Nintendo could have done more to help existing DS owners "justify an upgrade" to the DSi, according to Wedbush Morgan games analyst Michael Pachter.
"I expected [the DSi to feature] an accelerometer to help compete against the iPhone," Pachter told CVG. "I'm not sure why they didn't include it, and it would have been a bit more of a differentiator from the current DS Lite, so I think it would have helped consumers justify an upgrade."
However, he did acknowledge that the DSi will close the gap on the PSP in terms of its new feature set.
"I think it's closer to the PSP than the DS Lite, and for the Japanese market, perhaps close enough," he said. While the DS routinely outsells the PSP in a number of markets, Sony's portable has been untouchable this year at the top of the hardware chart in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Pachter also told us that the ability to download games to the DSi will help widen the appeal of what Sony labelled a product for kids, but ultimately he's unsure whether the new handheld will be able to up the ante enough on the gameplay side of the equation.
"I'm not sure that the DSi will revolutionize gameplay, and ultimately, that is the feature that will address a broader demographic," he warned.
No, an accelerometer in a handheld would have very little use as Nintendo have tried. I don't see the point of the DSi, but if it kills off the PSP it can only be good.
A DSi Phone would be fantastic mixing gaming, music, internet, photos and an organiser would really put iphone in its place, Nintendo needs to step up as companies with there all in one devices are gonna take over as no one wants to carry around a phone, an MP3 player, a Camera or a games device separately not only is it clumpy carrying all that stuff around but you are also walking fodder for any mugger!
A DSi Phone would be fantastic mixing gaming, music, internet, photos and an organiser would really put iphone in its place, Nintendo needs to step up as companies with there all in one devices are gonna take over as no one wants to carry around a phone, an MP3 player, a Camera or a games device separately not only is it clumpy carrying all that stuff around but you are also walking fodder for any mugger!
NO. Just NO. Just look at the N-Gage and think about what've you said.
Oh jesus christ... The DS does no compete with the iPhone, the PSP does not compete with the iPhone, the 360 does not compete with the iPhone, nothing competes with it apart from other phones! I friggin have one but does that mean I now play no PSP or PS3 games? NO!
Bloody analysts... iPhone games are for killing a few minutes, real games are for playing and enjoying and not just saying "oh, it's good for a phone game" or rubbish like that.
Heck, next time I buy a toaster I should check if it has an accelerometer, can run linux and whether it counts as being in the "hardcore" market because all it does is make toast...
Heck, next time I buy a toaster I should check if it has an accelerometer, can run linux and whether it counts as being in the "hardcore" market because all it does is make toast...
c&vg it's almost enough to stop coming to this site with ref to your uncle patcher. do you not get it one bit. this guy knows nothing. why oh why would you think any of us are interested in what this w****r thinks. he never, ever gets anything correct. does this not make you think...eeerrr this guy knows nothing lets stop posting his comments.....come on c&vg, get it together.
Oh jesus christ... The DS does no compete with the iPhone, the PSP does not compete with the iPhone, the 360 does not compete with the iPhone, nothing competes with it apart from other phones! I friggin have one but does that mean I now play no PSP or PS3 games? NO!
Bloody analysts... iPhone games are for killing a few minutes, real games are for playing and enjoying and not just saying "oh, it's good for a phone game" or rubbish like that.
Heck, next time I buy a toaster I should check if it has an accelerometer, can run linux and whether it counts as being in the "hardcore" market because all it does is make toast...
Spot on.
I really love my iPhone - sure it has its problems (one being that i was trying to post a message on the CVG boards yesterday using iPhone safari and everytime i got close it froze) but it's a great bit of kit. Better than anything on the PHONE market (IMO) but it is not in competition with PSP or DS/DSi.
I have Monkey Ball and Tetris on the iPhone and while they are decent enough games, they aren't a patch on an actual handheld console. The accelerometer is a nice touch on the iPhone but I hardly think that is what DSi is missing.
DSi should have been the DS2 - improving greatly upon what is already there, not just adding a few little touches and sticking an extra letter on the title.
I remember when the original DS was launched analysts saying the PSP would destroy it. Years later the DS is bigger than the PSP, now they are saying the Iphone is better. When are they gonna wake up to the fact that people can not get enough of Nintendo. The Iphone as many have commented is a PHONE, yes its great for occasional gaming, but come on the DS is out of this world
I agree that Nintendo could've done a lot more with the DSi than they did, but an acceloramator is a stupid idea, almost as stupid as my not being able to spell it and not bothering to correct it.
Anyway, the iPhone/iPod Touch isn't even direct competition to the DS anyway. Whilst Apple have started to market the iPod Touch as a console of sorts 'the funnest (sic.) iPod ever', they're not yet in competition. It's a bit of a two way street. Apple have started to make their product look like a competitor, but Nintendo, by ignoring it, are showing they aren't in competition. Okay, stupid way of putting it.
Cutting to the chase, Nintendo could've done better with the DSi. They could've given us a true successor, but motion controls on a handheld don't make as much sense. That's like trying to play Wii sports if the screen for Tennis was on the Wii remote.
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