DSi LL (DSi XL)

[Prazzie]

And we havn't even started on all the different colours!

But for PAL regions, the XL will only be available in the dark brown and wine red, right?  Does anyone have one yet?  When they said March 5 for PAL regions, does that include South Africa?  Because I haven't even heard a whisper about this in any stores yet.  I see that it's R1685 in the Amazon.co.uk store, but of course they won't ship it to SA directly.

I really want one.  I don't have any handheld consoles, but I was tempted by the DSi.  Luckily I've held out until the XL, because I'm more than tempted, I'm chomping at the bit.

Earlier in this thread someone noted that the touch pen would be sold separately.  According to Amazon, the touch pen is included.  Would love to hear from someone who already got one!

[Boerseun]

The following press release is taken from the Nintendo SA website.

05/03/2010
Nintendo announces 2010 line up of exciting new hardware and games

This April heralds the launch of the newest member of the Nintendo DS family: the Nintendo DSi XL. Get ready to experience your favourite Nintendo DS games like never before – on the big screens and via the wider viewing angle of the Nintendo DSi XL. With 10.7cm screens, which are 93% bigger than the screen on the Nintendo DS Lite, the DSi XL will really bring the adventure and action to life.

The Nintendo DSi XL will be launching in 2 new colours - wine red and dark brown and comes fully pre-loaded with two software programmes: A Little Bit of…Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function, as well as the Nintendo DSi Browser.

It’s not only Nintendo’s handheld range which is growing! Players will be pleased to know that due to popular demand, Nintendo will now be continuing to sell the exclusive Limited Edition Wii Black Hardware Bundle containing Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Wii Motion Plus for all to enjoy! That’s a total of 15 great sporting activities with the precision of the Wii Motion Plus all in one box.

And that’s not all! Nintendo’s software line-up continues to entertain all and players will find themselved immersed in the exploration of mysterious settings of the Pokémon™ Mystery Dungeon series, coming soon to Nintendo DS. With 3 epic adventures to the series: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky and Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness you're sure to be hooked by the beautifully interwoven storyline.

Professor Layton and his inquisitive sidekick Luke return to Nintendo DS, on another mysterious journey packed with brand new mind-bending puzzles in Professor Layton and Pandora's Box and you'll have to hit the right note as you explore vast landscapes and battle sworn enemies in The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks.

The gloves are off as lengendary boxing game PUNCH-OUT!! comes to Wii.  Enter the arena as the feisty young fighter, Little Mac, and take on some colourful apponents such as Von Kaiser, King Hippo and Glass Joe, as you follow your dream to World Champion status!

For something more relaxing, the first Harvest Moon game created exclusively for Wii is on it's way. Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility gives you more freedom than ever before to experience your own slice of rural paradise. You’ll raise livestock, work the land with the Wii Remote, establish friendships, find a spouse and even raise a family.

2010 brings all this and more your way, so keep and eye out here on the official site for updates!

So it seems we'll be getting it in April.  

I wonder what the price will be.

[Nerfherder]

Can you watch movies on the DS ?

[Prazzie]

Thanks Boerseun, I'm so excited now.  I wanted to get a DSi for the Prof Layton games, so I'll get those, and now I'll get Harvest Moon as well.  I have the original VC game and Harvest Moon Magical Melody.  By April I should be able to have saved up enough to afford splurging on the XL and those games. 

[xeroboxer]

This sure is excellent news. My guess for pricing would be +-R2599. Lets hope and see.

The following press release is taken from the Nintendo SA website.

05/03/2010
Nintendo announces 2010 line up of exciting new hardware and games

This April heralds the launch of the newest member of the Nintendo DS family: the Nintendo DSi XL. Get ready to experience your favourite Nintendo DS games like never before – on the big screens and via the wider viewing angle of the Nintendo DSi XL. With 10.7cm screens, which are 93% bigger than the screen on the Nintendo DS Lite, the DSi XL will really bring the adventure and action to life.

The Nintendo DSi XL will be launching in 2 new colours - wine red and dark brown and comes fully pre-loaded with two software programmes: A Little Bit of…Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function, as well as the Nintendo DSi Browser.

