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?"

Comments

For a narrow definition of game....

[rblum]

At least Nintendogs is missing. What about PictoChat? There's more to wireless gaming on the DS than the few games that are listed in the article....

Rate of technology acceptance?

[frostyboy]

Is it me, or does it seem like these nifty handheld things from (Sony and Nintendo) are not catching on very fast? I am a console owner, and plan to upgrade whenever the PS3 comes out and all that jazz, but I have felt pretty much zero interest in these new handhelds, at least among my friends and peers.

Maybe I'm just in the wrong demographic, but I remember when the Gameboy came out oh so many years ago and we all rushed to the store to grab one. It just doesn't seem like people are that excited about having one more handheld device to carry around.

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Re:Rate of technology acceptance?

[Parham]

The DS is doing pretty well, but that's because it's fairly different from a standard hand-held. But speaking generally, there isn't much you can do with a hand-held to make it really interesting. You can only boost the graphics and sound so much before they start eating batteries. There are limits to hand-held systems I guess. However, like I said, the DS does a good job because it's different (and somewhat unique) from other hand-held systems. It is like a Palm, but as a console, it's new.

Re:Rate of technology acceptance?

[Anonymous Coward]

I kinda agree about slow acceptance. I don't know anyone who plays handhelds in all honesty.

My brother is currently in the hospital and he's probably going to be there for a while, so the other day I bought him a used GameBoy SP. I bought two RPG's and Zelda. I toyed around with it for quite a while and quickly realized the appeal these handhelds have over consoles or PC games. They are very nostalgic and fun. They don't drown you with k00L Gr4f1X. They have to rely on playability instead of glitz. I'm probably going to get one for myself sometime.

Games I'd like to see on the PSP or DS

[The Lynxpro]

Multiplayer updates to:

*MIDI Maze (aka "Faceball 2000") - the original multiplayer FPS that is still kid-friendly. Perfect for a DS.

*Todd's Adventure in Slimeworld - old multiplayer hit from the Atari Lynx and the Sega Genesis. Obviously, a FPS update would be needed on the PSP, but possibly the sidescrolling method might still be useful on the DS.

*Warbirds - great dogfighting game. Was really addicting playing against 8 other players on the Atari Lynx. Definitely worth updating yet still retaining the title's charm.

*Battlewheels. 'Nuff said.

And finally...

*Duke Nukem Forever - Considering the development at this point is probably so far behind for the current and nextgen consoles, why not sell the title as an exclusivity to either of the handheld platforms? C'mon, 3DRealms, Sony, and Nintendo.

Re:Games I'd like to see on the PSP or DS

[Pxtl]

You missed the most obvious thing: the DS is the first console with a real pointing device and a screen for each player. That means strategy games are finally feasible. I want to see all the classic RTS titles - StarCraft, Z, Total Annihilation, Metal Marines... plus, the turn-based biggies too, like Master of Magic, X-Com, and Master of Orion II.

Re:That's my problem

[ninjakoala]

Do what Nintendo wants you to do. You know you want to.

Actually this is possibly *the* reason why Nintendo will continue to outsell PSP by a huge margin. It's fairly inexpensive, so if you have even the slightest incentive to pick up one or two more for multiplayer within the household you most likely will.

I have a feeling one or two will be added to our household soon (already have one and love it to pieces).

StarcraftDS

[macz]

This needs to happen, the stylus makes it feasible at least.

Advance Wars Dual Strike

[Jackassreefer]

This game is fantastic, I picked it up last week, and am moving through the campaign mode right now. I had to spend the weekend with the in-laws and was able to get some good play time in (yay for hand-helds). The two front war is a great use of the Dual Screens which really adds to the game-play. The Tag-Team CO Power is pretty important to wining a match, as it lets you get two turns in a row, plus both of your CO's Super powers. Make sure your CO's have complimentary skills and use them in the correct order (ie start with the missile attack, the follow up with the tank blitz) They even added a few new units to the game which fill in some gaps that were there nicely. Unfortunatly I don't know anyone who stuck with the DS after the PSP came out. Most of my gaming friends fell for the glitz of the package of the PSP rather than the proven track record of Nintendo mobile gaming. Hopefully as more and more great games like this one come out for the DS and well nothing continues to be released for the PSP, they will come back and I'll be able to try out the multiplay.

Re:There is ScummVM for the NDS

[Anonymous Coward]

I guess the resolution is to small for starcraft, who knows, maybe the next gameboy?

Use your imagination! The bottom screen would be a close up where you control units, etc. The topic screen would be the minimap, with a rectangle around the area you are looking at. I think it's perfectly feasible to do real-time star craft on a nintendo DS. If only Blizzard wanted to... (I would buy it in a heartbeat).