Nintendo DSi

Design and hardware characteristics

• Form factor: a slimmed and slightly altered clamshell that retained two screens, one of which is touch-sensitive.
• Cameras: internal and external cameras were added, enabling basic photo capture and software that used images for gameplay and customization.
• Storage and expansion: built-in flash storage and an SD card slot allowed downloadable content and saved data outside of cartridges.
• Removed features: the DSi omitted the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot found on earlier DS models, affecting backward compatibility with GBA titles and some accessories.
• Performance and audio: modest internal upgrades and improved audio output supported new software types and services.

Software for the DSi included both traditional retail cartridges and a growing catalog of downloadable titles distributed through Nintendo's DSi Shop under the name DSiWare. Some games and applications were written specifically for the DSi’s additional features, meaning they could not run on older DS hardware. At the same time, most standard DS cartridges remained playable on the DSi, preserving the large existing library of games.

Development on the hardware is known to have started shortly after the DS Lite was released, in late 2006. Nintendo publicly announced the DSi in 2008 and launched it first in Japan, with staggered rollouts elsewhere. The company later offered a larger-screen variant, the Nintendo DSi XL, which catered to users preferring bigger displays and enhanced readability.

In historical context, the DSi is often noted as Nintendo’s first handheld to incorporate cameras and a dedicated digital distribution channel for small downloadable games and applications. These introductions foreshadowed broader moves by Nintendo toward online services and digital sales on later systems. While it did not radically change handheld gaming on its own, the DSi bridged traditional cartridge-based play and the expanding world of downloadable content, leaving a clear influence on subsequent portable consoles.