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Wii

What Mario Kart Does Right

by Jonathan Metts - May 16, 2008, 4:11 pm EDT
Total comments: 26

Jonny analyzes Mario Kart Wii's excellent online features, how they can be used in other Nintendo games, and where there's still room for improvement.

There is no question that Mario Kart Wii is Nintendo's most advanced online Wii game (it compares less favorably to some of the top online DS games). I thought it would be worthwhile to dissect and analyze just exactly what makes Mario Kart Wii's online features so great, and I also suggest a few ways that they could be made better in future games. Certainly, we should all hope that Nintendo will maintain at least this level of online functionality in future titles, establishing a minimal feature set that is standard across first-party online games. We should also hope that Nintendo will provide the tools and standards to create these features to all third-party developers, so that the overall level of Wii online functionality will be improved. Without further ado, here are my writing crutches… a.k.a. lists.

Mario Kart Wii's Online Accomplishments

1. Smooth Online Gameplay – There is little or no noticeable lag, a smooth frame rate (though reduced with two local players), and matches start quickly and seamlessly. The "netcode" puts Super Smash Bros. Brawl to shame. It feels like there is no performance sacrifice to play online. Unless you are trying to unlock something, there is no reason NOT to play the game online.

2. Methods to Avoid Friend Codes – Finally, you can invite Wii friends without typing any new codes specific to the game. As in Brawl, you can also add friends-of-friends by clicking a button between matches. This saves a ton of time and prevents the usual frustration associated with trying to fill up a friends list.

3. Fast, Flexible Random Matching – As in most online Nintendo games, Mario Kart Wii lets you join either regional or worldwide matches. Unlike any other online Nintendo game, this one almost always finds a large group of 8-10 other players, within seconds. You can watch the group finish its current race while you wait to join the next one, giving you a chance to scope out the best players and their strategies. Other people can join or leave the group between races without messing it up for everyone else. The only thing missing is an option to meet up with friends, then join a random group together. This would let you race with friends without being stuck in one-on-one matchups on huge tracks.

4. Online Integrated Throughout – Online racing is available for either one or two players on the same machine. An excellent ghost-trading system is packaged with the best leaderboards on Wii, showing both overall rankings and friends-only comparisons for each track. Occasional tournaments offer altered tracks and another fun way to compete with friends and the world. Finally, you can play Battle Mode online in addition to standard racing (not available in Mario Kart DS or even in the LAN mode of Mario Kart Double Dash). Basically, online doesn't feel like a tacked-on extra mode… it is an integral part of the game.

5. Less Anonymity – Even in random matches, you immediately see where each player is located, and you can see their names and Miis. This is not dangerous information or an invasion of privacy. It actually helps you feel like you are playing against real people and not thinly disguised bots. It increases the thrill of winning and the disappointment of losing. It also fits in with the ability to race as your Mii online.

Where Even Mario Kart Wii Needs Improvement

1. Communication Options – Whether it's voice chat, text chat, PictoChat, even phrase chat… the important thing is that we should be able to communicate while actually playing the game, not just between matches. From a technological standpoint, voice chat could be implemented immediately, and it's the most desirable because it lets you communicate without physically interfering with gameplay. Wii is already Bluetooth compatible, as are many wireless headsets – so what's the holdup? As long as it is limited to your friends list, there is no significant risk of exchanging personal information with strangers, so it should not conflict with Nintendo's mission to protect children online.

2. Adding Friends Efficiently – Wii games should automatically import friend codes of friends who have the game, replacing this messaging procedure and the subsequent "handshake", which can take hours or days to finally confirm a friend. A huge part of the success of Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network is that those services don't require separate friend registrations for each game – it's handled on a system level. You still can't befriend random players if you like how they play, even in the limited "Rivals" tier of friendship established years ago by Metroid Prime: Hunters.

3. Always Online – There should be no need to constantly connect and disconnect from Nintendo WFC. The game should tell you upon boot-up whether your friends are online. This also means you could receive invitations to play online with friends even when you are playing the single-player modes. Establishing full online awareness will lead to far more opportunities to play friend matches, which currently tend to be set up outside of the game (by phone or Internet), even if you have a large friend roster.

