DS Games To Be Downloadable to the Wii

In a New York Times article generally discussing Nintendo's gangbuster success with the Wii and DS, Reggie Fils-Aimie reveals that in the future the DS will more tightly integrate with the console. Full games will be downloadable to the Wii platform, and then transferable via wireless to the handheld. "In Japan, the DS's functionality extends beyond its game-playing ability. There the device is used to give information during museum tours, and to download content from the Wii. Some of those features will eventually be introduced into the North American market as well. 'To aggressively drive DS business we need to provide other forms of entertainment to excite the consumer,' said Mr. Fils-Amie."

Another possible improvement

[el_munkie]

They need to add a Wii app that lets users vote on priorities for VC game porting. I want Blaster Master, dammit.

DS is a most amazing device

[sloth jr]

Bought my first one this Christmas - and promptly went out to buy a second. I am impressed by some of the software to utilize the stylus. I like handwriting and speech recognition, the split displays works out better than I had thought, wireless is seamless. It wouldn't take much to make the DS the uber-pda. I would like to see some accelerometers added for additional control mechanisms in games, and some traditional wi-fi surfing.

Nintendo needs to fix the VC accounting first...

[Myrv]

This is all fine and dandy but until Nintendo fixes how the VC DRM works I won't be participating. I have a Wii but I refuse to buy any VC content because Nintendo insists on locking the downloads to the machine and not the user. Currently the only way you can transfer VC games/applications between Wiis is if you send it in for repair (note you can't use Nintendos express replacement option either, you have to physically send it in and wait for them to return a repaired or fixed version). In other words, if my Wii is stolen/lost/destroyed I have no way of recovering any of the games or apps I have bought and downloaded from Nintendo. I can't re-download them or restore them from an SD card. All the Wii points I've spent will be lost. Unfortunately I didn't realize this until I got the machine. I was really looking forward to playing the VC but when I found out how it really works I basically had to give up on it. Oh well, live and learn. At least Mario Galaxy and Metroid are fun.

DS already does more than games

[dtjohnson]

When my kids take their DS to the MLB ballpark, they pay $5 and they get team info and live video on their DS while they're in their seat. They can also order pricey food and stuff with the DS that is then delivered right to their seat, as I unfortunately found out :(.