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No one seems to be able to do handheld games quite like Nintendo – which is why some 30 million DS consoles have been sold since their debut in 2004.
Nintendo's latest handheld system, the $169.99 dual-screen DSi, should keep sales figures strong.
It's 5.4 inches wide, 2.9 inches long and weighs about 7.5 ounces. It doesn't look much different than its predecessor. But the DSi comes with two built-in cameras that can be incorporated into gameplay, multimedia capabilities including a voice recorder, plus downloadable games and applications.
Incidentally, the new DSi Shop bears more than a passing resemblance to Apple's App Store, allowing gamers to use “DSi points” to download the content. Games and applications will “cost” 200 to 800 points apiece, or more for premium software. New DSi owners get 1,000 free points good through Oct. 5. You can buy additional points; a 2,000-point card, for example, runs $19.99.
The selection was pretty good for a start-up, and downloading games is easy (so long as you have a good Wi-Fi connection). While at the shop, users can download an Opera-powered Internet browser for the DSi, which I found to be pretty solid.
Among DSi's other features:
Brightness setting is adjustable to five different levels.
A built-in audio player serves as a voice recorder and can play AAC music files loaded onto SD cards.
The battery can provide up to 14 hours of play.
Parental controls can be adjusted to help manage content for little ones.
Photos can be shot through 10 different built-in filters, and then shared via the Internet.
My kids loved playing with the DSi. The interactive features are clearly a cut above, and the DSi store clears a path for an ever-expanding library of new games.
Best of all, you don't have to drive to the store to get them.
New game teaches your kids to sing
Disney Interactive's “Sing It: Pop Hits,” due this fall, will feature 30 master recordings and popular music videos from kid-friendly favorites like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Colbie Caillat, Demi Lovato, Hannah Montana, Jesse McCartney, Coldplay and One Republic.
The game allows players to sing solo or to pair up with a friend for duets and head-to-head battles. A new “Sing It Pro” mode claims to help teach players to actually sing, through vocal exercises and lessons on everything from how to control breathing to the basics of pitch.
More Games N Gadgets news: langstonwertz.blogspot.com.
Langston Wertz: 704-358-5133 or lwertz@charlotteobserver.com.
