New Nintendo DSi shown in Japan

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 02 October 2008 11:52

Your IT - Entertainment

The rumoured upgrade to the handheld gaming device from Nintendo has surfaced at the pre Tokyo Game Show press release.  The Nintendo DSi sports a bigger screen, camera and more.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has shown the gaming world the third generation Nintendo DS.  At Nintendo’s press conference today, Iwata added an “i” to the DS brand and presented details in hardware changes for the device that has topped game hardware sales around the world.

The Nintendo DSi will feature a built in 0.3 (640x480) megapixel camera, along with a SD card slot for expanded storage required for all the new happy snaps you will be taking.

Any photos taken with the DSi can immediately be uploaded to the Wii consoles Photo Channel

As predicted the audio options on the DSi have been “enhanced”.

The DSi will also sport a larger 8.25 centimetre screen, whilst the form-factor of the entire device has actually shrunk by 12 percent.

A full web browser will also be built into the DSi with an associated DSiWare and DSiShop infrastructure setups to be used by the browser.  Download DSiWare from a low price of zero up to 800 points (points which we gather will equate to the current Wii Points system).

Out goes the GBA cartridge slot from the current generation.

In Japan the DSi will be available from November 1, setting back the Japanese consumer 18,900Yen (around US$180).  The rest of the world will receive the new hand-held sometime in the new year.

The important colour announcement at this stage is Black or White only.