Nintendo DSi XL/LL: A quick FAQ
The DSi XL's larger screens make it significantly bigger than the existing DSi.
(Credit: Nintendo Japan)Nintendo recently announced a new DSi model for the Japanese market. How does it differ from the current DSi, and when can gamers in other parts of the world expect to be able to buy it? Read on for the answers.
What is it?
The DSi LL (as it will be called in Japan) or XL (how it'll be referred to in Europe and North America) is a supersized version of the Nintendo DSi.
What is different about it?
The DSi XL will be almost an inch wider than the DSi, a bit thicker, and it will have two 4.25-inch screens (that's an inch larger than the DSi's screens and 93 percent larger than the screens of the older DS Lite). It will feature two different-sized styli: a traditional thin stylus and a large rounded one that takes the shape of a pen. The portable console will have a similar battery life to the DSi's, about 4 to 5 hours on maximum brightness and 13 to 17 hours on the minimum setting.
Except for the larger size and extra stylus, there doesn't seem to be any other major differences on the XL. Like the DSi, it does not have a Game Boy Advance port, so it can't play older GBA cartridges.
Can I transfer my downloaded DSi games (DSi Ware) to it?
As of this writing, Nintendo has not said how it plans to handle this issue. That said, DSi Ware games are currently nontransferable.
Why is Nintendo making yet another DS model?
We're not totally sure about this one. The two best bets: the DSi XL's larger screens may appeal to older gamers who are visually impaired, and the larger size could be helpful to those with big hands for whom the DSi's real estate is a bit too cramped. But the obvious sacrifice is portability--the XL will no longer fit into a pocket.
When will it be available, and how much will it cost?
The DSi XL will go on sale in Japan on November 21, 2009 (as the LL) for around $220. Nintendo has confirmed that it will be released in Europe and North America in the first quarter of 2010, but the company has yet to name a price.
Before covering games and gear for CNET Reviews, Jeff Bakalar dabbled in film and video production. An avid writer, reader, and gamer, Jeff is also an obsessive New Jersey Devils hockey fan. Catch him live every day as the co-host of CNET's infamous podcast, The 404. 
timeline: DS, DSlite, DSI, DSI XL.
Ok so we went from big to small to overgrown.
GG nintendo. Blink much?
Are those pics at the top of the screen mockups, or the real deal? Because it seems like they could make the buttons a little bigger too.
I see the direction that they're going. I'm not gonna say I like it, but it at least makes some sense.
I'm only hoping that they increase the resolution of something! Whether the camera, the screens, or both! I've noticed some texture-popping in both games and photography, and (as far as I know) bigger screens'll only make it worse.
Please Nintendo. Do the right thing, and save us from the horrible "textures".
That is all.
- by Stefaninafla November 4, 2009 12:08 PM PST
- Hmmm, this is something for me to consider. I am thinking about getting a portable system to be able to play games while having to wait at the doctor's office and other such things. I am severely myopic, so a bigger screen would be a plus.
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(20 Comments)I'll want to see it in person first though. If it's too big to fit in my bag it will be a no-go.