Nintendo DS vs DSi

[tshelton60]

Which would you recommend getting for my 6 year old twins - The Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi? Can anyone recommend the best place to find the best deal on them or any special coupons for them? Thanks!

[angelic680]

this might help ya out...

 

 

http://reviews.cnet.com/4504-4_7-0.html?id=33319298&id=31756952&tag=compare

[Catrinaf25]

I would recommand the Nintendo DS lite it can play DS games and the older games and would be perfect for their ages. When they get older you can take the nintendo Ds lite to game stop or a place like it and use it for trade in value on a DSi. Good luck I am sure they will love either!

[jerica388]

I personally would recommend the DS lite for that age. The DS lite plays the small DS cartridges and also has a slot on the bottom where you can insert Game Boy Advance cartridges. My children have found many titles in the GBA offerings that they enjoy. The GBA games only play on one screen (you can choose, top or bottom). You can buy GBA games at GameStop and some other retailers, and if you go to garage sales in the summer you could really find some deals. The GBA has pretty rugged game cartridges, and I have bought used ones many times with no problems.

 

The DSi is a nice system too, but has some differences. There is a camera in the DSi (two actually), so you can take pictures. There is also some photo manipulation software so you can do fun things with the pictures. It offers a web browser, so if you have wireless internet at home you can use it to get on the web. I do not like to use the DSi to access the internet, due to the small screen and slow speed. We have one, but if I am getting on the internet, I use the desk top or laptop. There is a DSiWare feature, where you can use the wifi to connect to the DSiware site and download games (much like the Wii channel). You can do this by purchasing points cards at WM or other retailer OR you can purchase points right on the site with your credit card (which makes me a little nervous - I always buy the cards at WM). There are 40-50 titles available, but many of them are puzzle games, card games, etc. (not necessarily geared toward the younger set). Also, when they added these wifi features they took away the GBA cartridge slot, so you can't play GBA games on the DSi.

 

One thing I will mention is that my son (10) is into Pokemon, and there are some things you can do on the DSi with the pokemon games (like trade characters from one cartridge to another I think) that you cannot do on the DS. That is the only reason my son will borrow my DSi from time to time. Usually he is content with his DS lite.

 

So for 6 year olds I would definitely recommend the DS Lite (and screen savers and Nerf cases to protect them).

 

Hope this helps.

[brainfreeze]

I second the recommendation for nerf cases. We had two of the DS lite break in the last 2 weeks. If you get a DS get some protection for it. The screen thing I don't worry so much about.

 

We will probably get a DSi to replace because with technology we always buy the latest so it will last longer. As for the GBA cartridges, unless you have a bunch lying around, it might not be a factor. We NEVER play GBA games on the DS lite(and we do own a few )because the DS was our first handheld. However, we also have a PS3 and we play almost exclusively PS2 games on the PS3, because the games are more kid friendly.

 

The DS/ DSi have more games for them then the GBA or all it's predecessors combined ever did. You will not be short of game selection. And there are tons of DS games for young kids.

 

I'm also kind of hoping we won't see the "right button defect" and the "hinge crack defect" in the DSi that was there in the DS. We had both problems and the only answer is the electronic recycling pile after a year.

 

I'm struggling with it too, mostly because I don't want to buy either, I want my 9 year old to move on to the iPod touch a be done with it, but I guess he'll have at least another year of the DSi or DS lite or until it breaks again. Was this a problem with the GBA? Did they break like this?

 

Here's what I would do. If the difference is $70 then maybe the DS is a good choice. But if the difference is $30 or $40, in the end, then I would "pony up" as they say and buy the DSi.

[racerfan]

We have had the DS since it first came out and have had no problems with any of them. We originally owed the regular DS then traded them in for the DS Lite. In all we have had a total of 6 DSs. We will be getting the DSi for DD11 since she has asked for games than have the advance technology that can work on the DSi. She will still keep her DS, she has the original white DS lite from when it first came out.

 

I also recommend the DS for a younger child, mostly because you can find it for a lot cheaper than the DSi. With their age you have to worry abot them dropping them. In a couple years I would say then you can upgrade them if they are responsible enough.

[KuponKlipper]

I would like to get more opionions on the actual internet access from the DSi. Jerica, I was reading your review and it was very helpful.

 

My daughter is almost 8 and loves to play online games such as Disney channel, NickJr, etc. We have 2 laptops in our home to share with 3 people. So, I was considering getting a cheap laptop for her, but am not sure that isn't a gift to "big" for a 7 year old (if that makes sense).

 

A friend mentioned the DSi and explained that you can use the Wifi access in my home and she could get online that way. I figure with the price of games, etc. added to the DSi, it would still be more economical than the DSi.

 

I know I am rambling, but I hope I have conveyed what I am trying to get opinions on. Any advice will be greatly appreciate. (She started out 6 months ago asking for an American Girl doll. I think she is going to have to make up her mind soon, so I am trying to "help" her with the decison :)).

[ellen zachariia]

I just read in Gameformer magazine that Nintendo is coming out with a DSiXL which is a better DSi. There had been some problems and complaints in the orginal dsi and the new xl version is supposed to of handled these. They will be in the us by February or March of this year and are making there debut in Japan next week.

 

Here is my dilemna, my ds 8 wants a dsi because my husband dropped an broke his ds. I was debating on the ds or dsi know i am thinking maybe getting him a used ds from gamestop and then wait and get a new dsi xl when it comes out. The used ds lites are 59.00 bf and I can pass that one done to my dd who will be 5 in April and has already been asking for a ds lite.

 

Any opinions and thoughts would be appreciated.

[angelic680]

Walmart Blackfriday has the Nintendo DS Lite System $98.00

 

 

Front page on bottom right White, black, pink, or red

 

http://www.blackfridayvip.com/scans/GottaDeal-WalMart.pdf

[hotchocolate]

I second the recommendation for nerf cases. We had two of the DS lite break in the last 2 weeks. If you get a DS get some protection for it. The screen thing I don't worry so much about.

 

We will probably get a DSi to replace because with technology we always buy the latest so it will last longer. As for the GBA cartridges, unless you have a bunch lying around, it might not be a factor. We NEVER play GBA games on the DS lite(and we do own a few )because the DS was our first handheld. However, we also have a PS3 and we play almost exclusively PS2 games on the PS3, because the games are more kid friendly.

 

The DS/ DSi have more games for them then the GBA or all it's predecessors combined ever did. You will not be short of game selection. And there are tons of DS games for young kids.

 

I'm also kind of hoping we won't see the "right button defect" and the "hinge crack defect" in the DSi that was there in the DS. We had both problems and the only answer is the electronic recycling pile after a year.

 

I'm struggling with it too, mostly because I don't want to buy either, I want my 9 year old to move on to the iPod touch a be done with it, but I guess he'll have at least another year of the DSi or DS lite or until it breaks again. Was this a problem with the GBA? Did they break like this?

 

Here's what I would do. If the difference is $70 then maybe the DS is a good choice. But if the difference is $30 or $40, in the end, then I would "pony up" as they say and buy the DSi.

Does the iPod touch play games? Anyone have input ? Not sure if I should get my ds 10 th4e dsi or ipod touch? TIA