I don't think Nintendo will have online play in any of its upcoming console games.

Most Nintendo console games don't even have any online and the ones that do have been released ages ago. In fact I can't think of any Nintendo console game where online actually worked well. Mario Kart Wii was the best in this regard and compared to an average PS3/360 or PC game it is extremely crude.

Sony can steam the whole game over the the interwebz just fine. Nintendo? I can't even get offline DRM working.

too anyone doubting mario can be online, try playing starhawk. In a game like mario, most of the calculation are fixed and level based with only 4 (possibly 8 counting the game pad inputs) variable calcualtions. Starhawk supported 32 player multiplayer with each player having the ability to call down an option of about 10 structures and of those structures multiple vehicles and mechs can be made from all of which on some pretty dam big levels. I highly doubt mario would be much more work than this and this was a ps3 exclusive. Now granted, i'm not a programmer, but i really think this is a good comparison.

I know right? There's one playable Toad this time, too.  So cheap.

I doubt you could compare those. A platformer and a 3rd person shooter needs different things.

I personally don't even know any platformer where you can play online in a fast, responsive way like Mario. I always assumed it couldn't be done properly.