The Nintendo DS is one of the most popular hand held game systems ever. It has hundreds of titles available, but what if you don’t want to carry dozens of cartridges around with you? You can download games for the DS through a wireless connection if you have one at school or home. So how do you know what kinds of downloads are safe and legitimate and which ones to stay away from?

Some people download games illegally, that is, don’t pay for titles that typically you would have to purchase. There are blank cartridges (again, not legitimate Nintendo branded items) that you can copy these to, so one could hold several games on one cartridge at a time, and not have to pay for any of the downloaded games. Of course, obtaining games this way is, at the very best, a gray area (if not downright illegal). Obtaining the game files is a whole other issue. What if you get in trouble for downloading them? Many ISPs (Internet Service Providers) monitor what their customers are using their Internet services for. If they notice you downloading licensed software, you may hear from them! Also, you never know what “extras” end up in downloaded files from untrustworthy sources. You could end up with spy ware or viruses on your computer along with your so-called “free” games! Would it really be worth it?

Nintendo decided that since the big gaming consoles like Xbox had inexpensive (and official) downloadable content, they should too. So when the DSi was released, Nintendo now included on-board WiFi, so users could download inexpensive games straight from Nintendo to their DSi. There is also a SD card slot, like a camera, so you can store your downloaded data on there. Now, you don’t have to necessarily shell out $20-$40 just to play some new games on your DS. You can safely and inexpensively download trials and small games right to your DSi.