Great question from a GamerDad reader:

“I am getting my two grandsons, each a Nintendo DS and am

relying heavily on your reviews. Thank you. Query: If I buy

just one copy of Mario & Luigi Partners in Time, can

the boys play with each other on their separate machines?
In your write up on Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, you suggest

this is a good choice for siblings, although they are somewhat

violent. The same question is asked. Can they play the same

game with the two DS machines?”

Answers follow:

First off when you read that Pokemon is violent, what that mainly

means is that the Pokemon fight. There’s no blood or realistic

violence at all. Pokemon is beloved by all ages. So, I’m sorry

if my review misled you at all.

Second of all, yes, both of those games, Mario & Luigi & Pokemon:

Diamond or Pearl cab be played with a single game cartridge for

two players. There is a way to find this out. If you look at

the back of the box on any DS game you’ll see a symbol that tells

you if you need multiple copies for however many players it supports.

Some games do require separate games per player (these are almost

never from Nintendo directly) and some games limit content if you

only have one game cartridge (meaning: you can play together but not

everything in the game is available).

But since Pokemon and Mario & Luigi were meant to be played by multiple

players, I’m confident that you’ll only need one cartridge per grandchild.

Just be careful, they are playable in single player and having only one

game might make for some minor Pokemon-style violence in your own home.

The picture at the top of this post indicates a SINGLE Cartridge is needed

for 2-16 players. Note the white or clear windows in the symbol above.

This picture means multiple cards are needed. Note the dark

windows in the second DS.

Hopefully some of our other experts can chime in.

I longer have either of those games so I’m only 95% sure my answer is

100% correct.

-GamerDad

Tags: Misc