Here I am stuck with my old white Nintendo DS Lite, lusting over the cool new features that are found in the brand-spanking new Nintendo DSi. I’m not so concerned about missing out on that camera and SD card slot as I am about missing some of the new games that will be released in the months and years to come.

Rather than forcing you to purchase all new hardware to enjoy the new games, it seems that Nintendo could be working on games that play on both the Nintendo DS and the DSi. These “DSi Enhanced” game cards will play normally on a regular DS or DS Lite, but you gain additional features when these games are inserted into a DSi.

Nintendo DSi Hardware Group project leader Masato Kuwahara said that you may be able to “create textures from photographs taken with the DSi camera.” If you play the same game on the DS, you won’t be able to do that, but you’ll still be able to play the game.

For example, you could find a “DSi Enhanced” version of Animal Crossing: Wild World where you can take a picture of a pattern and it can be translated as new clothing for your character or new wallpaper for your virtual home. Going forward, you may also be able to partake in face-mapping for custom characters. This adds to the game experience but is not a required element.