Topic: How Nintendo can make a DSiWare to 3DS Service

Well, there's 2 ways actually.

The first way would be to make a DSi firmware update which would cause a button that says "Transfer DSiWare to 3DS." Hitting this button would make you agree to a bunch of Terms and Conditions (although hopefully not) and then give you a code you would enter in the 3DS Shop. This would transfer/copy the license over to the 3DS. This would work well, although this would mean both systems must be connected to the internet so you can't, say, do it in a restaurant (unless they have free WiFi) and would be more secure than my other idea and the only way Nintendo could do it if they wanted people to pay without using an account-based system.

My other idea is to have a DSi firmware update install a button in the settings that would transfer/copy the license over to the 3DS when both are in the mode. Or, another way would be to get rid of the update all-together and have the DSi connect to the 3DS via Download Play. The only problem is it's not as secure as it's not through a server, but it works well and means people can do it anywhere and transfer the content through SD Card.

Both ideas give Nintendo the option to either let the license be simply copied so both systems keep the downloads or transfered so only the 3DS keeps the downloads. They are both simple ideas and wouldn't require an account. Do you know of a way Nintendo could transfer DSiWare to the 3DS?

Hmm, Your ideas are good. But maybe you could make a transfer account. Basically, go on your DSi, make an account, then log in on the 3DS and it will transfer your purchases. This could also work if your DSi breaks.

I figured they'd do a license transfer the way the Wi-fi connection transfer works. When it transfers it get deleted and I imagine it would a one time transfer.

Sadly transferring licenses is never free. Look at Rock Band/Guitar Hero. You have the disc, you want to import the songs you already licensed to the newer version of the game... Sure, press a button, pay a nominal fee, and presto... half of them transfer. The other half are still being negotiated. sigh

I don't see any way Nintendo can transfer DSiWare to the 3DS. Well, okay, not "can", but rather "will". But hey, at least it gives you a reason to hang onto your DSi. And if it breaks, Nintendo WILL transfer your DSiWare to a replacement DSi... in most cases.

Well all of these ideas are nice but Nintendo has made it CLEAR as a bell that they are not going to allow transfers from DSi to 3DS or at lest that is what Reggie Fils- Aime has said from what I've seen floating around on the internet.

If Nintendo doesn't, then it's a company of morons when it comes to online distribution.

I'll just quote myself from the other topic:

I just want to point out that there's no indication that XBLA and PSN games will be transferrable to Sony and MS' next system as it depends on whether they're backwards compatible.

It seems more likely, though. The PS3 is capable of playing two generations back worth of physical media. For reasons only known to Sony, they've blocked off the PS2 emulation from newer PS3s, but I suspect it's something we'll find out about soon.

Being able to transfer in the same gen should be right, and that's where Nintendo messed up, but transferring between gens shouldn't be expected as it's quite hard to pull off.

Not really. Digital software isn't bound by hardware constraints. Worst case scenario is an emulator for previous consoles' digital media would need to be written into the OS.

Well quite frankly my dear WaltzElf, that is precisely one of the reason's I believe that Nintendo has pushed the release date for the Nintendo 3DS to Q1 of 2011 in order that they can fix such issues as DSi to 3DS Transfers especially with Mr. Iwata expressing interest in fixing the online experience* of Nintendo customers.

However would not the 2D, primitive DSiWare games be a bit of devalue to the grand 3D effect of the Nintendo 3DS?

*http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/215639/iwata-unsatisfied-with-nintendo-online/

The PS3 has the PS1 hardware in it(I think) and the PS2 hardware was originally in it, but they took it out to reduce costs. The PS3 apparently cannot emulate the PS2 and by that logic it's more likely for Nintendo as the Wii can play everything from NES to Gamecube.

Software is bound by hardware constraints which is why porting costs money, not all Xbox games work on the 360(which is exactly is emulated as you're describing and many that do work had to be specifically patched) and Nintendo works on a case by case basis for the Virtual Console and its emulators.

Hardware affects how games are coded and that's especially true when it comes to the Wii and the PS3 due to the chipsets. It's why so many games were badly ported to the PS3 for one because the hardware is unorthodox(due to the SPUs) and they had to learn how to do it.

In the end even if they write an emulator into the system not all games will work, so how would you feel if you could transfer your games but only half worked? and then you had to wait for them to be updated? Which is why games take so long to come to the VC by the way.

Nice in theory, but building the capabilities to deliver a strong online services capability to the customer is going to take longer than a few extra months, espeically for a company like Nintendo, that has resisted the online trend in the past (Gamecube), and then gone down the wrong path entirely with the Wii.

I won't say they need to start from scratch, but just about everything in Nintendo's approach to online services, from policy, to infrastructure, to licensing models, to additional services and back-end management, all needs a dramatic rethink.
_{fixed your quotes so they displayed properly -- TBD}

He said it wouldn't be possible without a major change in how the store works. And the ideas I came up with are nice changes to the store to allow DSiWare transfer to 3DS.

I know and I like your ideas Destroyer360. I think what you've laid out is quite nice and innovative.

A major change is what Nintendo needs, and should be embracing, IMO. It's not grounds for dismissing the need to do it.

If the DSiWare backwards compatability will be possible, we'll probably end up having to use an SD card to get them onto the 3DS.

Yes, that's possible. In fact, that it was one of the earlier ideas that I tossed back and forth in my mind when I noticed that the 3DS has a SD Card slot.

great idea you have there, no doubt the code will be based on the downloaded games and what order you downloaded them in and it can only be used once per system cause imagine you buy a dsiware game for the dsi after you've made the transfer of games the code will then change and then you could insert this code into another 3ds

in a nutshell it would be abused

I dont think that it will be transferable. Piracy is the main problem. There is still a bit of hope though.

Use the Club-Nintendo account, Nintendo! Use that as the main account on your systems.

I wish they just tied the right to play a game to your wifi system ID, because they already have it set up that each DS has a specific ID that you can transfer from one DS to another to keep your friend codes the same on your games when you get a new DS. If they just tied it to that, then people could transfer their ID from whatever system to whatever system as often as they wanted, and only one system at a time could have the ID that the game was purchased for so there'd be no worry of piracy.