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Nintendo DSi and DSi XL drop to $99 and $129

Weeks before E3, Nintendo has lowered the price of some of its older gaming handhelds even further, but not far enough.

Scott Stein Editor at Large
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
Expertise VR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tablets Credentials
  • Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
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Scott Stein
Nintendo

It's been a tough time for handheld game systems that aren't phones or tablets. Sometimes, the only real solution is a price drop.

Nintendo is lowering the prices of the Nintendo DSi and DSi XL, the larger-screened version of the DSi, to prices that, frankly, most people probably imagined they'd be at anyway: $99 and $129, respectively. These prices take effect May 20. The Nintendo DSi currently has an MSRP of $149 while the DSi XL is $169, which seems ridiculous considering the more powerful but more battery-challenged Nintendo 3DS now costs $169.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo DS Lite continues to sell for $99, which is the version of the DS without any downloadable game service or cameras.

It's a good philosophy to make the razor as cheap as possible to sell more blades: the blades, in this case, being older Nintendo DS cartridges. As summer vacations approach, at least it's smart timing.