Mario Kart DS & Nintendo WiFi!!!

Ghost · 11-17-2005, 12:24 AM

Today was the release of Nintendo's Nintendo DS WiFi ready game, Mario Kart DS.
I gotta say it's an even better port of the 64 game with additional features and tracks much like the Gamecube's.
But that's not the best part.
Besides being able to play wirelessly with other local players around you in 8 player mode, you can also play anyone IN THE WORLD not just anyone in the US of course.
While the PSP has already shown it also has abilities to go WiFi due to some games especially being able to browse the net, Nintendo has started up a WiFi network globally, for their upcoming wave of online games.
Tomorrow will be the release of Tony Hawk's American Sk8land, with games like Animal Crossing and Metroid Prime games coming out in the coming months.
(I can hardly wait for Animal Crossing worldwide!)
There's also a small USB adapter coming out for the DS for your computer as well which is pretty sweet.
Anyways I've seen alot of talk going on for the PSP here lately, so I figured I'd come around and add some fluff for the DS!

Also new great games to check out for the DS:
Sonic Rush (amazingly fast, the BEST 2D Sonic game MADE!)
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Rub Rabbits (formerly known as "Where Do Babies Come From?" Sequel to Feel the Magic (great game!)
Kirby Canvas Curse (amazing use of the touchpad, great game)

Ghost · 11-18-2005, 12:24 AM

Also failed to mention that, while there is a Hotspot locator at the Nintendo WiFi website where you can find spots near you that support Nintendo, you can buy a separate USB WiFi connector that will enable you to hook it up to your PC (must have XP and broadband DSL or Cable) and create your PC into your own Hotspot! It also supports up to 5 DSs to connect at your Hotspot at a time. HOW FRIGGIN KEWL IS THAT?!?! Not even Sony thought of doing something like that. The connector is only $35 straight from Nintendo and will hit stores soon.

Miikael · 11-18-2005, 08:54 PM

Yeah that's a pretty cool move by Nintendo, I also love the current info about what they're planning to do online with the Rev, so it's good to see them jumping on the internet bandwagon this time. Only little niggle about the DS Wi-Fi is that it seems to support WEP-only atm and not WPA, can't say I'm too fond of using WEP in my home network. Also the dongle seems to be pretty standard so it's not really needed that you buy the Nintendo dongle in case you know your way around networking. Other brands/makes might be cheaper. If of course you already have a wireless network you don't even need the dongle which saves you money which you can spend on a game, woo-hoo!

Don't own a DS yet myself, as with the GBA I'm sure the DS will see somesort of make-over in the future and as I kinda dislike the current look of the machine I'm gonna sit and wait for an overhaul, perhaps with a better screen as well, who knows.

Ghost · 11-18-2005, 09:04 PM

After trying to figure out what niggle and dongle was, I sorta agree with you. At the moment, it would be impractical (for myself) to have a wireless connection with my routing set up at home due to where everything is at. And while there would be hacks around to getting online with the DS without the connector, it definitely helps those that don't know how to get around those loopholes (which are many) and get up online and running without as much as breaking a sweat. And yeah it does cost as much as a game, (in my case a Xbox game since I next day air-ed the piece to my house) it was definitely money well spent. I do agree with you on the shape of the DS but it's almost year 2 and still nothing but new colours for it, so who knows, I'm happy with it and looking forward to getting everything that Nintendo and others are going to release for it. Definitely a much better line up then what the PSP has got going on.

Miikael · 11-18-2005, 11:53 PM

I think niggle is just a term which leaped out of the vast array of useless mindfarts I call words, not a true beauty like "flabluristic" but it'll do. A dongle is actually an accepted IT term for the adapter-like hardware which was sometimes used as copy-protection for software, you had to have a "dongle inserted in your LTP port" (does this turn you on yet?) to be able to use certain programs. I believe it's ok to use the term for things like these USB Wi-Fi adapters as well, I see them being called dongles all over the place anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost

And while there would be hacks around to getting online with the DS without the connector, it definitely helps those that don't know how to get around those loopholes (which are many) and get up online and running without as much as breaking a sweat.

No that's the thing, the Nintendo dongle (lovely word innit?

) is just the same as normal USB Wi-Fi adapters, it's pretty bog-standard, the only thing this adapter (or version) has are DS settings already safely baked into the thing, no need to set anything up (or hardly anyway). You really don't need networking hacks or magic voodoo to get the DS online with a different USB dongle (last time I swear!) or with a normal PCI Wi-Fi card.

Or so I've been lead to believe. By well informed people. Can't say I've tried it yet myself so I don't know all the ins and outs, but I trust them. For reasonable tech-savvy people getting the DS online should work a treat without hacks, cracks and little Miyamoto dolls. That's why I said some people could well save their money and spend it on a game instead.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost

I do agree with you on the shape of the DS but it's almost year 2 and still nothing but new colours for it, so who knows, I'm happy with it and looking forward to getting everything that Nintendo and others are going to release for it.

