It’s official, the Nintendo DS has now become the most successful handheld in history as it has beaten the record set by the Nintendo Game Boy, which sold 81 million units back in its pomp. The Nintendo DS has sold a staggering 84 million consoles worldwide, eclipsing the Game Boy, and the DS still has plenty of life left in its run yet, with a new console released last weekend.

One of the reasons for the success of the Nintendo DS is that it has appealed to a new audience of gamers that previous gaming systems haven’t, such as young children and women. The DS is also targeted at families in the sense that they are encouraged to play the games together with the console’s wireless connectivity.

Nintendo proudly announced that they have sold over 454 million games for the DS, and over 20 million copies of the Nintendogs game alone.

Despite the success of the Nintendo DS and the overwhelming interest in the Nintendo Wii this Christmas, Nintendo are still wary that the financial crisis in the world could put a damper on their profits.