The way i have always seen it is. I the system can play games that the other system cant then it is a different System


So the DSi can play all the DS games but the DS cant play all the DSi games. Hence the DSi is a new handheld and its sales should not be counted with the DS/DSlight.

@Carl

Good minds think alike

If the dsi isnt counted as a new system then why is theh ps3 or wii for example counted differently. They both play past games. (except for the ps3slim)

Jeesh people can't take a joke without getting all defensive. anyway....

As far as new games not being played on old consoles...

Gameboy and gameboy color are still counted together.

Many of the later N64 games could not be played on a regular N64 without purchasing the add on, they needed the memory expansion (not sure if newer N64s had this extra RAM built in).

PSP go will most certainly have download only games that the previous PSP models will not have.

Dsi will still be counted with DS, period, it is now here, it is now by Nintendo, and it's not goign to change. I don't get why people care so much anyway.

@Carl

EXCELLENt, I didn't think of the GBA games thing lol!

Haha I've never seen someone miss a point harder than this.  Really I was laughing out loud.

Anyways it's still 7th generation.  I think the GB and N64 comparisons were a good example.

But despite all technicalities if you want to know when we moved on to another consoles all you have to do is look at the financial reports.  Nintendo will tell you when they think their system is separate.  As far as I know they still count the DSi in the DS line so it's still a 7th generation console.  That's what everyone else goes by and that's what you should go buy.  They'll tell ya when they are moving on to a new generation.

Haha, my point is that DSi is 7TH GEN NOT NEXT GEN, i am agreeing with you

Alright I'm going to start contributing my opinion on the matter to this thread. The DSi is NOT a new system because it's main use is to play DS games, not DSi exclusive games. It is advertised as such, and therefore it isn't a new system.

Other handhelds on the market that competed with it during it's lifespan (and pretty much only during its lifespan. WonderSwan died sooner, but the NGPC lived as long as the GBC did). It certainly looks like it's own little generation in there, with 3 distinct competitors. Otherwise, you would have to lump the original Game Boy's "competition" together between the WonderSwan, NGPC, GG, TurboExpress, and Lynx, which could encourage the idea that those 6 consoles competed together, which never happened.

What I'm really wondering is did anyone actually think their answers out?  If Nintendo released the DSi and intended it to be the next generation don't you think they would have advertised it as such?  I'm sure Nintendo could have raked in a hell of a lot more sales if they were saying DSi is the new wave in handheld gaming to put all the others to rest instead of saying the new iteration of DS.  Hmm obviously Nintendo still thinks it is part of the DS series and they show that in their financial reports.  Thus every respectable site keeps it that way. 

The point you are all missing is "next generation" is MARKETING not a bar line.  Anything can be marketed as anything.  You can argue technicalities that don't exist about generational differences all you want but the people that decide in gaming when the generation changes is Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony.  And trust me they will not hesitate to tell you they have a next generation console coming out because they know they can generate more hype with that than the latest iteration.

We don't decide when a generation begins or ends.  Sony could release a PS3 that is 2x more power than the current PS3 and if they still group it as a PS3 then it is simply a new iteration.  Sure we can discuss technicalities but they amount to nothing.  Because we all know that if they had intended it to be the next big thing they would have advertised it as such.  Next generation is really just marketing. 

Generations are defined by time, not graphics whores. This is not up for debate. It never has been.

That said  would consider the DSi part of this generation because i's an update of existing hardware...even if it does have exclusive games.