Nintendo unveils wireless demos and voice chat for DS

Been a pretty solid couple of weeks for news for Nintendo and their DS, which will apparently soon get access to some sweet new features to take advantage of its built in WiFi. Beginning in late March DS owners will be able to pick up game demos, trailers, and content for their DS by coming within proximity of DS kiosks installed in Best Buys and GameStops the nation over (downloaded content gets erased the next time the console is shut down), and fans of Metroid Prime: Hunters will also be getting in-game voice chat for battles on Nintendo's multiplayer network. Now if only Nintendo of America would give us a freaking date for the launch of their DS Lite, which they're obviously to help pimp by introducing these services.

[Threnody @ Feb 9th 2006 2:15PM]

In game voice chat on a portable? Hot!

[Jason @ Feb 9th 2006 2:20PM]

At Nintendo's site, it says you can only chat BEFORE or AFTER a match in Metroid. It's still cool, though.

[Kamalot @ Feb 9th 2006 2:53PM]

For all those that complain about in-game communation...

[William @ Feb 9th 2006 2:55PM]

I am glad they are doing profitable work on Metroid Prime: Hunters. I have been waiting for it since I got the demo with my system over a year and half ago! Voice chat during play would be awesome, but would probably produce lag.

[Ed @ Feb 9th 2006 3:06PM]

The smartest thing about this:

More people will be SEEN PLAYING DS's in stores, encouraging more people to check out the DS for the first time.

An absolutely brilliant step up from simply having a store demo system.

Proud to be a DS enthusiast.

[push2flush @ Feb 9th 2006 3:10PM]

did they say anything about the headset adapter? i can't read the article at work (but engadget isn't blocked)

[C-dub @ Feb 9th 2006 3:14PM]

You don't NEED a headset adaptor - there's a mic built into the DS.

[Q @ Feb 9th 2006 3:18PM]

PSP already has voice chat, no stylus necessary. Pwned!

[push2flush @ Feb 9th 2006 3:21PM]

and i realize this...

but they might put out the adapter now that there is more of a use for it (aka the lil plug next to the headphone adapter)

[Josh @ Feb 9th 2006 3:33PM]

#8:

Oh shit, and I've been spending all this time talking into my stylus.

[Kamalot @ Feb 9th 2006 3:51PM]

@#8:

But you DO need a headset, since the PSP has no built-in microphone.

Also, the PSP has no good FPS controls, something the DS has in spades.

Hmm. Come to think of it, the PSP may have voice chat, but it only has crappy games that support it. What good is that?

[dpk @ Feb 9th 2006 6:14PM]

This is all completely pointless until the Nintendo DS supports WPA. I hate to harp on this point, but it's a fundamental requirement that they completely missed. Who wants to downgrade their entire home network just to use voice chat or play video games?

[Baxter Madu @ Feb 9th 2006 6:26PM]

dpk: You do have options, such as getting another cheap router to piggy back on when necessary, turn it off when your finished...I'm sure you can handle the task since you're so concerned about security; or restricting other mac addresses from using the network on your router..

wpa harpers bring me down

[dpk @ Feb 9th 2006 6:57PM]

I sure do have the option of adding a router, at home. But this thing is portable. I don't have that option at friend's houses, or at work (during breaks, of course!), or networks elsewhere. It's an even bigger problem since more new networks are going to use WPA.

In any case, it's in _Nintendo's_ best interests to support WPA. That they didn't in the DS was dumb, and that they may not (probably won't) in the next version of the DS is well past dumb and into reckless (market-wise). It'd be equivalent to the Xbox360 or PS3 coming out with 10Mbit ethernet, when everyone is already on 100 and some are already moving to gigabit.

[colonel_panic @ Feb 9th 2006 8:52PM]

Hellz YEAH! I realize PSP has had voice chat for a while, but it's great that Nintendo is finally gonna add voice chat, and of all games, Metroid Prime:Hunters!! @#4, I agree...Been waiting for almost an eternity... I will probably incite the wrath of Xbox fanboys for saying this, but this is almost like a portable "Halo" on Live... Lol.... Can't wait for March 20! (MP:H release date in case you don't know) @#10, pwned lol!

Stephen

[scb @ Feb 10th 2006 8:39AM]

got to say i agree with the shout out for WPA support... sure, I COULD set up another network at home with another router, but honestly why the hell should i have to do that? it makes no sense not to support WPA, none at all.

can anyone confirm that the lite doesn't support WPA?

[lite ds @ Feb 11th 2006 12:36PM]

With Nintendo WiFi hacked we should see a freeware VoIP application for DS real soon.