The Nintendo DS has had a long history over the years and is continuing to dominate the entire handheld environment. However, it wasn’t a perfect handheld console, but Nintendo responded by making a few cosmetic changes to the original DS and formed it into the Nintendo DS Lite – a smaller and more comfortable alternative.

The Nintendo DS Lite was popular during its early days as well, but the target audience wasn’t wide enough for some of the non-gamers to dive to into. This is where the Nintendo DSi comes in, which was recently launched in the nearly 3 years after the DS Lite launch. Just like the other DS launches, there were four different areas where the DSi was introduced on different dates. Out of these four, it was the UK launch that gained the most attention. Here are some of the highlights.

Over 92,000 Units Sold 2 days after the Launch

This achievement beat out the old milestone set when the original Nintendo DS sold around 87,000 consoles. Because the DS has grown in popularity overtime, more people become curious with the new DSi and be amazed by the new features it offers. The DSi is now the fourth fastest selling handheld console.

UK Launch was Scheduled Before the US Launch
Nintendo decided to try something different by launching the product in the UK before the North American regions. This reduced the massive wait times that UK users experienced, but finally that has come to an end. The plan worked resulting to a huge increase in the number of sales made.

No Major Event was hosted

All of the DSi handhelds went directly to the shelves without any huge launch party. Its success wasn’t affected at all because of the many stores it went to giving a lot of choices for people to buy.

No Major Game was introduced

Usually, the handheld launches some with a freebie or two in order to attract more people, but nothing came up during the launch of Nintendo’s latest handheld. This only meant that people really cared about the new console itself rather than the games that only work on DSi. However, the DS games sales slightly increased because of people looking for new games to play with their new DS model.

DSi Ware Service Opened

The DSi Ware service is an online service where people spend Nintendo Points (previously known as Wii Points) so that people can download or purchases applications and games. More items should be added real soon resembling the WIi Shop. Some of these items are even free like free browser application.

Preserved Price

Just like the Nintendo DS Late, the Nintendo DSi will cost 150 euro. Prices are expected to lower over time as usual. The interesting thing was that people didn’t have to spend more to enjoy the new features.

The DSi is definitely out there in many stores that sell games and consoles. It has also gained respect from critics and consumers for its fair price and good range of features making it a fine upgrade despite the lack of GBA slot and lower battery life.

This time, Nintendo changed their game plan and decided to launch the highly anticipated Nintendo DSi which is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS in European markets two days before the North American launch. This move has caused another record to be set breaking the original record by selling 92,000 units in the two day launch period making it the fourth fastest selling console falling behind the PSP, PS3, and Wii. One noticeable achievement in terms of statistics is that it outsold all the other latest generation consoles combined that weekend. There was also no major DS title released during the period to complement the launch indicating that the handheld took the full spotlight in the UK.

The second incarnation of the DS has some new features both external and internal that make the handheld even more attractive to convince both people without a DS and people with an older version. Some features like the GBA slot were removed and the battery life is a bit less, but these features helped it sell so well.

Specs Improvements

The Nintendo DSi boosts a slightly larger screen measuring 3.25 inches and a thinner profile than the DS Lite since the GBA slot was removed. It is also a bit longer in length than both models.

Dual Cameras

The handheld has two built in 0.3 megapixel digital cameras with one of them found on the internal hinge facing the user and another on the back for taking pictures. This provides the DSi with basic camera functionality where pictures can be stored in the SD card and some games will take advantage of these two cameras.

Enhanced Multimedia Capabilities

With the new SD card slot built-in, the DSi can now read pictures which can also be synchronized to the Wii Photo Channel and playback AAC audio files with the new built-in audio player. These changes will attract even the non-gamers to pick up this device.

DSi Shop

The Wii Points have been changed into the Nintendo Points which are used for the Wii Shop and the newly launched DSi Shop which is an online store where DSi owners can connect and download applications and special DSiWare games. Some of the applications offered are free like the DSi browser enabling mobile web surfing. This feature pretty much convinced people to get the new design despite of the lack of GBA support.

Critics and gaming review sites have praised the new design after its launch and the huge number of sales in the UK as well as the other parts of the globe really shows the success of Nintendo’s latest handheld.

The following day after Australia’s launch, the launch went straight to the stores in the United Kingdom on April 3rd. While there was no major launch party to kick things off, the launch was absolutely successful surpassing all expectations by selling over 90,000 units over the weekend. This launch record quickly made it to the history books as the fourth fastest selling console in the UK.

What Made the Launch Successful

There are several factors that contributed to the UK’s successful launch. Here are the most notable factors.

Nintendo DS Legacy

When the first Nintendo DS handheld was launched back in March 2005, around 87,000 DS handhelds were sold in a two day period. Since then, the Nintendo DS had a loyal audience in the UK and Nintendo has been striving to keep launch dates very near to the US dates to keep fans from waiting too long.

