toypup wrote:


"Ericka" wrote in message

Once you're connected by WiFi, it's traveling over
the internet, so distance is not an issue. You can play games
with people anywhere in the world. IIRC, these
interactions are mediated by the specific game in use,
and different games allow different types of interaction.
You do have to get the other player's code and put it in
your friends list (and vice versa) in order to do this.
There are websites where people share their friend codes
if they want to play games with other people. There is
a web browser available for the DS, but of course you'd
have to buy that, and if you don't buy it, he won't have
access to it. Most of the games that support WiFi gameplay
don't allow much interaction.


So most games that allow WiFi play only allow the players to play that
game and not chat at the same time?

Correct.

When I read about DS, it said
something about being able to play people around the world, so that was
the part that concerned me. If he can play others without a running
conversation with them, that is fine with me.

You have to check out the individual games, but
I don't think my kids had any games that allowed free
chatting. And, as noted before, they had to have exchanged
friend codes.

Is Pictochat something that is built into the DS?

Yes.

I know my son knew
how to use that at his friend's house. If I buy it, I would like him to
use that feature to communicate with his friend but not anyone else.

You can't do that. But, as I said, keep in mind that
Pictochat has only about a 65 foot radius for communication.

Best wishes,
Ericka