Mario Kart Wii to support 12-player racing online

by David Hinkle { Oct 11th 2007 at 4:22PM }

With the emergence of bikes in the franchise, it looks like change is the order of the day. And changes are happening, as we finally have confirmation that the title will feature online play for up to 12 participants. While it isn't the 16-player support rumored some time ago, it's still something we're glad to see Nintendo do, considering that their support of their online service has been lukewarm at best.

Hints were placed that a more streamlined process regarding finding racers and setting matches up would be utilized, but no word as of the time of this post regarding that. And, we think we join the rest of the sane world in asking Nintendo not to burden us with a string of numbers known as the friend code.

Tags: mariokart, mkwii, multiplayer, racing, wiiwheel

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Metal_Link @ Oct 11th 2007 4:40PM

Huzzah! Mario Kart seems to be the pioneer in online play for Nintendo right now, and I sure as hell don't have any complaints.

That said... KILL THE FRIEND CODES! Just imagine all of us at Wii Game Night trading 11 other friend codes trying to get one race in before the hour is done. It's hard enough to get 4 players in Tetris DS as it is. :P

Dan @ Oct 11th 2007 8:34PM

12?! I'll take it!

Just PLEASE give us something better than friend codes.

sergei nester @ Oct 11th 2007 6:50PM

Friend codes - blah - it might be ok for 12 year olds with lots of friends with wii's I just want to pick a match and play a friend code makes soemthing that should be simple very complex. Also when are we going to be able to use hardrives on the wii or at the very least run the content directly from the sd card (eithout the need to shuffle things around) finally i would love to be able to play my vc games from an sd card on someone elses console

mark richardson @ Oct 12th 2007 4:15AM

am i the only person that has counted 3 different types of vehicles in mario kart!?!?

ok we have the bikes, we have the cars that we have all seen previously (im loving luigis one looks like an old F1 racing car from the 1920's) plus we have the good old go karts too if you look back at the older pics.

so my question is will we get all 3 or did the karts just turn into the cars!?!!?

Don Day @ Oct 12th 2007 10:39AM

I posted late the last time Kart was talked about so everyone probably missed it. Anywho, if you guys played Mario Kart DS you'll remember that there were a mutlitude of different vehicles for every driver. You eventually unlocked the ability to have every vehicle for every driver. Dry Bones had a tank, Waluigi had a cycle, Toad had a friggin cradle.

I think it's inevitable evolution of the series. I'm kinda glad that they got rid of the whole two riders thing though. It caused too much bickering when choosing characters in DD.

flyingbananaskin @ Oct 12th 2007 10:59AM

This game is looking great. Would it be too much to expect to be able to talk with my friends while playing though(I suspect yes).

Please give us a headset Nintendo and before MarioKart gets released!