Wii Games Go Online, Lose Happy Clouds

Ars Technica has the news of some comments made by Reggie Fils-Aime on the SpikeTV show GameHead about Wii's online multiplayer future. Essentially, there aren't any games in the near future to look forward to, online. The Japanese launch saw the inclusion of Pokemon Battle Revolution, a with a solid online mode. The first batch of online games is slated for sometime around March or April. From the article: "Many games still in development for the Wii are designed around playing with people who are physically present: a recent preview of a new anime-themed golf game for the Wii on Electric Playground revealed that the developers had not included online multiplayer modes. Fils-Aime also indicated that new multiplayer channels were on their way for the Wii's online service, but declined to give any details about what new features might be enabled on them." In somewhat related news, it seems that the Bob Ross game may not end up happening after all. The loss of happy little clouds will be felt by every Wii owner.

Friend codes

[interiot]

Honestly, even if there were multiplayer games, they'd still be hampered by friend codes. I understand Nintendo's motivations for using friend codes, but still, they're a pretty big drag on online multiplayer, especially for adults want to play by some other schedule than when their handful of friends are on.

Re:Online Wii killer app...

[Hott of the World]

Just the implication of what it will mean for Nintendo, will guarantee that they won't "do it right".

I'm hoping and wishing as much as the next guy, but the smart money is on being let down with the multiplayer aspects. I don't blame them, much. Multiplayer is damn hard to do right. Especially on a console.

and It's damned impossible to do it for free.

Re:Friend codes

[Defiant00]

Based off of the DS' implementation of friend codes, you can play with random people (and in the case of Clubhouse Games it removes the drawing/chat and instead just lets you pick standard questions/comments as well). The only thing friend codes are for is for playing with your friends, not making it so you cannot play with anyone else.

Of course, you can select to play with only those who you are friends with, but that does not prohibit you from being randomly matched up with an opponent who you have not exchanged codes with.

The only game that I know of that you had to have a friend code for was Animal Crossing, and that merely because the average person wouldn't want random visitors trashing their towns.

Games that allow random play:
Mario Kart
Tetris
Clubhouse Games
Metroid Prime Hunters

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few more, but those are the ones I have.

Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii

[hibiki_r]

Since the wiimote doesn't try determine the size of your screen at all, just increasing the sensitivity would be enough to make a painting game as precise as they want. Almost every game menu uses the remote as a pointer anyway, so the resolution is definitely there.

Re:Online Wii killer app...

[geminidomino]

Whats the difference between multiplayer where you sit next to someone, and multiplayer where the opponent is in the next county over? It seems to me that online super smash bros with a ranking system is not only easy, but a virtual moneybag for nintendo.

For starters, there's the implementation of shading the data between the consoles. This is why they said they why they didn't make Mario Kart DS battlemode online-capable, because they couldn't keep up.

Re:Friend codes

[mjhacker]

Star Fox: Command
LostMagic

I don't see why everyone freaks out about Friend Codes... maybe they're just misinformed.