Yes, online could have probably been put in. However, they chose not to, probably to meet their deadline.

It's one thing to say, "Damn, I want to play this online, I wish Nintendo put this in." It's another to say, "This is bullshit, online is a standard in 2009!" Local multiplayer has been around since like, Super Mario Kart, and has been "standard" since... the N64? However, practically nobody pays any attention to it nowadays, and I rarely see this "industry standard" bullshit brought down on devs when they give local multiplayer the shaft.

So, the real reason for the bitching is not because online is an "industry standard" - it's merely because the internet cares about it more than local multiplayer. Sorry to those who wanted online play on NSMB Wii (even though we knew from the start it wasn't there), but us local multiplayer fans aren't given nearly as much attention, and after this fiasco the issue has really come to light. Online gamers have two entire platforms (PS3/360) catering to them. I'm all for fighting for online play (and calling out laziness) regarding NSMB Wii... as long as you're willing to do the same for split screen online in the next Modern Warfare.

It's just the fact that with so many characters to choose from in the Mario universe, I don't understand why we have to setlle for an extra generic Toad rather than a different character.  There's simply so many better options than tossing in some random Joe, which is essentially what they did.  There's just something a lot more appealing about it with an extra character, and it wouldn't have been difficult to include.

I like having (what I'm guessing is) two sets of brothers. I don't want Wario and Waluigi poisoning my Mario game. 2 toads is fine and no-one in the Mario universe has as funny a head to bounce off as the toads.

New Super Mario Bros 2 will have class based multiplayer.

Hell maybe Bowser Junior could have gotten pissed at Bowser for letting the koopa kids come back and joined forces with Mario, Luigi, and Toad!

Their names are Blue Toad Toad and Yellow Toad Toad. The Toad Brothers. Blue Toad wears a blue hat and Yellow Toad wears a yellow hat.

Mine was Sackzilla and Makinmusic's was psycho Sack

To you it may not like a valid excuse, but as a gamer I don't care about their momentum, and most of all I don't use their sales as an excuse for why I didn't get a specific feature that would have worked great in this game.

The game is absolutely great though, you are right. As gamers though, we should always expect the best possible experience. No accepting excuses from companies who don't care about me, you or anyone else in this thread, just how much they can pack their wallets.

As for your response to Xxain. At least with Sackboy you can edit his appearance and give him an identity instead of nothing more than a color change. You should see my Ganon sackboy. NES Ganon by the way.

Here are just a couple sack people.

You see? No two Sackboys are the same.