Nintendo’s online strategy hasn’t made a lot of friends. A fear-mongering media has forced it into a cul-de-sac, and gamers have been handed the short end of the stick. I still don’t remember my friends codes (it’s hard to when there’s a new one for every game), and at this point, it’s impossible to meet people while playing online. You can play against someone, sure, but there’s no real communication involved. Where’s the connectivity? What if my offline friends don’t own Wiis? Instead, we’ve resorted to swapping numbers via comments and message boards, like in the days of ICQ. There have been a lot of bumps going down the road, but as a whole, I think we’re finally getting on the right track.

I’m really happy about the way online is handled in Mario Kart. I have yet to experience any lag issues, which is key for this title, considering a race isn’t a race when you’re crawling to the finish line. Sure, the game isn’t without its share of bugs, such as the infamous time trial score debacle, but racing against others is still fun. You can’t change the 100cc settings or turn off that blasted blue shell, but you can vote for the track you want to race on, and choose which character you want to use from the ones you’ve unlocked. The way Miis are incorporated into the game is great! I’m not a fan of using Miis, but as an icon to represent you online, it is a very welcome addition. I’m not a great racer, but I like seeing where I stand in the ranks. I like knowing that my opponents aren’t random computer-generated characters. I like being able to tell when I’m racing the same people again. It’s the next best thing from being able to add these people as friends, chat with them, and step away from anonymity. That’s a nudge I just didn’t feel while playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl online.

With Brawl, it’s a different story altogether. Almost every game I played was bogged down with lag, turning every round into slow-motion Brawl, and despite having a huge following, it takes a very long time to find opponents even when choosing a random maps setting. When I do manage to find opponents, it gets boring fairly quickly, since playing against the same characters again and again is hardly fun, and if someone drops out, it takes a long time to find a fourth. I guess that’s not a fault of the game itself, since Mario Kart can support so many opponents while you can only fight against three others in Brawl, but at the same time, I can’t help but wonder if this process can be streamlined.

This wasn’t supposed to be a rant on how Mario Kart outshines Brawl in terms of its online strategy. I like certain parts of Brawl: I like Spectator Mode. I like playing co-op. I even like the chaos that comes from a 2-player Home-Run Contest. I just think that, now that Nintendo has more experience under its belt, we’re finally starting to get somewhere.

There’s no denying that Nintendo still has a lot to learn when it comes to handling their online game, but I’ve got good expectations for the future. Bluetooth is already built into the Wii, and the company has voice-chat experience from the DS Wi-Fi Connection, so it can’t be too difficult to implement a headset for friends-only play. How about that USB slot? It adds a realm of possibility should Nintendo choose to make an external hard drive. There is already downloadable content ala VC games, and WiiWare on its way (out already, if you’re in Japan). Personally, I would love to see MMOs on the Wii, and if the PS2 can have Final Fantasy XI and Phantasy Star Universe, I don’t see why not.

Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? I’d like to think so. What would you like to see happening with the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences, and chime in.