Nintendo DSi LL Coming to Japan with 4.2-inch Screens

Nintendo is cranking up its DSi handheld line with the DSi LL, coming to Japan on November 21 with 4.2-inch displays.

In mobile gaming size and portability have always been huge factors in a product’s success—but Nintendo has decided its going to take a chance with its new Nintendo DSi LL (Japanese), due to launch in Japan on November 21 with a 4.2-inch dual-screen displays. Overall, the DSi LL will be about 20 percent larger than its predecessor, and offer some 93 percent more screen area.

The expanded display will no doubt help the Nintendo DSi LL compete with the Sony PlayStation Portable, which has always featured a larger, single-screen design.

The Nintendo DSi LL will also feature a more pen-like stylus with a pocket clip, along with changes to the DSi’s speaker outputs. The specs are otherwise similar to the rest of the DS line: SD card slot, DS card slot, Wi-Fi, microphone input, and headphone output. Nintendo’s specs also point to improved battery life.

Nintendo hasn’t made any statements whether it plans to introduce the DSi LL outside the Japanese market; the DSi LL comes less than a year after Nintendo rolled out the DSi handheld gaming unit, which has proven to be a top seller. However, with Nintendo Wii sales finally slumping (after utterly dominating video game console sales for nearly three years) Nintendo may be looking to both diversify and solidify its lead in handheld gaming.

The Nintendo DSi LL will go on sale in Japan on November 21 at a suggested price of ¥20,000, or about $220 USD. In Japan, pre-installed software will include Nintendo DSi Browser, Moving Notepad, DSi Brain Age Training Hen Arts, Brain Age Hen DSi, and Kiyou Akira Rakuhiku Language Easier. The unit will be available in wine red, dark brown, and natural white.