It's not that they are "unwilling to let go" friend codes; it's built into the DS. I'd like to see a game work around that somehow, but I don't see it happening.

The only problem I have with friend codes is that they aren't universal for all games. It's a bit inconvient, but it won't stop people from playing with friends and it won't stop people playing with strangers.

Doesn't matter anyways, since I rarely ever used the multiplayer parts of Pokemon.

Reply

Just the add, the reason why they're sticking to Friends Code is to prevent well.. kids getting in contact with strangers (the bad type). When you think about it in that respect, its not so bad.

I wouldn't put past some people to get into an uproar about games allowing their young children from getting into contact with people the parents don't know about through the internet.

Reply

Get rid of Friend Codes? Whose dumb idea is that? The are the only way which guarantees that you can have a game without cheaters.

In Metroid Prime Hunters f.ex. with those darn exploits running rampant, playing with "Friends" and "Rivals" lets you choose your opponents. And by making "Rivals" of those strangers you like / who don't cheat you can build a community of fun people to play with.

What's to get rid of?

Reply

Besides, FC allow Voice Chat "without risk".

Chances are random battles with strangers will still be allowed, just no talking.

This makes Trading/Battling a lot easier too, its easier to find someone by FC than randomly.

Reply

Just think of it, in MPH rivals have found a way to give others their Fc's. They simply change there names to them and write them down. Having fc's isn't bad if you know a great community such as Nintendo forums where people play Wifi games, then they could send pm's to people they don't know and get their fc's :|. So, either way they are in contact with strangers....

Reply

NintendoFreak:
Forums require additional stuff not included in the game, it requires you to have access to the Internet, go to Nintendo's forums (or any other) and trade FCs. (BTW, on Nintendo's forums its prohibited trading FCs, even by PMs, but they cant do much if the Messages are indeed Private, can they?)

Changing your name to your friendcode requires "the other guy" to write it down, add him to the friendlist, and somehow send the friendcode (possibly changing his name to his ID too) and have the other guy write it down as well.

These require a lot of effort, the message Nintendo is trying to avoid. So why do it then? Its so complicated people cant do it easily. They do this to prevent lawsuits and/or adults meeting kids in parks (Happened once on Xbox Live) where they harrass them or stuff.

Reply

The FC idea is really smart for this game. I can see FC being used for online battles and trading between friends.

Actually, online trading is a (dare I say it) revolutionary idea for the franchise!

Reply

Honestly friend codes aren't bad at all people. :|
You enter them in once and then they are saved forever. It's quite a convinent means for handhelds as well. Entering a friend code takes no longer than entering a name.

I just wish there was more conversation in the games so you could actually get a friend code if you liked playing against a person you meet in some online game. I really hope the Wii friend codes are console specific so you only eneter them once and then they are friends forever irregardless of games.

Reply