DSi has games choices for every age group!
Nintendo's latest hand-held game is not just another redesign
The third and latest iteration of Nintendo DSi duo screen hand-held game system from the game masters fascinates senior adults and baby boomers and entertains kids. Grandparents, it’s a great buy for your favorite kids. Retirees, it whiles away time when you’re waiting for someone or something.
It might not be the preferred game deck for hard core moguls but it earns kudos as family entertainment. In my house, everyone, from 3 years old to 60 devotes a bit of free time to DSi.
How DSi differs from DS Lite
The Nintendo company paid attention to consumer input when they retooled their popular handheld. They added some extra volume and the screens, which were already the best in handheld games, got almost 20% larger at 3.25 across -- a boon for us. Beyond that, here are the changes:
- DSi has a new set of controls, located more conveniently than the old version.
- Two very cool camera functions plus PhotoShop-like functions and filters that alter images on the fly.
- DSi does music
- The deck accepts a mini storage chip.
- The clamshell cover is now matte, so it remains cleaner – no fingerprints.
How DSi is the same as DS Lite
- Same dependable battery life
- Is backward compatible with the older DS and Gameboy game chips, of course.
- Easy insertion of games – even fairly young children can do this without help.
- Same annoying long start up time, in fact, it takes longer to get to the settings screen or menus now.
- Same workable size.
The good and not so good about DSi
The case is sturdy and durable, easy to handle. There’s a great assortment of games, even some designed for very young children and let me tell you, though a three year-old can’t play all of them alone, she can learn enough to spend a few quiet minutes while you tend to a phone call or catch a boil over on the stove.
I see more older adults sitting in doctors’ offices or on a parkbench with DSi crosswords. The bright, light-adjustable screen means people over 45 can read the material and see the detail. This is very good. I like the textures of the unit and controls, as well. They make handling feel good and control is better. For both young and older users, the larger size buttons are appealing.
The resolution is outmoded at 256x192 – needs to be rethought, and what the heck is with the proprietary charger again? I tried to plug it into my DSLite charger which hangs on my desk and, no go. That’s ridiculous.
The price point, $170 is acceptable and reachable, but $149 would be more like it to reach a young family and of course, the baby boomer/senior market.
Overall, in view of the new features, upscaled sight and sound, robust memory and speed – you can ignore the few complainables, grab a DSi for your family and see whose reflexes are better.
Print | posted @ Friday, June 26, 2009 8:10 AM