Nintendo Wii U & 3DS/2DS ID enfriendening July 19, 2014 11:19 PM   Subscribe

The last Nintendo console friend code swap we had was back in 2012. Well the Wii-U is out now, and it's finally gotten an ultra-popular game out for it (MK8), so let's do the swappy thing. 3DS/2DS users also welcome, for those games that take advantage of the recently-added Nintendo Network ID functionality on those systems.

The Wii-U uses "Nintendo Network IDs," so that's what we're trading.

Although it's my only current-gen Nintendo system, there's no real reason to restrict this to just one system, so 3DS/2DS is welcome too. (Actually, I believe you can do both now, using one ID on a Wii U and on a 3DS/2DS, and also Wii U users adding 3DS/2DS users and vice-versa.)

How to do this:
- Post your information. My ID is "JohnHarris", for example.
- On the Wii-U, go into the "Friend List" app (the smiley face in a box at the bottom of the Wii U Menu). On its main screen, press the + button on the GamePad. After a couple of screens it will let you enter the other person's Nintendo Network ID.
- Note that the other person must add you back for the connection to be valid. So, when you add someone else's ID to your system as a friend, post a notice here with you own ID if it's not already up here, so the person you add can add you back.

And now, a few other things to keep in mind:

- If those features are enabled, this will also also allow other people to see your online status and what games you're playing. You can disable those options from the Settings screen on the Friends List app (press - from its main screen). I believe it also makes Miiverse posts from friends more visible to you from Waru Waru Plaza (that big crowd of Miis that appears by default on your TV when you're in the Wii U Menu), and tracks messages between you and friends in Miiverse.
- This also makes you available for calls in the Wii U Chat app.
- If you'd rather have more privacy, you might want to create a second Nintendo Network ID. Note, each user can have one Nintendo Network ID associated with it, and each user your system maintains its own set of Wii U game save files. (This is why few Nintendo games now offer you multiple save slots -- you can get that now by creating new users.)
- Note, each Nintendo Network ID can be used on only one Wii U system, and one 3DS/2DS system. Multiple IDs can be tied to different users on a single Wii-U, and the system should keep communications separate. If you really care about keeping your game stuff to yourself, consider setting a password on your user.
- If you delete your Nintendo Network ID, I believe all your purchases go with it! So, if you want to break ties with an abusive user, or just because, consider defriending them, from the Friend List, instead.
posted by JHarris to MetaFilter-Related at 11:19 PM (30 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite

dumbland
posted by dumbland at 1:23 AM on July 20, 2014


Got it.

It turns out you don't have to confirm a friend through an outside means; the friend request will show up on the system in a pop-up when you go to the Home menu, or at least it did for me when dumbland (if that indeed is your name) up there send a request.
posted by JHarris at 2:03 AM on July 20, 2014


My nintendo network id is aglosaur. I have a 3DS which is primarily an Animal Crossing addiction enabling device.

Does adding friends via network add them in the friend-code list of people as well?
posted by cmyk at 4:56 AM on July 20, 2014


curious_nu -- pretty much all I'm playing right now are VC games and Pushmo World, but if anyone has Monster Hunter 3U I'd be down for that. Still debating about MK8.
posted by curious nu at 9:26 AM on July 20, 2014


Thanks for starting this! I'm ThriftyDJ. Always up for some MK8.
posted by Otis at 10:44 AM on July 20, 2014


My Nintendo Network ID is ScottWalker-TILT

I've also set up a Mario Kart 8 tournament:

MetaFilter
6050-1057-5390

100cc race, all vehicles, no teams. Daily - Start time: 0:00, end time: 23:30 (don't see a way of allowing all-day racing, so this was the closest thing I could find). I'll be around on West Coast evenings and weekends.
posted by porn in the woods at 10:54 AM on July 20, 2014 [2 favorites]


cmyk, I don't have a 3DS or its version of Animal Crossing, but I think that game predated the release of the Nintendo Network on 3DS, so I would guess that no, you'll have to add Animal Crossing friends separately. This is one of the situations that the Nintendo Network was introduced to solve, so future games should be better.

Note: you're llimited to 100 friends on the Friend List.

