About The New Nintendo DSi Portable Handheld Game System

7 Interesting Facts About Nintendo DSi

With the April 2009 release of Nintendo’s newest handheld game system superstar, much buzz has been generated about Nintendo DSi. Most of these facts are public knowledge. Yet some of these facts are not as well known. Here are 7 interesting facts about Nintendo DSi that are sure to capture your imagination.

What does “DS” stand for in the “DSi.” Well, Nintendo doesn’t have an official answer for what the “DS” in the DSi stands for. When asked, they only said that the “DS” stands for “developer’s system” for their developers – which is the established meaning of the abbreviation. When asked what the letters stand for when it comes to their consumers, all Nintendo said was that “DS” may stand for “dual screen.” Take note that their word in answering is “may.”

In accordance with the answer on what “DS” means, Nintendo doesn’t have an official answer to what the “i” in “DSi” stands for. Nintendo is being very mysterious about Nintendo DSi, and the “i” is one of them. Some say that the “i” is a shortened way of referring to “eye,” which could refer to the 2 cameras found in the handheld gaming system. Others say that the “i” could refer to the pronoun “I” which represents the individuality that is often observed about Nintendo DSi.

Early design sketches about Nintendo DSi reveal that the original design planned to integrate 2 slots for game cards. Hence, the original design was actually 3mm bigger than the Nintendo DS Lite.

An interesting financial fact about Nintendo DSi – in its first 30 days in the market, it sold almost as many units as the Nintendo DS Lite on its first month of release. This was particularly relieving for Masato Kuwahara, head of the engineering department, who feared that the market may not be receptive to a product that is a mere supplement to an existing one.

Development of the Nintendo DSi started in 2006 when the Nintendo Wii was released in the market. The original idea was to improve the connectivity between the handheld and its console counterpart, much like how the Sony PSP synchs perfectly with the Sony PS3. Things have changed since then. The DSi has evolved into an entirely different system!

One fact about Nintendo DSi is that it was released primarily to expand on the DS’ existing demographics. Nintendo wanted something that was capable of other social applications so that the product may appeal to more females as well as to an older crowd.

One more interesting fact about Nintendo DSi that few people know – its matte finish is more than just for aesthetic flair. The Nintendo DSi uses a special kind of industrial paint for its coating on it’s matte finish. Guess what it does … it helps prevent fingerprints from ruining the finish!