At the end of this year, we will launch "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" around the world with its mission to be a long seller, to revitalize Wii markets and drive the Wii tie ratio up. I was thinking about writing a script to explain about the software, but since Mr. Miyamoto is here today, you may want to ask him later what his aim is with this software.

Also, we will launch the latest iteration of "The Legend of Zelda" series for Nintendo DS around the world at the end of the year.

And now, I’d like to talk about Nintendo DSi LL, which is the brand new model for the Nintendo DS series. We made the announcement only yesterday and made some of them available at the entrance today, so many of you must have looked at them. Let me explain our objectives with this product.

We have often introduced color variations to portable video game machines since the days of the original GameBoy. This time, for the first time on the Nintendo DS series, we are launching a "size variation."

This product has two 4.2 inch LCD screens.

It may be hard for you to visualize the size with the just the number, so take a look at these pictures.

From your perspective, Nintendo DS Lite that debut in 2006 is on the (upper) right, and next to it is Nintendo DSi which we launched in 2008.

To the very left (lower left) is Nintendo DSi LL.

Why don’t we compare the screen size?

The pink dotted line indicates the 3.25 inch Nintendo DSi LCD screen size, while the white dotted line is for the 3-inch Nintendo DS Lite’s LCD screen.

When we compare the LCD screen size, Nintendo DSi LL has a screen 93% larger than that of Nintendo DS Lite and 67% larger than that of Nintendo DSi.

When you only hear about this feature, you may wonder if the bigger screens are the only difference or whether Nintendo is launching a Nintendo DS for seniors only. Nintendo does not offer new product for such limited purposes only. Nintendo DSi LL features not only bigger monitor screens, but an improved view angle on the screens to make it the first portable system that can be enjoyed with people surrounding the gamer.
Many people see portable video game device as the device that can be played by yourself wherever you are. In fact, portable video game systems so far have been developed by prioritizing the portable nature and single-player modes. Due to cost restraints, monitor screens had to be small, and LCD could not provide a beautiful view from an angle, so portable video game machines were structurally confined to game plays by a single player.

Nintendo DSi LL has screens almost twice as big as Nintendo DS Lite. In addition, the LCDs have better view angles. In other words, Nintendo DSi LL realizes beautiful game screens even for those who look at them from an angle. You do not have to peek closely into the monitor of other player’s video game to get a good view any more.

So far, when people play with portable video games with their friends, they generally need to have a corresponding number of portable game systems and connect them wirelessly. Of course, we will further promote such a play style that has been widely spread by Nintendo DS, but Nintendo DSi LL is going to offer a new play style where those who are surrounding the game player can also join in one way or the other to the game play.

When you look at the home console video games, you can understand that the fun of great games can be conveyed to and shared by those who are watching the player play. Video game is a form of entertainment that has been expanding the audience in this manner. However, when it comes to portable video games, bystanders had to peek into small screens in order to share the joy with the player. There has actually been software whose appeal can be multiplied when enjoyed with bystanders. Let me show you some examples.

Recently, a Nintendo DS game software called "Tomodachi Collection" has been maintaining strong and continuous sales. This is rather an unusual video game. You create the likenesses of yourself, your family members and your friends, and you observe how their caricature-selves live in the world of Nintendo DS. Because communications and interactions with other family members and your friends are one of the key elements of the game, the fun aspect is intensified when other people can watch how you play in comparison with when you are playing by yourself.
Also, in late November, the latest version of "Professor Layton" series will be launched. The story of this game, which is already a popular series for Nintendo DS software, features puzzles introduced in the best-seller "Brain Exercise" book series by Mr. Akira Tago. Of course, you can enjoy solving the puzzles by yourself. However, when you encounter a problem while solving some puzzles, you are tempted to consult with people around you. Puzzle solving can become more fun when you challenge them with others. Structurally, "Professor Layton" is the series suited to be enjoyed with your friends and other members of your family.

When a player can enjoy playing "Tomodachi Collection" and "Professor Layton" series on Nintendo DSi LL together with people surrounding him or her, it can lead to accentuating the appeal of these software. In other words, the appeal of the same software can be intensified by Nintendo DSi LL’s new feature and may unexpectedly become a hit title in the end.

In general, when people hear that this Nintendo DS has large LCD screens, they may misunderstand it as a system dedicated for seniors. It is true that some people felt the screen size of Nintendo DS was a bit too small for them. In fact, one shareholder said at our annual shareholders meeting this year that he wanted us to make Nintendo DS with bigger screens. Of course, the development of new hardware takes a long time, so we did not start the development of Nintendo DSi LL after hearing this opinion at the shareholders meeting, but we understand there are such needs for a bigger screen.

Nintendo DSi LL offers the very first "size variation" for Nintendo DS series in addition to color variations. At the same time, it is also proposing a new play style for portable video game device in the home.

I have already explained to you about the importance of the number of users per household. Nintendo DS has been able to penetrate into so many households, and software in brand new genres, such as "Brain Training," must have played an important role in realizing today’s situation by increasing the number of players in the household and by making people realize that these games are relevant to all the family members.
From this perspective, although Nintendo DSi LL’s positioning that this is "the first portable video game system that can be played together with people surrounding the game player" is unprecedented for a portable game device, I believe it matches well with the unique nature of Nintendo DS.