Nintendo of America on Tuesday announced a groundbreaking partnership with Wi-Fi provider Wayport to make available free Internet access to DS owners at McDonald's restaurants across the nation. Nintendo and Wayport will offer complimentary Wi-Fi hotspots at McDonald's establishments, enabling DS owners to use the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which launches November 14 in the states, to play online games with or against each other. Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection marks the company's entry into the online arena. The service is dramatically different from competitors because it is entirely free to consumers who already have wireless Internet access at home, as opposed to Xbox Live, which functions on a subscription model.

Nintendo expects to release a variety of DS games this year that will make use of the Wi-Fi Connection, including Mario Kart DS, Tony Hawk's American SK8Land, Animal Crossing: Wild World and Metroid Prime Hunters.

The Wayport deal will make playing DS games online at McDonald's a relative breeze, according to Nintendo. When users want to play an online DS game at a Wayport-equipped McDonald's, they simply launch the title in Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection mode and they're good to go. There is no further setup required and no fees whatsoever.

Nintendo will release more detailed information about participating McDonald's locations at www.NintendoWiFi.com. Via - IGN