Will any of these issues be addressed in Nintendo's next big online game? Will Nintendo even bother to match Mario Kart Wii's online feature set? These are key questions that simply cannot be answered right now, due to Nintendo's stubborn inconsistency with online games. What we can say is that Mario Kart Wii proves Nintendo has the ability to develop solid online games. Now we'll see if they choose to do so again, and if they will help other developers to do the same.

Talkback

ShyGuyMay 16, 2008

Can't say I disagree with any of these points. Combine the best online parts of Brawl and Kart, make it standard and add a voice chat option and Nintendo would have excellent online.

I'd like to note that you can see what your buddies are doing online, and if one of them is playing a Regional or Worldwide match, you can join their game and race with them in the next race.

The "Gamerscore" is also a huge plus. It lets you see how good you are in comparison to everyone else, and gives you motivation to really do well. The Wii Wheel icon is also kind of cool. It's a bragging right, especially the Golden Wheel. I use the GC controller for my solo 150cc races, but it's Wii Wheel all the way for online matches. Gotta keep up appearances!

I would actually prefer that voice chat remain absent from Mario Kart Wii. I've played voice chat games on the PS3 and 360, and virtually every game is dominated by one or two spastic loudmouths (CoD4 is a rampant example) who annoy everybody else. Mario Kart is a gentlemen's game. At least, I like to pretend it is, and the absence of voice chat allows me to keep up that charade.

You're absolutely right that Nintendo needs to impliment a feature wherein specific game codes are sent to your Wii Friends List automatically. In fact, and I'm sure we've all said this at one time or another, they could get rid of game-specific Friend Codes altogether! z

But overall, yes, Mario Kart Wii is the first Nintendo game to do online play right, and I hope they continue to learn from these early efforts.

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

GoldenPhoenixMay 16, 2008

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

What about Star Fox? I think that could make for an awesome online co-op experience if done right or expand upon the battle mode to have it fully fleshed out for online play.

Quote from: GoldenPhoenix

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

What about Star Fox? I think that could make for an awesome online co-op experience if done right or expand upon the battle mode to have it fully fleshed out for online play.

I can't believe I didn't think of that, Star Fox is one of my favorite series and the multiplayer was the one thing I really liked in Assault.

GoldenPhoenixMay 16, 2008

Quote from: insanolord

Quote from: GoldenPhoenix

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

What about Star Fox? I think that could make for an awesome online co-op experience if done right or expand upon the battle mode to have it fully fleshed out for online play.

I can't believe I didn't think of that, Star Fox is one of my favorite series and the multiplayer was the one thing I really liked in Assault.

That may be the direction they can move the series towards keeping it fresh. They could even innovate the series by doing it.

Nick DiMolaNick DiMola, Staff AlumnusMay 16, 2008

Quote from: GoldenPhoenix

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

What about Star Fox? I think that could make for an awesome online co-op experience if done right or expand upon the battle mode to have it fully fleshed out for online play.

Star Fox (a real Star Fox) would be AMAZING for online coop. So I fully endorse that.

I think Jonny is spot on here. Exactly how I felt about online with MK Wii.

I'd want a more traditional, 64-style Star Fox for the single player campaign and co-op, and Assault-style for the competitive multiplayer. It would be a good game to kick off voice chat with, co-op's a lot less fun without it.

And just so I'm not completely off-topic, I agree with every point of this editorial.

Halbred, you don't have to use voice chat if you don't like it.  Being able to mute everyone or just specific people should be standard in all games with voice chat.  Also, I don't think your worries would ever become reality, simply because Nintendo would only let you voice chat with people on your friends list.  This would cause problems for games like Team Fortress 2, but I think it's a fair compromise for their commitment to online safety.

Bartman3010May 16, 2008

I still dont understand why people think Smash Bros' online play is broken. Its just what happens when you have a crap connection (especially if your Wii is connected wirelessly) Its pretty much how every other online fighter works, right? I doubt (Gameplay wise) that online play could run similar to Mario Kart where it usually interprets things, where Smash Bros. makes an effort to sync everything together. If you play Mario Kart Double Dash through tunneling, it does the same thing, but since it was made for LAN play instead, trying to play against others online would make the game run very...VERY slow.

