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[Nester]

Death to whoever posted old news as new news....

Battle mode not online

Confirmation?

 

[borghe]

umm.. it's been confirmed in almost every preview to date. just look for a recent hands on with Mario Kart and it's usually in the first paragraph of multiplayer.

 

[SpiffyG]

umm.. it's been confirmed in almost every preview to date. just look for a recent hands on with Mario Kart and it's usually in the first paragraph of multiplayer.

But... but... maybe they are saving it for the last minute?!

 

[Nester]

umm.. it's been confirmed in almost every preview to date. just look for a recent hands on with Mario Kart and it's usually in the first paragraph of multiplayer.

Sorry, I thought the post by koam Here was from the recent Nintendo Power that I don't have yet, and that they were just saying Battle mode wasn't online at E3, but now is.

Too excited for the game, missed over a few posts I guess.

 

[conker]

I don't think even the latest "hands-on" crap will be of 100% complete copies.

HOPEFULLY battle mode is online.
But it'll be a couple weeks before we know for sure.

I'm afraid it's not going to be online though, damned Nintendo...


HOWEVAR
Wait for someone to hack teh DS intarwebs protocolz maybe?

 

[Red Dolphin]

Can't wait for this game!! I really hope they bring back some of the best MK64 tracks like Wario Stadium, Koopa Troopa Beach, Bowser's Castle, and Royal Raceway. Moo Moo Farm and Frape Snowland were pretty average tracks

I really really hope battle mode is online. It needs to be. I don't care if they have to delay it an extra month. It hast to be in there.

I saw ppl mention earlier in the thread that the GP mode was online with 4 players and 4 CPU characters. Has this been confirmed? That would kick ASS!

 

[Memles]

As a point of note, the apparent Nintendo Store Only availability of the dongle will definitely hinder my ability to play online right off the bat. It's really quite sucky, to be honest.

That being said, I'll be home for much of my initial playtime, so I can go online at Christmas.

 

[Nester]

As a point of note, the apparent Nintendo Store Only availability of the dongle will definitely hinder my ability to play online right off the bat. It's really quite sucky, to be honest.

That being said, I'll be home for much of my initial playtime, so I can go online at Christmas.

Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll start selling it early online, a week or so before Mario Kart comes out.

 

[VOOK]

Question whats to stop Nintendo Releasing the Dongle a bit earlier and not exactly on the date for Mario Kart... I mean is'nt Tony Hawks come out before MK in the US?

(edit: lol I ask the same question at the same time)

 

[clearacell]

edit: too late

 

[ziran]

from www.nintendo-europe.com:

...While the classic courses were named under the banner ‘Retro Grand Prix’, the new tracks form the aptly-titled ‘Nitro Grand Prix’ and are further split into four Cups: Mushroom, Flower, Star and Special.

Mush’room to manoeuvre

We began our tour of the tracks with the Mushroom Cup’s second course, Yoshi Falls. Right away, you know you’re in for something special. Rendered in impressive 3D, this Hawaiian-style course is built at the bottom of a vast waterfall-filled valley where a giant Yoshi egg rests.

Wooden huts and palm trees line the track on one side, but the other side is a sheer drop into a watery abyss. The circuit has two levels: the upper one is flat and is full of dash panels that give you a kick of speed, while the lower level is set at a 45-degree angle and requires a steady hand to drive against the strong flow of gushing water.

Yoshi Falls isn’t the only course that offers multiple paths. With eight players taking part in each race, you’ll need plenty of room to manoeuvre. That’s why Mario Kart DS has some of the best-designed tracks you’ll ever play, with hidden shortcuts and branching paths a-plenty.

Rounding off the Mushroom Cup is a course with a name you might recognise: Luigi’s Mansion. If you’ve played the Nintendo GameCube title of the same name, you’ll be familiar with Luigi’s spooky old haunted house. But in Mario Kart DS, you’ll notice one massive difference - the racetrack running right through it!

