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« on: June 16, 2013, 09:04:56 PM »
I think that if a 2D/3D Mario game were to include Online multi-player that it would have to be designed from the ground up around this concept. Anything less would be a tacked on feature. I know I played online racing on Sonic Rush: Adventure and even though I was racing another human being I felt as if I was just playing time attack by myself -- it was sterile, and there was no interaction. I played Sonic4EpII online and while it did force you to work together it still managed to feel cold and distant. Off the top of my head I can't think of an instance where I played a 3D platformer with online multiplayer so I'm not sure how much it would add to the fun factor.
I think a 3D Mario would probably be more fertile grounds for an online experience, though that could just be my bias. But again, it would have to be built around that concept. You run into game design quandaries like what to do if your partner disconnects mid-level, when the level was set-up under the impression you would have X partners. You could have their ghost character be played by AI, but then it's essentially a one player game again and AI usually sucks; You can bounce the player back to a menu or a hub but that robs the game of momentum and angers the player. (I could really see the Super Mario Club hating that.)