In an interview with IGN, the CEO of Vicarious Visions, Karthik Bala, spoke up about the Wii version of Guitar Hero 5. He discussed some of the exclusive features that you can find only on the Wii version of the game, including the focus on party-based gameplay. However, what might interest Wii owners the most might be the fact that they've done away with the need for Friend Codes.

If you know anything about the IGN Nintendo Team, you know we've got a soft spot in our hearts for developers that actually care about the Wii, Nintendo, and the gamers that have stayed true to the Big N's latest console. Guys like High Voltage Software and 2D Boy have made Wii their home, and it's great to see these developers pushing such a console-specific mindset year over year.

When it comes to true dedication though, we're hard-pressed to find a team that has done more for the Wii community (both developer and fan alike) year over year than Vicarious Visions. Chances are if you've enjoyed it on DS or Wii, the VV studio had an integral part in working with Nintendo to make it happen. DS online, including the website interface, community features, uploads, and stat tracking? Check. SD card streaming? Yup, that's them too. A gigantic campaign to get friend codes nixed on a game-by-game basis? Believe it or not, yeah, that's Vicarious. These guys have a dedication to Nintendo like no other, so when the team puts out new projects – be it Guitar Hero, or their own independent work – people pay attention for good reason. Well, it just so happens that Activision has kept these guys in a star role on Nintendo development, as Guitar Hero 5 is all Vicarious. Hot off the heels of World Tour – a game that broke boundaries with persistent online play from boot to turn-off – the team is back again with Guitar Hero 5. We've gone hands-on with it, it's the biggest Guitar Hero package across any platform out there, and yes… it'll do you hardcore Nintendo fans proud.

So without further adieu, here's our exclusive look into Guitar Hero 5 on Wii with CEO and chief creative officer at Vicarious Visions (also co-founder of the company) Karthik Bala. Let the system-exclusive goodness begin… there's a lot of it.

McClubbin via wii.ign.com »