If you currently own a Nintendo DSi, you’ve probably heard about the DSi’s ability to read and play music files from a SD card. This is a very exciting feature, since it enables you to also use your DSi as a portable music player. However, convincing your DSi to read music files isn’t quite as easy as simply copying them onto a SD card. To properly format your music files so that they can be read on your DSi, you do need to have a bit of technical ‘know-how’ of how the DSi recognizes music files. To simplify this process, here is an easy step-by-step guide for converting music files so that your DSi will be able to play them successfully.

Introduction to the *.aac file format for your DSi

With a quick internet search, most official Nintendo FAQ’s will tell you that the DSi is only able to read files that are in the *.aac format. However, this is slightly misleading. While you need to encode your files in *.aac format in order for them to be read by your DSi, they need to have the extension *.m4a. To explain this, think of the *.aac format as the internal contents of a music file, and the *.m4a as the container that these files are placed in so that they can be recognized by the DSi. This is the main reason why many people encounter problems with their DSi reading *.aac music files, since they are not packaged in the *.m4a container. There are several different methods that you can use to convert music files so that they can be recognized by your DSi, though the simplest method involves using iTunes.

Converting music files for your DSi using iTunes

The iTunes music player has a built-in feature that allows conversion of music files in your iTunes library to “.aac” (*.m4a) format. This is the simplest method you can use for converting your files, though the iTunes converter does take a slightly looooooooong time to convert music.

[Step 1] - Add Your Music Files to iTunes

If you don't use iTunes as your default media player (VLC ftw! :p), you will first have to import the music files you wish to convert into your iTunes music library. For organizational purposes, the best way to do this is to make a new playlist, and add the music files to be converted to that playlist. The music files can be in *.wav, *.mp3 or other music formats. If you are trying to convert music files in *.flac format, the process becomes slightly more complicated. We'll try to cover that type of conversion in another post.

[Step 2] - Select Your Songs

Select all of the songs that you wish to convert by drag-clicking over them, or by using the shift + click method.

[Step 3] - Convert Them

After your songs are selected, right click on any one of your selected songs. In the menu that appears, select the option "Create AAC Version". Once you have done this, a grayed out title of the first song to be converted will appear on your iTunes playlist. The displayed "Bitrate" and "Time" of the song will be labeled as "Incomplete" until the conversion process is finished. If you wish to check the status of your converting songs, click on the "Converting..." list that appears as the first option under the "Playlist" category on the right side of your iTunes interface.

[Step 4] - Navigate to Your Newly Converted Songs

Once the conversion process is finished, your converted songs will be displayed on the same playlist as the previous versions of the songs. However, they will usually be located in a different folder, unless you specified otherwise by previously configuring your options. By default, your converted music files will be in C:/(User)/Music/iTunes/iTunes Music/(Artist). If you can't find your converted music files, you can always right click on the song in iTunes and select the "Get Info" option, which will also display the location of the song. Remember, your newly converted files will be categorized as being in *.m4a format, not *.mp3 or *.aac.

[Step 5] - Copy your Converted Songs to Your SD Card

Select your converted songs (be sure they are displayed as being in *.m4a format) and drag them to your SD card to initiate the copying process. It's usually best to put them into a folder titled "Music" on your SD card, for organizational purposes. If you wish, you can also separate them by artist, album or genre.

[Step 6] - Play With Your Music!

You're done! Insert your SD card into your Nintendo DSi, and navigate to the "Sound" menu option. You should be able to then navigate to the folder(s) containing your music, and then play them with your DSi's sound player. The DSi has some really fun simple sound manipulation options, which can be very entertaining.

A quick note about Bitrate

If you want to adjust the quality of your converted sound files in iTunes, there is a bit of a process involved. You need to tweak this option before you convert your files. Due to the multiple steps of this process, we will cover this in a later post. Until then, you can find a general guide that will help you adjust your bitrate here.

According to a new issue of Nintendo Power, Arceus will be given away at Toys ‘R’ US all over the US between November 7th and 15th. This event is compatible with Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum for the Nintendo DS. This particular Arceus unlocks a special event that provides some backstory on the pokemon. When transfered to the upcoming HeartGold and SoulSilver titles, it will unlock yet another event that allows you to collect a Level 1 Dialga, Palkia, or Giratina.

This event is the last for the fourth generation of Pokemon, so fans are not going to want to miss it. All you have to do is take your DS or DSi to a participating Toys ‘R’ Us, select Mystery Gift from the title screen menu, and after Arceus downloads you are good-to-go.

We will post a reminder when the event goes live.

[Via serebii]

Today Nintendo of America has released the Oak’s Letter WiFi event for Pokemon Platinum, which is available until November 8th 2009. This event allows you to capture a Lv. 30 Shaymin in it’s Land Form, and change it into it’s Sky Form. To receive Oak’s Letter:

• Select ‘Mystery Gift’  on the boot menu.
• Select ‘Receive Gift’
• Select ‘Get Via Nintendo WFC’.
• Opt to receive the gift.
• Pick up the gift from any pokemart’s delivery man.

