Tech

Nintendo DSi XL Review + Kirby Mass Attack and Mario vs Donkey Kong Review

A hot product that many kids are likely asking for this Christmas is the Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi. I was lucky to receive a Nintendo DSi XL to review. It happened to show up on our doorstep on the twins’ birthday. What better timing could Nintendo possibly had? Needless to say, Carter & Brechin were absolutely ecstatic to receive such an amazing gift. Kelman (older brother) has been jealous ever since. He sneaks off to play it whenever his brothers aren’t paying attention.

The Nintendo DSi XL has great reviews and I’d like to add to it. One of my kids’ favorite features is the voice recording. They are able to record their voices and then speed it up, so they sound like the Chipmunks! I find it absolutely hilarious as well – until the 50th time they’ve played their recording. 😉

You can get the Nintendo DSi XL for as low as $149, in select colors. Each color varies slightly in price. The Nintendo DSi XL has a top screen as well as a touch screen. Both screens have similar features.

The camera has a 640 x 480 pixel resolution, 0.3 megapixels. Taking pictures is another favorite thing to do with the DSi. This game system also has Wireless Communication with a range of 30 to 100 feet. This system comes with three software titles pre-installed including: Brain Ageâ„¢ Express: Math, Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters and Photo Clock.

You can also get 4-17 hours of game play with a 3-hour charge. The battery life is really pretty good. Another wonderful feature that us parents can be happy about is that there are parental controls. You can choose what features you want your child to have access to.

I like to moderate how much time my kids play on electronic devices, but I do think they are important for their motor skills and dexterity. I know the Nintendo DS has really helped one of my twins to develop his dexterity and motor skills a little more fully. He didn’t used to be as good at these kinds of games as his brothers. He is really catching up, and I find that the fine motor skills he is learning help him in other areas of his life.

With the Nintendo DSi XL, we also received the Nintendo DS Game of Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini Land Mayhem. First of all, my boys are a big fan of Mario, so this game was a hit right away. This game is a rescue game where Mario needs to rescue Pauline by guiding Mini Marios through 200 action-puzzle levels, filled with traps set by Donkey Kong. Such a fun game that my boys keep on playing.

I also received Kirby Mass Attack for the Nintendo DS. This game has a 5 star rating on Amazon. In this game, Kirby is split into 10 pieces, which means you will control up to 10 Kirby characters at once. You will work to defeat enemies and find treasures.  The number of Kirby characters under a player’s control is important, as some challenges require a specific number of Kirby characters in order to be solved. When the number of Kirby characters is increased, players can gain the upper hand.

To play this game and control Kirby characters, you can do so by using the stylus or the touch screen. My kids really do tend to use both methods. Players can find hidden medals throughout different levels, which will in turn unlock a wide variety of mini-games. The fun with this game is really endless.

Your kids (or yourself) will have a blast with any or all of the above games and system!

 

Be sure to keep an eye out for any of the above products this holiday season. I’m guessing there will be some sweet sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday! I will be posting deals for both!

 

*I received each of the above products from Nintendo, to review. All opinions expressed are my own true opinions.

 

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Emily Buys

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