The Nintendo DSi Virtual Console Feature – Playing The Classics With Style!
So you’ve heard a
lot of cool things about the Nintendo DSi.
Prepare to hear something cooler.
One of the features
that have garnered much acclaim for the Nintendo DS’ big brother, the Nintendo
Wii, is its Virtual Console function.
Basically, you can use the internet capability of the Wii to order games
online – particularly classic games from older systems like the NES, the SNES,
the N64, and even old games from former rivals of Nintendo consoles like the
various Sega systems and the TurboGrafx machines. Indeed, there is something doubly fantastic
about playing Sonic The Hedgehog 2 using the Wii controller.
One of the
criticisms about the Nintendo DSi’s predecessor, the Nintendo DS, is its lack
of online functionalities. It can
connect to itself to the net via WiFi, yes, but there are only so many things
you can do with it while online. Sadly,
downloading classic games isn’t one of them.
Well, fret no
more! Finally, the Nintendo DSi will
have the Virtual Console-like feature of the Nintendo Wii.
With improved
online functions, the Nintendo DSi can now make full use of the better
bandwidth of today’s WiFi infrastructures.
The Nintendo DSi isn’t limited to online chatting, selective multiplayer
gaming and exchanging doodles (PictoChat anyone?) anymore. You can now download the classic games from
the older iterations of Nintendo’s handhelds.
Yes, the classic
games from the Gameboy Advance! The
classic games from the Gameboy Color!
The classic games from the very first Gameboy as well!
Want to relive the
excitement of collecting all the Pokemons in the debut game of the series? No problem!
The Nintendo DSi will allow you to download the same from Nintendo DSi’s
very own online mall, the DSi Shop (patterned after the Wii Shop channel) so
that you can do some retro gaming on the go in the here and now.
This new feature
of the Nintendo DSi will bring about some changes in the Nintendo system. Wii points – digital equivalents of cash
spendable for online products for the Nintendo Wii – will now be called as
Nintendo points. The reason for this is
that Nintendo points will be the universal digital currency for all Nintendo
online products, not just for the Wii but for the DSi itself.
Also, for the
cunning, enterprising individuals out there, be forewarned that flash cards
that work for the Nintendo DS will be incompatible for the Nintendo DSi. But who needs flash cards when you can play
the classics via the Nintendo DSi’s virtual console feature, right?
The Nintendo DSi
is turning out to be more than just the portable multimedia machine that its
mother company is advertising. It is
also shaping up to be a pocket time machine that will help us enjoy the
precious memories of the days of digital yore when plumbing sprites saved
princesses of mushroom kingdoms and pointy-eared adventurers collected hearts
to defeat evils that plagued the land.
