Developer/Publisher:
Nintendo
Players: 1-4 (12 online)
Release Date: 4/27/08
Rating: 8/10
Mario Kart Wii marks the sixth installment of the Mario Kart series,
which began on the Super Nintendo (SNES) with Super Mario Kart. New maps
and new racers await, and Nintendo even added something new to the mix.
Kart racing has been taken to the next level in this new
title in the series.
Mario Kart Wii follows along much of the same formula as its
predecessors. The player is given the option to play in the Grand Prix, which
is the main racing mode. There are other modes such as battles, time trials,
multiplayer, and Wi-Fi racing and battles.
Unlockable characters and karts gives the game more replay
value so that a player will try to improve their skills in order to complete
challenges to unlock the karts and characters.
Mario Kart Wii is a pretty fun, but frustrating game. As in previous
titles, the computer racers pose a challenge, especially in 150cc cups. It
takes a few tries to plan a strategy to completing the cups and winning the
gold. The graphics for the game are decent, but they are no better than Mario
Kart Double Dash [Gamecube].
The new courses are very nice and pose their own challenges
to winning. The music is decent, but there is hardly anything that stands out.
The Wi-Fi is really the best part about the game, and was done better than Super
Smash Bros. Brawl [Wii]
. Mario Kart Wii actually has solid onlineplay with virtually no lag. Gone are the days of mayhem during kart battles, as
there is no free for all mode, instead, you are forced to work with teams.
There are various control schemes available to the player to find the most
suitable control set up for him or her. The most advertised of these is the use
of the Wiimote inside of the Wii Wheel. It feels natural because you can turn
the wheel to make your cart or bike turn like a car.
New players to the series will find this to be an easy
set-up to learn and master, however, the Wiimote with Nunchuck, the Classic
Controller, and the Gamecube controller give you more control. Those who are
used to turningn tight turns and mastering speed boosts will more than likely
find these control schemes to their liking, as they are more responsive than
the aforementioned “Wii Wheel.”
This game is one of the better of the series, even if it does not top the
original the Classic has come to be. Even with its perks, such as selectable
control schemes, more racers, and lag free online, it still leaves you wanting
that same feeling of some of the better games in the series, a flaw that tends
to leer around Wii titles.
For fans of the series, however, this one is a pickup, and
is more than enough to hold you down until the next Nintendo release.
