Nintendo DSi and DSi XL price drop

Nintendo has announced that from 30 June the SRP of Nintendo's DSi and DSi XL hand game consoles on sale will be reduced by over $50.

The Nintendo DSi previously retailed at an SRP of around $NZ344; the new price will be around $275. The DSi XL model, which was previously around $412, will retail at around $345.

The original Nintendo DS launched in 2005 as the successor to the Game Boy Advance. Since then the popular handheld device has gone on to sell over 3.1 million units in Australasia.

In 2009 Nintendo launched the DSi as an upgrade to the DS Lite. The DSi boasts two cameras, an SD memory slot for extra storage, access to the online Nintendo DSi Shop and larger touch-screens than its predecessor.

The Nintendo DSi XL was launched in 2010. The DSi XL has all of the features of the DSi, but with even larger screens (110mm compared to the DSi's 83mm), giving players increased touch-screen precision and a wider viewing angle. The DSi XL is more than just a games console. It arrives with not just a pre-installed selection of games, but also a suite of useful applications. Photo Clock turns the machine into a photo frame, complete with a clock and alarm function, while Flipnote Studio can be used as a notepad and to create hand-drawn animations with the stylus.

The DSi and DSi XL can connect to the internet via a wireless hot-spot or wireless home network using the built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi. Both models are compatible with Nintendo's vast DS and DSi games catalogue, but not Game Boy Advance cartridges.

The DSi and DSi XL have both been eclipsed lately by Nintendo's latest handheld, the Nintendo 3DS. While the 3DS features a pair of significantly smaller touch-screens than its predecessors, the displays are of a higher resolution and capable of stereoscopic 3D without the need for glasses. The 3DS is also compatible with the DS and DSi software library as well as its own 3DS titles. A 3DS will currently set you back around $489.