dsi ll – Fearless Gamer

The DSi LL launched in Japan two days ago and is already reporting strong sales. According to Famitsu publisher Enterbrain, the plus-size version of the Nintendo DSi moved more than 103,000 units on the first day.

Those aren’t incredible sales, but they’re good for a cosmetic update of the popular handheld. The DSi’s original launch sold 170,000 units in the same amount of time in Japan. The PSPgo, which like the DSi LL is more of a cosmetic update, sold just 28,000 units in that same amount of time in Japan.

There’s still no word on the DSi XL launch date for the US (first quarter 2010 is all I’ve heard), but I’d imagine sales here will remain strong. The fact that the system comes with three games pre-installed is nice, and in the case of handhelds, most people prefer a larger screen.

At a press event in Tokyo today, Nintendo confirmed rumors of a new Nintendo DS, called the DSi LL in Japan, DSi XL in Europe. The “LL/XL” in the name signifies the larger screen size, up to 4.25 inches, which is a whopping 93% increase in screen size (pixel count remains the same). It’s a strange update – the screen size increase is nice for games and internet browsing, but it bumps the device up to an awkward, less pocketable size.

The new model also comes in some odd colors. There’s the standard white, but you can also get Wine Red and Dark Brown. The DSi LL/XL will also come bundled with 3 DSiWare titles pre-installed – a couple brain games and the DSi Easy Dictionary. Again, it’s sort of a confusing mix of features. If anything, it seems like the new model is being marketed at an older crowd, not exactly the hottest market around.

The big DSi will cost approximately $220, though there’s no word on a North American release just yet.

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