The New Features

Nintendo’s revised handheld doesn’t only contain cosmetic changes and minor improvements like the DS Lite, but it offers a slew of nice features that any person in the UK would want to get their hands on. On aesthetics side, the new DS model sacrificed the inclusion of a GBA slot for making the handheld a bit lighter and 12 percent thinner than the DS Lite. The screens were slightly bigger as well measuring 3.25 inches diagonally for each screen. The glossy finish of the DS Lite was replaced with a matte surface on the DSi to prevent fingerprints from showing up. Some minor changes are noticeable as well like the return of the power button from the original DS.

Although there is no GBA slot present, many new hardware features were introduced like the two VGA 0.3 megapixel cameras and SD card slot which can write data in a similar fashion to the Wii. The SD card capabilities allow the DSi to act as a file storage device. The files in the SD card can be read by using some of the DS software including a new audio player that can play AAC file formats. It can also store photos that are taken using the any of the two cameras.WPA encryption for wireless networks is supported as well.

DSi owners can access the DSi Shop to download DSI exclusive games and applications. Some of the applications can be downloaded for free like the DSi browser giving it added productivity functionality. Because of the new features of the latest revision and the overall love of the original Nintendo DS and DS Lite amongst UK fans, the Nintendo DSI is looking to sell big and set new records in the UK.

Nintendogs - Just £1,000,000 (maybe this wasn't a genuine sale)

5. Super Bomberman 3 – £560

I’m surprised this is so rare and valuable because I remember getting this game for my birthday 14 years ago. If only I’d never played it or taken it out of its box and stored it away in mint condition, I could be over £500 better off today.

The most expensive SNES game money can buy.

4. 36 Factory Sealed Nintendo Games – £775

You might wonder why anyone would want to pay £775 for 36 old games which you could probably pick up for around £5 separately. What’s special about this collection of Game Boy, SNES, NES, and Nintendo 64 games is that none of them have ever been taken out of their boxes. Why anyone would pay £40 for a game and not play it I’m not quite sure but it makes this collection quite special.

36 Games, but I notice two copies of Mario Land 2 and 3 copies of Mario Land 3. I'm sure they are looking to purchase 4 copies of Mario Land 4.

3. Special Super Mario Game & Watch – £800

The last Game & Watch title ever made. There were only 10,000 units produced and you could only get them by winning one. This game is similar to the NES game of the same name but the levels are entirely different. You’d be in a pretty exclusive club if you owned a copy of this game, which is why people are willing to pay so much for it.

Limited edition Mario Bros. Game & Watch comes complete with the letter which proves the game could not be bought.

2. 37 Game & Watch Games – £1,500

This must be a very rare find, 37 different Nintendo Game & Watch machines. However, despite selling for one and a half grand, this collection represents only half the games released. That really gives you an idea of how rare these games are now. Game & Watches are now best known for the two screen versions which gave their design to the current DSi console and also for Mr. Game & Watch who stars in Super Smash Bros. Brawl on Wii.

37 Very rare boxed, Game & Watch units.

1. Super Nintendo with 210+ Games – £1,767.17

A SNES with more games than you could possibly find time to play, let alone complete, but it would look very cool to have them on your shelf. All these games are still just a fraction of the 785 games released for the SNES. The seller miscounted though and his advert later states that there were only 199 games, but I don’t think anyone would mind too much.

34 of these. make that 41 of these (I spot another few every time I look at the pictures). How many have you played/owned/completed?” title=”snes12″ width=”300″ height=”400″ class=”size-full wp-image-81″ />

199 Games. I thought I'd played more SNES games than most people, but I've only played 34 of these. How many have you played/owned/completed?

In Japan, the Nintendo DSi has already been released. With the public having a great positive response to it, the sales skyrocketed and sold 170,000+ of units within the first two days of release. The immense acceptance by the public would certainly mean more developers are making games for it which further increases its longevity within the market.

On the most noticeable changes, there is another camera added. This can have a great gaming advantage to entertainment aspect advantage in which can also be synced with the Nintendo Wii when storing pictures.

The overall size has been minimized. The Nintendo DSi console is 12% slimmer. This can always translate to more portability as it can squeeze through pockets without worries. The DS iterations are all made in a clamshell design which can easily withstand even with the roughest handling due to its screen protection.

The next is the new and bigger screen. The DSi console has two screens, of which it was formerly 3 inches in size, Nintendo added a quarter of an inch to make it better to view the media on the screen, keep in mind that there are two screens that have been upsized. Another side note is that there are now 5 brightness settings as opposed to the 4 settings on the DS Lite.

Another advantage is on the external casing. Since the DS Lite has a glossy screen, Nintendo wanted to eliminate the simple fingerprints to be shown. Their response is to make a matte finish on the case, eliminating the chances of getting smudgy with fingerprints.

