Network service system and communication unit for game machine and game machine capable of using said network service system

A communication unit, for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, said communication unit comprising:

• game machine connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the game machine;
• network connecting means for connecting said communication unit with the network;
• game cassette attaching means for removably attaching a game cassette of either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host;
• attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached;
• and
• host accessing means for accessing the host via the network;
• said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.

A communication unit for a game machine, connecting the game machine via a network to a host providing game services, the game machine having a game cassette removably attached, the game cassette being either a network type utilizing the game services provided by the host or a stand-alone type not utilizing the game services provided by the host, said communication unit comprising:

• processing information storing means for storing processing information of said network connecting means and the game cassette;
• attachment state discriminating means for discriminating whether the game cassette is attached to said game cassette attaching means and for discriminating whether the game cassette is the network type or the stand-alone type when the game cassette is attached;
• processing information executing means for executing the processing information stored in said processing information storing means based on a discrimination result of said attachment state discriminating means;
• and
• host accessing means for accessing the host via the network;
• said host accessing means being activated when the game cassette attached to said attachment state discriminating means is the network type.