Are you looking for nintendoDs?: Nintendo DSi XL

Nintendo DSi XL

You'll experience portable gaming all grown up with the extra large screens of the Nintendo DSi XL system, 93% larger than those of the Nintendo DS Lite system. Enjoy a wider viewing angle, a larger pen-like stylus, and 3 pre-installed titles to enjoy right out of the box.

introduction

If you subscribe to the belief that bigger is better, then you’ll be plenty happy to wrap your hands around the new Nintendo DSi XL.

BackgroWith more than 125 million Nintendo DS units sold worldwide to date, which makes it the best-selling video game platform on the planet, why would Nintendo supersize the system now? According to Nintendo, gamers simply asked for bigger screens, plus the improved wider viewing angle means friends can better see the action or play together (for example, the upcoming Photo Dojo game lets two players battle together on the same machine).

The Nintendo DSi XL still takes the Nintendo DS game cartridges (this is where parents breathe a sigh of relief), plus the Wi-Fi-enabled system also allows you to digitally download games and other software from the DSi Shop. Problem is, there isn’t much here yet worth your time, and what is available is overpriced (in comparison to, say, Apple’s online App Store). Most titles at the DSi Shop are either 500 or 800 Nintendo DSi Points ($5 or $8), compared to thousands of quality games you can buy for the iPod touch at $1 to $3.

While Nintendo has added some preinstalled titles to entice shoppers, they really haven’t gone above and beyond here. This includes a Brain Age sampler (Brain Age Express: Math and Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters) and two pieces of software that are free to download anyway: the Nintendo DSi Browser and Flipnote Studio. Even one full game would’ve been nice.

Conclusion

Here’s the bottom line: the Nintendo DSi XL is probably not worth the upgrade if you already own a Nintendo DSi, because it’s essentially the same machine but, er, bigger. On the flipside, the DSi XL is only $20 more than the DSi, so if you’re in the market for a new gaming device for the kids (or for kids at heart, like mom and dad), be sure to reach for this supersized model.

color:

So the new DSi XL will come in an unusual set of colors. No BLACK XL / LL consoles on the official release date (a disappointment for me) nd the Dark Brown Color, Wine Red Color and Natural White would not be my first choice if there were any other available. But be sure that there will be plenty of DSi XL full replacement housings, 3rd party LL Cases in all the colors you like and with special edition cases like Mario Case, Zelda XL and Pokemon XL cases coming right around the corner

Bigger Screen, Same Resolution

While the two screens are much bigger, Nintendo didn’t upgrade the screen quality, therefore the Nintendo DSi XL has the same so-so resolution as the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite before that (256 x 192 pixel resolution; 260,000 colors).In fact, this is the same resolution as the original silver Nintendo DS that launched in 2004.

Testing and Usage

As with its best-selling predecessors, the bottom display remains touch-sensitive, allowing you to use your fingertip or the bundled stylus pens to interact with the digital content. One stylus is small enough to fit into the back of the system, while a larger one found in the box is the size of a thick ballpoint.

Despite its larger size — 6.3 inches wide by 3.6 inches long by 0.8 inches tall – this handheld system is still svelte enough to bring virtually anywhere, plus a new matte finish on the bottom results in a better grip. That said, the Nintendo DSi XL won’t likely fit into the pocket of kids’ jeans, and because of the extra size and weight (now 11.08 ounces, compared to the Nintendo DSi’s 7.5 ounces), younger players might opt to place it on a table or lap for extended play.

Playing games on the larger screens makes a big difference, whether it’s on the just-launched Warioware: D.I.Y. orThe Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks or with Nintendo’s new “lifestyle” titles that aren’t games at all. This includes the new America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking (300 recipes and video tutorials) and the upcoming 100 Classic Books due out in June (timeless literature from the public domain, including works from William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Jane Austen and Jules Verne). Yes, the Nintendo DSi XL will soon be an e-book reader of sorts, too.

As with the Nintendo DSi, this extra-large model also features two cameras (one to snap your friends and one pointing at you), a voice recorder (with fun effects studio) and the ability to play your digital music collection stored on option

Nintendo DSi XL Burgundy