The Nintendo DSi is coming to U.S. retailers sooner than expected, Nintendo announced today, with the Nintendo DSi scheduled to ship in North America on April 5. The DSi is the third iteration of the popular handheld system and will include a built-in camera, among other functions.
Available for $169.99, the Nintendo DSi will be available at launch in both blue and black.
The most noticeable new feature of the slim Nintendo DSi is its two cameras, one on the external body and one pointing at the user when the handheld is flipped open. The camera includes 10 different interactive lenses that can take and manipulate users’ photos, which then can be shared with family and friends.
Not surprisingly, the cameras will also let gamers interact with their games, much like the touch screen gave the original Nintendo DS a new input mechanism.
Another enhanced feature is the Nintendo DSi Sound application, which serves as both an interactive voice recorder and music player that allows users to play with their music while they listen to it. Users can access different audio filters or control the pitch and speed of recorded voice or music files to alter voices or change the tempo of a song. The mic is located between the two screens when the device is flipped open, and there is also a stereo headphone output that lets users listen to music saved on an SD card, even with the screen shut.
In the world of software, Nintendo DSi will be the platform for the most relevant and fun on-the-go games and applications. The Nintendo DSiWare application will populate Nintendo DSi with software that can be downloaded using Nintendo DSi Points directly to the portable system, just as WiiWare has with Nintendo’s Wii.