Complete DS game downloads headed to Nintendo's Wii

Just a few months ago, we received word that DS demo downloads would be headed to the Wii, but if recent comments made by the Big N's own Reggie Fils-Aime are to be believed, entire games are also on the horizon. According to the New York Times, Reggie noted that "complete games as well as game samplers will be able to be downloaded into the Wii using its broadband connection, and then transferred wirelessly to the DS." Sadly, no definitive time frame for the service was revealed, but you can color us all kinds of intrigued.

[Via PCWorld]

[trancer @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:43PM]

Awesome.

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:56PM]

Indeed.

[cortes.john @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:13AM]

tottaly shweet

[Shiny @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:45PM]

The DS is WiFi compatible.
Why not just download directly to the DS?

[Mason @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:01AM]

Because the DS doesn't retain downloads in memory, so when you power down, the game goes away. Downloading it to the Wii means it's saved on the Wii and you can send it to the DS whenever you're home.

[Ray @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:47PM]

The games still couldn't be much bigger than the demos since they're still limited to the DS's RAM, and you'd still have to redownload after turning your DS off.

[locke6854 @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:08AM]

i agree. unless they sold a flash cartridge ala m3/r4/ezflash...

which is exactly what it looks like they're planning. Called the DS Vision:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/838/838522p1.html
http://www.nintendic.com/news/1544

looks like micro-sd card. just like my ezflash 5.

[locke6854 @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:25AM]

its an official nintendo product, btw

[Guzzie @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:43AM]

RAM is only 4MB.
Temporary storage of an entire game is not even possible considering the games are larger.

We are pretty much guaranteed a special DS cart to go along with this. Hopefully it makes use of the DSVision or something similar with removable media so that we don't have to use WiFi to send the games. If it used a microSD (ala DSVision or other flashcart) it could be put into a regular SD adapter and directly into the Wii. It would probably take less time to do that than to send over WiFi.

[bob sakamano @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:51PM]

great news....

when are they releasing the thinner 3G DS?!?!?

[Bobs @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:32AM]

the DS lite is alredy micro, any smaller and it would feel like playing a notebook, its at perfect thickness, just please for the love of sanity itself, please enlarge the buttons, primarilary the start and select dots. i close my DS to pause it because the buttons are too small.

[Chebwa @ Jan 2nd 2008 11:59PM]

I hate to be negative (well, not really) but does this sound COMPLETELY useless to anybody besides me? I'm not enjoying this move to downloadable gaming. Give me a CD, DVD, or a cartridge any day of the week. At least I need to physically lose it to lose it, not just suffer a hardware malfunction. I can even sell it on eBay.

Unexciting news, Reggie. Not interested. Give us a Black Wii instead.

[John @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:19AM]

downloadable games allow studios to offer lower prices by avoiding the expenditure that comes with manufacturing and distributing the merchandise to middlemen. The draconian DRM is necessary because otherwise people could - and you know damn well WOULD - just buy it and give it away, and to counteract piracy prices would go up and the whole point would be moot.

[Chebwa @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:39AM]

You still don't make any compelling arguments FOR downloadable gaming. Lower prices?

If these games are also offered on physical media for a markup, then sure, I'd be all for it.

But they won't be. It'll be download or nothing, in which case I'd choose nothing and buy something I can put on my shelf.

[error2k2 @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:49AM]

You do realise that Professor Layton and the Curious Village will have downloadable content available for extra puzzles and stuff. You may be happy with just retail versions of games, but I'm excited the DS will he getting extra content.

[uagent @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:08AM]

I'll admit I'm not a big fan of downloaded content due to the DRM, but one thing this does provide is the fact I *won't* have to hit ebay to get the games I want. It seems like every time I actually *have* some cash to spare, the sequel is out and I never played the first (case in point, MegaMan ZX).

[James @ Jan 3rd 2008 9:28PM]

I for one love downloadable games because I don't have to get off the couch to play something different. It's why I rip all the DVDs I own to my mammoth computer hard drive -- I'd rather spend the time converting it to DivX or AVC than get off my ass and sort through the shelves of media when I feel like watching something.

Plus, with Steam DLC I don't have to leave the house to buy cool older or indie content (not really related, but still awesome).

[scott @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:05AM]

i need to get a ds.

[Nicholas S. @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:12AM]

Wouldn't it be neat if they let you play the DS games on the Wii? Just an idea...

[Daniel @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:20AM]

how would that even work with the whole touch screen thing

[MorganDonor @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:21PM]

"how would that even work with the whole touch screen thing"

With the touch screen, you are usually just using the stylus to interact with one thing at a time. The Wiimote would be perfect to display the "virtual stylus" position and a button click and/or hold can represent a tap and/or drag.

Just sayin...

[Bobs @ Jan 3rd 2008 12:35AM]

I wonder how this will fare with rippers? Ive taken my wireless card and used custom drivers and software to upload prerelease tech demos to any unmodified DS, whats to stop someone from doing the same thing, but using ROMs instead? it could make rom loading easier, as the end user nolonger needs to hack the DS with any bypasing device. lets see how this plays out first.

[Kapil @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:40AM]

This gives credence toward the rumors of a new DS coming out - Hopefully soon. The fact that the game would be erased after turning of the system is utterly stupid.
A new DS with some significant ram would fit the bill nicely.

I think its preety certain that a new DS is coming out.....

[motang @ Jan 3rd 2008 1:53AM]

Awesome! Looking forward to this one.

[tiuk @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:06AM]

Didn't I hear way back when that the DS would be usable as a controller of sorts on the Wii? What ever happened to that?

[JustinAndrew @ Jan 3rd 2008 2:54AM]

Wow. Finally the DS is catching up to the PSP; abilities wise.

I'll take decent machinery to periphereal(/pen tablet? pffft) bells and whistles thanks. Hello Skype on PSP, hello world.

[andres @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:27AM]

[insert generic comment about the ds wirelessly playing doom]

[Isindil @ Jan 3rd 2008 9:28AM]

As long as the download can be kept in the background of the Wii interface, and we get some practical way of moving the files over the DS, then I might consider using this. At least if there is a significant price difference from the actual stores.