Nintendo - DSiXL (Nintendo Hardware Review)
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THE HARDWARE
It has been less then a year since the first DSi hit UK shores in April, yet Nintendo have already recently released another version of their popular console in the form of the new DSi Xtra Large or XL. What’s the big difference I hear you cry! Well to be honest the really isn’t one, other then the fact it is double the size of the previous consoles.
However is this a bad thing? Nope not at all. When I first used the original DSi I thought it was good console but only a good console, not a great one. Why? It didn’t seem fresh enough. It felt to hold exactly the same as the lite and somehow it just didn’t keep to expectations. However if the DSi XL had been released first then that definitely would have. It size and sleek feel is frankly perfect. I can’t imagine going back to a smaller size now. The screen size really makes a hue difference and enhances the games ten fold. The bigger stylist is also more comfortable to use and looks better. The sound has also improved again.
The only real problems I have with the DSiXL, is the lack of Gameboy slot. It was removed from the DSi because of lack of room, so why is it still not there in a DSi that’s Xtra Large? Another problem is that that the camera wasn’t improved and that does show on the huge screen. However despite the button being the same size they still feel completely fine and I wouldn’t want them any different.
THE SOFTWARE
The DSIXL has all the stuff its predecessor had and more. To start off we have the camera function, which is even more accessible, then before allotting you too much more precise edits to all the pictures you take thanks to the bigger screen. Then we have the sound function, which still for some unexplainable reason only plays AAC files not MP3. The recording function however is still s enjoyable as before but the isn’t any improvement from the last DSi.
The Shop, picot-chat, downloads and Internet channel are still there, this time with the Internet preinstalled. No big difference here and you still get a nice 1000 Nintendo points free to spend at the shop. Speaking of the shop one piece of software you will want to get free is the Flip note Studio, an animation software that was available for the DSi original but is made even better once again thanks to the huge screen.
Next we have the two new pieces of software for the DSi XL. The Dictionary and the little bit of brain training. Both of these originally you had to pay for so you getting quite a good deal here. The dictionary is my favourite of the two, being able to translate all words in to that of different languages and having a fantastic feature of being able to take a picture of a word and then look it up! Brain training is unfortunately basically the same as the actual game and nothing special.
Finally we come to playing actual games and I have to say this is where the new console shines the most. I booted up The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks and it was like looking through a window into another world. The screen really makes everything clearer, brighter and better. Pixels are made bigger but I didn’t really notice it
ROUND UP
Overall I have to say I recommend this console. It fixes most of the problems I had with the DSi and really adds to the experience. But with rumors of the DS 2 being just round the corner and possibly released this Christmas in Japan, who knows whether its reign of glory will last…
Posted by in The Music Platform Blog on Mar 21, 2010 at 13:41 UK.
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Comments
I haven't got a DS yet but will stick to the older version as I want it to play the Game Boy Advance games I got. They should come out with a DS player for Wii like the Game Boy Player for Gamecube.
And the reason why they have only included AAC for the sound player will be that they would have to pay a licence free to Fraunhofer, the creators of MP3 to include it.
Posted by Aj on Mar 21, 2010 at 16:02 UK.
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