“Cool Dad, now we can DS Download,” Mason exclaimed as I fired up my new Nintendo DS last night for the first time. I didn’t want to admit that I didn’t know what “DS downloading” was, so I simply nodded. “Sure, Mase,” I said. DS Downloading, apparently, is a way in which two people with Nintendo DSes can play games together.

Around bedtime, Mason asked again if we could DS Download. “Well Mase, I don’t have a cable for that,” I said. “You don’t need a cable, let me show you,” he said. He fired up his DS and I fired up mine. Then we both launched the game Super Mario DS. “No no no, Dad,” he scolded me. “You go to the wireless part and wait for me,” he explained. When I couldn’t find where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to do (give me a break — I just got the thing!) Mason removed the DS from my hands and got me set up. “There,” he said, handing the unit back to me. Moments later, a message popped up on my screen: “Would you like to connect to qxfheke?” it asked.

“I changed my name,” Mason replied.

Everything else after that was a blur. We played some game, best three out of five, but only made it through three rounds as Mason repeatedly pummeled my character every game. There was no escaping the boy’s wrath — my little pink dinosaur was beaten senseless by Mason’s much-more-nimble green dinosaur (Yoshi, I think — I didn’t get a real good look at him). I think I even heard a snicker or two coming from the boy’s direction. Rather than face the humility of a “YOU LOSE” screen I turned the DS off, hoping to save my clean record (and dignity). No such luck (on either account).