It’s not only Nintendo’s handheld range which is growing! Players will be pleased to know that due to popular demand, Nintendo will now be continuing to sell the exclusive Limited Edition Wii Black Hardware Bundle containing Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort and Wii Motion Plus for all to enjoy! That’s a total of 15 great sporting activities with the precision of the Wii Motion Plus all in one box.

And that’s not all! Nintendo’s software line-up continues to entertain all and players will find themselved immersed in the exploration of mysterious settings of the Pokémon™ Mystery Dungeon series, coming soon to Nintendo DS. With 3 epic adventures to the series: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky and Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness you're sure to be hooked by the beautifully interwoven storyline.

Professor Layton and his inquisitive sidekick Luke return to Nintendo DS, on another mysterious journey packed with brand new mind-bending puzzles in Professor Layton and Pandora's Box and you'll have to hit the right note as you explore vast landscapes and battle sworn enemies in The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks.

The gloves are off as lengendary boxing game PUNCH-OUT!! comes to Wii.  Enter the arena as the feisty young fighter, Little Mac, and take on some colourful apponents such as Von Kaiser, King Hippo and Glass Joe, as you follow your dream to World Champion status!

For something more relaxing, the first Harvest Moon game created exclusively for Wii is on it's way. Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility gives you more freedom than ever before to experience your own slice of rural paradise. You’ll raise livestock, work the land with the Wii Remote, establish friendships, find a spouse and even raise a family.

2010 brings all this and more your way, so keep and eye out here on the official site for updates!

So it seems we'll be getting it in April. 

I wonder what the price will be.

[Prazzie]

This sure is excellent news. My guess for pricing would be +-R2599. Lets hope and see.

Then it would be cheaper to buy from Amazon.co.uk (R1680) and have someone forward the package to me.  I hope the pricing is on par with the international prices.

[Prazzie]

I see it's listed on Take2's More UK for R2,858.  'n Bietjie te duur vir my, ek vra liewer my neef om dit vir my te pos uit Engeland uit.

[Prazzie]

The American release date has been revealed as March 28.  The recommended retail price is $189.99 = R1390.

From Nintendo of America Press Room:

NEW NINTENDO DSI XL MAKES PORTABLE GAMES MORE SOCIAL WITH EXTRA-LARGE SCREENS

System Launches March 28 with Pre-Installed Software

REDMOND, Wash., March 18, 2010 – From bank balances to IQ scores, there are many things people would love to see increase by 93 percent. Nintendo, for its part, is determined to significantly boost the social fun of portable gaming. Launching March 28, the new, extra-large Nintendo DSi XL™ hand-held system makes it easier for everyone to gather around and have a good time. It features 4.2-inch screens that are 93 percent larger than those on the Nintendo DS™ Lite system. The improved wider viewing angle of the Nintendo DSi XL screens also provides a new way for people to enjoy games with friends and family, making it easier than ever to watch and join in the fun.

Nintendo DSi XL will be available at a suggested retail price of $189.99, and that includes three titles that have been pre-installed on the system. These include the brain-training games Brain Age™ Express: Math and Brain Age™ Express: Arts & Letters, as well as Photo Clock, which lets users customize the pictures on the background of their clock. Nintendo DSi XL launches in both Burgundy and Bronze, with a glossy top and a matte-finish bottom for a better grip.

"For some people, good things come in big packages," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Our Nintendo DS family of systems has been going strong since 2004, and this new portable system really lets players enjoy the fun together."

Nintendo DSi XL is launching at the same time as two portable games that demonstrate the social nature of the new hardware. America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking uses the larger screens to help multiple chefs chip in to prepare delicious recipes. In WarioWare™: D.I.Y., the larger screens help players see all the details as they create and share their own microgames.

Beyond the social experience, the larger Nintendo DSi XL screens draw players in and make games feel more engaging. Eye-popping graphics are beautifully rendered. Even people who have been playing Nintendo DS games for years will see them take on a new life with Nintendo DSi XL. As always, playing is believing. To truly understand the difference Nintendo DSi XL makes, you have to experience it for yourself.

