stylus for input; an on-screen keyboard partially covers the touch-sensitive area while using this mode, allowing for typed and written messages. The DS's main menu also features an alarm clock and the ability to set preferences for boot priority (booting to games when inserted, or always booting to the main menu), Game Boy Advance game screen usage (top or bottom), and user information (name, date of birth, favorite color, time, etc.) [edit] Download Play Main article: DS Download Play With selected titles (such as Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros. and Meteos), it is possible to play multiplayer games with other Nintendo DS users using only one game card. The distance for this to be effective is about 60 feet. The Nintendo DS unit downloads the necessary data from another unit running the game. There is also a multiplayer Wi-Fi feature. At certain hotspots, or Wi-Fi enabled areas, you can hook up and play with DS owners around the world. Also, many stores that sell DS games have DS Download Stations where a player can download demos of games. Due to the game being stored solely in the console's RAM (4 Megabytes), the downloaded data is only retained until the Nintendo DS is switched off. [edit] Compatibility Nintendo DS games are on small, flat "game cards", as opposed to the larger cartridges used by the Game Boy line and other previous Nintendo systems. This is due to the fact the DS uses flash cards while the Game Boy series uses circuit boards. The Nintendo DS is compatible with Game Boy Advance (GBA) cartridges; the smaller Nintendo DS cartridges fit into Slot 1 on the top of the system, while Game Boy Advance games fit into Slot 2 on the bottom of the system. The Nintendo DS is not compatible with games for the Game Boy Color and the original Game Boy, due to a slightly different form factor and the absence of the Zilog Z80-like processor used in these systems. The handheld does not have a port for the Game Boy Advance Link Cable, so multiplayer or GameCube-Game Boy Advance link-up modes are not available in Game Boy Advance titles. The Nintendo DS only uses one screen when playing Game Boy Advance games. The user can configure the system to use either the top or bottom screen by default. The games are displayed within a black border on the screen, due to the slightly different screen resolution between the two systems (256 × 192px (approx. .05 megapixels) Nintendo DS, 240 × 160px (approx. .04 megapixels) Game Boy Advance). Nintendo DS games inserted into Slot 1 are able to detect the presence of a specific Game Boy Advance game in Slot 2. In games such as Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Kirby: Canvas Curse, WarioWare: Touched!, Feel the Magic: XY/XX, and Advance Wars: Dual Strike, extra content can be unlocked or added by starting the Nintendo DS game with the appropriate Game Boy Advance game of the same series inserted. One of the first uses of this feature in Western countries is a Rumble Pak included with Metroid Prime Pinball, which is also compatible with Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Super Princess Peach, Metroid Prime Hunters, and Star Fox Command. [edit] Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Main article: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection The Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is an online service run by Nintendo to facilitate free Internet play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games through the use of Wi-Fi connection. The service was launched in North America on November 14, 2005 with the release of Mario Kart DS and Tony Hawk's American Sk8land, in Australia on November 17, 2005 with the release of Mario Kart DS, in the UK on November 18, 2005 with the release of Tony Hawk's American Sk8land, in Europe on November 21 with the release of both Mario Kart DS and Tony Hawk's American Sk8land, and in Japan on November 23, 2005 with the release of Animal Crossing: Wild World. According to Nintendo on August 28, 2006, the service had logged over 70 million connections from over 2 million unique users worldwide in nine months, with a population surpassing that of 15 different U.S. states. [10] [edit] Battery life The Nintendo DS contains a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. The expected battery life ranges from 6 - 10 hours on a full four-hour charge. [11] Battery life is affected by multiple factors including speaker volume, use of one or both screens, back lighting, and use of the built-in WiFi. The biggest effect on battery life is caused by using the backlight, which can be turned off on the main menu screen or on selected games (such as Super Mario 64 DS). The battery is designed to be removed only when it expires and should be replaced. It is removable with the use of a Phillips-head screwdriver. Removing the battery will cause the Nintendo DS to prompt the user to re- enter all of the unit's settings (user's birthday, user's name, etc.), but it will not affect saved data on Nintendo DS Game Cards or Game Boy Advance Game Paks. To sustain battery life in the midst of a game, users can close the Nintendo DS system, which will then put the DS in sleep mode with the game you were playing paused. A system in sleep mode can run for several hundred hours without completely draining the battery. However, closing the shell whilst playing a Game Boy Advance game will not put the Nintendo DS into sleep mode; the game will continue to run normally including the back light. Certain DS games (such as Animal Crossing Wild World) also will not pause but the backlight will turn off. Replacement batteries are widely available from most electronic stores. [edit] Regional division The Nintendo DS is region free in the sense that any console will run a Nintendo DS game purchased anywhere in the world; it is the same system everywhere. However, the Chinese version games can only be played on the Chinese iQue DS, whose larger firmware chip contains the required Chinese character glyph images. Nintendo DS of other regions cannot play the Chinese games, while iQue DS can play games of other regions. Also, as with Game Boy games, some games that require both players to have a Nintendo DS Game Card for multiplayer play will not work together if the games are from different regions (e.g. a Japanese Nintendo DS game may not work with a North American Nintendo DS game, though some titles, such as Mario Kart DS, are mutually compatible). With the addition of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, certain games can be played over the Internet with users of a different region game. Some Wi-Fi enabled games (e.g. Mario Kart DS) allow the selection of opponents by region. The options are Continent and Worldwide, as well as two non-location specific settings. This allows the player to limit competitors to only those opponents based in the same geographical area. It is unknown whether this is based on the region code of the console in use, the region of the cartridge, or geolocation of the IP address. [edit] Accessories Main article: Nintendo DS accessories Game Boy Advance game slot on Game Boy Advance (above) and Nintendo DS (below). Although the secondary port on the Nintendo DS does accept and support Game Boy Advance cartridges (but not Game Boy Color cartridges), Nintendo has emphasized that its main intention for its inclusion was to allow a wide variety of accessories to be released for the system, the Game Boy Advance compatibility titles being a logical extension. . stylus for input; an on-screen keyboard partially covers the touch-sensitive area while using this mode, allowing for typed. Rumble Pak included with Metroid Prime Pinball, which is also compatible with Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Super Princess Peach, Metroid Prime Hunters, and Star Fox Command. [edit] Nintendo. over 70 million connections from over 2 million unique users worldwide in nine months, with a population surpassing that of 15 different U.S. states. [10] [edit] Battery life The Nintendo