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Nintendo DSi XL Review
On November 21, 2009, the last console in the DS family, the Nintendo DSi XL, went on sale. It was on sale for just under five years and sold 13 million units.
We said about the Nintendo DSi that it is a very controversial model, but can the same be said about the Nintendo DSi XL? Or did Nintendo improve it? Let's try to figure it out.
The Nintendo DSi XL is the fourth and final console in the Nintendo DS family.
Nintendo DSi - on the right.
And as you might have guessed, compared to the Nintendo DSi, it has one obvious advantage - larger screens.
And this advantage makes this console unique not only in the Nintendo DS family but also in the Nintendo 3DS family. But more on that later.
A small digression. This console was sold under two names: Nintendo DSi XL and Nintendo DSi LL. These are exactly the same consoles, just for different markets. The LL version was sold in Japan, and the XL version in America and Europe.
Console Package
The Nintendo DSi XL came in a nice light box.
Inside you will find:
1. Console;
2. Large stylus;
3. Charger;
4. A bunch of instructions and paperwork.
Console Dimensions
The Nintendo DSi XL is simply huge.
| Console |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions |
Width: 161 mm Height: 91.4 mm Thickness: 21.2 mm |
Width: 137 mm Height: 74.9 mm Thickness: 18.9 mm |
Width: 133 mm Height: 73.9 mm Thickness: 21.5 mm |
The weight of the Nintendo DSi XL is 314 grams (NDSi 214g, NDS Lite 218g).
Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL
In the Nintendo DSi review, we wrote that the changes in this console (compared to the Nintendo DS Lite) were not significant enough to make it a preferred choice.
We lost support for Game Boy Advance games, but gained support for Nintendo DSi games and the DSiWare online store, which initially opened for selling low-budget games.
In addition, we got some minor changes: the screen was increased by 4 mm, an additional brightness level was added (which does not make the image brighter than the Nintendo DS Lite), and the weight was reduced by 4 grams.
The only positive change that really deserves attention is the support for more modern wireless network access protocols (WPA2).
But there were also changes for the worse: the Nintendo DSi has the smallest battery capacity among all the consoles in the Nintendo DS family, and its dimensions are larger than the NDS Lite.
Summing up the comparison between the Nintendo DS Lite and the Nintendo DSi, there is no single compelling reason to buy the DSi.
If you want to understand how the Nintendo DSi XL conceptually differs from the Nintendo DS Lite, read the article: «Nintendo DSi Review», because, in essence, apart from the size of the console, the Nintendo DSi XL repeats the Nintendo DSi in everything.
But let's get back to the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL.
Despite the increased size, the DSi XL did not get an additional slot for NDS cartridges, as originally planned for the DSi. The strangeness is that the second slot was removed from the DSi to make the console smaller. It's not clear why it wasn't returned when the console size increased and there was free space?
Read more about the second slot for NDS cartridges in the Nintendo DSi console in the article: «History of Nintendo DSi».
Before moving on to the main bonus of this console, it should be noted that the Nintendo DSi XL has a larger capacity battery (1000 mAh). Because of this, the console's battery life is still less than the Nintendo DS Lite, but much more than the Nintendo DSi.
And the most important change is the larger screens. We need to discuss them in more detail.
Nintendo DSi XL Screens
Since the DS Lite, Nintendo wanted to release a Nintendo DS Lite XL with larger screens. They even reached the final stage of development, but the release of this console was canceled (details can be found in the article «History of Nintendo DSi XL»).
This idea was implemented a little later. Just during the development of the Nintendo DSi XL. The console was equipped with large IPS screens.
Moreover, these screens had wide viewing angles.
There were also some complaints. The screens were enlarged, but the screen resolution remained the same. This means that the pixelation became more noticeable.
On a small screen, the pixels are not as visible, so some people might prefer this image.
However, if you compare the image from DS games on the New Nintendo 3DS XL and the Nintendo DSi XL, the picture is somewhat different. First, the resolution of the DS is much lower than that of the 3DS (256 x 192 pixels vs. 800 x 240 pixels). Because of this, DS games can be played in two modes: original or stretched.
In both modes, there will be borders on the sides, but if you leave the original resolution of the game, the image will be very small.
And if you play in stretched mode, the image becomes "soapy." The picture seems to be blurred.
And here arises the main question: what do you prefer? Clear pixel graphics or smoothed images?
If you prefer pixel graphics, then the Nintendo DSi XL is your choice. If not, then maybe you should consider other consoles.
Usage
Despite the somewhat "old-fashioned" look, the console itself is made of good materials. The lower part of the console is slightly rough and more pleasant to the touch than the NDSi and NDS Lite.
As for the buttons, they are exactly the same as on the Nintendo DSi (with a short travel). Some might find this more convenient, but it's a matter of personal preference.
Personally, I find it easier to press buttons with a longer travel (like on the NDS Lite). But that doesn't mean I experience any discomfort when playing on the Nintendo DSi XL.
On the top of the console, there is a charging port, L and R buttons, a cartridge slot, and holes for hanging the console on a strap. Now you don't need to turn off the console if you want to change the game cartridge. The Nintendo DSi XL recognizes cartridge changes on the fly.
At the bottom, there is a headphone jack.
On the right side, there is a compartment for the stylus (it is 8.5 mm longer than the DS Lite and 4 mm longer than the DSi) and an SD card slot. It supports memory cards (SDHC) up to 32 gigabytes. In addition, you can use Mini SD and Micro SD memory cards (with an SD adapter).
On the left side, there are volume buttons. By the way, the buttons themselves adjust the sound slightly better (than on the NDS Lite).
On the back, at the bottom, there is a battery slot, the console's serial number, and the mandatory legal text. And on the top part: a camera and a mini-light (I still don't quite understand why it's needed).
On the front, at the bottom, a power button has been added. Right in the center - a selfie camera. On the left: indicators for console operation, charging, and Wi-Fi. On the top part of the console, the speaker holes have been changed again.
How to Play on the Console?
When we talk about Nintendo DS games, the first thing that comes to mind is regular flash cartridges. You download games onto them, insert them into the console, and everything is ready.
But on the Nintendo DSi XL, new games appeared:
1. Nintendo DSi Enhanced (they can run on Nintendo DS consoles, but they won't have additional features, so on DSi consoles, they will have extra features);
2. Nintendo DSi Exclusive (they only run on Nintendo DSi).
Nintendo DSi Exclusive games were distributed in two ways:
- Through the console's application (online store) DSiWare;
- On physical cartridges.
If we talk about the DSiWare online store, it has not been working since March 2017. And if we talk about physical cartridges, only 5 games (applications) were released!
So what's the result?
If you want to play DSi games, you will have to mod the console (99% of flash cartridges cannot run DSi games).
Also, Nintendo DSi games have regional restrictions. You can read more about this in the article «Nintendo DSi Review».
iQue DSi XL
Of all the iQue DS family consoles, the iQue DSi XL version was never released.
Epilogue
When I first tried playing on the Nintendo DSi XL, I was a bit disappointed by the pixelated image, as the pixels were too noticeable. But when I was writing this review, I caught myself thinking that this time I didn't feel any discomfort from the image. And considering that I'm slightly annoyed by the side stripes on the console (if you play DS games on the Nintendo 3DS), it turns out that the Nintendo DSi XL is the perfect console for those who want to play on a large screen.