I’ll let serebii.net explain how to activate the event:

“Once picked up at the Pokémart, go to the Route 224 and make your way to the very end of it. You will see that the area has turned to be filled with flowers as opposed to the muddy rockface area it was beforehand. Professor Oak and Marley soon come up and say that you’re meant to write down what you’re most thankful for by the stone. Once done, Shaymin will appear and run up north to the Flower Paradise. Once you make your way up there, you will find Shaymin in its Land Forme ready to be captured. However, this Shaymin will also activate the Glacidea Flower and, if you already have it, it is transformable.”

Seems like Nintendo is trying to push out all of the WiFi events in a hurry, to make room for Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver.  The only one remaining for the US is the Jirachi event.

[Via Serebii]

The video above does all the talking. Team Twiizers, the hackers primarily responsible for bringing us homebrew on the Wii, have successfully executed code running in DSi mode. Using a savegame exploit in ‘Classic Word Games’ by Ubisoft, they were able to achieve what many were thinking impossible. Where do we go from here? Well if history is anything to go by, it won’t be long before we will be launching homebrew from our own systems. If things go really well, we can do it with nothing more than an SD card.

It is worth noting that the device the game cartridge is hooked up to is an Arduino, and is used for reading code in real-time. It will not be necessary to hack your own DSi when the time comes.

A couple days ago we talked about the rumor involving Pokemon Gold and Silver getting remakes, and it turns out it was true. Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver are expected to be out by Autum of 2010, as part of their tenth anniversary. The original Gameboy Color  exclusive sold over 23 million copies, can the remakes do better? Perhaps it will be a DSi exclusive this time around? Taking advantage of the extra processor power and RAM to make the game a bit more aesthetically pleasing may not be a bad thing. Battle animations anyone?

[Via Yahoo! Japan]

If most predictions are correct, yes. That’s what thousands of Pokemon fans are expecting after a surprise announcement mentioning a new Pokemon game heading this way, after last weeks episode aired in Japan (with a certain gold and silver atmosphere). This seems like the most likely possibility, as Fire Red and Leaf Green were remade for Game Boy Advance, and the DS has yet to see any remakes. It would be interesting to see what new features are added into the game, and if there will be DSi support.

We will know on May 10th, when the next episode airs. Although a remake of a great game is always welcome, Nintendo may be shooting themselves in the foot if they use the Diamond and Pearl engine again, as they did with Platinum. I think both fans and casual players are looking for something new, and it would be wise for Nintendo to deliver.

Update: The rumors are true! Read here.

Now don’t get me wrong, I completely understand Nintendo’s pre-occupation with the “casual gaming” market, but this is starting to get ridiculous. I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw a Wii or DS game (that wasn’t a port of a classic) where I said, “Wow, that looks bad ass”, or “Holy shit I can’t wait to get that game!” So what is happening? Well, Nintendo is milking everything it can out of soccer moms and confused grandparents, while making a fortune. What does that mean for us, the hardcore crowd?

Welcome to Nintendo’s official “Fuck you, we make more money from these guys” business model.

First of all, let’s touch on the GameCube to Wii upgrade. One look at the hardware shows that the Wii is not the successor to the GameCube. Hell, it’s almost the same console. Sure, the processor is clocked 244 MHz faster, and there is 45 MB RAM upgrade. However, with the exception of the graphics card (which doesn’t even support High Definition output), the Wii is simply a slightly faster GameCube with some new ideas for input. It is so underpowered that you can’t even compare it with current generation consoles. The industry was forced to put it in a different league all together.

If that wasn’t bad enough, there are barely any games for the hardcore crowd. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my Wii when it comes to certain games, but have you been to Wal-Mart or Best Buy recently and had a look at the Wii section? Talk about a lack of quality control! I went the other day and there was so much pink and yellow, I couldn’t even see the game I was looking for.

Consider the timing. In 2001 the GameCube was released. Previously, the N64 was released almost 4 years before then. Thus it made sense for the Wii to come out in 2006, but as a successor, not an upgrade. Now consider the Nintendo DS, launched in 2004. Four years earlier the Game Boy Advance was launched, thus in early 2009 there should be another successor. Instead we received an upgrade, the DSi.

Here is the problem. From a technical standpoint, the DSi is a really low powered machine and pretty far behind in respect to technology.  If history is anything to go by, this year we should be playing with a new portable system as powerful as the GameCube. Sony did it over four years ago with the PSP, so it’s not as if it isn’t technologically and economically feasible.

So what’s the deal Nintendo? What happened to that exciting company we knew years ago, pushing out the latest and greatest of systems? Are you coming back, or have you been lost forever?

Well there is SOME hope…

Nintendo knows it can only milk this cow for so long, before it kicks them in the face. Based on the world’s economic state, you can’t expect any new consoles to be released anytime soon. However Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo are all working on them.  In late 2010, we predict that Sony and Microsoft will be pushing out their new consoles. If the big N wants to get back in the big leagues (being hardcore gaming), it would be wise to do the same. Of course, to be truly competitive, it is going to have to release a console two generations ahead of the Wii/GameCube. We can hope.

Unfortunately, it will most likely be at least 2-3 years before we see a successor to the DS line. With the upgraded RAM and processor, as well as it’s new features, developers now have something new to work with. It is going to be a while before DSi exclusive games make their way into the market, and an even longer time before the casual crowd stops buying them.

The question is, when will the casual gaming market run dry, forcing Nintendo back to developing cutting edge technology? When will we get a successor, instead of an upgrade?