Pokemon DS Title Includes VOIP Element

Via Joystiq , a press release that reveals a new feature for the upcoming Pokemon Diamond/Pearl titles. In addition to new graphics, the title offers a new twist for the gotta-catch-em-all set: voice communication via wireless networking. You'll only be able to talk to people you've exchanged friend codes with, so there's no chance for an anonymous player to traumatize younger players. The PR release they link to mentions that the game will also have a world-wide trader board: "For kids, it's like having a cell phone that can only connect with their friends. The Nintendo DS Headset, sold separately, makes these conversations a breeze ... Players can trade Pokemon or battle with players anywhere in the world, even without voice communication. The Global Trade Station allows players to post Pokemon they want to trade on a board and browse through Pokemon other players have posted."

Re:FIST SPORT!

[Seumas]

I thought paedophiles do think of the children? Isn't that the whole problem?!

Re:

[minus_273]

i think thats why nintendo uses friend codes

Uh-oh...

[Chr0me]

So we now have a VoIP phone WITH a touch screen? Don't tell Apple....or Cisco.

Wow

[webheaded]

That's actually really cool. I didn't think they'd ever do that considering how afraid they are to even let people have a proper friend's list system. Make fun all you want, but I'm probably going to be buying this Pokemon game (haven't played once since Yellow) and I will definitely enjoy using this feature with my friends.

Re:

[dosius]

Well, the Japanese version had it, and several of my friends in Pokemon-Originals have used it with their copies (legit and pirate) of Japanese Pokemon DP.

I haven't; I don't have a DS and no desire to buy one right now over one game.

-uso.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[metroid composite]

I give it two weeks if the game sells well.

"If"? This is Pokemon we're talking about. The only main Pokemon to be outsold by a non pack-in game was Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire (outsold by such lightweights as Super Mario Bros 3 and the Sims [vgcharts.org]) and if Japan is any indication, Diamond/Pearl is set to do better than Ruby/Sapphire.

THis is actually a cool idea

[AuMatar]

Just not in a pokemon game. Get vonage to work on there, and we have a mobile phone.

Re:

[Constantine XVI]

If you feel the need for a more "masculine*" game on the DS with voicechat, Metroid Prime Hunters works quite nicely.

*Despite the fact the main character is a woman

Re:

[AuMatar]

No, I need a less boring game. I've never been interested by pokemon. And my point was more about turning it into a mobile VOIP phone.

Re:

[AuMatar]

Interesting. DO you have touch screen control via R4DS? I can think of some very cool things you could do with a full DS including touch screen...

IN SOVIET RUSSIA

[EvilSporkMan]

VOIP ELEMENT INCLUDES YOU!

Re:

[Sephiriz]

I thought these Soviet Russia jokes stopped being funny after they appeared on Family Guy.

Flag Parent post as Redundant.

[trdrstv]

Pokemon Diamond/Pearl (or Prince Edition as I like to call them) for the DS has been out since September 06 in Japan. It was online then, and included VoIP during battles as well.

Sorry Zonk, but welcome to last year.

Metroid Prime Hunters has voice chat

[goodenoughnickname]

However, in MPH you could only speak to your friends before and after a match, while the article states in Pokemon "players talk with friends before, during and after battles". It's a nice touch, though. MPH voice chat works great and I hope more DS games include the feature.

A DS killer-app?

[mjhacker]

It seems to me that this just might be the closest thing to an MMO that the DS is going to get... I personally plan on buying them (my wife will play one of them too). One thing that set the Pokemon games apart was the strong multi-player aspect of it - you HAD to find others to collect all the Pokemon.

Any news on the Chinpokomon game?

[mobby_6kl]

I heard it'll require a special Chinpokomon controller, maybe it has something to do with VOIP too? Anyway, I hope they get the game out pretty soon, I'm getting very excited about finally destroying the evil power!

OT: Turn it into a PDA!

[WoTG]

I'm looking to get a new PDA "soon", though, honestly, I've been saying that for a couple years.

The NDS is cheap, has WiFi, has way more power than my old Visor, and because of the calmshell design, it doesn't need a separate hard case to protect the screen (er... screenS)*.

If Nintendo would release a PDA "game", I would get one in an instant. Plus, I could legitimately write off a game console come biz income tax time. :)

* one of my big beefs with PDA's, they double in size and become half as fun to use i

Re:OT: Turn it into a PDA!

[Ilium9]

You can already, and quite literally, turn your DS into a PDA with homebrew software called DSOrganize. http://www.dragonminded.com/?loc=ndsdev/DSOrganize [dragonminded.com] Although, in order to use this software you have to dish out anywhere from $30-$130 or more for the development cartridge (there are many to choose from, all with different features). Read more here http://wiki.pocketheaven.com/Category:DS_Flash_Car ds [pocketheaven.com] or http://scdev.org/ [scdev.org]

Homebrew DS VoIP software

[keitosama]

Finally, Nintendo are shipping out the DS headset! Once it becomes a mainstream accessory for our little handhelds, I'm sure development on homebrew VoIP software will speed up. Actually, such software already exists; Japanese coder Moonlight's wifi VoiceChatClient [dyndns.org]. I've yet to check it out, but if it's good, I won't need to use Skype anymore for calling my girlfriend!

Re:

[Deaney]

I don't think that having a headset will speed up dev. for VoIP software... I mean the DS already has a microphone and speakers - when I first got my DS (best day of my life!) one of the first things I thought of was voice communication... but then I ended up using my microphone for blowing up bloody balloons on Mario Kart... oh well

PS There was a point to this post but I've now forgotten it...

Re:

[keitosama]

The built in microphone is really not good enough for anyone to use for calls. I have not tried to play MP:H online, but nintendogs came bundled with my DS, and when using the sound recorder feature there, the sound was extremely fuzzy and low-quality.

Welcome to last year?

[shoptroll]

Ummm... ok? Metroid Prime Hunters had VOIP as well. Which was last year. I'm confused as to how this is noteworthy.

Cool

[vga_init]

I'm getting it.

Sheesh

[Chouonsoku]

Before you know it, you'll see kids riding up and down the sidewalk on their tricycles talking on their Nintendo DS instead of paying attention to the path. Think of all the possible boo boos! I smell a new tricycle traffic safety law in the works.