After Yoshi Falls’ wide, open-plan course, Luigi’s Mansion’s tight corridors will have you bouncing from pillar to post on your first few tries. Inside the mansion, you’ll have to contend with swinging chandeliers and rickety staircases, while outside in the gloomy grounds, giant gravestones chill your bones while wizened old trees come to life and walk across the track.

Race in the sunshine

After the spooky darkness of Luigi’s Mansion, we took a break in the sunshine of Delfino Square, part of the game’s Flower Cup. Once Mario’s favourite holiday destination, Isle Delfino now plays host to this 'Monaco'-style road-based race.

The track begins in the town square before winding through tight shopping streets, across the harbour littered with kart-stopping crates, before ending at the open drawbridge where you need to make a massive boost-assisted leap and skid to the finish line.

Next up in the Flower Cup comes a course as crazy as the purple-clad weirdo Waluigi himself. Waluigi Pinball is constructed inside a giant pinball table complete with high-speed tunnels, treacherous ramps, twisting turns, bouncing bumpers and tumbling steel balls.

Like a mad rollercoaster ride, the track is tremendous fun and shows off the graphical power of Nintendo DS to its fullest. Chock-full of neon-bright colours, gleaming metal and Waluigi’s wild face looming over the playfield, Waluigi Pinball will become one of your favourites - trust us!...

can't wait

 

[ziran]

i don't know much about wifi but there is an article at Eurogamer that has me concerned.

Some more technical details of Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection service for the DS have appeared on the net this week thanks to eagle-eyed (well, presumably just 'eyed') attendees of last week's Digital Life Show in New York City, who saw it demonstrated.

Wi-Fi Connection is capable of auto-detecting the SSIDs of 802.11b-compatible wireless networks in its immediate vicinity (or whatever number of metres it is that the thing supports), and is happy to obtain its own IP address automatically (using DHCP) or work with a static one. All of which bodes well for compatibility.

In slightly less good news, Wi-Fi Connection apparently uses WEP security rather than WPA. As Joystiq points out, WEP is pretty easily cracked and most people ought to be running WPA at home by now - which presents a problem.

Mind you, it's not a problem if you've shelled out £30 for the USB Wi-Fi Adapter plug-in for your home PC, which acts as a kind of gateway for the DS no matter the scenario, but for those of you hoping to take it online, by the sound of it you'll have to plunge your network back into the choppy, electronic shark infested waters of WEP - at least for the time being.

can someone explain what this means? what makes wep so insecure, and what problems could arise from it being cracked?

 

[Ninja Dom]

i don't know much about wifi but there is an article at Eurogamer that has me concerned.


can someone explain what this means? what makes wep so insecure, and what problems could arise from it being cracked?

WPA wireless networks are better protected than WEP wireless networks (which is what the Nintendo will use). It really means that other people with their DS's could be able to find a way to play online with your wireless connection if they can get a signal.

 

[ziran]

WPA wireless networks are better protected than WEP wireless networks (which is what the Nintendo will use). It really means that other people with their DS's could be able to find a way to play online with your wireless connection if they can get a signal.

thanks.

 

[koam]

Question whats to stop Nintendo Releasing the Dongle a bit earlier and not exactly on the date for Mario Kart... I mean is'nt Tony Hawks come out before MK in the US?

(edit: lol I ask the same question at the same time)

Nothing, they could if they want to. Tony Hawk and Mario Kart are on the same date btw. Oh and Nintendo's "dongle" is just like any other dongle that's already out there on the market.

WPA wireless networks are better protected than WEP wireless networks (which is what the Nintendo will use). It really means that other people with their DS's could be able to find a way to play online with your wireless connection if they can get a signal.

