Games

Nintendo Launches DSi, Rhythm Heaven

By Eli Green
April 6, 2009 - 15:20

Retailers across North America began selling Nintendo's latest iteration of its dual-screened handheld system, the Nintendo DSi , this Sunday, April 5 ^th . As with many major game or system launches, while the majority of people lay in their beds, sleeping the night away, hundreds lined up at various retailers for hours, just to be the first consumers on the continent to get their hands on the system at the crack of midnight. Here in Toronto, Nintendo and Future Shop held a midnight opening of the electronics retailer's Yonge and Dundas location, at Toronto Life Square. People were lined up around the corner at Yonge and Dundas, and things went off without a hitch. The store opened at midnight, and happy customers flooded in to get the systems.

Kenroy and Rei are the first in line at the Toronto midnight launch

Along with the DSi, Nintendo also released its latets music/rhythm game for DS systems, Rhythm Heaven , on Sunday. The new mini-game based music/rhythm game requires players to tap, hold or flick the DS' stylus to keep the beat in over 50 rhythm-based mini-games. Some of the mini-games available include games like Glee Club, in which players are in control of one of three singing characters. Players tap the touch screen at the appropriate time to keep their singer in time with the rest of the group. If players get out of rhythm, the other members of the group will get really sad.

Rhythm Heaven is controlled in three ways. Some of the mini-games require you to flick the stylus across the touch screen, like one mini-game in which you have to shoot a bolt through a nut, while others simply need you to tap the screen, like one mini-game in which you get monkeys to dance to the music. It's all to the beat though, and as the action heats up, the difficulty ramps up and the songs get faster.

The Nintendo DSi is available for $169.99 USD/$199.99 CAD and Rhythm Heaven is available for $29.99 USD/$34.99 CAD.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12