Nintendo DSi XL includes all the same features as the Nintendo DSi system, including two cameras and photo-and sound-manipulation tools. With a broadband Internet connection, you can also upload photos directly to Facebook to share with friends or access downloadable Nintendo DSiWare™ games via the Nintendo DSi Shop.

To help celebrate the launch of Nintendo DSi XL, Nintendo is asking the public to choose things in their lives that they would like to see 93 percent bigger. The poll lists fun, humorous options, including sound speakers, swimming pools and furniture. The poll is a great way for people to get social as they show off their responses to their friends. People can check out the "What would you like 93% bigger?” application on Facebook® Platform at http://apps.facebook.com/ninetythree-percent or visit the @NintendoAmerica profile on Twitter to answer the poll questions for themselves.

Remember that Nintendo DSi XL features parental controls that let adults manage the digital content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit www.nintendodsi.com.

[Boerseun]

I found the following quite interesting.

GoNintendo review: DSi XL

The Nintendo DS...Nintendo DS Lite...Nintendo DSi...and now the Nintendo DSi XL. We all know that Nintendo loves to revise and perfect their portable platforms, but these releases seemed to come in quite rapid succession. The original DS phat hit the market back in 2004, and now we're three revisions down the road. With the 3DS announced for an unveiling at E3 2010, you have to wonder if the DSi XL is going to be the last tweak that Nintendo makes to their mighty dual-screened portable. That also leads us to another question. Should Nintendo have stopped revising the portable after the DSi came out, or is this XL version just what the gamer ordered?

Personally, I'm still trying to get over the shock of the DSi XL announcement. When I first heard the rumblings of a DSi revision so quickly after the platform hit the states, I thought it was a bunch of bull. Then just a few days later, I was learning all about the mega-sized version of the DSi. Why would Nintendo remake a platform that was pretty damn new?! Couldn't they have released the large version instead of the smaller one, or at least put out both platforms at the same time? These are questions that people are still trying to answer, and I don't know that we'll ever figure out the reasoning behind the decision. That's okay though, we don't have to understand those choices. All we're here to look at is if the DSi XL is worth your time and money.

Let's just do away with the big elephant in the room, shall we? The DSi XL doesn't offer any different usability over the DSi before it. For all intents and purposes, this really is just a super-sized version of the DSi. When we went from DS to DS Lite, we could clearly see the design changes and screen brightness impact. The jump from DS Lite to DSi was even bigger, bringing us the birth of DSiWare. Sadly, the jump from DSi to DSi XL doesn't offer potential customers any new features to interactivity to fiddle around with. These changes are purely cosmetic, and some might say that the changes were for the worse.

Earlier today, Reggie said that once you use the DSi XL, you'll never go back to the other platforms. When it comes to the screen size, I'll have to agree with Reggie. The massive screen size difference when compared to the DSi is amazing. I couldn't help but laugh when I played my first game on the DSi XL, simply because I couldn't get over the size difference. If you had any trouble with eyesight on the DSi or any other version of the DS, this platform is going to make things a lot easier on you. Some people might take issue with some minor graphic artifacts due to the stretching of visuals, but quite honestly, I believe the size increase to far outweight any niggling issues people will have in that department.

Another positive that I don't hear people talking about very often is the sound quality. It's unclear whether Nintendo went with better speakers or not, but the sound quality and volume on the DSi XL is noticeably better than the DSi. I actually believe it has something to do with the case design around the speakers, as the system proportions this time around allow the sound to flow freely a bit better. When you're staring at bigger screens, you want some bigger audio to match it. For those of you that play without headphones (such as myself), I gladly welcomed the change.

I also have to mention a bit of PR that Nintendo let out about the DSi XL...a comment that made me scoff. One of the big points that Nintendo makes with the XL is that the viewing angle is bigger and better, allowing friends and family to join in on the gaming fun with you. Of course, they can't play the games alongside you (except for the rare game that puts two players on the same system), but they can at least watch and interact while you go about your gaming business. I didn't think that would ever happy, but I have to admit that that very thing has been happening to me. I've had multiple occasions where both friends and family sat down at a table together to check out the latest DS game, with WarioWare: D.I.Y. being the most recent. We not only worked on creating games together, but we took turns playing the microgames. As long as you have the right software, getting a crowd around the DSi XL shouldn't be that hard.

