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The ever-nearing US release of the DSi has been a mixture of Good News and Bad News to those who pay close attention to Nintendo hardware.
The Good News is that they will still be able to play their old DS games, since the DSi isn't really an upgrade in that fashion. They will also have a whole new library of games with DSiWare to look forward to, as well as a host of multi-media functions.
The Bad News is that, with the GBA slot gone, they will be losing a very well-loved library entirely, as well as losing features on DS games that give special bonuses when interacting with specific games in the GBA slot. (Pokemon fans in particular may be miffed by this, since they won't be able to bring their older Pokemon with them to the new games).
Of course, they could always hold onto their DS Lites for as long as possible, but if something happens where the systems break down and/or get lost, there is the fear of not being able to get a replacement.
For the moment, the DS Lite isn't going anywhere but there is the very real possibility of it being phased out once the DSi really gets going. When asked about the potential for the DS Lite being phased out in time, Nintendo rep David Yarton would only say:
We'll let the market decide. We expect some people will upgrade, but we also anticipate that we'll win over people who were still undecided on DS; the extra features will help convince them. There's an extra incentive.
Will the camera, DSiWare and multi-media functions really convince enough people to "upgrade" away from some of their older, beloved games, as well as convince Pokemon fans they don't really need their Emerald Pokemon in Saphire?
THE VERDICT by Sports Legends
What do you think?
What do you think?
