DSiWare will be ‘quality over quantity’
Nintendo continues ‘not’ competing with the iPhone
The thing is, the iPhone needs some competition. Whether gamers personally acknowledge Apple’s handset as a gaming system or not, there’s no getting around the fact that millions of users have flocked to its downloadable catalogue of software.
The market research has therefore been done for the DSi, and a bit of sharp competition from an established and experienced games company like Nintendo would be great for the consumer, and the health of the DLC market in general.
Yet on the same day of the DSi’s UK release, Nintendo of America president, Reggie Fils-Amie, continues to try and distance Nintendo from the App Store.
“What we don't want to see is a game that is available on a number of other platforms, either mobile or home, nor do we want to see games that don't take advantage of the unique capabilities of the DS," Fils-Amie tells Wired.
Which is all well and good for the hardware manufacturer, but is hardly a benefit for the end user. The DSi has the potential to balance out the digital games distribution network, though Nintendo is proving to be even more of a hindrance to developers than Apple.
"We want a more limited number of breakthrough applications and games, not a litany of thousands upon thousands of applications that really don't excite the consumer very much," he continues.
And a ‘limited number’ of applications is exciting? Surely choice is what consumer wants, not excessive developer restrictions. Hopefully a couple of killer apps will appear on DSiWare very soon, to give the iPhone the challenge it needs to keep its gaming fresh.
Got a DSi? Give us you initial impressions of the DSi Store.
