Topic: Dr. Mario WiiWare Includes Free Wi-fi Demo for Wii Friends

[WindyMan]

The purchase of the full game includes the functionality for friends to download a Wi-fi multiplayer battle edition of the game for free.
 http://nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=15614

 Dr. Mario's Virus Buster, a WiiWare launch title in Japan and presumably a WiiWare launch title in other regions once the service launches worldwide later this year, has a special feature up its sleeve.

 Owners of the full version of the game have the ability to send a message to anyone on their Wii friends list which will enable them to download a free demo version of the Dr. Mario WiiWare game.  The demo version allows players to play classic Dr. Mario multiplayer matches against friends only, provided Dr. Mario game friend codes have been exchanged.  There is no single player mode or any way to play the game offline in the demo.  

   

   

This video takes you through the process involved with downloading and setting up the free Dr. Mario WiiWare demo.  

   

 This demo feature makes it possible for people who have not downloaded Dr. Mario to try the game out before buying it.  However, it is not possible to send the demo to American or European Wii consoles, so you can forget about asking your friend with a Japanese Wii to send you the demo unless you've got a Japanese Wii yourself.

 Perhaps more importantly, this confirms that WiiWare is capable of supporting free demo games.  As more games are added to WiiWare, we'll see if there are more free demos of this sort or if games with demos will appear from companies other than Nintendo.

[Nick DiMola]

Well this is awesome news. Hopefully this will be a sign of things to come with other WiiWare games and Wii Games alike. Virtual Console demos would also be nice, but I doubt that will happen because the effort would be too great.

[planetidiot]

Wait... why do we need friend codes for disk games if this uses the Wii friend list.  No, seriously.  Whatever non-logic they were using for friend codes just self-destructed.

[NWR_insanolord]

Wait... why do we need friend codes for disk games if this uses the Wii friend list.  No, seriously.  Whatever non-logic they were using for friend codes just self-destructed.

That is an excellent point.

[Morari]

THIS POST HAS BEEN CENSORED FOR YOUR PROTECTION

--Bureau of Internet Morality

[Pale]

I would agree that we should just use the console friend code in theory...

But, with the relatively small maximum friends that each game has, you may not necessarily want the same circle of people for each game.  For example,  if I had my Wii console friends list maxed, and then I bought a game that no one on my current wii console list had, I would want the option of going out and getting new people for just that game.

I think the best solution would be to leave it as it is now, with separate friend codes for separate games... BUT allow for friend-codeless addition to in game friends list via the wii message board and your wii console friend list.  Hell, automate the whole process so people on your console list will be auto added, but you could also use game unique friend codes to add people not on your console list.

[NWR_insanolord]

It should be all system friend codes with the ability to add ones that aren't in your system address book to game-specific lists. Though Xbox Live seems to function pretty well with a universal friend list that has a maximum.

[vudu]

I would agree that we should just use the console friend code in theory...

But, with the relatively small maximum friends that each game has, you may not necessarily want the same circle of people for each game.  For example,  if I had my Wii console friends list maxed, and then I bought a game that no one on my current wii console list had, I would want the option of going out and getting new people for just that game.

Wouldn't it be better if Nintendo just increased the number of system friend codes you could add?

[IceCold]

Wait... why do we need friend codes for disk games if this uses the Wii friend list.  No, seriously.  Whatever non-logic they were using for friend codes just self-destructed.

That is an excellent point.

Well, for stuff like this plus leaderboards and sending stuff and all the Wii system code seems to be sufficient, but I think for matchmaking the system needs friend codes for each game.

[pSYCO-gAMER321]

Looking good. Looks to be an interesting demo with some Wi-fi functionality. Probably only one level for the Wi-fi anyway. Not sure since I'm out of the country now. Hope to play ya Windy!

[LuigiHann]

Wait... why do we need friend codes for disk games if this uses the Wii friend list.  No, seriously.  Whatever non-logic they were using for friend codes just self-destructed.

You're mistaken. This game has its own friend codes too.

[Kairon]

It seems that anytime you're actually PLAYING with people, you need game specific friend codes. If you're exchanging high-scores, level data, tokens, or other forms of asynchronous interaction... you just use the system codes...

[Nick DiMola]

It seems that anytime you're actually PLAYING with people, you need game specific friend codes. If you're exchanging high-scores, level data, tokens, or other forms of asynchronous interaction... you just use the system codes...

Makes sense to me ... *rolls eyes*