14 DAY TRIAL // The North American release dates for the new and improved Nintendo DSi handheld are fast approaching and a lot of potential customers, even those who already own a Nintendo DS, have probably gathered quite a few questions about what kind of content the platform would be getting via digital distribution. Well, a quick look at the Japanese market might offer a bit of info on that issue.
On the Dsi Ware game download service, Japanese gamers can get things like Sudoku and Phantasy Star Zero Mini, which are cheap and seem to offer a lot of value for money. Sudoku is offered by Hudson and comes in two different versions. You can get a complete puzzle version for 500 DSi Points, which is about 5 dollars and offers 150 puzzles to complete but players can also opt for a toned down version of the game, which only has 50 puzzles targeted specifically at beginners, which just costs 200 DSi Points. Considering the price of a magazine with a Sudoku puzzle attached, that's pretty good value for money and a lot of content to satisfy the Sudoku hunger.
Phantasy Star Zero Mini is also 200 DSi Points and has been created to offer players a bite-sized chunk of what the Nintendo DS online role playing game can offer. It's basically an action game in which you get to guide two fresh characters through a brand new game stage. The idea is to get a high score and compare it with those of other players. You can also play the level in cooperative multiplayer with up to four players and there is a full visual chat functionality.
The big question is whether the games that are offered on the DSi Ware in Japan will be offered to players in the United States when the new version of the handheld gets there. If so, the low prices will probably mean that the iPhone games will have a true competitor, both in terms of price and content.