Nintendo 3DS StreetPass Feature Inspired In Part By Dragon Quest IX Success

Recommended Videos

Nintendo producer, Hideki Konno, is responsible for some of the company’s most successful games in recent years, such as Nintendogs, Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii. Konno’s biggest undertaking to date, however, is the Nintendo 3DS.

Not only is Hideki Konno the producer for the upcoming Nintendogs + cats for the Nintendo 3DS, he’s the producer for the 3DS hardware itself.

 

Konno was also instrumental in implementing the system’s StreetPass functionality, which allows 3DS systems to share game data with each other in sleep mode, regardless of what game cartridge is inserted into the system.

 

In a new Iwata Asks interview, Konno revealed that it was the success of Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies that inspired him to pursue the idea of making StreetPass functionality one of the 3DS’ major features.

 

Dragon Quest IX featured what Nintendo dubbed “Tag Mode” in English — the ability for players to passively exchange treasure maps that led to rare items and monsters with other Nintendo DS systems while in sleep mode. In Japan, the Tag Mode feature turned into somewhat of a social phenomenon, and Nintendo constantly encourage players to use it at video game conventions in the U.S. and Europe as well.

 

By Konno’s own admission, his son was rather excited to try out Dragon Quest IX’s Tag Mode, while being uninterested in similar functionality built into the original Nintendogs. This was what inspired him to launch his StreetPass “counter-attack” by having Tag Mode functionality programmed into the system itself, so that game data could be exchanged even if the relevant cartridge wasn’t inserted in the 3DS.

 

In the case of Nintendogs + cats, StreetPass makes a record of other people that own the game that you happened to pass by while carrying your 3DS. You can then meet up with these players — represented by their Mii characters — in an in-game park, and exchange pictures of your pets, or even exchange presents.


Siliconera is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS Repairs Will Cease Soon in Japan
Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS repairs to cease in Japan
Read Article Reminder: Online Services For 3DS and Wii U Will End in April 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Read Article Nintendo Offers Free Repairs to Users Affected by the Noto Earthquake
Nintendo offers free repairs to Switch 3DS and Wii U affected by Noto Peninsula earthquake
Read Article All the Shin Megami Tensei Games Available in English
Read Article Nintendo Will Discontinue 3DS and Wii U Online Functions in 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Related Content
Read Article Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS Repairs Will Cease Soon in Japan
Nintendo 2DS and New 3DS repairs to cease in Japan
Read Article Reminder: Online Services For 3DS and Wii U Will End in April 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Read Article Nintendo Offers Free Repairs to Users Affected by the Noto Earthquake
Nintendo offers free repairs to Switch 3DS and Wii U affected by Noto Peninsula earthquake
Read Article All the Shin Megami Tensei Games Available in English
Read Article Nintendo Will Discontinue 3DS and Wii U Online Functions in 2024
nintendo 3ds wii u online
Author
Ishaan Sahdev
Ishaan specializes in game design/sales analysis. He's the former managing editor of Siliconera and wrote the book "The Legend of Zelda - A Complete Development History". He also used to moonlight as a professional manga editor. These days, his day job has nothing to do with games, but the two inform each other nonetheless.