http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/10/nintendo-dsi-xl/

Nintendo is releasing yet another DS variant. It's the same as DSi, but bigger. I think Nintendo is just doing this to spite us.

This one is just really silly... A spectator handheld? Why would anyone give a rats ass about this?

Considering I'm still using an original DS, that may be a worthwhile upgrade.

Yeah, the newer DSes all felt too small in my hands, so I've never felt the need to trade up from my original DS. If this thing feels a bit heftier, I'm all for it.

Oh, I can so relate to that. I remember when the cell phones kept shrinking just for the sake of being smaller then the last years model and it was getting to the point where holding the newest modules was becoming more awkward then practical. The Zoolander joke always cracked me up.



I was so glad when they stopped doing that and begun maintaining a comfortable size.

I'll wait 'til XXL.

It's for old people who can't see well. I think there are a lot of people who think it's the next step up in the DS family or something, and they just got ripped off for buying the DSi, but it's not. It's a sidegrade, and it has no new features. What it gains in screen size it loses in portability. Try fitting it into your pocket. Even if it debuted at the same time as the DSi, I still would have chosen the smaller DSi.

Here's a tip on how to turn your DSi into a DSi XL:
Step 1: Start playing your DSi.
Step 2: Move it three inches closer to your face.

This way, you can still fit it into your pocket.

heheh.... what's next? A Playstation Portable that you can actually drive around in?

No, the next PSP will be even smaller than the Go, have less features, and cost more than a PS3.

Yeah, but the object doesn't physically get any more comfortable in my hands if I do that, and thats' all I'm concerned about.

Well, I won't fault you for wanting the DSi XL, especially if you don't already have the DSi.

It's just as worthless as the DSi, but just as many people will rush out and buy it thinking it's the next great "evolution" from Nintendo.



I doubt that. Most old people would still need a magnifying glass to make out anything on that screen. When the article says "older audiences" I think they are referring to "adults" not "old people."

Isukun is right! Let us not listen to thi stupid Nintendo!
Let us begin buying the shitty PSPgo, the next evolution in Sony! And while we're at it, suck off Sony. The company, not the staff.

Then we can all be free of Isukun's insufferable "Wahhhhhh NIntendo"!
(If you're a microsoft fanboy, well then too bad you get no sarcastic comment about that. I fear I may get herpes if I talk about things with red anuses. But you sound so much like Shplane, so I'm going with Sony.)


Hm, it's a good idea, the DSi is pretty small, yet I'm fine with it (Even though my hands are huuuuge), but I guess there will be people who have issues with it.

Feeling a little insecure crocty? Were you one of those people who bought three DSs, one for each release?

Honestly, I really don't give a crap what you say about the other companies. They ALL have their faults and a lot of it is a result of all three being major corporations who care more about making money than actually pushing the medium forward. People are just more willing to IGNORE Nintendo's faults in favor of blind devotion to a company that's long since passed its prime, at least in terms of innovation.

No, I bought the DSi because my old DS broke.
And I don't ignore Nintendo's faults, perhaps I simply aren't a pasty white nerd who is unable to move his arm when playing a vidya game. "Oh no, I have to move my arm to swing my sword? That's too much work. I'll go masturbate over the PS3 brick instead!"

And how is it past its prime of innovation? It's made games where you point at the screen and waggle your arms wildly so you look like a complete fucking tool when playing their games. If that isn't innovation, I dunno what is.

Seriously, I played Punchout at a party, and we had a contest to see who could look like the bigger tool swinging his arms about wildly. It's class!

This argument is going in an odd direction that I'm not entirely comfortable with.

I'd probably appreciate the larger screens on this new version of the DSi. It would probably make dodging all those bullets in Metal Slug 7 a LOT easier... probably...

Obviously, you don't. "Smoke and mirrors" mean anything to you?

You also seem to think you're talking to Shplane. Criticizing Nintendo does not equate to "Sony fanboy".

Still, Nintendo's the only ones trying anything new, as opposed to just worrying about graphics.

I dunno, you both seem to be the same.
Except instead of an emo you're an angry man. And you don't purposely spell things wrong in a failed attempt to be funny. So you're both sorta equal.