While its true that WPA is more secure than WEP, in all fairness WPA can also be hacked. I strongly doubt your neighbors will know how to hack into your connection anyway. I think people are too paranoid over this stuff. Unless you're some big shot corporation, people won't give a shit about you and won't bother hacking into your pc. And in the event that they did, it's just simpler to use one of Windows' many loopholes

 

[borghe]

While its true that WPA is more secure than WEP, in all fairness WPA can also be hacked. I strongly doubt your neighbors will know how to hack into your connection anyway. I think people are too paranoid over this stuff. Unless you're some big shot corporation, people won't give a shit about you and won't bother hacking into your pc. And in the event that they did, it's just simpler to use one of Windows' many loopholes

while I agree with you 110% (the extra 10% is because I am eating Frosted Flakes right now), it still sucks on principle given how heavy WPA has infiltrated into the home and into the public (re: no necessarilly free) access points. This is basically like someone just wiring their house with CAT5 cabling and now Nintendo saying you can go online as long as your network is instead wired with coax.

for me this is no less than 5 existing devices which would need to be programmed (including two Tivos with remote telnet access only), plus a large number of occassional devices that are breought over here and there.. Talk about a pain in the butt.

 

[thegodsend]

Some European journalists were allowed to play the final version of Mario Kart DS yesterday including all WiFi modes.

All I heard right now is that the game controls great, has some really good circuits and no lags while playing online.

I'll try to get some more informations regarding online features (friend list, battlemode, communication tools?) and reworked courses from the old games. Don't know if there is a NDA so I can't promise to have those informations within the next hours...

 

[thegodsend]

ok, seems that there is absolutely no communication. no online pictochat or something like that. you only use the friend list to invite other friends that are already online.

 

[Sapiens]

ok, seems that there is absolutely no communication. no online pictochat or something like that. you only use the friend list to invite other friends that are already online.

That's...just retarded.....Nitendo: The close but no cigar company.

 

[thegodsend]

I already see myself sitting next to my PC, playing Mario Kart DS and talking to my friends via some webmessenger between the races....

 

[Sapiens]

I already see myself sitting next to my PC, playing Mario Kart DS and talking to my friends via some webmessenger between the races....

yeahhhh, I guess. Just sucks that pictochat is being absolutely wasted. Wasted!

 

[marc^o^]

Now the DS is online, we can expect pda functions/web browser/pictochat online in the next few months. The earlier the better.

 

[borghe]

That's...just retarded.....Nitendo: The close but no cigar company.

it entirely depends IMHO. The beauty of the handheld is it doesn't tie you to a location like the console does. As thegodsend is saying, playing next to your computer (or laptop) and bamo, instant messaging.

Though I definitely agree pictochat is being wasted. Nintendo just nailed that puppy on the head by including an IM in the unit itself, and now that they are online it is being wasted.

YOU HEAR ME NINTENDO!! TAKE PICTOCHAT ONLINE!

hell, pictochat is being dsoubly wasted as local wifi isn't where you need chatting.

 

[koam]

Anyone know if there are any pre-order bonuses going around anywhere for this one?

 

[broadwayrock]

Is the icon to the right on donkey kong an online signal strength meter?

If so then it does confirm battlemode will be online.

 

[SpiffyG]

Is the icon to the right on donkey kong an online signal strength meter?

If so then it does confirm battlemode will be online.

No, that's just the local signal strength.

I think Nintendo might still be saving some information about this online thing. I bet that Mario Kart DS, Tony Hawk and Animal Crossing: WW will all include firmware updates to make pictochat online. Well at least that would be a good idea.

 

[conker]

OMG IT IS

edit: not.

Dammit.

FUCK.

Is there ANY reason battle mode wouldn't be online?
Besides Nintendo always making one HUGE pointles mistake.

 

[fresquito]

Yoshi Falls isn’t the only course that offers multiple paths

I never liked tracks based in multiple paths. I think they aren´t any good for multiplayer :-/ Although Yoshi´s Track in MK64 was neat I must admit, but it was because of the laberynthic nature, not because it was multipath :-/

 

[SpiffyG]

I never liked tracks based in multiple paths. I think they aren´t any good for multiplayer :-/ Although Yoshi´s Track in MK64 was neat I must admit, but it was because of the laberynthic nature, not because it was multipath :-/

Eh... Yoshi Falls isn't really multipath. I think of multipath as two completely different ways to get to a certain location. In Yoshi Falls, the two paths are right next to eachother and you can go back and forth as you please. So basically, all the characters are on the same "main" path, but it's divided into two sections with two different types of terrain.

