Is the DSi XL right for you?

The DSi XL is about to hit shelves tomorrow, but before you run out to get one, you might want to weigh the options. First off the hardware is easily the best version of the DS yet. Bigger and brighter screens, a pen sized stylus, better speakers, and overall the quality of the handheld is a mark above the DSi. It all will come at a steep price of $190, the most for any handheld by Nintendo.

This will be a great purchase if you don't already own a DS, and still a good purchase if you currently own a DS Phat or DS Lite. It is a huge leap forward from those versions with the addition of a music player, 2 cameras, DSiWare, built in internet browsing, uploading of pictures to Facebook, etc. Keep in mind though, just like the DSi, there is no GameBoy Advance slot so keep your old one handy if you still have a backlog of GBA games to go through. You can also trade in your old system at some stores to bring down the cost of the XL.

For those of you that own a DSi, unless you are a collector, this should be passed on especially with the announcement of the 3DS less than a week ago. $190 for bigger screens and a pen stylus is a big waste of cash for a small upgrade of what you already own. Additionally, Nintendo has yet to give us a way to transfer DSiWare games to a new system. Are you ready to buy all those games again? Thankfully Nintendo announced the 3DS before the launch of the XL. We could have had a lot of pissed XL purchasing gamers had they not. The knowledge of the next generation of portables coming sometime before March of next year (most likely sometime during the holidays this year) has made up many gamer's minds to hold off on the XL.

The DSi XL can be likened to the GameBoy Micro in which the Micro was released at the very end of the GBA era, much like the XL is now at the end of the DS era. Knowing this and how much I wish I picked up a Micro makes me wonder if passing up the XL is going to have me cursing at myself again 5 years down the road.

Overall, I think many gamers should stick it out with what they have. The 3DS is going to be backwards compatible with all your existing DS games and will be able to play an all new lineup of titles. I'm guessing it will come in at around $200 so you'll need to start saving now and dropping $190 on the XL may bite you in the cheeks later.

Bigger and better screens - not exactly a pro. Sure they are bigger, but tasking an game that was programed for a cedrtain resolution, then stretching that image to fit a bigger screen with a bigger resolution can often times make the image look worse than it was originally.

Yes but I doubt they would have made the DSi XL if it looked worse, don't you?

ZeldAnTales wrote:

Yes but I doubt they would have made the DSi XL if it looked worse, don't you?

ive already seen screens where the text in game looks jarbled.

Better screens if you consider the wider viewing angle. I'll have to check out those jarbled text screens you speak of.

I don't know. I thought it looks right to me because I do have a small poor eye sites after a while.

Triz wrote:

ZeldAnTales wrote:

Yes but I doubt they would have made the DSi XL if it looked worse, don't you?

ive already seen screens where the text in game looks jarbled.

Saw a DSi XL myself at Fry's last week running Pokemon HeartGold next to a DSi with the same game. It looks exactly the same, just bigger. Text looked fine to me.

I also saw one, not Pokemon but Spirit Tracks. It all looked fine. Hater-Triz, care to post those pics you saw? J/k don't go all Incognito on me!

heh, i didnt see it in person just saw the pics on NeoGAF. I guess they could have been shopped?

I dunno, would people really go that far just to hate? I'm not doubting what you saw, I'm just curious.

NeoGaf not trustworthy IMO, same with just about any internet-related info.

I do think the DSi XL is alot better for the older people who do have problems with eye sight and gripping and things but it deffinetly also comes in handy for younger people who prefer larger texts and things, I myself am not going to get one unless I really felt the need to and I had problems with the smaller version.

I think I would get one and pass my DSi down to my daughter, but that won't happen until Nintendo comes up with a way for me to transfer my DSiWare to the XL. Otherwise no sale here.

No no no no no no nooooooooo! G*d Da**it! Fedex...............might or might not somehow lost Ian's DSi XL. If it's not lost than thank god! If it is lost then we get insurance on it for $200 and hoping-ly we save more money and get 3DS instead. Which 2 which 2 shall it be?!

How the fuck does this shit always happen? You tard-asses shoulda just saved your money anyhow.

I will say one thing for the XL over the 3DS- (aside from its awesome size) -I bet its battery lasts longer! That's not to say the 3DS doesn't have a good battery- it seems to last long on regular DS games. Just that it sucks power like MAD playing 3DS games!

People complain about the 3DS battery life around here, for usre. I don't get it, I have never even come close to having the red battery light come on, I guess I haven't really had a session last over 45 minutes, though. But I think it is fine, I take mine to work and stuff every day, no charging, sure its on standby but its charged for 8+ hours and only at 2/3 notches left.

I will say I have been spoiled by the XL's giant screen.

The Nyko super battery for the 3DS is getting pretty rave reviews on NeoGAF if you want to add a little bulk to your device.

Triz wrote:

The Nyko super battery for the 3DS is getting pretty rave reviews on NeoGAF if you want to add a little bulk to your device.

I was wondering if there was something like that. How much?

(I used it extensively on my trip, Z. Despite my best efforts, my 3DS died no less than 5 times in the week I was on my trip, and I recharged it more than 10 times. Well, extensively might be a bit strong. I did use it everyday, but it was by no means the bulk of my day. Plenty of island fun was had, too. Hmm... wish I had that Startropics 3D we imagined in another post.)

Thats really odd, I leave mine on all day long, and take it to work with me. I play it about 45 minutes at a time, then cradle it though. I guess I just never play it long enough to kill the battery before I put it back on standby and change diapers LOL.

I'd settle for OoT. :3

Now that we are in 2012 I wonder if we are going to get a redesigned 3DS shown at E3 with a built in second circle pad. Might be cool if they also brought out a 3DS XL. Well that might be saved for 2013.