The one major negative I have with the platform is also one of its major selling points. The DSi XL is pretty damn big...much bigger than the DSi. For a lot of gamers out there, the DS platform provides the perfect gaming experience for someone on the go. Slip the DS in your pocket, and you're off. With the DSi XL, portability becomes a little less possible. You can definitely slip this sucker into some of your pockets, as well as your purse/backpack, but it's going to eat up more room. I don't want to make it sound like the XL is a beast, but compared to the current DS hardware lineup, it's definitely the big boy of the bunch. This big boy is going to need some extra room to breath, and he's not going to cram into any DS/DSi carrying cases you have. If you go with the XL, prepare to pick up all-new accessories.

Another minor quibble comes in with the extra large stylus. Now, I love the stylus itself. I never want to go back to using that little dinky thing. The DSi XL does come with a smaller stylus, and it's tucked away in the system. If you want to use the superior stylus, you're going to have to remember to bring it with you. There's no place to store it in the system. I'm guessing that Nintendo saw the pen-sized stylus as something you would use at home, while the smaller one fits into the system for travel. That's great and all, but just like Reggie said, once you go XL you won't want to go back!

Do I recommend the DSi XL for purchase? That's really a tough question. When the DSi came out, I couldn't shout loud enough for gamers to trade in their current DS for the DSi. The only real reason to hang onto the DS Lite/DS Phat was for the GBA support. Now, if you happen to have a DSi already...I can't give you any huge reasons to upgrade. If you want bigger screens and sound, then the XL is for you. If you're looking for new features or content to push you over the edge, you're not going to find it here. The DSi XL is the first DS revision that doesn't feel like it brings something new/exciting/necessary to the table. It's only there if you like your portables on the bigger side.

I'm not saying the DSi XL is a bad system. It's far from bad...it's absolutely fantastic! It's just hard to recommend to someone that has a DSi already. If you haven't picked up any DS platforms yet, you'll definitely have a hard decision to make. If you want better portability, stick with the DSi. If you want superior sound and display size, XL is for you. Which choice are you going to make?

The above reviewer makes some very salient points.  I'm still keen on picking one up, but I'll be making the jump from the original DS to DSi XL, which in my opinion makes it worthwhile.  Someone who already has a DSi may not feel the same way. 

Although really, we're talking about different markets here.  DSi is portable.  DSi XL is intended for people with poor sight and/or others who like doing their portable gaming at home (like myself).  Then you also have the issue of the GBA slot being absent from both these models, and a DS lite suddenly seems a good deal also (weighs less than original DS and has better screens).

Decisions, decisions!

[SJ]

Nintendo will launch its DSI XL tomorrow http://newswires.theinquirer.net/c/11njw5CetookppQEWQ
 

[Kush]

Is that the one that can play the 3d game on it?

[rodwii3]

This is the large version of the DSi (with slightly better speaker output and longer battery life). It's only expected to launch in South Africa at the end of the month though? If you're waiting for the 3DS then you'll have to wait at least a year, and then you'll have to wait longer still for the game library to be grow. Life is too short to have to wait that long for a console. My recommendation is to get a Nintendo DSL/DS XL now, and sell it next year if you really want to - the 3DS will be backwards compatible with existing DS games. 

[Stabinface]

Hello everyone, I am rather excited about the launch of the big screened monster. I had a lite but sold it a long time ago for a PSP. At the time it was a good idea but it lacked the pick up and play style of gaming I needed.

Who else is getting one? From where? I want to grab mine from a shop since pre-ordering sometimes has you waiting longer. 

[The Valentine]

How much will it be? I'm using an orignial phat DS, but it's too expensive for me.

[Stabinface]

Take 2 has it for R2000 I think it will be around 2500