The new Nintendo DSi is out in Japan next month (and the UK next spring) and is sure to be greeted with the usual scenes of slightly hysterical J-Popsters mugging for the cameras of Famitsu magazine snappers in an Akihabara electronics emporium.
Over in the UK, the reaction to the announcement to date has been slightly more subdued. Greg Howson, writing in the Guardian, claimed that the DSi failed to excite him and that "a low-spec camera, slimmer case and a download service is hardly getting the pulses racing."
However, criticising a new bit of gaming kit because it is not a revolutionary all-singing, all-dancing mega-toy that blows the previous iteration out of the water is slightly disingenuous. Nintendo has made no hyped-up promises about DSi being 'the future' and the company is firmly positioning DSi as an evolution rather than a revolution. Much like Apple does with its annual iPod refresh.
New Chrono Trigger Form-ism figures of Crono and Marle have been showcased at a Square Enix pop-up store, with pre-orders expected soon.
The Nintendo DS has some amazing titles available. Here are some of the best nostalgic games that every child of the DS era grew up playing.
I enjoyed both Rush games, I did think the action was sometimes too fast to see what was coming up in terms of hazards though, which meant replaying the same stage a bunch of times, other than that they were enjoyable, good special stages, 3D sections and bosses for the most part.
DS is one of the best consoles of all time. Such a rich library of software
Zelda were all glorious on it.
Abe has taken up a professorial role at Osaka Electro-Communication University
I can't wait till March. And I realise they are region-locked... but I just ordered one in on import...
it doesn't really excite me, i dont like the DS really
It said 'Discontinued' i was going to say that was quick!
DSi - better screen, cameras, generally better, new games on horizon
That it's not much different to the previous model, but I'm still going to get one. And maybe buy three extras, from Japan, to sell on eBay int he UK and make a killing