Nintendo DS Online Details

[PkmnTrainerJ]

(I'm typing this out of a magazine article so be patient, and aware of speeling errors )

Nintendo is going online and it's not going to cost you a penny. "It's no secret that we didn't invent the concept of online gaming" admitted the Excutive VP Reggie Fils-Aime, "but we do intend to re-invent it. More people means more fun, especially if you're connecting with them around the world".

Fils-Aime revealed that experienced online experts GameSpy would be powering Nintendo's Wi-Fi connection system and that two killer apps would be avaliable from Nintendo before the end of the year: Mario Kart DS and Animal Crossing DS. Nintendo has also said that "many more titles" are in development.

Online gaming can be a complex affair and that can put off less experienced players. The percentage of X-Box and PS2 owners playing online games is less than 10%, but Nintendo is aiming far higher than that. "We expect the participation rate to reflect a clear majority to owners - as high as 90%" said Fils-Aime.

Part of the key to making this happen is to remove the barriers to entry. Not only will the sytem be free, Nintendo is also catering to people who don't have wireless broadband at home by setting up at least 1,000 DS gaming 'hotspots' around the globe. You can walk in range and then play online with your DS. Simple.

"The interface will be as simple as intuitive as every other aspect of DS play" explained Fils-Aime, removing another significant entry barrier. There will be no fiddling about with network settings and the like, as PC owners have had years of enduring just to play against their friends online.

The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection works on two levels. You can either play against people you already know around the world, or have the system match you up with players of a similar level to you. Traditional online gaming is a nightmare for the new player, with online veterans using them as cannon fodder at every opportunity.

Fils-Aime made a point of saying that every first party game would be free to play online, suggesting arrangements with third-parties have yet to be made. It's clearly an attractive system to develop for though with 25 game makers already signed up. Big names like Capcom, Konami and Sega are onboard with Activision promising an online Tony Hawk's game by Christmas.

With Nintendo so commited to getting online gaming right at the first attempt with the DS, the future looks bright for Revolution. The internet is a key part of the Revolution proposition and Nintendo is insuring it has the expertise upfront so it knows it can pull it off.

Confirmed online games in production are: Tony Hawk's, Mobile Suit Gundam, Digimon World, Tenchu DS, Bomberman, Momotaro Dentetsu World, Dynasty Warriors DS, World Soccer: Winning Eleven, Jikkyo Powerful Baseball, Castlevania, Bokujou-Monogatari, Rune Factory, Contact, "Real-Time Strategy", "New RPG", Animal Crossing DS, Mario Kart DS, Proffesional Wrestling, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles.

Source: Nintendo Official Magazine UK