Each Wii Game has its own Friend Code

[sci]

At the moment that we saw that the Wii has its own system-specific friend code, we breathed a sigh of relief. A sixteen digit code is still a completely unwieldy username, but at least we didn’t need one for each game. Right?

Wrong. Pokemon Battle Revolution, the first Wii online game, hit Japanese stores last Thursday. What did gamers find when they tried to go online? They found a new twelve digit friend code and a brand new list to add codes for this one game. It looks like Nintendo has learned absolutely nothing from the sometimes annoying experience of online DS titles. To make matters worse, you still can’t exchange friend codes in game. You need to send each other codes in real life.

http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archi...n-friend-code/

Discuss.

[yeti]

I have mixed feelings about it really. I can deal with the fact that for some games it works yet for others it just doesnt.

Its not a showstopper to prevent me from actually buying a game though.

[thetonyclifton]

Its just not good, their arguement is its simple and child friendly I guess, neither really wash with me, its up to parents to supervise their kids online usage anyway...the have to do it themselves for the general internet. A long number even a single one is difficult and pretty half hearted in 2006 a new code for each game like the ds is just plain silly.

it wont put me off buying games but its looking like wii will be primarily used for local multiplayer in my house anyway.

[BydoEmpire]

That pretty much sucks. I hope either 1) that system isn't used for every game or 2) things change for US releases. I'm not holding my breath. And it won't stop my from playing Smash Bros online, but it still sucks. I don't mind the 16 digit code if you have to enter it once - I have a big list of registered wii numbers already.

[panpan]

Is there no option to turn off connect24 in the parental controls if they are that worried about the kids?

[Shane R. Monroe]

Elebits, the first US online game does NOT use friend codes ... it uses the Wii System code.

I believe, gentlemen, this time around friend codes are optional.

[OOPMan]

Still, seems to indicate a game-by-game basis. Even if Elebits doesn't, other games might :-(

[BydoEmpire]

No idea if it makes any difference, but Elebits also doesn't have head-to-head play.

[sci]

The WII needs an unified interface, pronto

[Bill_Loguidice]

The WII needs an unified interface, pronto

For all the talk of Sony and Nintendo about "free service", it's hard to argue about the $50 per year of Xbox Live for the simple reason that it's light years ahead of what both the other companies have shown at this point and look to have for the foreseeable future. It would be a lot of money, but I really wouldn't mind paying another annual fee or two to the other guys to get the same type of commitment to service and unification that has come through in Xbox Live, particularly the ultra-refined implementation for the 360.