PictoChat

PictoChat is good for when you're in a big crowd, but other than that, it's pretty useless.

User Rating: 5.5 | PictoChat DS

By bluezy | Review Date: September 21, 2006

PictoChat is the limited Instant Messaging feature built into every DS. It is not Wi-Fi compatible, and only works when you and anyone else you're talking to happen to be close.

When you load up PictoChat, you are given 4 rooms (with a maximum 16 people in each room) to choose from. You use the touch screen as your virtual paper, and you can draw whatever you want, or hit keys on the virtual touch screen keyboard to type a message. The bottom screen is your "paper," and the top screen displays the chat room, connection strength, and users in the room.

The only real use for it is when you're in a crowd. For example, at E3 06, everyone supposedly had their DSes out, PictoChatting away. Personally, i'll be using it at the Nintendo Fusion Tour, where there'll be lots of people. That's the good thing about this built-in feature.

Overall, PictoChat is a good idea marred by the inability to go online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Other Helpful Reviews for PictoChat

• Rating:7

  A nice add on to the DS but, It's kind of pointless without online.

  By spiggy500 | Review Date: Nov 11, 2005 | DS

  Pictochat is a type of wireless Insant measenger that is biult into the nintendo DS. It is used to communicate with other people that have a DS and are about 30 to 100 feet away from you(it depends on things that can int... Read Full Review

  4 of 4 users found the following review helpful
• Rating:7.7

  Pictochat is a very easy thing to learn. And, when you buy a DS or DS Lite, it comes with the system.

  By The_Wiggy | Review Date: Sep 03, 2006 | DS

  Pictochat is a fun way to talk to friends wirelessly. If you are trying to keep a secret from someone who doesn't have a DS, you can just use pictochat to tell the person. My friends and I use it at sleepovers, when we a... Read Full Review

  2 of 2 users found the following review helpful