Nintendo DSi hitting the streets in early April?

It was bound to happen sooner or later. We've seen it hacked and seen it cracked open, and now it looks like the Nintendo DSi might finally get that Stateside release. According to IGN, the device will be hitting the shelves here in early April for $179.99. If this is for real, for real -- as the site is quick to point out, Nintendo "doesn't comment on rumors and speculation," so there's been no official confirmation -- it looks like it's only a matter of time before the fun lovin' game console finds its way into our hands. Because it's already found its way into our hearts.

[Via Joystiq]

[Ahmedz @ Jan 14th 2009 3:46PM]

Excellent...

[steverl22 @ Jan 14th 2009 3:52PM]

$180...seems a like pricey for this "Upgrade"

[Flashpoint @ Jan 14th 2009 3:58PM]

EXACTLY...nothing to see here. The cameras they've added to this thing are crap. I played with a japnese import and it wasn't a major innovation. Why not have included VIDEO CHAT?

I'd be more interested in PSP getting a video webcam added into its fram. Sony has made the PSP everything except a serious gaming machine, so it might as well be a cam-chat device.

[Josh @ Jan 14th 2009 7:58PM]

I think sticking with the Lite and getting a PSP instead isn't a bad option.

You'd be able to get some of the better games like Katamari, LocoRoco and Echochrome as well as having a semi-decent internet browser on the move. The DSi hasn't got any features - to me - that would justify a £100 upgrade. Especially since it makes most of my GBA games redundant, i don't want to have to dig out my gameboy advance!

[Tony @ Jan 14th 2009 10:22PM]

You can play your GBA games on the PSP instead. =P

[Nathan @ Jan 16th 2009 5:07PM]

I 100% agree and I'd hardly say it warms my heart to drop not only GBA support but region free games for a crap camera and some SD slot that you can already get as a third party expansion for lite. Heck I won't doubt that when you see games come out for this that they'll come out with a camera accessory for the prior models.

Nothing to see here folks, just another attempt by nintendo to milk more green out of you.

[AVG @ Jan 14th 2009 3:52PM]

The fact that the battery life has decreased significantly since the DS Lite is reason enough to pass this over completely. That's as much of a dealbreaker as the PSP-3000's crap screen. What's with these portable systems becoming LESS desirable with each revision?

[sam @ Jan 14th 2009 5:31PM]

Is the battery life lower even if you use the same screen brightness? (The max brightness goes higher than the Lite, so would obviously use more power.)

I can't really see what else it's doing to be honest, unless the battery capacity is smaller? I mean yes the screen is marginally bigger but that shouldn't make a huge difference to power usage, it's not a major change even proportionally.

(The only real point of this upgrade is downloadable DSWare games, which should be great.)

[AVG @ Jan 14th 2009 8:04PM]

When a company is trying to hype their product, they will generally offer you a "range" of battery time. The longest, of course, being while the device is using the least power. And even at its longest the DSi is sadly inadequate. I can't recall the exact numbers from two months ago or whenever, but they were paltry.

[capkingy @ Jan 14th 2009 3:58PM]

That's President Elect Obama. He is not official until the 20th.

[thelolman @ Jan 14th 2009 4:03PM]

Wrong Article.

[Decoy @ Jan 14th 2009 4:06PM]

So that would be Biden on the left?

[decypher44 @ Jan 14th 2009 4:54PM]

Decoy - great, now I'm gonna get into trouble at work. I literally laughed out loud.

[Smileypanda @ Jan 14th 2009 9:19PM]

Oh snap I get it!

[quiksilv3r @ Jan 14th 2009 4:08PM]

The point if it being this expensive is so that it doesn't bite away at the ridiculously high DS sales that have been going on recently. It'll drop in price sooner then later, but for now, this seems right.

[FILA @ Jan 14th 2009 4:13PM]

Wow, 180. Are you kidding me, thats like way over priced I can see if it was the second gen but come on. It should of been proced no more then 150. And I have yet made up my mind on gettin one, my homebrew may not work, i would have to see if they come out with a firmware upgrade, hopefully thats all it will take and second i hate that its not a glossy plastic finish like the lite is, i hate this rough gritty shit. I think ill probably end up waiting for the second gen to come out, i mean you know it'll have better graphics and bigger screens and it'll be a better design then this, and include all these little improvements, i mean i already have my NES, SNES, SEGA roms on my brew, so yea. and i dont think it will be long till the second gen shows up.

