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Nintendo DS Wireless Game Roundup
ImaNumber writes "Brittlefish has posted a nice roundup of the major multiplayer games currently available for the Nintendo DS. They make their picks on which ones have good wireless play and which ones just added it in as a gimmick." From the post: "If you have 2 Nintendo DS's or you know someone else who has one you've probably played some multiplayer games. And you want more. But which games are worth buying with the incentive of good multiplayer?"
DS Wireless Roundup
August 29th, 2005
If you have 2 Nintendo DS's or you know someone else who has one you've probably played some multiplayer games. And you want more.
But which games are worth buying with the incentive of good multiplayer? Here are our notes on some of the most popular games out right now:
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
Advance Wars: Dual Strike Wireless Rating: 5 Bars!
Get this game. This is hands down the best game for the DS available right now. And with 8-way multiplayer it will satisfy your wifi hunger. Bonus: The ability to draw your own maps makes this a game that has a great replay value....draw a map and let your friends download it.
Wireless Rating: 5 out of 5 bars
Bomberman DS
Bomberman Wireless Rating: 4 Bars!
The first 8-way multiplayer game available for the DS. Loads of fun with lots of people, but if you are planning on only having a 2-way game most of the time it probably shouldn't be your first pick. However, with a lot of players this can be great fun. Especially if all the players are using the mic to call out battle commands.
Wireless Rating: 4 out of 5 bars
Meteos
Meteos Wireless Rating: 5 Bars!
This game makes for some great 4-way puzzle action. There is nothing finer than watching your Meteos launch and seeing them collide with someone else's planet. This game is great wireless fun, in addition to the loads of single player fun you'll have.
Wireless Rating: 5 out of 5 bars
Metriod
Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt Wireless Rating: 4 Bars!
The first console FPS that feels right. 4-way multiplayer action is very good on this demo, and with the recent announcement that the full version will have Internet play we can only expect more from the Samus Touch N' Kill department. My only beef with the multiplayer on this game is that the game is too dark. Of course, maybe that is just an excuse to why I am not any good at it. You probably already have this game, since it probably came with your DS, but after playing it in multiplayer mode it will make you want to buy the full version when it comes out.
Wireless Rating: 4 out of 5 bars
Nanostray
Nanostray Wireless Rating: 2 Bars!
2-way multiplayer and not terribly fun at that. Two players can play together to kill the bad guys, but not to help each other out...only to score points. The person with the most points wins. This is very limited and only huge fans of this genre will find any long-term playability in it. It would be nice to have a mode that allowed two or more players to play the main game together. It would also be nice to not have to use the download play if both players have the game.
Wireless Rating: 2 out of 5 bars
Polarium
Polarium Wireless Rating: 3 Bars!
A 2-way puzzle game that actually has a pretty fun multiplayer mode. If you can get past the plain graphics this game will have you and a friend swearing at each other in no time. Of course, if you have more than one friend with a DS you will probably want to look at other puzzle games like Meteos or Pop Puyo Fever instead.
Wireless Rating: 3 out of 5 bars
Puyo Pop Fever
Puyo Pop Fever Wireless Rating: 5 Bars!
This 8-way puzzler is the first DS game where you probably won't use the touchscreen at all. It is also the first DS game which appears to be marketed directly at girl gamers. If you can get past that (and you should try), you'll find an addictive puzzle game that has great wireless play. This is also a great game to play with your wife or girlfriend. They'll really love it when they start kicking your butt. And they will start kicking your butt.
Wireless Rating: 5 out of 5 bars
Super Mario 64 DS
Super Mario 64 Wireless Rating: 3 Bars!
4-way Yoshi action. Race against the other players to get as many stars as you can before the time runs out. And you can, uh, stick out your tongue and, uh, eat the other players. Then spit them out. Uh, yeah. Anyway, the multiplayer is fun, but not fun enough to j
From TFA:
WarioWare: Touched Wireless Rating: 3 Bars!
An interesting 2-way fast-paced "party game". The first few times through this game will keep you on your toes as you try and figure out what to do in each mini game, but after you learn what to do on all the games it becomes simple recollection. If you own the game the multiplayer is nice, but with only 2 player capacity and limited replay value this isn't going to go to the top of many people's lists.
Wireless Rating: 3 out of 5 bars
Weird, even without ZERO multiplayer options (a shame, really), it still manages to get "3 out of 5 bars"?
It would really have been nice had they given a bit more information about these games - some can be played with only one copy of the game, others require each person having their own copy.
That, however, is by far the biggest strength of the DS, and the feature that, to me, puts it far above the PSP when it comes to multi-player gaming: multiple players off of one copy of a game. There are many times when your friends would play a game, but don't like it enough to own it. Or, the other way around, where you don't want to buy a specific game, but still enjoy playing it multi-player.
One of my friends picked up Bomberman, and now we can all play together off of his copy, and it is great fun. Sure, the PSP has fancy "console-quality" graphics and whatnot, but when I have a copy of X game and nobody else does I'm still just sitting there playing it by myself.
As well, while I'm certainly not the type to say things like "games used to be better in the old days!" and whatnot, most of the games for the DS are fun yet simple games that can easily be understood and played, and can be enjoyed by almost anybody, gamer or not. My girlfriend, for example, isn't overly thrilled by my PSP, but nearly every one of my DS games she's played she has loved.
I'm almost glad the system isn't a 3D powerhouse, because instead companies seem to be concerning themselves with making a game that is fun instead of a game that pushes the graphics but forgets about the gameplay. I think the PSP and DS actually compliment each other, instead of directly compete, and that's the best possible scenario in my opinion.
WARNING: Do not play multiplayer for this game - it is utterly pointless.
Ridge Racer's gameplay is really smooth, and while playing multiplayer, you do not ever see any lag (or screen skipping). BUT, for some reason or another, there seems to be a certain delay in the game. For instance, if I'm speeding past my opponent, he won't see it on his screen until a few seconds later. This means, there are certain times during the game where we both can be in first place. Additionally, sometimes I purposely bump my opponent but on their screen, they have a clear path.
I'd give the game a 1 out of 5 for multiplayer - as the races never reflects its true state... leading to confusion in real-time.
The first WiFi Internet DS title on the schedule is Animal Crossing and that one was pushed back recently - to November if I remember correctly.
The list is not complete and there are more multiplayer games coming soon. Too bad I don't have the time to put an Amazon Japan referral site to make some profit from
- Otaku no naka no otaku, otaking da!!!
In Japan, the DS is outselling every other piece of video game hardware - combined.
It's doing pretty well in America, too. I've got one, as do most of the guys my age that I know. Sales numbers are good over here.
And I can honestly say that I don't know anyone with a PSP - though that's obviously anecdotal and doesn't mean anything.