{"id":140986,"date":"2025-06-22T00:46:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T00:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=140986"},"modified":"2025-06-22T00:46:35","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T00:46:35","slug":"why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are DSi games so expensive?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#Why_are_DSi_games_so_expensive\" title=\"Why are DSi games so expensive?\">Why are DSi games so expensive?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" title=\"Frequently Asked Questions\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#General_Information\" title=\"General Information\">General Information<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#Nintendo_DS_and_DSi_Comparison\" title=\"Nintendo DS and DSi Comparison\">Nintendo DS and DSi Comparison<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#Pokemon_Games\" title=\"Pokemon Games\">Pokemon Games<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#Pricing_and_Value\" title=\"Pricing and Value\">Pricing and Value<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/#DSi_History_and_Features\" title=\"DSi History and Features\">DSi History and Features<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_are_DSi_games_so_expensive\"><\/span>Why are DSi games so expensive?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>DSi games have become <strong>extremely expensive<\/strong> in recent years, with prices <strong>doubling or even tripling<\/strong> due to <strong>increased demand<\/strong> and <strong>limited supply<\/strong>, driven by a combination of <strong>nostalgia<\/strong> and the fact that many of these games did not sell as well as modern games when they were first released. The <strong>rarity<\/strong> of certain titles, such as <strong>Magician&#8217;s Quest: Mysterious Times<\/strong> and <strong>Mega Man Star Force 3: Red Joker<\/strong>, has led to <strong>high prices<\/strong>, with some games costing <strong>hundreds of dollars<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"General_Information\"><\/span>General Information<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>What is a DSi?<\/strong>: The <strong>DSi<\/strong> is a <strong>handheld game console<\/strong> released by <strong>Nintendo<\/strong> in 2008, featuring <strong>dual screens<\/strong> and improved <strong>multimedia capabilities<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can a DSi play 3DS games?<\/strong>: No, <strong>Nintendo 3DS Game Cards<\/strong> can only be played using a <strong>Nintendo 3DS family system<\/strong>, and not on a <strong>DSi<\/strong> or other <strong>DS<\/strong> models.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How many DSi games are there?<\/strong>: There are <strong>659 games<\/strong> released on the <strong>DSiWare<\/strong> platform, offering a wide range of <strong>gaming experiences<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nintendo_DS_and_DSi_Comparison\"><\/span>Nintendo DS and DSi Comparison<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Do DS games run better on DSi?<\/strong>: <strong>DS games<\/strong> run in <strong>DSi mode<\/strong> when played on a <strong>DSi<\/strong>, using the <strong>DSi hardware<\/strong> built into the console, but do not have access to the <strong>improved specs<\/strong> of the <strong>3DS<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Should I get a DSi if I have a 3DS?<\/strong>: Unless you&#8217;re a <strong>collector of portable gaming systems<\/strong>, there&#8217;s no reason to purchase a <strong>DSi<\/strong> since the <strong>3DS<\/strong> gives you access to the same <strong>games<\/strong> and <strong>features<\/strong> plus a bunch of others.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is the Nintendo DSi discontinued?<\/strong>: Yes, the <strong>DSi<\/strong> and <strong>DSi XL<\/strong> quietly ceased production worldwide on <strong>September 30, 2014<\/strong>, ten days before the release of the <strong>New Nintendo 3DS<\/strong> and <strong>New Nintendo 3DS XL<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pokemon_Games\"><\/span>Pokemon Games<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong>Why are old Pokemon games so expensive?<\/strong>: <strong>Old Pokemon games<\/strong> are expensive due to a combination of <strong>nostalgia<\/strong> and <strong>limited supply<\/strong>, as well as the fact that many of these games did not sell as well as modern games when they were first released.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is White 2 a sequel to Black?<\/strong>: Yes, <strong>Black 2<\/strong> and <strong>White 2<\/strong> are direct <strong>sequels<\/strong> of <strong>Black<\/strong> and <strong>White<\/strong>, taking place two years after the events of the first two games.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can I catch Zekrom in Black 2?<\/strong>: You can <strong>catch Zekrom<\/strong> in <strong>Black 2<\/strong> after <strong>beating the Elite 4 and Champion<\/strong>, and then visiting <strong>N&#8217;s Castle<\/strong> to find and battle <strong>N<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pricing_and_Value\"><\/span>Pricing and Value<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li><strong>Will DS games go up in value?<\/strong>: Yes, <strong>DS games<\/strong> have become <strong>extremely expensive<\/strong> in recent years, with prices <strong>doubling or even tripling<\/strong> due to <strong>increased demand<\/strong> and <strong>limited supply<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Are old Pokemon cards worth keeping?<\/strong>: If you&#8217;ve been taking good care of your <strong>1st Edition Pok\u00e9mon cards<\/strong>, they could be <strong>worth something<\/strong>, but if not, you&#8217;ll probably only get a few bucks max.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Why are 1999 Pokemon cards so expensive?<\/strong>: The <strong>1999 Holographic Charizard<\/strong> is from the <strong>original Base Set<\/strong> of <strong>Pok\u00e9mon<\/strong>, making it a <strong>vintage<\/strong> and <strong>highly sought-after<\/strong> card.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DSi_History_and_Features\"><\/span>DSi History and Features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"13\">\n<li><strong>What does DS stand for in DSi?<\/strong>: The <strong>DS<\/strong> in <strong>DSi<\/strong> stands for <strong>dual screens<\/strong>, a key feature of the <strong>Nintendo DS<\/strong> series.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Why did the DSi remove the GBA slot?<\/strong>: The <strong>GBA slot<\/strong> was removed from the <strong>DSi<\/strong> to improve <strong>portability<\/strong> without sacrificing <strong>durability<\/strong>, in response to <strong>consumer demand<\/strong> for a slimmer handheld with larger screens.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How much did a DSi cost when it came out?<\/strong>: The <strong>Nintendo DSi<\/strong> launched in the <strong>United States<\/strong> on <strong>April 5, 2009<\/strong>, at an <strong>MSRP of $169.99<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why are DSi games so expensive? DSi games have become extremely expensive in recent years, with prices doubling or even tripling due to increased demand and limited supply, driven by a combination of nostalgia and the fact that many of these games did not sell as well as modern games when they were first released. &#8230; <a title=\"Why are DSi games so expensive?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-are-dsi-games-so-expensive\/\" aria-label=\"More on Why are DSi games so expensive?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-140986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140986"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/140986\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=140986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=140986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}