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DSiWare vs. AppStore
What can Nintendo and Apple learn from each other's download services?
Written by Chris Schilling, 07 July 2009
Two download services, two very different approaches. At the moment, DSiWare feels like an optional aside - a service for those who want more than just cartridge-based gaming, whereas the AppStore is the iPhone's lifeblood - with all its games and applications in the one place.
PlayZine Issue 29
For our latest DSiWare coverage, click here to download PlayZine Issue 29 for free.It's undeniable which of the two services has been most successful so far, though it's arguably a little unfair to directly compare the two since the vast majority of DS software comes in cartridge form rather than a digital download. But Nintendo could well learn from Apple's approach to the AppStore. Downloading games and other applications is quick, simple and easy - anything under 10Mb can be done on the move, while you'll need to be near a PC or WiFi hot spot at all times if you want to download anything on DSiWare. And the pricing is another aspect Nintendo would do well to pay heed to - with games and applications ranging from completely free to an inexpensive £5.99 for full-blown games, the 800 point 'premium' titles on DSiWare look a little overpriced compared to their iPhone counterparts, particularly in the features department.
Yet Apple's approach also has its flaws - though the AppStore is improving all the time, it's still difficult for developers to get their apps or games noticed unless they get enough positive feedback or their title appears on the Featured list. With Nintendo vetting DSi content more closely, and dripfeeding games at a rate of between one and three per week, games stand more chance of getting noticed on the DSiWare service. Though there are plenty of quality games on the iPhone, it's sometimes possible for gems to be swamped by the sheer range of content on the AppStore, often of low quality. DSiWare has its fair share of poor value titles (indeed, some of these come from Nintendo itself!) but its good: bad ratio is much higher. And the superb Art Style games are almost reason enough to upgrade from a DS Lite to a DSi on their own - the 500 point small-but-perfectly-formed puzzlers offering perfect bite-sized play for gamers on the go.
It would be great if a happy medium could be struck, but it's hard to see that really happening - Nintendo's service will undoubtedly grow to offer a greater choice, but its slightly excessive prices and lack of user-friendliness will keep it the preserve of a smaller audience than the AppStore, while good games are increasingly likely to get lost in the melee of apps fighting for attention in the crowded confines of Apple's download service.
DSiWare coverage available in PlayZine Issue 29 - click here to download it for free!
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