Categories: Originals

Overhyping the Online Factor?

Everyone wants portable online badly… but how much do they know about it?

One of the things Nintendo fans have been clamoring, begging, and even praying for is to see Nintendo take their games online. This desire has seemed to increase even more with the release of the Nintendo DS and its built-in Wi-Fi abilities. Some groups have attempted to take the matter into their own hands and get the DS online through tunneling (which has been done successfully with the GameCube), but everyone has failed thus far. So while we sit and wait, at times I can’t but help to ask myself one question: What is all the fuss about, exactly?

Should the Nintendo DS receive its first fully online enabled game release tomorrow, here are your options for being able to play:

Wi-Fi Hotspot: You can find out where there are open Wi-Fi networks in your vicinity and make your way to them. By using the open network, you can play online enabled games using your handheld’s Wi-Fi capabilities.
Home Wireless Network: If you have a high-speed connection at home, you can set up your own wireless network. With the use of a wireless router you can get your DS online and working at home for online play fairly easily.
Nintendo’s Possible Secret Plan: It’s also entirely possible that Nintendo has something cooking that will get the DS online in an unconventional way, something that will sidestep the two options mentioned earlier, though there’s no reason to expect that for now.

Let’s look at the first option, and think about what that exactly has you doing. After doing some research, and printing out your lists of local hotspots, it’s time to go find them. Even though you are using a “go anywhere” handheld, you’re still tied down to whatever hotspot you manage to find in order to play online games. If you are buying a game that sells itself soley based on its online play, then you are stuck making your way to the nearest hotspot each time you wish to play. This can become a problem if your hotspot options are limited because you’re bound to annoy the owners of wherever you’re hanging out for hours at a time. I will admit that as hotspots start showing up in more places, this may become a viable way to play. In fact, some cities have large portions of their downtown areas covered in hotspots, but the wait for smaller areas to follow suit could be a long one.

Click on the comic to see a larger version.

Head to page 2 to see a breakdown of option 2.

If running around town finding hotspots isn’t exactly your thing, you may wish to set up an in-home wireless network to get your DS playable online (if you don’t already have one). Doing this can be somewhat costly, but prices on the necessary equipment is always coming down. For me, this isn’t the real issue about playing handhelds online; it’s something else that confuses me. If I’m sitting in my home, and I want to play Madden online, I’m not going to look to my DS to get it done. 90% of handheld games are a watered down version of their console counterpart, and they almost never control as well either. You also miss out on many bells and whistles with a handheld. You aren’t going to be enjoying full surround sound, progressive scan images, and you’re sure to notice the lack of analog sticks for 3D games.

Click on the comic to see a larger version.

Now I know what you’re all thinking, and I’m thinking it too. Madden online isn’t what you’re drooling over, it’s Mario Kart, Smash Bros., Pokemon, and maybe even Winnie the Pooh’s Secret Maze. I feel the same way actually, I’m just trying to illustrate that you are going to be hard pressed to play handheld games online if you own an Xbox or PS2 and can find a more comfortable online experience. If Nintendo goes online with the Revolution, I honestly feel that online handheld gaming may just lose a little bit of the cool factor in the home.

So why do we want the DS to go online so badly? Turn to page 3 to find out.

So what would make online be so great on a handheld exactly? Well, there are many places and situations where an online enabled handheld is the thing you would want most. Here are a few examples of what’s out there NOW and ready to be exploited without much effort once the DS goes online officially:

Airports: Many airports around the world have free wireless networks in the terminals. Nothing would be more fun while waiting for your plane or during a long lay over than getting a few rounds of Smash Bros. in against an online buddy. That’s just something that a console won’t ever be able to provide.
Hotels: Most hotels are beginning to offer free Wi-Fi to their guests. This would be much better than paying $15.00 to watch some movie you could rent for $5 at Hollywood Video. If you happen to find yourself in an exotic place like Hawaii however, please see the sites and limit the fragging until after sundown.
Colleges: Nearly every university and most state colleges have wireless networks for their students to use. Some may charge around $10-$15 a semester for the service, but playing DS games between classes could be fun, especially if you have long schedule gaps.

I hope I don’t sound disinterested in seeing the DS becoming online enabled, because that’s just not the case. If Nintendo were to unveil the first online title for the DS tomorrow, I’m sure I’d be among the geeky masses looking for local hotspots and paying the money necessary to get a wireless network for my home.

So how do you feel about the DS and its online potential? Sound off in our forums and let us know what you would like to see and how you’d like to see it implemented. As always, we love hearing from our readers.two friend

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