Mario Strikers online detailed

By Tom Bramwell Published 4 April, 2007

Two on two action, and how friends list works.

Nintendo has shed more light on the online options available in Mario Strikers: Charged Football for Wii, which is due to launch here on 25th May.

Most excitingly, it will be possible for two players on a single Wii to play on the same team against two players on another Wii connected to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection network. "So [we] could team up on our office Wii and play you and Kristan on your Eurogamer Wii," a Nintendo UK spokesperson explained.

The game will use the usual Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection "Friend code" system, and will also offer random matches. These will be region-locked though, so you won't ever be randomly paired with an opponent in Australia, for example.

However, you will be able to play against gamers in other regions if you have their friend code, meaning that there won't be anything to stop you smacking the Aussies around when the game arrives on 25th May if you already know them. The game launches in PAL regions first though, so don't get your hopes up about the Yanks just yet.

For more on Mario Strikers: Charged Football, be sure to flick through our detailed PAL release date announcement story from earlier in the week. And Nintendo? We'll see you online on the 25th.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (31) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • lambtron #1 5 years ago

    Pfft Friend Codes and region locking on random matches.

    RUBBISH!

  • AcidSnake #2 5 years ago

    Oho...
    Nice to hear that it isn't another trade thing they use the connection for, but actual gameplay...
    Lets see how the matchmaking goes...

    And the friend code stuff...

  • gamingdave #3 5 years ago

    Region locking on random matches is a good idea. No screaming American kids, and no lag from games to far away. The friends code for each game is bloody anoying though.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #4 5 years ago

    Region locking is not so bad if you think about lag etc.

    Most excitingly, it will be possible for two players on a single Wii to play on the same team against two players on another Wii connected to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection network. "So [we] could team up on our office Wii and play you and Kristan on your Eurogamer Wii," a Nintendo UK spokesperson explained.

    I especially like that part. Such a feature is missing in way too many games.

  • Eighthours #5 5 years ago

    Friend codes are utterly retarded.

  • Sid-Nice #6 5 years ago

    Never mind on-line where's Super Paper Mario? :)

  • aldo_14 #7 5 years ago

    Region locking makes sense for lag....as someone else mentioned whilst I was still typing.

    I don't think friends-codes are that bad, so long as it's common (i.e. from the address book). I'm quite excited by this whole thing, which is kind of odd, as normally I don't even play MP on my PC.

  • ryohazuki1983 #8 5 years ago

    Least its an online game, never played mario strikers on gc.

    I like the sound of the 2 v 2 online, need to buy another nunchuk!

  • Santino #9 5 years ago

    i'm gonna fucking destroy you all with my mad skills and turn you all into gibbering wrecks.

  • dbeamish #10 5 years ago

    huzaahh.. no more retarded yank kids "trash talking" all the time.

    wonder how it works for peopel that imported consoles?

    Sounds like a good system. Not sure if i will get the game tho however here's hoping its good. I like the way Europe is the beta testers for the US here :)

  • Dougs #11 5 years ago

    Errrm, how would people trash talk with no headset exactly?

  • Nova5lag #12 5 years ago

    Random matches is a step in the right direction... first random then proper match making system! woop comon!

    I am so looking forward to this!

  • Tomo #13 5 years ago

    Ooooo... I'm getting excited about this game now. The 2 on 2 thing is especially great. I can see me and my flatmate kicking some arse.

    Still... friend codes... Sigh.

  • SBfistfun #14 5 years ago

    Friends codes are the gayest idea since sticking your cock up a mans arse.

  • aldo_14 #15 5 years ago

    Friends codes are the gayest idea since sticking your cock up a mans arse.

    Coming from someone called 'SBfistfun'?

  • Wayne #16 5 years ago

    I thought 2 people in the one team was rubbish on MSF. I prefer to be in full control of my own team.

  • MadMirko #17 5 years ago

    Yay for the 2-players-per-console-online bit!

  • Rob #18 5 years ago

    Someone needs to find out - will that be friend codes from your existing Wii address book (good), or friend codes unique to Mario Strikers (bad)?

    Will I be able to 'import' codes from the address book even?

  • SBfistfun #19 5 years ago

    Coming from someone called 'SBfistfun'?

    Dammmnn riiiiiiiiiiiight

  • Carrybagma #20 5 years ago

    "So [we] could team up on our office Wii and play you and Kristan on your Eurogamer Wii," a Nintendo UK spokesperson explained.

    They said that? No online mode after all then.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #21 5 years ago

    They said that? No online mode after all then.

    I don't get it.

  • SBfistfun #22 5 years ago

    ^
    Try wearing aftershave, or joining a club likely to be of interest to ladies. Maybe even shaving the ball sack.

    Before you know it, you'll be getting it 24 /7

  • Agent_Llama #23 5 years ago

    Friend codes are stupid.

  • jmctavish #24 5 years ago

    In all honesty, online gaming is shit unless you know your opponent in real life. The people you play online have no sense of fair play. It's all about winning which isn't any fun for both party's.

    I guess this is also Nintendo's way of thinking which is why they are going down the friend code route. There's also the paedo/weirdo issue and friend codes are a way for Nintendo reduce the risk and any bad press.

  • Ace_McCloud #25 5 years ago

    SOOO to clarify. We can still play other people online, even if we don't have any friend codes? Am I right? It's just that it'll be random?

    As for the game. Is it gonna be worth playing online/at all? Anyone played the first one?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #26 5 years ago

    When the friend code system works like it did with Mario Kart DS for example then it's easy:

    You can play vs. everyone of your region regardless if you know their friend code or not. You can play vs. your friends but you'll obviously need to add their friend code first. Playing against people you don't know works like in every other online game, but there are restrictions: You cannot chat and you don't see their friend codes. So the biggest problem with the friend codes is that if you meet someone during a game and you want to play them again then you can't. Because you cannot see his friend code and he cannot see yours. This is to protect the little children who talk to strangers because they think they aren't strangers anymore because they played Mario Kart together.

    This system was used in all the online DS games I know and will probably stay the same on the Wii. Which actually is not too bad.

    It's a general misconception that you need friend codes to play. You don't. You can play vs. other players without having to do a thing, just like with every xbox live game or PC game. But it will stay anonymous and you cannot meet people online. All you see is their nickname and that's it.

  • smelly #27 5 years ago

    >All you see is their nickname and that's it.

    Yeah.. but then i may as well be playing the computer?

  • Lemming81 #28 5 years ago

    "Yeah.. but then i may as well be playing the computer?"

    So i've already seen the dumbest comment today and it's only 8:30am. Bravo.

    This shouldn't bother you unless you are some sad fuck trying to get laid via Mario Football.

  • WillTheSecond #29 5 years ago

    They could have just had 1p vs 1p action, instead we have random unranked matches, random ranked matches, friend matches and 2p vs 2p matches, a fairly decent wide selection if you ask me.

  • jonsaan #30 5 years ago

    Friend codes are the devils work.

  • LeoliansBro #31 5 years ago

    This is the start of something great and you all know it. Online gaming where 2 people can share the same console is something so many games lack, and Mario football is the perfect game for it. Now roll on SSBB!

    And for those who haven't played it, understand that Mario Football is to real football what MarioKart is to Formula 1. They've taken the beautiful game and they've also taken a lot of drugs. Go buy it.