Topic: Nintendo DS Download Service Revealed in Japan

[Jonnyboy117]

Japanese DS owners can go to stores and download game demos and bonus content to their handhelds.

Kotaku Gaming Blog noted today that NCL has updated their  Nintendo DS website with details of the new Download Service.  The following content is available for wireless download at Japanese stores:

Meteos "Experience Edition"

Chokkan Hitofude (Polarium) "Experience Edition"

Band Bros. (Jam with the Band) Additional Songs:

Yoshi / Catch! Touch! Yoshi! (Yoshi's Touch & Go)

Ashley / Sawaru Made in Wario (Wario Ware: Touched!)

Jungle Beat

Bend about Paltena: A set

Bend about Paltena: B set

Slider / Mario 64

The first two are playable demos of DS games being released in Japan.  The third is a set of downloadable songs for Band Bros., the music game that has been available since the Japanese DS launch.

The demos will only be available while the DS is turned on (or asleep), but the Band Bros. content can be saved permanently to the game card.

The NCL webpage lists dates from Feb. 26 (today in Japan) through March 21.  No pricing information is shown, so this is probably a free service.

[Pale]

This needs to come to america AND needs to be done using WiFi.  Internet demos and updates would be a HUGE selling point to western gamers, especially if done wirelessly.

[Bloodworth]

FYI, I updated this a little since Jonny first put it up.

[Bill Aurion]

The demos will only be available while the DS is turned on (or asleep), but the Band Bros. content can be saved permanently to the game card.

Holy CRAP this is awesome...Please localize the game, Ninty!  And give us awesome songs! (ASHLEY'S THEME YES!)

[Eastmere]

             It would be nice to get these bonuses through wi-fi, but I think it would be neat if there were exclusive downloads available only at the flagship store they are opening in NYC this spring.I'm planning on visiting NYC this summer, so it would be nice to get a little something extra by visiting the store.

[Nephilim]

Nintendo has to pull more off fast
this is small compared with the recently announced i-tune clone type deal sony made with yahoo

2 demo's and 13 nes type games, and a few songs doesnt scream out
need a demo of earthbound 3 or something to get people talking!

[Ian Sane]

This is cool but I don't like the fact that demos only last as long as the system is turned on.  I like having the ability to keep the demo.  I like having the ability to play when I want at my own pace.  This doesn't allow for that.

And I agree with PaleZer0 in that they need to make this a WiFi thing.  Going to a store just to play a demo isn't convienent for everyone.  It's a good option to have but as the only way to get the downloadable content it is ridiculously limited.  Online downloads are a must.

To me this is like a classic example of Nintendo being stubborn and forcing everyone to do things their way.  We want demos.  Physical demos like Sony and MS have.  But Nintendo doesn't want to do it that way.  With the Cube they thought in-store demos was the way to go and now they're altering that concept but still being stubborn and restrictive.  I WANT TO KEEP MY DEMOS.  This is cool as an option but it's inferior as an outright replacement.  I also want downloadable content.  Again in store downloads are a cool option especially for those not interested in online gaming but it sucks as the only option.

This idea is really solid but it has to be one of several options.  Nintendo can never seem to understand that concept.  Doing what the competition does plus MORE is an advantage.  Doing something different but more restrictive is a disadvantage.

If this was online third parties would make good use of it and the concept would really take of.  Limited to stores only it will only be used by Nintendo themselves.

[Hostile Creation]

I might have to get Band Bros. (is it coming out here?) if they offer something like this.  Wow, this certainly sounds like it could be really awesome.

[hudsonhawk]

Quote

And I agree with PaleZer0 in that they need to make this a WiFi thing. Going to a store just to play a demo isn't convienent for everyone. It's a good option to have but as the only way to get the downloadable content it is ridiculously limited. Online downloads are a must.