How long did the original GBA last without a make-over (the SP)? I really don't know, but there it was one day, the GBA SP, smaller, slicker, lit screens and it was a damn fanny-magnet! With the GBA Micro and its, apparently, best screen -for a GBA- ever I think we'll see something happen with the DS coming E3. It will be a while off, but I'll wait for it anyway. Can't wait to play the GBA "classics" and DS crop of quality games on any kind of DS though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost

Definitely a much better line up then what the PSP has got going on.

Without wanting to start a flamewar here I have to agree with you on that, but then I'm rather biased, seeing as I'm still wasting my hours away on the SNES playing StarFox and MarioKart.

Ghost · 11-19-2005, 12:22 AM

Ah ok then. I know what you mean now about any sort of wireless modem/router would do, though there is a list of available routers that the DS does support or the other way around meaning a list of those that they do not support, I forgot how it was listed.
So I think the fact that it's baked in to the dongle makes it easier for those who aren't so tech savvy, (yeah I know looking up a make and model off a list is hard but you know they exist).

I believe the original GBA was out 3-4 years before they released the SP. Definitely less then 4 since I remember buying the original Advance after school in college and then when I had graduated in 03 there were banners everywhere showcasing the release of the SP. So it was a while

but you have plenty of time as I see you're still with the SNES, and I agree everything has boosted up since then, so come E3 I'm sure something new might arrive or at least more colours at your disposal

I'm a big fan of Sony, but I think they went about this the wrong way. Or just catering to a larger crowd of (I like everything in one box) type of person. While Nintendo just caters to gamers, that's where they excel at. Bottomline right?

MiamiLoco · 11-19-2005, 02:50 PM

wait, please explain exactly how the WiFi works. So let's say I'm bored and I just turn on my DS and play Mario Kart, I can just find random dudes to play against?

Ghost · 11-19-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiamiLoco

wait, please explain exactly how the WiFi works. So let's say I'm bored and I just turn on my DS and play Mario Kart, I can just find random dudes to play against?

Essentially yes that is how it works in a nutshell.

What you need:
A DS
Mario Kart (or any WiFi ready game, Tony Hawk just came out as well)
Be near a Nintendo friendly Hotspot(McDs etc), your own wireless router (if Nintendo says it supports it) or like I posted a Nintendo's WiFi USB Connector which enables those without wireless routers to create a hotspot on their home computers (must have broadband and XP on your PC) through the use of this dongle here (Mikael, that word is popping up everywhere now that I look)

Easy to set up you'll be online in no time.

I got home around close to 4:30am today and I went on to play some ppl using the worldwide feature and played some guys from Japan. (They're not all that!!! haha) it's a highly addicting game so far.

The range is 30ft for the signal too. I have my PC set up downstairs as the main hub for all the PCs, and I was even upstairs and still had perfect signal strength. I've yet to try how far I can go though. (It's pretty chilly out here in Chicago if anyone's noticed

)

Hope this helps.

Miikael · 11-20-2005, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost

but you have plenty of time as I see you're still with the SNES

Oi, I do have more systems! I'm not completely stuck in the stone-age my Sony-loving friend =P

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghost

I'm a big fan of Sony, but I think they went about this the wrong way. Or just catering to a larger crowd of (I like everything in one box) type of person. While Nintendo just caters to gamers, that's where they excel at. Bottomline right?

It appears they both market themselves that way, probably the safest thing to do. Out of interest, why are you a fan of Sony in particular?

Ghost · 11-20-2005, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miikael

Oi, I do have more systems! I'm not completely stuck in the stone-age my Sony-loving friend =P

It appears they both market themselves that way, probably the safest thing to do. Out of interest, why are you a fan of Sony in particular?

Sony in general, mate.
Electronics and what not pretty much. I've always been a die hard fan of Sega's (prolly cause I went with that when I had a choice of that or the SNES, but the Dreamcast was my...well dream system) but Nintendo and Sega were always my gaming companies of choice. (as you can tell I'm prolly the only one on the forum that plugs Nintendo in any way possible over any other company, especially the DS over the PSP).

As of right now I do have all the systems out, as I prolly will eventually in the future with the new releases. But I have no plans at getting any of the new consoles on their launch date except for the Nintendo Revolution. I like innovative stuff like that, and if what they've done with the DS is a sign of things to come(as far as innovation goes), I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with the Rev.

If I'm going to game, I prefer a company that will just go out of their way to give you the best gaming experience. I'm not that into, "All in one" boxes. I have my iPod for music, and there's a variety of better devices out there that can do what the other systems claim theirs can do too. But Sony has always had a great 3rd Party following and that's why I've still been buying their stuff for the sake of good games.
What about you? Just Nintendo?