DSi launches (in Japan); new WarioWare

You've probably already heard all about the newfangled DSi that's coming. It lets people purchase games and content from the DSi Store through the use of Nintendo points, it has two cameras, a sound player and recorder, powerful and fun photo editor and lots more that will alter the gaming landscape of the nearly 5 year old handheld in expense for the backward compatibility.

Well, it just got released in Japan for an equivalent of 192 US dollars (9500 pesos) meaning that you may have to expect even lower prices when it gets released elsewhere, even in the Philippines. So if you wish to import the region-locked DSi, you can do so right now.

But in other DSi news, Nintendo just announced two new Wariowares. One of them's a download from the DSi Store (WarioWare Photograph) while the other is for the millions upon millions of ordinary DS's out there (WarioWare Myself).

Now, the special thing about the latter title is that you can create your own mini-games. That alone sounds very cool, and fit even for the casual gamer since WarioWare mini-games (or "micro-games" in its lingo) are 5-seconds long, but even cooler is that you can even transport your creations into the Wii for testing through a WiiWare download.

Also available for download in the DSi Store are old WarioWare minigames from the GameBoy Advance iterations. So if one of them old minigames is what you like, then you can get 'em despite the lack of the GBA slot. Still, one would feel remorse if one had the game the minigames came from.

As for WarioWare: Photograph, the purpose of that game is obvious: take advantage of the new technology under the hood. So, in typical WarioWare fashion, you may end up having to pick a nose with your own finger instead of the stylus to achieve that goal. Note that I said "a nose" and not "your nose" which may make it even grosser. But, you know, 'tis just an example... that reminds me of EyeToy (PS2).