Much like how games from the Wii Shop originally worked, games downloaded from the DSi Shop can't be run off an SD card. While a quick and dirty workaround addressed this for the Wii, DSi software remains chained to the onboard memory.
It would appear that while new digital software made available for the 3DS (such as 3DSWare and Virtual Console games) will be able to play directly off an SD card, DSiWare that you buy new on or transfer over to the 3DS still requires fridge storage. Thankfully, there's more internal memory on the 3DS, but I'm sure players would prefer storage options.
Before you shake your fist at Nintendo for being backwards once again, read the details carefully. From what I gather, this is a result of the way DSiWare and the DSi Shop infrastructure work. Nintendo has its hands tied in that regard. Again, all other 3DS exclusives will have SD workability, so there's no cause for any serious alarm.
The return of the mini-fridge [N-Sider]
Tony Ponce (aka megaStryke) is a culturally confused, Canadian-born Puerto Rican who grew up in Japan and South Florida ... yet can only speak English. He specializes in writing features and maintaining an immaculate goatee. Likes: Any and all things related to Mega Man, Contra, Castlevania, 2D, PB&J sandwiches, applesauce, and candy corn.
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Contest:
11:00 AM on 04.09.2011 | 
I don't get that statement. They're both proprietary networks owned and created solely by Nintendo. Sony's PSP and PS3 network play fine together - why couldn't Nintendo do the same?
So - the fist - it's still shaking.
It's another great reason to adopt Nintendo products late - you get them after they figure out all the kinks (and drum up software support). It's not worth getting the pitchfork out for, but I can't be alone in thinking that Nintendo, with it's billions in profits, could have figured this out pretty easily.
Netflix streams films.
@Magnalon
How else could you explain the situation? Everything that's exclusive to the 3DS has expanded functionality. DSiWare content is restricted. Only DSiWare can run on a DSi. What conclusions can you draw other than that there is an issue with the way DSiWare works that can't be fixed with a simple patch? If it could, don't you think Nintendo would have released that patch for the DSi already? The Wii has that SD workaround, so there must be some reason why the DSi doesn't have the same.
"What conclusions can you draw other than that there is an issue with the way DSiWare works that can't be fixed with a simple patch? "
I think this goes deeper than expecting a patch after the fact. I expected Nintendo to launch the 3DS with all the kinks worked out beforehand, and not rush it to the market to be the first unit with glasses free 3D.
It's not too much to expect out of any other company out there right now (MS, Sony, Apple) - but it is for Nintendo, apparently.
For instance, when the next Xbox comes out, I'm 100% sure I'll be able to link my gamertag, and be able to download my 100 Xbox Live Arcade games with my same account. Same with Sony, and the next iPhone or iPad.
When the next Wii hits, there's no infrastructure in place to be able to load up any of my pre-existing WiiWare games. IMO, that sucks - and it seems like it's a kind of similar situation here.
As a result, I'm not confident in purchasing anything from any digital storefront from Nintendo, because they don't know what they're doing. Will I be able to transfer my 3DS downloadable titles to the next Nintendo portable? Who knows.
Oh yeah! And if patching was a simple cure-all, why couldn't Nintendo release a patch that ensured all Wii games shared a single friend code like on the 3DS?
Now, if there's a patch down the line that allows DSiWare to run off the SD card in the 3DS, fine and dandy. But since the other 3DS digital software will work as promised out the gate, you have to conclude that DSiWare has some nasty hurdles.
Christ, now you are making stuff up!
"When the next Wii hits, there's no infrastructure in place to be able to load up any of my pre-existing WiiWare games. IMO, that sucks - and it seems like it's a kind of similar situation here."
WHERE!? Where did you read that!? Nowhere, because no info on the next home console has been released! Similar situation here? YOU CAN TRANSFER DSIWARE GAMES! You can carry over your purchases! There's no "situation"!
Like Xbox and PS3 don't have any problems. Hey, how is that backwards compatibility with the original Xbox on the 360? What happened to BC on the PS3?
Is there a magic way to recover your games when your Wii is stolen? Let me know, because I'd love to use it!
Also you're strawmanning here pretty hard. I NEVER mentioned BC on disc based titles: just downloadables.
Not a big issue really.
Where on the DSi is there a button that says "transfer"? I haven't seen it. If someone had spotted such a feature in the past, don't you think a site would have run that info and we wouldn't have had so many people worried up to the 3DS reveal that their software would be locked down? And wouldn't people have been able to transfer DSiWare from one DSi to the next?
As for BC, I think it's appropriate to discuss. The limited BC on the 360 is emulation based, each game has to be emulated individually. If there was some update that could make the entire back catalog available, don't you think Microsoft would have released that firmware update? Doesn't sound like a simple "slap on a Band-Aid" deal. There are hurdles there, much like with the DSi.
Nah, it's not that, they could just load up the entire DSiware game into the RAM because their file size limit was at 40MB I believe. I think it is more likely what LOLFAQ said.
It comes in May.
The DSi had a system like it does to have a firmer grip on media used, since Nintendo designed it that way.
They either don't see the issues in having it save to the 3DS memory, or they don't have it as high on their priority list.
No need to freak out about it. IN the end we are just talking about video game consoles.
The DSi had a system like it does to have a firmer grip on media used, since Nintendo designed it that way.
They either don't see the issues in having it save to the 3DS memory, or they don't have it as high on their priority list.
No need to freak out about it. IN the end we are just talking about video game consoles.
Before I got all riled up by that last paragraph, I was going to comment "one of the best headers in months".
I love the dig in New Vegas, if you put on Wasteland Wanderer, that has a skeletal Indy in a fridge during your travels.
From what was said at the time by Wii hacker groups, the Wii patch didn't actually let the Wii run games directly from SD card. Instead, the Wii silently copies the game from SD card to internal memory, and then runs the internal memory copy as normal.
With my "other room" 360, its as simple as downloading my tag and downloading any game I already own that I want to play.
Haven't bought any Wii dlc for a while, and my $100 worth of dlc is worth more than the resale value of the console itself. Say what you want, but It's a crazy situation.
what about cave story? i think it's in both wiiware and dsiware. does that mean we have to buy the game twice to play it on wii and ds?(unlike PSN where some games are both compatible to PS3 and PSP)
Let's just put it this way, by the time DSiWare launched (on the same day the DSi launched, just like the Wii... WHY MUST THIS CONSTANTLY BE FORGOTTEN when forgiving the eShops absence?), the know issue of running games off the SD card was ravaging Wii and their solution was rolled out. So they repeated this mistake with a smaller memory system in the DSi, despite learning from this mistake on the Wii.
Right now, DSiWare has the better library just from the standpoint of knowing anything about it. People WILL be shopping DSiWare because, well, there is a ton of content in there. So despite having a lot more memory, people WILL be running out of memory on the 3DS.
Whether or not it's a limit of the platform is irrelevant to the fact that their lingering incompetence IS going to cause problems and, frankly, all of this SHOULD have been known, seen, and playable on March 27th. "But I'd rather they do it right?" Yeah... THIS is going to be the time Nintendo does it right... I think Kirby done rode that star youre wishing on right out this bitch 10 years ago.
Yet more high horse elitist retards thinking they know better.
I disagree. Nintendo CLAIMED in the manual you could run it off SD, but it'd need to be copied internally when you run it just like Wii does. If they're backtracking, then they're lying.