Friend codes return, but playing against friends is now easier...

Nintendo have been keeping details on the Wii's online front scarce, we now have details on how you organise matches against friends.

First of all, you need to go online, get your friend code and trade with your friends (or random online people), then register each other. Once all that is out of the way, the improvements come in to play.

On the DS, friends matches are simply done by putting friends who search for friends at the same time in one match (depending on the maximum number of players), which is a pain for organizing 1vs1 matches against particular people - it's possible for another friend to be put in the game with you. With Mario Strikers Charged Football, it has an "invitation" system.

You set up the match settings, then chose a friend from your Friend List (online friends will be marked), this friend will get a message allowing them to "Accept", "Accept with guest" (a second player on their Wii), "Decline" and View the match settings (play length, game mode, stadium, cheats etc). When accepted, the connection quality is displayed and the match starts

Friend matches do not effect ranking, and ranking matches discourage disconnectors. You get points for winning, less for losing, and extra points for scoring goals. You lose points if you disconnect. There are multiple leaderboards that last for three months, then are reset (allowing new people a chance to appear higher up on it); plus a "Striker of the Day", showing the best player of that day.

Overall, it seems that the online system has been improved massively over the DS. Of course, it's no X-Box Live, but it's better than nothing, and it's also free.

Mario Strikers Charged Football is out in Europe on the 25th May. It will be the first online Wii game outside of Japan.