A Personal History
This DSi has been my handheld companion since 2009—that’s 17 years of history. It has travelled with me across the globe; the furthest being the Philippines. As well as joining me at university. Everywhere I went, my DSi was there with me.
I vividly remember a friend kindly offering her GBA to play Bratz. It consisted mini-games of an ice-cream machine and skateboarding. I never felt so excited before. I did want a laptop, but this? I had the entire world of Bratz in my hands? I was hooked!
I asked my parents for one. “Not yet.” Then, the DS Lite came; Nintendogs was everywhere. I asked for that instead. “Not yet.” I was only a child with no understanding of “how expensive things are.”
Eventually, I did get it as a Christmas present in 2009. It took us a while to purchase as I used a whole bag of change at Tesco’s new self-checkout machines. A lovely lady helped us out. Thank you whoever you are, I still remember you.
My first games came in a free bundle: Rhythm Paradise, SimAnimals, and Rabbids Go Home. I thoroughly enjoyed the camera and my little collection of games. Every morning and after school, I routinely played on my DSi. I adore looking at old photos, as they were through the eyes of a child. Some may be an odd choice of photos, but I understood why she shot it. They gave a glimpse of what I found was beautiful, interesting, or worth remembering. Including those goofy faces. My DSi holds a very special photo of my baby sister next to our newborn brother, taken a day after his birth.
It was later that I (and every child) got the R4. This was given to me while vacationing at the Philippines. So most games I loved aren’t physical copies, sadly. On the bright side, most games are very affordable now. Except for Pokémon.
Connecting with people
The DSi was the perfect bridge to bond with my friends. I was a shy child. Games like Mario Kart, Mario Party, Animal Crossing, and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords built the most joyful memories. Whenever we hosted or attended a party, I always looked forward to play with others. I truly appreciate the DS download play–you only needed one copy for everyone to take part in. It is saddening that the feature is long gone. It truly embodied the social aspect of joyful gaming.
There was also pictochat! Any time we had a road trip with friends—them being in their parents’ car—we would send messages on pictochat. That was before we had phones.
Sharing the console was great too. Ma loved playing Cooking Mama and Animal Crossing. She has clocked in 2000+ hrs of Animal Crossing on the Switch. That’s been her obsession.
My first Pokémon game was Diamond. The start screen spooked me out for its dark colours, eerie music, and a “roaring monster.” I started the game, walking around the bedroom interacting with all objects. I was, literally, stuck in the first room. So I closed the game for a while or so. A friend pointed out that I had to walk downstairs. I didn’t know the pixels on the top right were stairs, it looked like an odd furnishing to me! How silly! Anyway, that’s how my journey with Piplup started. I wish I could play Pokémon for the first time feeling again.
A resurgence
I visited CEX the other month; I was shocked with the 3DS prices. £200 for a pre-owned unboxed New 2DS XL! I bought mine for only £130 when it came out. The DSi and DS Lite are more affordable than the rest. I looked through my collection of DS and 3DS games; finding Pokémon White 2 with my second incomplete playthrough. I felt like finishing what I started. There was a bit of resistance as I was unsatisfied with my team, so I gave a good couple of hours to curate. Getting all those badges and feeling the struggle (I was under-levelled for some battles) felt rewarding. I no longer felt the need to grind; I am now a ‘mature-enough’ player to be more strategic with my team.
I do think how you play a game indicates your personality, because there is a lot of decision making. Maybe you’re risk avoidant so you grind your team until you feel ready, or you’re a risk-taker and feel comfortable to brute force a battle. Maybe you’re someone who likes to experience new things so you go out exploring, or someone who likes to get things done so you travel from A to B.
Just a thought!
I’ve been replaying Dragon Quest 9, too. It’s probably my 1288289th replay.
I went back again to purchase Tinker Bell and The Sims. It is such a joy to play on the DS. It just works. It plays games, fits in any designer bag, and no noisy nonsense. I absolutely hate ads and notifications. It allows me to appreciate the game more without that annoyance. For being at least 17 years old, the tech is still incredibly impressive. It retains the same battery since unboxing, which lasts around a day of intense playing.
With this rediscovered joy, handheld tech and video games are becoming a part of my daily life again. Instead of an escape. I enjoy filling the time playing Tinker Bell instead of doomscrolling. I wake up, play a bit, do my morning skin care, coffee, read a book, and then do what business is required for the day.
The device is old, and yet we could still learn something from it. Currently, there is a lot of tech and gaming decisions that I strongly disagree with. If Sony is genuinely abandoning physical discs–I will be stopping at PS5, I’m afraid. Their recent decisions haven’t been looking favourable either. I also see that pre-owned market will be more expensive as we continue to value physical media.
Nostalgic favourites
- Animal Crossing: Wild World
- Pokémon Diamond
- Style Boutique
- Mario Kart
- Mario Party
- Cooking Mama
- Barbie Musketeers
- Imagine: Fashion Designers
- Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
- Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded
- The Little Mermaid
- Pokémon White 2
- Dragon Quest 9
- Tinker Bell
- Winx Club: Mission Enchantix
- A Witch’s Tale
Love,
