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Why Nintendo DS Is An Online Disappointment

December 20, 2008 in Blog comments 23

Craig Harris of au.ds.ign.com discusses the internet access function of the Nintendo DS, Wi-Fi. He discusses what's bad about it and what they should do about it, read on to find out more!

It's a common occurrence reviewing Nintendo DS games: the occasional release will feature online support using the established Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service and the Nintendo DS system's inherent Wi-Fi capabilities. To test out the support, we'll hop on the service and try to play a match-up with someone else across the globe just to see how well or poorly the feature's been implemented, checking to see how well the game holds up to the usual internet lag.

To get things going, we'll try a random match-up to see what the critical mass is like for the title. We'll sit and wait. And wait. And wait some more, watching the progress dial spin and spin and spin until…the system finally gives up and kicks us right back to the menu.
Dark Arcanine via au.ds.ign.com »
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Most recently commented on by on Dec 22, 2008

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  • 2
    redneonfish Dec 20, 08
    Friend Codes. Enough said.
  • 0
    Ovan Dec 20, 08
    everyone over the age of 15 should give up on nintendo atm. They're aiming at too young of an audience =S Friend codes, little to no voice communication. Trying to make online "safe" What're you my mother?
    • 1
      Big A2 Dec 20, 08
      Pokemon is the only game with voice communication for some reason.
    • 0
      Dark Arcanine Dec 21, 08
      You can't blame them for wanting to make it safer. I'm sure they'd rather lose people such as yourself than a large customer base of young kids due to parent complaints.
  • 0
    xxxRockerxxx Dec 20, 08
    Yeah, they are playing things on the safe side, nothing wrong with wanting to do that though.
  • 0
    Arikardo Dec 20, 08
    Indeed the friend codes etc are a slight problem but all in all i beleive the online system to be pretty well structured.

    However, Nintendo are failing in the sense that everything they do seems to be aimed at children atm. We need more serious or 'hardcore' games from you Ninty!
    • 3
      Shattered Dec 20, 08
      If you wanted hardcore games you should have chosen a PS3/360. They are where all the good stuff is.
      • 0
        Dark Arcanine Dec 21, 08
        Hardcore doesn't mean it's good, unless you mean good games within the grouping of hardcore and Nintendo is just trying to be different.
        • 0
          Final Blade Dec 21, 08
          I think he means the good hardcore games, which Nintendo lacks alot, is on the PS3 and 360. Which I'm inclined to agree. As much as I am a fan of nintendo, small but still one, they really have taken a bad turn this gen.
      • 0
        Shortman Dec 22, 08
        Not completely true. There are a fair few hardcore games out on the console for hardcore gamers. It has a vast variety of games.
  • 1
    Linkerd101 Dec 20, 08
    Shigeru Miyamoto is coming out with Hardcore gaems....madWorld.
    • 1
      dwg14390 Dec 20, 08
      The game isnt made by miyamoto

      I doubt miyamoto even knows the game exists....

      But yeah FC sucks.
      • 0
        Linkerd101 Dec 22, 08
        Yes it is; i read it in my monthly subscription of Nintendo Power. Power.com
        • 1
          Big A2 Dec 22, 08
          MIYAMOTO IS NOT MAKING MADWORLD.

          Atsushi Inabais (not Miyamoto) is the producer and Shigenori Nishikawa (also not Miyamoto) is the game designer. It is being developed by Platinum Games (not Nintendo) and being published by Sega (also not Nintendo).
  • 0
    Zeta Dec 20, 08
      Mad World is for the Wii though, this is about the DS.

      Yeah, I am surprised that Pokemon is the only game too use voice communication too.
  • 0
    Razentsu Dec 21, 08
    I think the DS' online is fine. It's the Wii's online that really needs to be fixed.
  • 0
    Roy Dec 21, 08
    Friend Codes, need to be changed into names. Nintendo needs also an Achievement/Trophy system going as well.
  • 1
    Zaraze Dec 21, 08
    I never really cared for the Achievement/Trophy system tbh. I do agree on them getting rid of FCs. Although tbh I almost prefer the FCs as opposed to having a bunch of random idiots yelling at you over online because they're too *bleep* to do anything else with their lives -_-
    Needless to say nintendo are supposed to be upgrading their online services sooner or later aren't they?

    @Shattered: Not all of it. Just 90% of it.
  • 0
    Linkerd101 Dec 22, 08
    Friend Codes do suck, But Wii's wifi is perfect! Brawls online is also very good if you have at least a 2-bar connection, btw.
    • 1
      Big A2 Dec 22, 08
      Brawl's online stinks. The lag is terrible, especially if you live outside of America.
    • 1
      Miss Razz Dec 22, 08
      You think the Wii's Wi-Fi is perfect? Have you never played an online game on any other console?
      • 0
        Shortman Dec 22, 08
        The Wii's Wi-Fi is not perfect in so much words. Some games are OK to play on Wi-Fi, others lag way too much. Mario Kart Wii has the occasional lag but SSBB has way too much lag.
  • 1
    Shortman Dec 22, 08
    The Wi-Fi in Nintendo games recently has been appalling. I used Wi-Fi on the DS a couple of times last year and it worked fine. Ever since they shut down the Wi-Fi USB cord servers, the service has gone completely downhill.

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