Unrelated note: Anyone who's a Club Ninendo member, the premiums for Gold/Platinum status over the previous year are now available. This year they seem to be your choice of a number of downloadable things, kind of a shame after the exclusive and physical awards of years past, but still. For Platinum, the best choices seem to be Game & Wario, NES Remix 1, Earthbound (a must own IMO) and Dr. Luigi. Game & Wario costs $30 in the eStore.
posted by JHarris at 12:30 PM on July 20, 2014


I wound up picking up Kid Icarus.

That game is surprisingly difficult. Also, death from falling off the bottom of the screen! "Nintendo hard" indeed.
posted by curious nu at 12:37 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


Oooh Kid Icarus. Yeah, even among Nintendo games that one's hard. But you get infinite continues.

There's all kinds of weirdnesses about that game. The details of the system the game uses to award you strength upgrades, which is detailed in section 3 of this FAQ, are weird and interesting, a game mechanic that's left completely obscure to the player, not explained anywhere in-game or in the manual.
posted by JHarris at 12:52 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


Still debating about MK8.

I was on the fence for a few weeks before purchasing MK8 - MK Wii was full of rubber banding and cheap shots and I didn't care for it much. MK8 is by far my favorite installment yet. The move to HD is legitimately incredible and I've never had so much fun with an MK title.

Buy it before the end of July and get a free game.
posted by porn in the woods at 1:14 PM on July 20, 2014


NID: WildPwnguin

We might want to organize a more specific time for MK8 with so few people.
posted by pwnguin at 1:23 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


When you get that free game, might I suggest Pikmin 3? I've greatly enjoyed it.
posted by JHarris at 1:42 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


Navelgazer. I've been playing a lot of DKC: Tropical Freeze, but I love the MK8 as well.
posted by Navelgazer at 2:42 PM on July 20, 2014


NID: Diskeater.

A specific MK8 time would be fantastic.
posted by Diskeater at 2:50 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


My NNID is deltatheta.

It'll be nice to have more people to follow on MiiVerse from this thread. The general streams can be kind of noisy.
posted by zixyer at 3:18 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


NNID: adrianhon2 (stupid Nintendo not letting me transfer NNIDs between consoles...)

Well up for MK8 tournaments!
posted by adrianhon at 3:32 PM on July 20, 2014


Mario Kart 8 FPP
posted by porn in the woods at 5:01 PM on July 20, 2014


I've started trying to be funny in friend requests. So if you get a weird message from a "John H.", it's just me and my horde of failed sanity rolls.

adrianhon, have you emailed Nintendo about that? I think it's possible they might do such things on an individual basis, although I've had no reason to try myself.
posted by JHarris at 6:32 PM on July 20, 2014


I've heard that they'll transfer your ID if you can give them the serial number of both systems.

They'll definitely transfer NNIDs for you if you have access to both systems, but you have to call them.
posted by zixyer at 6:43 PM on July 20, 2014


NNID: ClearPepsi
posted by nerftoe at 8:40 PM on July 20, 2014


NID: thatfuzzyb

Got it Monday, this thread inspired me to finally hook it up and try Nintendoland. That is... I haven't seen... I... That is some crazy stuff.
posted by ThatFuzzyBastard at 10:21 PM on July 20, 2014


Try that weird Donkey Kong tilt game. It'll turn your brain inside-out.
posted by JHarris at 10:58 PM on July 20, 2014 [1 favorite]


Interesting, I might give that a try - thanks guys!
posted by adrianhon at 1:22 AM on July 21, 2014


NID: underwires

Where do you use the tournament code?
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 6:26 PM on July 21, 2014 [1 favorite]


adrianhon, it looks like Nintendo released a system update just now that lets you transfer purchases between consoles. Does that help at all?
posted by JHarris at 6:32 PM on July 21, 2014


oh i see, nevermind
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 6:39 PM on July 21, 2014


So what's a good tournament time slot for everyone?

Weekends look like a good bet for maximum participation across time zones, maybe a 2-hour tourney each day? I'm on the West Coast.
posted by porn in the woods at 6:03 PM on July 23, 2014


NNID: naxxuu
posted by naju at 8:40 PM on July 23, 2014


Ya know, we really should get the MeFightClub guys in on this. Maybe something a couple of hours before the TF2 Thursday night they run?
posted by JHarris at 2:32 AM on July 24, 2014 [1 favorite]


NNID: minsies (for Wii U and 3DS, though I don't have any network-compatible 3DS games). I'll be up for MK8 once I get some practice.
posted by minsies at 8:09 AM on July 26, 2014


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