Mario Kart Takes the DS Online

Game will mark the beginnging of Nintendo's taking the Internet as a gaming medium seriously.

Nintendo's new dual-screen portable has many unique features, but one has remained relatively underused: its WiFi connection. While it's been possible since launch to play games locally, true online multiplayer has been a long time coming.

Nintendo's first DS game to go online (and one of the company's first online games on any platform) is the zealously awaited Mario Kart DS. Nintendo has revealed that you'll be able to take to the Internet to battle it out with karting adversaries from the far-flung corners of the Earth as of the end of November.

Apart from the online modes, Mario Kart DS doesn't break the now-familiar mould. Instead, you'll be able to savour some of the most popular tracks from previous games and also some new tracks created just for this new version.

Nintendo's focus in taking Mario Kart and its other franchises online has been to make the experience as simple and as seamless as possible. Unlike some other services, you won't have to pay any fees to play any of Nintendo's upcoming games online.

Getting online also won't need to hurt your wallet. Nintendo is working to provide free access through in-store WiFi hotspots, which the company will have more announcements for later.

Playing online isn't always fun, though, thanks to the differing skill levels of players, but Nintendo has also set up its servers to make sure you get a fair race by pairing you up with others that are about as good - or bad - as you.

There's even a solution in place for those people with broadband access in their houses but without wireless access. Mario Kart DS's release will be accompanied by that of a USB dongle, which will let you get online through a standard computer in your house.

But, you say, you don't want to go online. What then? Nintendo has included something called Wireless DS Single-Card Download Play, which allows you to share the game with up to seven other players for fearsome local multiplayer racing.

Mario Kart DS will be in stores across Europe on 25 November.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games