See, I disagree.  In this case, not only does it bring people into the store, but it works as a sort of viral marketing - people coming into the game store will see actual DS owners interacting with each other, probably jumping into multiplayer games and striking up conversation.

It would be cool to keep the demos - but in this case there's just no way to do it (the DS' memory is volatile), but the fact that you can put it to sleep and play it when you get home seems like a decent compromise.  The only other option would be some sort of "demo cart" - a flash cart that would let you save the demos to it.  

[Ian Sane]

"See, I disagree. In this case, not only does it bring people into the store, but it works as a sort of viral marketing - people coming into the game store will see actual DS owners interacting with each other, probably jumping into multiplayer games and striking up conversation."

And by having online downloads as another option this ruins this marketing plan how?  If you want to spend gas money driving to a store then go ahead and meet with everyone and chat it up all you want.  Some of us don't feel like driving out of our way just to play a damn demo.  Why are so many people here so against giving people options?  

[Hostile Creation]

Ian, usually I don't mind you, but will you EVER stop complaining?

[Ian Sane]

I'll stop complaining when Nintendo stops being a restrictive stubborn jerk all the time and others stop defending them for being so.  Most of my "complaining" is directly related to others being all "Nintendo is perfect in every way so don't criticize anything they do ever."

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Ian, this is also good for realtions with retailers.

Foot traffic is generated by this as a result more sales, which means more shelf space for ninty.

[Plugabugz]

I think it's better on a more social level to interact than doing it remotely (online), but I would still appreciate the option nevertheless.

A point out is who has Wireless Internet at their home? *raises hand and looks around*

[Hostile Creation]

What I meant, Ian, was that you could be optimistic when you hear the news and start pushing for something like you're suggesting a little later.  They don't even have an online service yet.  You've got to take this stuff in steps, for Christ's sake.

[Nephilim]

"It would be cool to keep the demos - but in this case there's just no way to do it (the DS' memory is volatile), but the fact that you can put it to sleep and play it when you get home seems like a decent compromise. The only other option would be some sort of "demo cart" - a flash cart that would let you save the demos to it. "
what are u talking about?
to download a game, u will need a SD card.....which well do have memory to save 100k nes style games and a few japanese demo's
and hopefully some cooler stuff later on

[vudu]

Quote
This is cool but I don't like the fact that demos only last as long as the system is turned on. I like having the ability to keep the demo. I like having the ability to play when I want at my own pace. This doesn't allow for that.

What about demos for games that don't have levels, such as Yoshi Touch & Go?  If a demo is released that you could keep for as long as you wanted, there would be little incentive to purchase the game.

I'm going to have to agree with Hostile and say stop complaining.  Those little game carts cost money.  Nintendo doesn't like to give up money.  Most companies don't.  Plus, what are the chances we'll see widely available PSP demos?

Speaking of which, does anyone have any idea how much a DS cart costs to manufacture relative to a GBA cart, a PSP disc and a GC/PS2/Xbox disc?

[JonLeung]

I don't know if this is something that Nintendo would ever consider doing, but releasing a GBA cartridge as a memory card to store downloadable content on the DS would be cool.

If they really had a problem with people holding on to demos for some reason, they could make them self-delete after a set amount of time or number of plays.  Either way is still less limiting than having to have to go to a store to get.  Of course, having a GBA cartridge as a memory card would only be worth getting if downloadable stuff becomes a more common thing.  And hackers might use it to grab multiplayer data and keep it...for whatever reason.

[hudsonhawk]

Quote
to download a game, u will need a SD card.....which well do have memory to save 100k nes style games and a few japanese demo's
and hopefully some cooler stuff later on

And this SD card goes where?

I think you're confusing the Play-Yan downloadable games (which are limited to the GBA mode of the DS) with this thing, which is a kiosk at a gaming store that uploads actual DS game demos to your DS' internal memory.

What I was saying is that there'd need to be something like the Play-Yan, a flash-able DS cart (or a DS cart with an SD card reader) in order to keep the demos from disappearing when you turn the power off.

