Nintendo DSi LL Coming to Japan with 4.2-inch Screens

By Geoff Duncan October 29, 2009

Nintendo DSi LL thumb — Image used with permission by copyright holder

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 DSi LL (dark brown) — Image used with permission by copyright holder

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

I was burnt out on video games until I dusted off my Nintendo DS

A Nintendo DS sits on a table with a few game boxes.

It was mid-December, and I’d just finished my final assignment of 2023. A hectic year full of exciting games capped off with yet another monumental achievement for the medium, the Meta Quest exclusive Asgard’s Wrath 2. No longer locked into playing a never-ending stream of zeitgeist games that I had to keep up with for work, I was finally free to play whatever I wanted.

There was only one problem: The thought of playing a game made me sick. It turns out that playing well over 100 new releases in any given year is a straight path to burnout. Who would have thought?

Gaming

One of the best sci-fi games ever made is coming to Nintendo Switch next month

outer wilds nintendo switch indie world

During the November 2023 Indie World Showcase, it was revealed that many intriguing indie titles are coming to the Nintendo Switch over the next year. One of the show's biggest announcements was that Outer Wilds -- a critically acclaimed sci-fi game about exploring a solar system throughout repeating time loops -- is finally coming to the Nintendo Switch next month.

A Nintendo Switch port for Outer Wilds was first teased in 2021 and intended to be released during the summer of that year, but it did not make that release window. We did not hear much else about the port until now outside of a mention during one of publisher Annapurna Interactive's own showcases. An Indie World Showcase segment dedicated to the game showed some of its physics-based spacefaring gameplay in action on the Switch, and it seemed to look nice and run at a solid frame rate. Called Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition, this version of the game comes with the Echoes of the Eye DLC and will launch digitally on December 7. It will get a physical Switch release sometime next year.

Gaming

When does Hogwarts Legacy come out on Nintendo Switch?

A student waving a wand in Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy is the latest and greatest adventure in the magical Harry Potter universe. Set in the 1800s, the story focuses on a generic fifth-year student who’s tasked with taking down a brewing Goblin rebellion in-between their school duties. For Potterheads of all ages, a game that allows them to traverse the halls of Hogwarts, learn their favorite spells from the books and films, and fight enemies like dark wizards, trolls, and dragons is an absolute dream.

The game launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC in February. While reviews were mixed across the board, longtime fans jumped into the wizarding world in droves — over 15 million copies of the game have been sold to date. Unfortunately, players on the top-tier consoles were the only ones who had access to the game for a while. Instead of launching on all platforms simultaneously, Hogwarts Legacy's release has been staggered.