You will need to build up an entirely new friend list for each and every online Wii game, it has been confirmed.
Talking to a Nintendo blogger about Wii's friend code system, GameSpy commented: "GameSpy's technology does allow for features that could span multiple games. With the Nintendo Wii, however, the multiplayer features are title-specific."
They went on to say: "For the Wii, friend lists are game specific", confirming an earlier report on CVG.
This mirrors system used on DS, which also requires gamers to tiresomely enter lengthy friend codes into each and every game they wish to play online.
This awkward system is unlike the Xbox 360 and PS3, both of which apply a single friend list, stored within the console's front-end firmware, to all online games.
Is this likely to be changed in a future system update? We're awaiting a reply from Nintendo UK but we seriously doubt it.