-step photos documenting the teardown, the highlights of which include a look at the system's larger capacity battery and downright mammoth mainboard. Rumors that a member of the site's staff fell into the device and got lost during the process remain unsubstantiated.

[Via Andriasang]

Nintendo DSi LL gets DS-ected originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DSi LL is too big for its own box art

JC Fletcher — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST

The box design for the Japanese DSi LL has shown up on Amazon.co.jp, and, as usual, it is classy and fairly minimalist, featuring little more than a picture of the hardware on a white background.

We're childish enough to be amused by the fact that the whole DSi LL doesn't fit on the box. You know, because it's so big. Look how much room is on the DSi box! Somehow, despite not fitting on the box, the DSi LL fits in the box -- we can only assume it's in there disassembled like an IKEA desk.

[Via GoNintendo]

DSi LL is too big for its own box art originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DSi XL FAQ: Sized up

JC Fletcher — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:22:00 EST

Early yesterday, Nintendo of Japan announced the DSi XL (DSi LL in Japan), a larger, larger-screened version of the DSi. It's a big system, and kind of a big mystery, given that the only advance notice we had of the thing was a Nikkei blurb two days prior. While we can't answer the big questions, like how long this idea has been in the works, and whether a bigger handheld is a good idea as an alternative to the DS's continual miniaturization, we can round up what we know and can reasonably speculate about the DSi XL -- right after the jump.

Gallery: DSi XL

Continue reading DSi XL FAQ: Sized up

DSi XL FAQ: Sized up originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DSi LL coming to Europe in Q1 2010 as 'DSi XL'

JC Fletcher — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:05:00 EST

Nintendo may have announced Japanese plans for the new DSi LL first, but it's not taking long for news about other regions to come out. Nintendo of Europe confirmed to Videogamer that the giant handheld will be released in that region as the DSi XL, in the already-packed Q1 time frame. "The retail price of the Nintendo DSi XL is expected to be higher than that of the Nintendo DSi," the statement reads. "Further details will be released soon."

The Japanese DSi LL will be available in Wine Red, Dark Brown (above), and Natural White, and will come preloaded with Easy Meikyo Kokugo Dictionary, Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters and Brain Age Express: Math. There is no word yet about the color variation or preloaded software selection for the European version.

DSi LL coming to Europe in Q1 2010 as 'DSi XL' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nintendo officially announces large-screen DSi LL, hits Japan Nov. 21

Randy Nelson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:01:00 EST

It's huuuuge: Nintendo DSi LL (red) versus Nintendo DSi (white)

Well, that didn't take long. Just two days after Japan's Nikkei newspaper reported that Nintendo was planning a new variant of the DSi sporting larger 4" screens (which it called "speculation"), the Big N has gone and announced it -- for Japan, at least. Called the Nintendo DSi LL, the hefty handheld will be released in Japan on November 21 for a price of ¥20,000 ($221).

The device has so far been shown only in a burnt red finish and features a full pen-sized stylus. The whole kit's big -- just look at the above comparison image from Nintendo's site -- and really does appear well-suited for an older audience. We'll have more on the DSi LL soon.

[Thanks, Dr. NOGAMES!]

Nintendo officially announces large-screen DSi LL, hits Japan Nov. 21 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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