Game cards will unlock new content in Spectrobes

With the shadow of Pokémon looming large, Buena Vista Games (BVG) is going all out to ensure its role-playing creature collecting and training game, Spectrobes, has a fighting chance.

One area where it's keen to compete is online. It's just announced how the DS game will link into the main Spectrobes website, both in terms of downloading new content and logging high scores.

You'll be able to download videos, new creatures, custom parts, and more minerals directly, using the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. And there will be plenty of other online community features too.

For example, the first time you log onto Spectrobes via the wi-fi Connection, a personal planetary patrol badge number will be created for you that can be synchronised to your profile page on the main Spectrobes' website. Once set up, this page can be used to display the details of all the creatures you've found, as well as their customised armour and weapon set-ups.

A global highscore table will also track the best players by analysing performances during various battle sequences in the game.

Finally, you'll also be able to take on a friend's set of Spectrobes in the Wi-Fi one-on-one battle mode, or participate in organised tournaments for up to 16 players.

Potentially even more impressive than all that, however, is Spectrobes' use of physical game cards.

Each Spectrobes game box will include what BVG refers to as 'code input cards'. Once you've unlocked a special ability within the game, you can simply place the card over the DS touchscreen and use your stylus to tap the holes in the card in the right order to unlock new content, such as creatures and minerals, in the gameworld.

Extra collectible trading cards – they are translucent and lenticular, don'tcha know – will be available to buy in stores.

Still being dug out of the ground and revived from its fossil form, Spectrobes is due to be released on March 16th.