| As the battle of the handheld gaming systems hots | | | | such as airports, and Nintendo have even struck a |
| up, one of the emerging must-haves is proving to be | | | | deal with McDonald's in order to provide designated |
| the capability of Wi-Fi gaming. As the term implies, | | | | Wi-Fi access for the Nintendo Wi-Fi Network. In the |
| Wi-Fi gaming involves playing games via a Wi-Fi | | | | UK there are currently 7500 branches offering this |
| internet connection to other players. The two most | | | | facility. |
| popular handheld gaming consoles, the PlayStation | | | | For those who prefer gaming at home, in addition to |
| Portable (PSP) and the Nintendo DS, both allow Wi-Fi | | | | the handheld consoles, the latest-generation home |
| gaming, across the PlayStation Network and the | | | | consoles, that is, the Nintendo Wii, the PlayStation 3 |
| Nintendo Wi-Fi Network, respectively. | | | | and the Xbox 360 can all access the internet for |
| Wi-Fi gaming allows users to compete against others | | | | gaming via Wi-Fi connections, although the Xbox 360 |
| connected to the internet nearby or even on the | | | | will require the optional USB Xbox 360 Wireless |
| other side of the world. Even if you don't have | | | | Networking Adapter to go wireless. |
| friends who have an interest in gaming, with 53 million | | | | The range of games available for the handheld |
| Nintendo DS consoles and 25 million PSP consoles sold | | | | consoles for online play should be wide enough to suit |
| worldwide, it is unlikely that there won't be anyone | | | | anyone's tastes. There's role playing games such as |
| to play against, regardless of your preferred gaming | | | | Final Fantasy III and Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass, |
| genre. | | | | first-person shooters like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: |
| Wi-Fi networks are accessible within the transmitting | | | | Vegas, racing games such as Mario Kart DS and |
| range of a wireless access point, or hotspot. In the | | | | sports games, including FIFA 08 to name but a few. |
| US, the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has gone | | | | The opportunities are literally endless, and with the |
| as far as to offer free Wi-Fi access to all of its | | | | market for online gaming set to increase from $5.9bn |
| residents. In the UK, Norwich is pioneering a free | | | | in 2007 to $13bn by 2012 according to research by |
| city-wide Wi-Fi project, employing 200 antennas to | | | | the DFC Intelligence Group, that is unlikely to change |
| cover the city centre and three sectors of the city. | | | | anytime soon. |
| Similar projects are being planned for other major UK | | | | So with an almost limitless amount of places to play |
| cities, such as Manchester, London and Birmingham. | | | | the games, people to play with and game genres, |
| For those not lucky enough to live in a city with a | | | | gamers are simply spoilt for choice by the current |
| comparable scheme there are several free Wi-Fi | | | | wave of Wi-Fi gaming. |
| connections in cafés, pubs and public places | | | | |