14 DAY TRIAL // The Nintendo DSi LL has arrived on the Japanese market on November 22 and initial numbers suggest that the new hardware version is having an impact with customers, smaller than that of the Nintendo DSi but bigger than that of the Sony made PlayStation Portable Go. For the initial two days, the new console has moved 103,524 units and it will likely become another success for the Japanese company.
In its initial two days, the original DSi, which introduced two cameras to the handheld, has managed to move 170,000 units while the PlayStation Portable, which has ditched the UMD drive and will be getting all its content via digital distribution, has only managed to sell 28,000. The DSi XL is set to arrive on Western markets early in 2010. Its main advantage is a bigger screen, which will likely attract older gamers to tthe Nintendo handheld. The package also contains a bigger stylus, to make it easier to operate the touchscreen interface, and the viewing angle has been improved as well.
The Nintendo DSi XL is priced at 20,000 Yen, which is the equivalent of about 220 dollars, which is more than the normal DSi price of 18,900 Yen. Nintendo has stated that it plans to continue selling and supporting the DS Lite, which is the oldest of the handhelds, alongside the DSi and the new XL.
In the battle of the handhelds between the PlayStation Portable Go and the Nintendo DS, it seems that the Sony made device is slowly losing ground, with its new version not gaining much traction in sales even as the old PSP-3000 is close to the top spot in Japan. The fact that the Go is lacking a UMD drive is probably one of the major turn offs for those who might be interested in picking up a new handheld.