Nintendo's new upsized hanheld, the DSi XL, had a "solid" sales debut in the U.S. in March, according to a post-NPD report from Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter.
The handheld didn't arrive Stateside until March 28, but still managed to sell 141,000 units, Pachter said. The entire DS line, which now includes the DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL, sold 700,800 units total during the month, NPD reported Thursday evening. The portable retails for $189.99 in the U.S.
The DSi XL's main selling point is its larger screen, which measures 4.2 inches diagonally. The DS Lite' screen is three inches, and the DSi's is 3.25 inches.
The DSi XL launched in Japan as the DSi LL in November 2009, and in Europe on March 5. The Nintendo DS line has sold over 125 million units as of December 2009. Of that amount, the young DSi LL had sold 700,000 units in Japan as of the end of last year.
The larger screen of the DSi XL and the larger pen-like stylus is friendlier for older users and better for surfing the internet, Nintendo has said.
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Michael Pachter "I don't think it will be a success at launch, since it costs only $10 less than a Wii."
Also, if it turns out to boost DS line sales by 70-100k each month, Nintendo has to be happy.