DAaaMan64May 16, 2008

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

FPS Zelda Beam: Upside-down Triforce Vagina

Star Fox done right... *droooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllll*

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

F-Zero
Zelda: Four Swords
Pokemon (done right on Wii)
Pikmin
Mario Party - could be fun with voice
Wii Sports
Fire Emblem
Advance Wars
Mario Sports

...there are more, but you get the idea.  What I'd really like to see is a new IP that uses online in a fresh, innovative way to create new kinds of gameplay.

F-Zero!

*DRROOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL*

Quote from: Jonnyboy117

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

F-Zero
Zelda: Four Swords
Pokemon (done right on Wii)
Pikmin
Mario Party - could be fun with voice
Wii Sports
Fire Emblem
Advance Wars
Mario Sports

...there are more, but you get the idea.  What I'd really like to see is a new IP that uses online in a fresh, innovative way to create new kinds of gameplay.

I stand corrected, there are quite a few, though without a major overhaul it wouldn't matter if it had holographic video chat, Mario Party wouldn't be fun. I don't think multiplayer Fire Emblem has been done well yet, and Nintendo themselves have said another Wii Sports is unlikely. Four Swords is something I've always wanted to try, I think it would be ideal for Wii Ware with DS connectivity.

IceColdMay 17, 2008

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

F-ZERO.

Though it's probably too fast to be online.

DAaaMan64May 17, 2008

Quote from: IceCold

Quote from: insanolord

The problem is what is Nintendo's next big online game? Outside of a new IP or Animal Crossing (which should be a big online event, but is a very different kind of online), what do they have left in the way of franchises that would be big online?

F-ZERO.

Though it's probably too fast to be online.

Not likely, they aren't sending the level to each other, just their speed, and their location.  F-zero would probably go pretty well online. 

IceColdMay 17, 2008

At 60FPS? I refuse my F-Zero any other way.

DAaaMan64May 17, 2008

I doubt it would make a big difference. And did n64 game really do 60 fps?

F-Zero X took a VERY minimalist approach with tracks and environments to allow for a impressively smooth frame rate. I don't know if it was really *60 frames per second*, as I only own the VC release (though I have seen it on N64). For the N64, it is silky smooth.

MorariMay 17, 2008

Quote from: Bartman3010

I still dont understand why people think Smash Bros' online play is broken. Its just what happens when you have a crap connection (especially if your Wii is connected wirelessly) Its pretty much how every other online fighter works, right? I doubt (Gameplay wise) that online play could run similar to Mario Kart where it usually interprets things, where Smash Bros. makes an effort to sync everything together. If you play Mario Kart Double Dash through tunneling, it does the same thing, but since it was made for LAN play instead, trying to play against others online would make the game run very...VERY slow.

Exactly. Though the only reason it seems so much more likely to happen with a wireless connection is because people know even less about properly setting those up.

trip1eXMay 17, 2008

YOu didn't mention that Nintendo has the power to change up the race tracks for tournament play. 

In the tournament ending May 9th they took Mario Circuit and "untied" the Chain Chomp.  Instead of being tied up in the same spot each lap, it was running around on the track in different spots each lap.  Minor stuff, but it added a little variety to the course.  And I can see some good potential for keeping courses fresh going forward. 

Ark SoldierJune 20, 2008

My son would love to play this game next but he is about to be deployed to Hawaii & then Iraq! I been trying to contact this company since May 29th since my son was going to be home for 30 days b4 going to Iraq to send a picture of him if you were interested enjoying some down time & getting his thoughts off Iraq by playing his new Guitar Hero II I purchased. But I have not got a response from my emails or a regular person cannot get in contact with your office. I believe he would be so pleased & help his stress b4 he leaves if he heard from Nintendo! But no one seems interested! Please email me back for a contact phone number.
Lost Ark Soldier :'(

Infernal MonkeyJune 21, 2008

wat.

Shift KeyJune 21, 2008

Quote from: ShyGuy

Can't say I disagree with any of these points. Combine the best online parts of Brawl and Kart, make it standard and add a voice chat option and Nintendo would have excellent online.

I haven't had a 360 session that hasn't involved verbal abuse in the lobby from other players. No voice chat until people grow up.

NinGurl69 *hugglesJune 21, 2008

At the least we can cut them down during the game.  And with no voice chat, they have no-one to scream to =D

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