Nintendo defies critics again

By Mike Bantick
Sunday, 19 April 2009 08:16

Opinion and Analysis

If there was not enough indication that Nintendo continue to forge their own path in the lucrative video game industry, the latest sales figures show that they can sell hardware despite questions from industry analysts.

There is an undeniable fact in the current interactive entertainment market, and that is, that Nintendo are riding high.

This, despite repeated impending doom and the probability of failure from those people supposedly “in the know”; like me I guess.

The Nintendo DSi is a case in point, another revision of the ubiquitous hand-held dual screen phenomenon.

The DSi is currently on sale along side its forebear the DS, and brings a slightly larger screen, a thinner form factor, two cameras (one inside, one out), the ability to play AAC format sound files plus a slightly faster processor and heaps more RAM (about four times that of previous models), and a new online shop to download DSiWare games from.

The Game Boy Advance slot has been sacrificed, reducing your playable library of games if you are a long term Nintendoite, or -more relevant – a fan of Guitar Hero: On Tour.

Battery life is quoted as lasting from close to, to about half of that of the DS lite, depending on brightness settings.

All this for a 25% price increase.

So, given the lack of a killer launch app, is it not a natural assumption that consumers would take a wait and see approach to this hardware revision?

Given the price range and firmly established market for the DS Lite that would seem sensible, but there are a few factors working in Nintendo’s favour.

March Video Game sales and more from page 2