Nintendo announces DSi

Nintendo announces the DSi in Tokyo.

(Credit: Kotaku)

Update: More news and better pictures available here.

The rumors were true: Nintendo has announced a new DS, dubbed the DSi. The company unveiled the new DS model at a press conference in Japan.

Early specs:

• The unit is said to resemble the existing DS Lite, but is 12 percent thinner, thanks to the absence of a Game Boy cartridge slot.
• The twin screens are a bit larger--3.25 inches versus 3 inches.
• 3-megapixel camera
• SD-card slot
• Downloadable games: Download games from a "DSi Shop" over Wi-Fi, and save them to the SD card. The games are called "DSi Ware" (a la Wii Ware), and are available for 200, 500, or 800 points.
• Availability: It'll hit November 1 in Japan for ?18,900 (approximately $179), in black and white versions.

Nintendo has scheduled an event Thursday in San Francisco, which will undoubtedly be the DSi's North American unveiling. Daniel Terdiman of CNET News will have complete coverage of that event, at which time we should get more specific details on the latest generation of Nintendo's gaming handheld.

(Source: Famitsu via translation on Kotaku)

[askermana271275]

This is awesome. Cant wait to get one. It is a slight shame that it wont have support for game boy games but its something I can live with.

[nintendoeats]

I really wish they had just released an SD card thing for the GBA port. Hell, you can go buy one right now from a third party. As for the camera, Thats hardly a selling point as far as I'm concerned. All this really means for me is that there will be games coming out that I can't play now.

[sjaeger172004]

Dam I just brought myself another DS Lite to replace the 1 I lost. Shame about the GBA port tho

[sjaeger172004]

Dam I just brought myself another DS Lite to replace the 1 I lost. Shame about the GBA port tho

[Evilstreak]

Have they fixed the hinge problem yet?? ya didnt think so instead they take out the GBA and make it the whole how much thiner? 0.01 of and inch or somethin? who cares how thin the damn thing is?

ANYWAYS having an sd slot will open up the wounderful world of Roms ohh my bad R4 already got to that didnt they nintendo?

A ds lite is nice (i own one) but to upgrade just for some crappy pixeled camera and a bigger screen.. once again who will notice the extra 0.250 of an inch. but we will notice that extra money coming out of our pockets to buy one.... well for the suckers anyways

[Evilstreak]

OH and also.. ya thanks for making me spend money on the gh rock tour game when you wont be able to play it on the newer model.. i have a hard enough time playing the thing on ds lite without having the thing fall off in my hand but nintendo doesnt care they have my $45 already

[Kwamhoff]

What about the guitar hero on tour.... I just bought that when it came out 3 months ago now we can't use it! How stupid... They should recall the DS lite version so us poor smucks with kids that saved there lawn mowing money to buy this game actually can use it with the current syste, What about the Weight loss program same thing. People at nintendo must think others are stupid.