[Eltorro @ Jan 14th 2009 4:35PM]

Thanks for that unnecessary lengthly comment.

[16-bit @ Jan 14th 2009 4:56PM]

Lack of glossy finish = Less fingerprints and smudges on the black DSi

[FILA @ Jan 14th 2009 5:40PM]

well you didnt have to fucking read it now did you ...Eltorro...

@ 16-bit yea taking this from the fuckin kid who probably has a ipod and iphone and wanna tell me about fingerprints, go to hell bitch. i happen to like the glossy

[Craig @ Jan 14th 2009 6:41PM]

Why all the anger? Puberty got you down?

Just because not everyone agrees with you is no reason to be a pompous little prick.

[FILA @ Jan 14th 2009 11:08PM]

right, puberty, go count your pubes biatch

[16-bit @ Jan 15th 2009 9:43AM]

Um, no. Actually I don't have an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Sorry to disappoint you.

[rockridder @ Jan 14th 2009 4:20PM]

I do like the M22, just wish it was touch screen.

[Jon Acheson @ Jan 14th 2009 4:49PM]

Meanwhile my DS Phat keeps on ticking, and plays GBA games too.

Do not want.

[decypher44 @ Jan 14th 2009 4:56PM]

Yeah, I don't see the need to upgrade from my DSlite. Hell, all I really play on it is Tiger Woods and Mario Kart.

[Teddy @ Jan 14th 2009 5:15PM]

$149 would be more reasonable, but $179 isn't confirmed...yet. Anyway, I might still get a DSi for $179 (I would trade in a couple of DS Lites I have now) and download a few GB/GBA games to it.

Well, at least I can get matte black this time, that's almost worth $179 to me. I'm so tired of glossy black.

[thomas @ Jan 14th 2009 5:43PM]

engadget needs some rumors for the new PSP.

[sepirioth @ Jan 14th 2009 5:44PM]

WOOHOO (Get a room engagdet) :)

[Link2877 @ Jan 14th 2009 6:11PM]

I still don't see the point in this damn thing, and I call myself a little bit of a Nintendo fan. The DS is almost five years old, Nintendo should be releasing a second gen DS(or new game boy) any day now? Of course knowing Nintendo they'll most likely milk the DS for all it's worth for another year, maybe even two. Which is kind of sad because even with the new models the DS is really starting to show it's age.

[tekdroid @ Jan 15th 2009 11:59AM]

as long as sales for the DS are strong (and they are extremely strong), I'd be milking her for all she's worth, too. It would be extremely poor business not to.

Next generation I'm excited about too, but I don't see it anytime within the next two years.

[Omivaun @ Jan 14th 2009 7:02PM]

I don't see the point in getting this. two cameras? woop-de-damn-doo. SD slot? they haven't confirmed what capacity it can take. the lowest capacity I have is 4 gigs. Nintendo Ware? only thing of interest and even that may be bogged down with worse shovel-ware than wiiware. for 179 I can just get a gp2x wiz, since all I use on the ds is homebrews and emus.

[MRLN @ Jan 14th 2009 7:14PM]

There are plenty of good Wiiware games, like World of Goo, Strong Bad, etc.

Anyway, I don't think it's necessary to buy a whole new console when you can just get an R4DS or CycloDS.

[Twinkle Tits @ Jan 15th 2009 1:39AM]

180$...no thank you !

[jesse @ Jan 16th 2009 11:43AM]

Yo yo yo so is da dsi really worth it cause i can get it for 100 bucks from a jap friend- i agree dat it should include a video chat- dat be hot---- anyway fo all yall nubs i work fo square enix and i got news dat Halo might be comin to ds- yea it sounds like old news- but my higher ranks are talkin about nintendo and bungie finally agreein on a price---i have da demo and its amazin' yo!!!!!LOL It will be comin around christmas, but i think its gonna be on the dsi- not sure on which one though???!!!!

[Nintendo Ds Pink @ Apr 7th 2009 10:44AM]

nice one..^ ^