Mario Kart Wii features text chat; still no voice support

by Scott Jon Siegel { Feb 27th 2008 at 12:55AM }

The Wii is woefully behind the curve in terms of online features, a problem that Nintendo is slowly trying to fix with upcoming AAA titles like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii. While the former won't offer much by way of in-game communication, the latter will in fact feature chat room options, allowing users to text it up with anyone on their Wii Friends list.

IGN reports that the texting option in Mario Kart Wii is limited to people you've swapped friends codes with (of course), and text-chatting is only possible before, and presumably after, racing matches. Text entry via Wii Remote is assumed, and IGN wagers that USB keyboards may be supported as well, as keyboard support has been included in most Wii software.

It's no voice chat, to be sure, but at least we'll be able to argue with friends over the fairness of blue shells.

[Thanks, Bigfoot]

Tags: mario-kart, mario-kart-wii, mariokart, mariokartwii, nintendo

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Fatass of Kickassness @ Feb 27th 2008 1:01AM

While voice chat should be a standard in gaming with the option to turn it off rather than simply having it eschewed, this doesn't really affect me because Xbox Live has completely turned me off from VC.

Obie @ Feb 27th 2008 7:05AM

And I'll use my 360's private chat to bypass this problem. Still the Wii needs a damn bluetooth headset and chat channel.

Anticrawl @ Feb 27th 2008 4:19PM

There is always Skype or voice chat via your fellow 360 owners while you play Brawl or Kart.

In any case can you imagine the guys who race in Indy 500 or Nascar test messaging each other in the race?

"LOL do a barrel roll"

Anticrawl @ Feb 27th 2008 4:23PM

samfish @ Feb 27th 2008 1:03AM

15/f/kali

u?

colin @ Feb 27th 2008 1:58AM

why don't you just take a seat right here ....

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Feb 27th 2008 7:40AM

what haaave you've doooone!!?!?!!??!

DCBlack @ Feb 27th 2008 11:59AM

lmfao that's great!

DP @ Feb 27th 2008 1:37PM

Too funny! LMAO! But really, Ninty is kinda lame for this.

Grog @ Feb 27th 2008 1:04AM

It's a definite step forward. For now, that's what I'm looking for. Considering we're talking about a company that has never had an online presence, I think that progress is pretty decent.

Also, anyone who worries about blue shells is a n00b.

Mr Khan @ Feb 27th 2008 4:56PM

At least someone acknowledges the progress

It's hard trying to convey this over teh internets. I'm not saying we should all be eternally grateful for them giving us text chat, but I find it odd that the focus is entirely on "still no voice support" and not on the fact that this is the first online 1st-party Wii game to allow for chat of any kind

lvl99ultrathug @ Feb 27th 2008 1:09AM

Skype FTW

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 1:11AM

Nintendo, i commend you on the 12-player online races, although 14-player would have been perfect. still, good job and a step in the right direction.

but no voice support? wtf. this is 2007, and your DS and Wii systems are printing money non-stop.

even i dont like voice chatting with random strangers, but voice chat is ideal to use with friends, especially while racing online. how do u expect gamers to text chat with each other while they're trying to dodge a banana peel?

shame on you for milking the consumer when we all know you can easily afford to offer a free PSN-level online service, especially with the 10s of millions you're making off DS and Wii.

yet Nintendo is still seen as the "good guy" of the games industry while Sony, and to a lesser extent MS, are seen as the bad evil guys.

Gbogdan @ Feb 27th 2008 1:13AM

2008*

samfish (CGDF) @ Feb 27th 2008 1:12AM

You were doing really well up until that 4th paragraph. For a moment there, I thought it would be the first [+] I ever gave you!

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 1:13AM

*2008

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 1:16AM

samfish, right because what i said isnt true? dont let your fanboyism blind you. call a spade a spade, and Nintendo's online service = no justice to the consumer.

samfish (CGDF) @ Feb 27th 2008 1:21AM

It's still a free online service. Just because it's the Southwest Airlines of online services doesn't mean they're milking the consumer.

Anticrawl @ Feb 27th 2008 1:24AM

Hey, I've actually had my best experiences with Southwest Airlines. I fly alot and they generally operate with the least bullshit. This is all from experience mind you, I don't keep up with all the horrific airlines related news anymore.