This is Yoshi Falls if I'm not mistaken:

Well, maybe you can't go back and forth at any time but I remember seeing a video where the racer was going from one "path" to the other. Maybe there are openings in certain places, like a carpool lane except with some road blocks.

 

[thegodsend]

Alright guys, I have more news from the final Mario Kart DS version.

- battle mode is NOT playable via WiFi Connection

- there are 32 courses but only 20 of them are playable via WiFi Connection

- other retro courses: the ghost circuit from N64, star road from SNES (YEAH!!!)

That's all for now. We should know a lot more within the next days since Nintendo is handing out final code to the press.

 

[JavyOO7]

- battle mode is NOT playable via WiFi Connection

- there are 32 courses but only 20 of them are playable via WiFi Connection

Why not all the courses?

 

[fresquito]

Eh... Yoshi Falls isn't really multipath. I think of multipath as two completely different ways to get to a certain location. In Yoshi Falls, the two paths are right next to eachother and you can go back and forth as you please. So basically, all the characters are on the same "main" path, but it's divided into two sections with two different types of terrain.

This is Yoshi Falls if I'm not mistaken:

Well, maybe you can't go back and forth at any time but I remember seeing a video where the racer was going from one "path" to the other. Maybe there are openings in certain places, like a carpool lane except with some road blocks.

Oh well, I was quoting the NOE press release where they state that Yoshi´s Falls is multipath, but it´s not the only multipath track.

 

[Mama Smurf]

- there are 32 courses but only 20 of them are playable via WiFi Connection

what

I kind of understand the whole no battle mode thing, there's an argument (whether right or not) that it wouldn't be very fun online when you can't communicate, but that just makes no sense.

I seriously don't understand.

 

[Xrenity]

Someone here in Holland mailed Nintendo with the question if Nintendo's dongle will be on sale at retailers here in Holland. He got back a mail which told it was being sold at retailers.

I guess the whole of Europe can buy the dongle at retailers

 

[borghe]

what

I kind of understand the whole no battle mode thing, there's an argument (whether right or not) that it wouldn't be very fun online when you can't communicate, but that just makes no sense.

I seriously don't understand.

the remaining 12 are likely unlockable only. how would someone be able to play on it if they haven't unlocked it?

 

[Memles]

Someone here in Holland mailed Nintendo with the question if Nintendo's dongle will be on sale at retailers here in Holland. He got back a mail which told it was being sold at retailers.

I guess the whole of Europe can buy the dongle at retailers

And Canada too, according to the Nintendo of Canada PR. Thus, one can assume that it is the large amount of WayPort sites that Nintendo doesn't want to confuse people...we have like 7 of them, so it is unsurprising that they are forced to offer the dongle at "Select Canadian Retailers" which I'm guessing will mean places like Future Shop, EBGames and not Wal-Mart or Zellers.

As for the courses, I'm guessing that the 12 are indeed unlockable courses. It would be nice if you could simply just play courses that are available on each game cart, but I'm guessing their matchmaking system is too simple for that.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Well that's ridiculous, it SURELY can't be hard for the service to just check the carts of everyone playing and block out the ones where someone doesn't have it unlocked.

If that is hard for some reason I don't see, they shouldn't even make the courses need to be unlocked. I enjoy unlocking courses, but once I have that's a one off thing. I'd take being able to play those courses online over it any day.

 

[:Motorbass]

That makes no sense. In that spanish Video (the Menue one) you can see that 4 cups are available at the start (2 Nitro and 2 Retro cups).

Plus the specs said somewhere that there are no restrictions on the choice of a course for WiFi, no?

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Someone here in Holland mailed Nintendo with the question if Nintendo's dongle will be on sale at retailers here in Holland. He got back a mail which told it was being sold at retailers.