[Pale]

Quote
Originally posted by: Avinash_Tyagi
Ian, this is also good for realtions with retailers.

Foot traffic is generated by this as a result more sales, which means more shelf space for ninty.

Having worked in retail I think the exact opposite will be true.  Most 'normal' stores will frown upon this for security reasons.  They don't want you coming into the store with something that can be purchased at the store because then they can never be sure if what you walked out with is something you actually paid for.

One cool thing they could do IF they limited these sorts of things to stores is allow for virus like migration from one DS to another.  If your friend hits up the NYC store and gets cool stuff, you should then be able to hit up your friend for said cool stuff.

[Ian Sane]

"What about demos for games that don't have levels, such as Yoshi Touch & Go? If a demo is released that you could keep for as long as you wanted, there would be little incentive to purchase the game."

That's Nintendo's logic right there.  They think that demos hurt sales despite strong evidence that on the Playstation demos help encourage sales.  The only time a demo would kill a game's sales is if the whole game was on the demo but that would be pretty stupid.  I assume Yoshi Touch & Go isn't like Pong or something where it would be impossible to demo the game without giving away the whole thing.

"What I meant, Ian, was that you could be optimistic when you hear the news and start pushing for something like you're suggesting a little later. They don't even have an online service yet. You've got to take this stuff in steps, for Christ's sake."

Okay that's valid.  Realistically this could be just part one of Nintendo's plans and they will offer online downloads as well.  The problem is Nintendo has a history of doing something non-traditional and not going beyond that.  The fact that they were so stingy with demo discs with the Cube makes me assume that they probably think that this in-store stuff is good enough.  If they had a reputation for providing options then I would assume better.  If demo discs were widely available for the Cube for example then my response to this would be "great, that's awesome" because I would have assurance that this is just another option instead of some wacky new Nintendo way to do something that doesn't need fixing.

[Ms.Pikmin]

Ian, we all know you're frustrated with Nintendo.  You make it clear in thread after thread.  Many of us here do not just bend over and take whatever Nintendo is willing to give us just because they're Nintendo.  Yes, there a few here who are fanboys and will never see anything Nintendo does as wrong, but it's not the majority.  

What I do think is a majority, however, are people who are tired of hearing news that is optimistic only to know that what is coming is a post from you ranting about what is wrong with said announcement and how Nintendo sucks and on and on.  

That said, I do wish there was the option of downloading online and/or being able to keep the demos.  But, whatever, I'm not going have a coronary over it.

[Plugabugz]

Attempt #2: Who has wireless connectivity at home?

It would defeat the point of even having wireless online oxygen if no one has the hardware to do so.

[Kirby_PopStar]

I think this is great. Looking at my perspective, as an owner of Daigasso Band Bros. (Jam with the Band), this is incredible. Nintendo is doing something that is going to help me get MORE out of the game I paid for... and free!

So you could, essentially, do something like download new characters or trophies for a Nintendo DS Smash Bros. (they'd have to be pre-programmed in, but this would be a way of unlocking them, giving the casual gamer the illusion that the Nintendo DS Download Kiosk is loading it into your DS) or little kiosk exclusive tech-demo games, sort of like the little Garage Games for Play-Yan... or even demos of games that are not out yet! Think about it!

I see MUCH opportunity for this. It's a step in the right direction, it really is...

[Pale]

Quote
Originally posted by: Plugabugz
Attempt #2: Who has wireless connectivity at home?

It would defeat the point of even having wireless online oxygen if no one has the hardware to do so.

That comment reminds me of when everyone tried to talk down X-Box live by saying not enough people actually have broadband...  Wireless routers cost the same as normal routers did a year ago... There is no reason it can't be an assumed accessory by people who want to play online at home.

Also, there are several rumors out there that the rev will act as a wireless access point for the DS as well...which would be damn hot.  =P