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 1:33AM

samfish = blinded fanboy. thats all i have to say. actually, one more thing...

PSN = free, voice chat

Wii online = free, no voice chat

and one last thing...
ever played Warhawk online and voice chatted with your buddies to create strategies and communicate easily and have fun? probably not. but if you did, you'd know what you were missing out on and then you MIGHT see how Nintendo milks the consumers by devoiding them of this key feature.

samfish (CGDF) @ Feb 27th 2008 1:39AM

You don't know what it means to milk someone, do you?

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 1:52AM

even though Wii's online service is technically free, we as consumers still pay for the service indirectly by buying hardware and software. you dont seem to understand this important but simple concept.

yes both services are free, so each service should offer the same features. if thats not the case, its called milking the consumer of their hard earned money. give up blinded fanboy.

Scotto @ Feb 27th 2008 4:52AM

Curmeo, by that retarded logic, all free services should offer the same thing. Which doesn't make a lick of sense. At all.

Just because some free services aren't the same as other free services, doesn't mean they've somehow gypped you.

They would be milking their customers, if they charged them another $5 for the ability to use voice chat. And another $10 for XBL style matchmaking. And another $15 for the ability to have a friends list.

They would be screwing their customers, if they promised a service, and then didn't deliver it.

The current situation is neither of these, meaning you are, in fact, deeply confused.

As for your insinuation that all Nintendo Wii players are "blinded fanboys" who simply don't know what they are missing with voice chat - as a paying XBL subscriber, I can say that they aren't missing a whole lot. Voice chat is a nice option to have, but is is by no means a requirement for most games. Especially stuff like Mario Kart.

- Scott

shadowchaoscontrol @ Feb 27th 2008 6:25AM

sigh...
you don't talk during races, and if you are that anxious, a lot of people have this new invention for talking, it is called a PHONE, its an alternative, no voice chat? call the bastard?

A Pissed-off English Gamer @ Feb 27th 2008 8:10AM

Well, all i know is that Smash Brothers brings out the worst in people. I'm glad i don't get to hear random strangers call me a noob, or some other name. Actually playing is more fun.

It'd be nice to have voice chat in Mario Kart but, again, what are you gonna use it for apart from shouting expletives at people when they hit you with a shell? It's not like there's strategy here which needs to be collaborated. This isn't so much a painful ommission that it makes one cringe, i guess.

xFenixKnightx @ Feb 27th 2008 10:19AM

Curmeo

PSN Level??? What level is that? Shit level?!! You say PSN will soon be on par with LIVE.

HA!!

People forget about all the cool things even the little things LIVE offers...

* I can access my friends list at any time DURING a game

* Send them a private chat or text message or a voice message DURING the game, take Bioshock for example theres no MP but I still private chatted with a buddy through most of this game and we helped each other out which was more fun this way IMO.

* I can see what game and level/stage they are playing

* What difficulty setting they are playing on so I can dog them lol if they are playing on easy haha!

* If theyre playing MP I can see what map and mode they are playing, join them if I want or Invite them to my game with EASE.

* I can send a mass invite or message to ALL my friends
as Fernando does sometimes to play some MP and they can just accept the invite and bam they are in the game.

* Even if they are offline I can see when they were last on and what game they were playing at that time

You get my point right now PSN has NOTHING on LIVE. When PSN bumps their shit up do you think LIVE will stay the same? Im sure they will keep adding and making it better as well.

el serpiente @ Feb 27th 2008 12:13PM

Meh, no dedicated servers, advertising, frequent outages, AND you have to pay for the privilege. You lose.

rv @ Feb 27th 2008 12:31PM

Those frequent outages kill me. Once every year is far too much.

r-deezy @ Feb 27th 2008 1:31AM

Simple solution: LIVE

DemonGSides @ Feb 27th 2008 1:38AM

Amen brother

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 1:42AM

Live is unfortunately anything but a simple solution.

a simple solution would be PSN. Live may have a slight advantage right now but when PSN gets in-game XMB it will equal Live, and when PS Home comes, PSN will be flat out superior.

between worrying about whether your subscription fee has run out and when your 360 will RRoD again, PSN is the simplest solution for online gaming.

