Topic: Virtual Handheld needs a virtual link cable.

From the original to the Advance, every Game Boy had a link cable. For those who don't know, a link cable was a cable that linked two or more Game Boys together for multi-player games or transferring data. While most (all?) Game Boy games were made with single-player in mind, it is a known fact that where applicable, it's more fun playing games with a friend. So, my point in this thread: Nintendo should allow Virtual Handheld games with multi-player features to emulate the ability to "connect" two or more 3DSs together via a virtual link cable. Here's how I think it would work:
When you select a multi-player option in a Virtual Handheld game, the screen not displaying the game would light up and ask you if you would like to host or join a game (or if this has already been selected in-game, will skip right to the host/join screen). Once two or more 3DSs have been connected, the host can cut off other 3DSs from joining or the game will cut off automatically when all the player spots are filled. Once the players are connected together, the link cable is "attached" and you can start the game.
I think this feature would make Virtual Handheld more functional and increase Virtual Handheld game sales. I think it would be a great edition if any of the old Pokemon games made it on to the service, as while the main game is multi-player, the fun only extends when you have friends to battle against.
So, what do you guys think? Is this a good idea or is my theory malformed?

I would love for that to happen, honestly I would! I doubt it will, because that right there would require actual work done to the games themselves, which we very well know Nintendo does not do with their downloadable services. though they did do work to Pokemon snap now that I think about it. Greatest thing ever, honestly. So I suppose there is hope if that's any consolation.

that would be pretty cool if they could emulate the link cable somehow... hell yes i'd love to have an old-school pokemon battle with someone

That's a great idea, Pokemon especially. I've always wanted to play Mario Tennis (GBC) with somebody on the GB too, but we never had a link cable nor any friends with Mario Tennis. D:

That really sounds like a great idea. While we're dreaming, why not make a virtual handheld to console system. Imagine if Nintendo released the original Pokemon Red and Blue for Virtual Handheld and Pokemon Stadium for virual console. Nintendo could do something similar to what you described to allow users to connect their 3DS to their Wii for some retro Pokemon battles in... wait for it... 3D!!!

Actually this should be very possible through the emulator without modifying the actual games, the question is will they require the other person to have bought the game? or will it automatically download temporarily from one of the other players. Since the Gameboy does have a link cable I see no reason why they wouldn't add this functionality.

edit I should point out that it might not work exactly as Destroyer360 has said but rather on any initial (or ongoing) requests for data on the Gameboy's serial port it might automatically establish communication with other Nintendo 3DS systems and/or display some sort of dialog - but even so there might be some difficulties.

and another Actually since the Nintendo 3DS is continuously trying to establish communication with other systems it seems easily possible that when another system comes in contact it could alert both parties of the situation and allow them to play together - easily possible in my book.

Just what I want to happen. Every game is not so fun if you have to play single-player. 2 players 2xfun
I'm also hoping that they could have a way to transfer Pokémon from older games to newer games (like Pal Park). It would be nice to transfer old Pokémon from there to Black/White (or D/P/Pt/HG/SS). But this is never going to happen...

I'm sure Nintendo has thought about multiplayer linking

Yep, I'm sure they have and hopefully they have gone ahead with a nice solution .

@JoshuaYoshua: I'm pretty sure that most games would require each player to have a separate copy; however, should Game Boy Advance games eventually make it to the service, the 'Link it Up!' games should allow for (limited) gameplay with just one copy, such as Mario Bros. Battle for the Super Mario Advance series or 'Yoshi Kart' for Mario Kart: Super Circuit.

@Ecto-1: That's exactly the feature I've been anticipating since Mario Golf was announced for Virtual Nintendo 64! Those empty character slots have been bugging me for ages now! Also, I really want to see Pokemon Stadium (2) make it to VN64 with all functionality retained!

