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DSi and DS Lite Local Wireless Connection: Yes for DS Games

Yes, for standard DS games. The DS Lite uses proprietary Ni-Fi protocol for local multiplayer. The DSi uses the same Ni-Fi hardware for DS/DSi game local wireless, PLUS a standard 802.11b/g Wi-Fi radio for Internet/DSi Shop.

The Critical Distinction

DS Games on DSi: Run in "DS Mode" — Disable the 802.11b/g radio. They use Ni-Fi exactly like a DS Lite. Therefore, DS games CAN connect DSi ↔ DS Lite locally
DSiWare / DSi-Exclusive Games: Use 802.11b/g radio (Infrastructure/AP mode) or Ni-Fi? Most use Infrastructure. No local ad-hoc between DSiWare titles on different consoles typically

Compatibility Summary

Scenario	Local Wireless?
DS Game (Cart) on DSi ↔ DS Game (Cart) on DS Lite	✅ YES (Standard Multi-Card / Download Play)
DSiWare Game ↔ DS Lite	❌ NO (DS Lite cannot run DSiWare)
DSiWare Game ↔ DSi (Local Ad-hoc)	❌ RARE (Most require Internet/AP)
PictoChat (DSi) ↔ PictoChat (DS Lite)	✅ YES

Bottom Line: For standard DS cartridges, they connect perfectly. For DSi-specific features, they do not.

Nintendo DS