Also I already said, I'd criticise Microsoft too, just in case you're a microsoft fanboy, but the herpes...
(Also sonysuckslol)

And yeah TJ's right, they're trying something new, Sony and Microsoft just care about graphics and First Person Shooters and it's all booooring.

EDIT: I think your anger may be stemmed from your avatar, as it seems to depict a grumpy git, so I thought I'd draw you a new one.

Yoooooorrrrrrr welcome.

Not really, and that's the problem. They use minor gimmicks to mask the fact that they really aren't doing anything new. Their games are either shinier versions of NES, SNES, or N64 games right down to having the same control schemes, or they are casual minigame collections or fad games like Wii Fit that just add to the large pile of shovelware their systems seem to attract.

I've said it before, but they really are using the exact same business tactics Atari used in the 80's which led to the video game crash. It is rather unfortunate that we are in the economic climate we are in, since it has convinced their competitors to follow suit looking for short term gains while ignoring the long term negative effects this will have on the market. Gaming has become a fad again, and that isn't a good place for a multi-billion dollar industry to be.

You're absolutely right, motion and touchscreen controls are so overused right now, they're so old, it's getting tiresome, amirite?


Also, smiiiiiiiiile

You'll feel better!

The DS touchscreen is just a mouse substitute. Anything that can be done on the DS has been done in the PC market. That's not really anything innovative. If you want innovative use of a touch screen, that would be the iPod Touch and iPhone, not the DS.

Motion controls existed long before the Wii and were usually implemented better. Nintendo should have learned with the power glove that not all ideas are really innovative. Some are just poorly implemented gimmicks. Even Nintendo has a tendency to minimize their use of the motion controls when not making tech demo software or minigame collections. They add some alternative control schemes for kicks, but most players tend to prefer and demand more traditional controls in their games. If they use the motion controls as a major element of the control scheme, it's usually just to use the pointer as a substitute for the missing second analog stick.

The only way that Nintendo has really changed the market is, as I said previously, they have taken what was once an entertainment industry and turned it back into a fad like it was in the Atari days. The 50 top selling games for the Wii is a list dominated by minigame collections. In fact, you have more minigame collections than all other genres combined, including six in the top ten. Sure, it grabs the attention of the casual or non-gamers, but once they get sick of their "hula hoop", they'll move on to the next big thing, which likely won't have anything to do with the console market (in fact, it's pretty likely it will be social networking games on sites like Facebook).

I'm telling you, it'll help out a lot!

Because somehow Nintendo making a touch screen console is totally old hack, but when Mac does it several years later, that is innovation. Nice logic.

It isn't the fact that it's a touch screen that makes it innovative, it's how the touch screen works and how they use it that makes it innovative. The DS is just the same tech found in your average PDA and they've been making games for PDAs longer than the DS has been on the market. Plus the advent of the tablet PC made it possible to get the same gameplay experiences on the PC as you get on the DS years in advance. Tablets, touch screens, PDAs, and the DS don't function the same way as the iPhone and iPod Touch screens which don't utilize the typical single point approach.

And Hawk, you kind of disappoint me with that little jab there. It seems less intelligent and mature than your usual responses. Especially since I'm not the one who went into the whole "my system is better than your system" bit.

Yeah guys, it's fun to have someone who you can all criticise and make fun of for some reason, but it's not cool.

Seriously. Stop ganging up on Isukun now.

OK?

Hm, there's no need to argue with him, he's just blindly insulting Nintendo with no logic.
"Touchscreens are so over done. Unless they're not done by Nintendo, then it's innnovation!

Hey guys see the new PS3iimote? It has motion controls! INNOVATION!"




(Also smile. )

Sometimes I feel like there should be a "don't argue with Isukun" rule, because whenever these arguments come up they never actually go anywhere.

But seriously, back to the topic at hand: have there been complaints about the DS screens being too small? They're certainly smaller than the PSP screens, but I've always found that aspect of the system pretty comfortable. Even with my original DS screen with the duller colors I'm pretty happy. I have to admit that I kind of like the idea of a bigger screen, though. It's certainly nice to have the option, but I have to wonder if this is really worth the effort for Nintendo.

I guess it's just nice to see that a company is making a portable device larger for a change. I'm getting tired of things constantly getting miniaturized. I will say this: if I do decide to upgrade to a DSi in the future, I'll be going for the XL.