Nintendo will launch a free, UK-wide wireless gaming service for owners of its DS handheld console on 25 November.

The scheme, dubbed the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, comes courtesy of deals struck with Wi-Fi hotspot companies The Cloud and BT Openzone, and will ensure any DS owner within range of a participating hotspot can connect wirelessly to a similarly located player and engage in networked virtual combat.

The games company will also launch a £30 PC-connected USB Wi-Fi adaptor for the DS to allow console owners to create a wireless network from any home computer with a broadband Internet connection.

Gaming is free, attracting no fees or subscription charges, Nintendo said. The catch is that any other usage will be billed at whatever tariffs the relevant hotspot owner charges, so no gratis web surfing or emailing, we're afraid.

The UK roll-out will be accompanied by a similar network across continental Europe, backed by a number of local wireless service providers. Nintendo will ship DS versions of Mario Kart on the launch date, which takes place a week after the similarly network-enabled Tony Hawk's American SK8Land goes on sale.

The UK network takes in McDonalds eateries, Coffee Republic cafes, Hilton and Ramada Jarvis hotels, Road Chef and Welcome Break service stations, First Great Western railway stations, over 25 student unions and city centre BT Payphones and airports, football stadiums and even the British Library and Canary Wharf. ®

Related stories

• The Cloud intros flat-fee Wi-Fi tariff (2 May 2006)
• Nintendo DS Lite to hit Europe well before 16 August? (22 February 2006)
• Nintendo to drop DS for DS Lite (20 February 2006)
• Cisco puts TiVo, Nintendo on shopping list? (1 February 2006)
• Nintendo funds old-school gaming expo (26 January 2006)
• Nintendo redesigns the DS (26 January 2006)
• Nintendo Revolution: affordable, shipping by Thanksgiving (19 January 2006)
• Lampposts wired for Wi-Fi (5 January 2006)
• The Cloud targets UK with city centre Wi-Fi hotspots (3 January 2006)
• No new N-Gages until 2007 (29 November 2005)
• Nintendo H1 profits halved as GameCube demand declines (24 November 2005)
• Nokia misses N-Gage sales target by miles (3 November 2005)
• Sony offers iTunes-like PSP media tool (1 November 2005)
• Virus writers create Nintendo DS Trojan (12 October 2005)
• Nintendo shows 'Revolutionary' console controller (16 September 2005)