@Ecto-1: That's a good idea! The 3DS would act like the Game Boy Pak you would put on the back of the controller! Since there aren't many N64 games on the service, it wouldn't seem like it would take too long to update the existing games with Virtual Handheld game compatibility. And if that happened I'll bet we'll see a version of Pokemon Stadium on Virtual Console with no sacrifices like NintendoPurist87 said.
@JoshuaYoshua: I'm sure the 3DS wouldn't automatically pair up 2 people looking to play the same game in multi-player. I would imagine that that would be frustrating if you had a bunch of people with the same 2-player game in a room and everyone was connecting to the games simultaneously and you wanted to play with a specific person. You would end up linking with a bunch of other people before you got lucky and managed to connect with the other person. I think the room system would be how multi-player games on the 3DS would function if you were in the game, though I guess the games will probably alert you if a multi-player game is forming, in which case I think virtual handheld games should roll like that as well.

I was was always hoping they would do this for the DS.

@Destroyer360's @JoshuaYoshua (I think I got that right): That's true. Multiplayer Game Boy games needed to be connected before the consoles were switched-on (at least, that's what Nintendo warned you to do - though try telling that to the people cloning infinite MEWTWO in Pokemon RB!), so I imagine multiplayer VC games on 3DS would need to be connected before the game starts as well.

Putting WiFi into 15 year old games is even harder... you might as well make a new game.

...Didn't the GBA used to have a wireless adapter?...How did that work out, I mean....I'm pretty sure Nintendo would figure something out...

Yeah that'd work, except the option to connect players would need to be available at all times. It'd make things way more simple to code since Nintendo wouldn't have to add extra code for special cases (ie, only display the connection wizard on multiplayer screens). Plus you could connect the links whenever you wanted to IRL, right? :3

Theoretically it's easy and simple enough. Knowing Nintendo, though, I doubt they'd have this feature available from the get go. Somewhere along down the road I can see this happening.

...But they haven't put Wi-Fi into other VC games in the past, so why would do they do that now?

Not going to happen. Nintendo has shown that they have NO desire to change ANY code in VC releases. They didn't add controller pak or rumble pak support for N64 VC games, even though any freeware emulator worth it's salt can save controller pak data to a save file and emulate force feedback on any rumble-compatible USB controller.

Emulating link cable features through the 3DS's wireless communications certainly will not happen. Link cable functions are much more difficult to emulate on different tech than what they've left out on Wii.

Cannot comment on how they would implement it, seems more likely the people you play with would have to be on your friend list. edit Maybe it could bring up a list (and possibly their Mii caricature) so you can select who to play with.

Yep, ran into that about the Gameboy Advance when doing a little search - lets hope they will be generous .

Thanks for the info, I was wondering about that! since that is the case it seems quite logical that when you begin playing a Virtual Gameboy game with Link Cable support that it would search for other players, possibly restricted to those on your friend list, and establish connections before the game starts.

Why would they put Wifi into Virtual Console games when you can already play them multiplayer as designed? I think you might be confusing the topic, we are not talking about playing Gameboy games over the internet but rather together by emulating the Link Cable - I hope that makes sense.

I don't agree.

• There is no need to change any code in the Virtual Gameboy releases to support the Link Cable.
• Why would they add Rumble Pak support for N64 Virtual Console games when you cannot physically connect a N64 controller by any official means, nor can I think of anything that resembles a Controller Pak on the Nintendo Wii. edit Actually I understanding what you mean, that is the ability to exchange save game data - since there are no physical devices like the Controller Pak it's far less natural than supporting the Link Cable feature in the Virtual Gameboy of the Nintendo 3DS.
• Link cable functions are not difficult to emulate.

To me there are not many obstacles in the way of supporting the Link Cable functionality, and it seems very natural as instead of physical cables you have a wireless connection. Essentially I think it could be done without any additional hiphap, just get a few friends together and boot the game together - even so it seems logical that they would implement some sort of process so it isn't invisible and allow you to control who you play with.

and another
The primary show stopper I think is a technical one in that if they cannot match the speed of data transfer as the original then they certainly won't go ahead with it - maybe I could do some research on this aspect.

Hope that makes sense .