Anticrawl @ Feb 27th 2008 2:01AM

My god Curmeo, you are the worst kind of fanboy. Would you kindly sit down and shut your noise hole?

pyro.danny @ Feb 27th 2008 2:03AM

PSN is the simplest solution to online gaming the same way that quitting school is a solution to a class. Sure, it's there, and it's free, but really, is that what you want? Because I thought we wanted online gaming to have FUN.

bm @ Feb 27th 2008 3:38AM

A solution? Since when does Live have Mario Kart?

Oh and before you start, I don't give a fuck about multiplayer FPS, I can do that many times better on the PC.

Chase @ Feb 27th 2008 11:20AM

I was going to agree - until I saw the person with who I would be in agreeance. There is no fucking way I'd ever agree with someone who chose the name "r-deezy" and has an avatar of himself doing some stupid hand gestures - and I love Live.

Co @ Feb 27th 2008 11:27AM

LMAO @ Chase. I'm in full agreeance with you on that one.

r-deezy @ Feb 27th 2008 11:59AM

Hah, that just made my morning... thanks Chase. My full name is actually R-Deezy fo Sheezy if that makes a difference?? And I have to agree, my Avatar does suck big salty donkey nuts... my fingers spell "Wii" in case you didn't get it though. That was my gangster version of Miyamoto's hand sign.

Blu-Sam @ Feb 27th 2008 1:39AM

that's good news for loss hearing and deaf.

adam @ Feb 27th 2008 1:45AM

Nintendo: Time to make a voice chat headset.

Note to Nintendo: Welcome to the world of 10 YEARS AGO! Voice chat in video games is now possible!

I am going to play a game of Mario Kart with Nintendo. I am going to text them a message: VOICE CHAT. NOW.

It's bad enough that Brawl doesn't let you talk to your friends. I say we slap a fine on Ninty for every day we have to go without an easy way to talk with friends in game until they fix this glaring problem.

KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Feb 27th 2008 2:03AM

If THIS does not prove to you Nintendo faithful once and for all that the Plumber could give to shits about REAL gamers like us...then there is no hope for you and you will suffocate soon enough on Reggies rectum. Because you have your heads shoved SO FAR up Reggies ass.

For PS3...its bash bash bash..(not so much in 2008)
For 360...its bash then praise
For wii...its fanboys fighting over who gets to suck on Myamotos phallus

I cannot ever again take ANYTHING anyone who excuses Nintendo for this seriously evar again.

Pathetic

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 2:23AM

Sony haters on Joystiq are the highest of hypocrites. when someone criticizes Nintendo for not offering such a basic and important feature such as voice chat, they defend Nintendo like blinded slaves (see samfish). yet they're all up Sony's ass for, more often than not, unjustified reasons.

Nintendo should seriously be heavily critized for their joke of an online service. like i said before, shame on them.

Curmeo @ Feb 27th 2008 2:24AM

jorojoserojas @ Feb 27th 2008 3:27AM

Hey!

While I may not exactly be a TOTAL fanboy, I don't think Nintendo has done much wrong this generation, and I would totally consider myself to be a true gamer.

I don't mind the lack of voice chat, to be honest..heck, most of the time, I do all my gaming alone OFFLINE anyway...

...but, that being said, I understand that I am a dying breed. I don't mind that voice chat is missing, but I'm in a very small minority. But still; I think the Wii is a perfectly viable platform for a true gamer.

bm @ Feb 27th 2008 3:44AM

Guys, guys, please. If you keep feeding it, it'll follow you home! :(

JodyAnthony (death by snoo-snoo) @ Feb 27th 2008 10:00AM

you and curmeo are both pathetic.

TwEE @ Feb 27th 2008 3:17PM

What the heck is a "real gamer" anyway KayRazy Ken Kutaragi? Are you one?.. If so, why?

Also, if its no trouble could you please post a list of appropriate "real games" for everybody to play. That would make it a lot easier for us to avoid the wrath ken.

Mr Khan @ Feb 27th 2008 5:03PM

You think people don't criticize the Wii's online system enough? If anything they give it too little credit. The ignorant belief that friend codes are universally required for all online play seems to fly around quite often

Again, they give them no credit. They take a step forward (which was far more than I expected, I assumed Nintendo had relegated online to the back burner) and all people do is criticize it. No one acknowledges the step forward.