Nintendo will next month ship software that will turn its DS Lite handheld games console into an MP3 player, the company's UK wing said late last week. The app will ship on 8 December - the same day the Wii goes on sale over here.

The application comes on a cartridge that incorporates an SD card slot for song storage, though buyers will need to acquire not only a suitably capacious memory card - Nintendo's not bundling one, it seems - but also a memory card reader for their computer.

The player has several game-themed skins, including a Super Mario Bros version.

Simply dubbed the Nintendo MP3 Player, the app will also run on the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Micro consoles. It will retail for £20, the videogames pioneer said. ®