Please educate a potential purchaser

[Sephiroth Strife]

Hello DS forum.

I used to be somewhat b ig on my GBA... ever since the DS came out I had no need for it because of my laptop, and my Wii, and the complete lack of time to play even what I do have.

It looks like I will be going on a road trip, and to me... eventually the beautiful tree start to look the same so i need a video game. Im thinking about buying a DS...

I am completly uniformed about much of it however.

Games I am intersted in getting

Both Advance Wars, Zelda phantom Hourglass, Super Mario 64 DS, New Super Mario Brothers...

Any suggestions?

Also... DS vs DSi.. what are the main differences?

And on a final note... is there any successor to the DS (not just an upgrade like the DSi) planed anytime soon? might change my mind if there is.

[Warp]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth Strife

Both Advance Wars, Zelda phantom Hourglass, Super Mario 64 DS, New Super Mario Brothers...

Any suggestions?

There's no shortage of SRPGs -- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, a port of the first Disgaea, the Luminous Arc series, Rondo of Swords -- for the DS, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is arriving shortly, Yoshi's Island got a port if you haven't played it before and Peach got her own game. You could lose a small fortune just catching up on games similar to these.

Originally Posted by Sephiroth Strife

Also... DS vs DSi.. what are the main differences?

Slightly bigger screen on the DSi, the removal of the GBA slot from the DSi, the addition of two cameras on the DSi, downloadable games via "DSi Ware" that aren't accessible from the standard DS(es) and games with DSi-exclusive features are starting to be released both in North America and Japan.

Price is another point; you can get two full-priced DS games along with your DSLite or you can get a DSi with no games for about the same price. There's also a much bigger version of the DSi -- the DSi XL -- due out early next year that does everything the DSi does, just with bigger screens (about an inch bigger, IIRC) and a bulkier frame. Perhaps good for people with poor eyesight or larger hands.

Originally Posted by Sephiroth Strife

And on a final note... is there any successor to the DS (not just an upgrade like the DSi) planed anytime soon? might change my mind if there is.

Nothing but rumors for the moment, but we just recently got word that Nintendo has decided on a manufacturer for the chips being used in the "DS2". Official announcement is still another year or two off, and even after the DS2 is released it'll take a significant amount of time before the DSLite and DSi are completely phased out in favor of it.