DS gets connected

With the release of its first Internet-capable game, Mario Kart DS, only six weeks away, Nintendo has started to reveal some of its plans for getting UK DSs connected. Although every DS comes with wi-fi abilities, usually you can only connect to other players in a 20-metre radius. The next stage of the process will allow you to connect to players all over the world.

The trick is to get your DS to connect to a Internet server and there are several ways of doing this. The simplest is that Nintendo will be upgrading all its DS pods in shops such as Game so that when you’re in 20-metre range, you’ll be able to connect to the pod and that will get you onto the Internet proper. Another solution will be the wi-fi hotspots that you can already find in places like Starbucks and in hotels.

All good stuff, but these aren’t always the most convenient places to get to on a wet Sunday afternoon. So Nintendo will also be releasing an adapter, which you can plug into your PC’s USB port. That way, if you have a broadband connection on your PC, your DS can piggyback it. The official pricing for the adapter is yet to be announced, but it’s thought to be around £20. Alternatively, it will also probably be available in a bundle with Mario Kart DS when that’s released on 11 November. And if you’re luckily enough have a wi-fi broadband network at home, your DS should just be able to connect directly to the Internet via that.

So that’s the technology bit out of the way. More important however is what will it be like to play Internet games on your DS? Simple is the answer. In fact, Nintendo says it will be so simple to use, even your granny could use it (always assuming your granny has a DS of course). There will be no fiddly codes or numbers to type in. All the clever stuff will happen automatically from within the game. This means that if you’ve ever swapped game codes with anyone using DS’ local wi-fi multiplayer (it’s also called adhoc networking as opposed to this new Internet networking option, jargon fans), they will be automatically on your game buddy list. So if they are online, you’ll be able to select them and ask them if they want to play with you. Alternatively, you’ll be able to play against anyone else in the world who’s online and is playing the same DS game as you. And the scores from your saved games will be used to make sure you’re playing someone who’s about as good as you are, so there shouldn’t be any easy (or too hard) matches.

But perhaps the best news of all is, apart from if you decide to buy one of the USB adapters, playing DS online won’t cost you a penny. Of course, you’ll still have to buy DS games and pay for your home wi-fi service, but apart from that ,whether you’re playing at home or using a wi-fi hotspot, Nintendo says it will be a no extra cash situation - just don’t expect Starbucks to giving away free skinny lattes.

As for the games you’ll be able to play, in addition to Mario Kart DS, Tony Hawk’s American ST8Land has been announced for this year, with Animal Crossing DS and Metroid Prime Hunters following in 2006, and there are sure to be plenty more where those came from too.