Within the software side, Nintendo added the feature of music playback. Although it can only support AAC files, it?s a great start. As this can easily make the device become a personal media player, it can also store pictures and save other data with its built-in 256mb internal memory. The Nintendo DSi?s ram has been quadrupled; it has now 16mb of ram to easily handle the more challenging tasks that the software demands.

In addition to other features, the Nintendo DSi console also offers WPA 1 and WPA 2 support. There is also the internet store which is called the DSi shop to purchase add-ons to software and games.

Making use of the advantages is the goal of the new hardware and software features. Nintendo had been improving their handheld console from customer feedbacks and engineering assessments to further improve their products.

One thing that?s to be the disadvantage of the whole this is that it would only be sold worldwide outside Japan in April 2-5, 2009, otherwise, everything is looking pretty solid with the next iteration of a great handheld.

With the release of the DSi console in Japan, its initial sales skyrocketed, even after just two days of being on store shelves; it sold 170,000+ units of the 200,000 units shipped. That’s a pretty feat that is synonymous to a good product.

The Nintendo DSi has been remodeled to have many hardware features. One of which is the addition of another camera. The .3 megapixel cameras found of either side of the console can be used in games and taking pictures. The images can then be manipulated and added with effects directly from the DSi. There is also the option to sync the images on the Wii, making it rich in features.

The size of the Nintendo DSi console has been lessened. It is now 12% smaller compared to previous a mode which translates to 2.6mm.

Another modification is the upgraded sound quality of the speakers. It may still sound less but it is definitely upped in quality because audio playback has been implemented. AAC music tracks can be played from the handheld console, doubling it as a music player.

Next are the bigger screen sizes of the DSi consoles. The size of the screen is noticeably bigger than its past models. The unit has now 3.25 inches of screen size compared to the 3 inches on older models.

There is also a significant relocation of the power switch. The switch also offers an additional feature in which it can be used to soft reset the console and switch games on the fly, making it better to swap games without powering it off.

Ram has now been upgraded to 16 MB. This figure is four times bigger than the previous models. There is also the storage of 256mb to store downloaded content, images, and firmware update which is anew to this model of Nintendo’s DS handhelds.

Although not a good feature in itself, all of the added enhancements can lead to more power drain, the battery life is not significantly lesser. The normal DS Lite battery life is 15-19 hours of gameplay but the new Nintendo DSi only plays 9-14 hours. This may be a bad aftertaste of good features but it can be negligible enough considering its rival, the Sony PSP only has a miniscule battery endurance of about 5 hours.

Great things can come at the right time. Although you can purchase a Japanese DSi consoles, the rest of the world still doesn’t have official regional versions which means you need to purchase the games specified for its region, in this case, you can only play Japanese games. All of these great features can be had in just a few months away. The worldwide launch of the Nintendo DSi will be on April 2-5, 2009.

Whether you are playing Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing, Super Mario DS, and many more, it is better to play on the new Nintendo DSi mainly to its screen size. It has now been upgraded to 3.25 inches compared to the previous 3 inches screen size. If you are playing Indiana Jones, Star Wars Complete Saga, Zelda phantom hourglass, and many games, you can easily have more space on the screen as making use of the touch screen features can be better due to the screen size.

All of the previous games that are released are compatible on the new DSi console. Also with the addition of improved speakers, the games audio effects can be clearer and crisper. Gaming with the Nintendo DS is also better when played outdoors due to its 5 settings of brightness as opposed to 4 settings on previous models.

Games can also come from downloadable content. With the new DSi online store, users can now purchase applications and games directly from the net and save the content though the SD card on in the internal 256MB memory.

With pertaining to a greater gaming experience, there is an additional camera added which can then be used on games that require them. Nintendo has been known for its gamble on new input features as opposed to traditional input controls. This is evident on the Wii consoles’ nunchucks and the DS’s touch screen. Presently, Nintendo has been the best that have been making use of the new feature to be implemented in games.

With its rivals such as the Sony PSP and albeit not being a real handheld console, the iPhone, both are miles away from the gameplay features of the DS handhelds. With this edge over other handheld gaming platforms, they have constantly improving their best product to be used for a better gaming experience.

Whether you want to play Final Fantasy series of games, Pokemon games, Castlevania series of games, or even Cake Mania, the gaming experience is simply better and more enjoyable with a good speaker, brighter and bigger screen, and other enhancements.

There are also downsides to the new iteration of DS handhelds. One this is that there is a significant reduction in battery life but still longer than its rival, the Sony PSP. Also the Game Boy cartridge slot has now been removed, you can now say goodbye to your past games and you will be forced to play newer ones.

Gaming with the Nintendo DSi console is only months away from the release; you can also purchase an import Japanese version that only plays games on its designated region. But if you really want English-language games, you can wait till April 2-5, 2009 for the worldwide release of the best handheld gaming console to date.

Other surprises include the fact they were also a taxi firm and most surprisingly to me Nintendo began life in 1889. From a playing card company to the DSi console, they’ve seen a lot of changes but I think they should consider moving back into the love hotel industry.