Source: Miami.com

Mario is getting Wi-Fi treatment

Mario Kart DS brings back the warm, fuzzy feelings of yesteryear Nintendo while allowing gamers to get competitive in online head-to-head battles with its free Wi-Fi service.

Finally, Nintendo has recognized that players value online gaming. Of those who bought Mario Kart DS, 45 percent tried the Wi-Fi service in its first week, according to Nintendo. It became the first game to use Nintendo's Wi-Fi connection, soon to be followed by Animal Crossing: Wild Word and Metroid Prime Hunters.

If you already have a home wireless connection, the DS connects directly to it. If you don't, you'll need a wireless router or Nintendo's Wi-Fi USB connector. The connector is available at www.Nintendo.com and retails for $34.99.

But you aren't limited to just playing at home. Nintendo has struck a deal with Wayport, a provider of public high-speed Internet access, to allow gamers to play at 6,000 McDonald's across the country. Once inside the fast-food chain, players only need to launch the game in Wi-Fi connection mode. To find a list of participating hotspots, go to www.nintendowifi.com.

Mario Kart's multiplayer option allows four players to compete against each other. There are more than 30 courses for racing, including familiar tracks from Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 64. Your favorite Nintendo cast of characters are available: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser and Toad.

Each character comes with a choice of two karts: Some are faster or have better drifting abilities around corners. The usual arsenal of weapons is also available -- shells, bananas bombs and lightning. New items to the game include Bullet Bill, which speeds you ahead of your opponents, and Blooper, a squid that squirts oil on your opponent's top screen.

The game handles extremely easy. But there are tricks to make it more interesting. Timing your start just right will give you a rocket boost and performing a drift move will allow you to take corners without decreasing your speed.

But the novelty of the game lies in sharing a Nintendo favorite with players around the world thanks to the online gameplay. This is just a preview of what Nintendo plans to roll out with their next-generation console, the Nintendo Revolution, slated for release in 2006.