I guess the whole of Europe can buy the dongle at retailers

*happy dance*

OT but I picked up Awars today in Amsterdam, I thought all Euro releases came with English, as in the UK gets the same as the rest of europe, but my advance wars game is in english with no english in the manual. Weird.

EDIT:

maybe some of the testers didn't have some levels unlocked or something?

 

[Akia]

Everyone is being so confusing. Nintendo Power says all courses online. Euro guys says they aren't. WTF!

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Everyone is being so confusing. Nintendo Power says all courses online. Euro guys says they aren't. WTF!

hopefully the one that started the matches didn't have something unlocked.

/grasping at straws

 

[Smiles and Cries]

I'm glad something is online...

I have been waiting for an online Mario Kart to bitch about this now

GIVE THE DAMN GAME SHIP EARLY!!!

 

[Ninja Dom]

*happy dance*

OT but I picked up Awars today in Amsterdam, I thought all Euro releases came with English, as in the UK gets the same as the rest of europe, but my advance wars game is in english with no english in the manual. Weird.

EDIT:

maybe some of the testers didn't have some levels unlocked or something?

Advance Wars sets the game language to whatever language your DS is set to in the System Menu.

 

[Xrenity]

I'm glad something is online...

I have not been waiting for an online Mario Kart to bitch about this now

GIVE THE DAMN GAME SHIP EARLY!!!

fixed?

And Ninja Dom, he meant the manual.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

And Ninja Dom, he meant the manual.

yeah, thanks ninja dom, but I was curious since when were euro releases broken up? I thought all euro just had 1 version with a catch all book with tons of different languages. My castlevania that I picked up in germany has 6 languages including english, but the awars I picked up in Netherlands has 3. Both contain german dutch and french.

also the books have

NTR-AWRP-FHG (awars)
NTR-ACVP-EUR (castlevania)

what do these codes mean exactly? I'm sure its some kind of country code deal.....

 

[koam]

Battle mode is not online.. boo

 

[koam]

Alright, updated the main post with all the latest info. Let me know if there's anything wrong. The Retro tracks don't seem to be in sync with the ones in the Q&A thread though. Not sure which ones are the accurate ones.

 

[:Motorbass]

Nitro Grand Prix (New Courses)

Mushroom Cup:
* Figure 8
* Yoshi Circuit
* Cheep Cheep Beach
* Luigi's Mansion

Flower Cup:
* Desert Sun-Sun
* Delfino Plaza
* Waluigi Pinball
* Mushroom Hill

Star Cup:
* D.K. Alpine
* Tick Tock Watch
* Mario Circuit
* Flying Fortress

Special Cup:
* Wario Stadium
* Peach Garden
* Bowsers Castle
* Rainbow Road


Retro Grand Prix (Old Courses)

Shell Cup
* Mario Circuit 1 (SNES)
* Moo-Moo Farm (N64)
* Peach Circuit (GBA)
* Luigi Circuit (GCN)

Banana Cup
* Donut Plains 1 (SNES)
* Frappe Snowland (N64)
* Bowsers Castle 2 (GBA)
* Baby Park (GCN)

Leaf Cup
* Koopa Beach 2 (SNES)
* Choco Mountain (N64)
* Luigi Circuit (GBA)
* Mushroom Bridge (GCN)

Lightning Cup
* Choco Island 2 (SNES)
* Banshee Boardwalk (N64)
* Sky Garden (GBA)
* Yoshi Circuit (GCN)


Battle Arenas:
* Nintendo DS
* Twilight House
* Palm Coast
* Sweet Cake
* Block City (N64)
* Pipe Plaza (GCN)

I think this is the final list. The correct names have to be checked because some were translated from Spanish...

 

[koam]

I want to reserve this but has anyone seen it anywhere for less than $49.99 Canadian? I'm pretty sure it will be $39.99 somewhere on day 1.

How much is the game in the US?

 

[Drensch]

34.99 so far. I haven't seen any sweet preorder bonuses yet, either.