Thread: Mario Kart Wii Review

Mario Kart
Nintendo

Game Summary:
One of Nintendo's most recognized racing games of all time, Mario Kart. Swerve through levels playing as Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Yoshi, Peach, Toad, Daisy, Wario, and many other popular characters from the Mario series. Pick up a large variety of weapons along the way to ensure your victory by blowing your opponents off of the tracks!

Graphics (9/10):
Nothing special about the graphics but that isn't Nintendo's focus as everybody already knows. The graphics are enough to get the job done but in some parts of the game you will notice there is room for improvement and it's mostly with the environments. I found the dirt in some parts of the games were just pixels and lacked texture. You don't really notice this if you stay on the track but pull off the road sometime and stop on the turf. There is definitely a lot that Nintendo could improve upon here. The racers themselves look great though and so do the tracks. There is a lot of eye-candy in this game that you will find yourself more than satisfied about.

Gameplay (10/10):
Mario Kart Wii has awesome gameplay and it's very fun. The controls are really easy to learn and once you get them down it's nothing but fun afterwards. The large variety of weapons make the game so much fun and Nintendo added a good feature to the weapons this time around. I'm not sure if this feature was available in the previous Mario Kart games but weapon pick ups vary depending on what place you are in. Meaning if you are in first place there is a big chance you will get nothing but bananas to carry yourself to victory. This means that you can come back from 12th place to 1st place pretty quickly so never count anybody out. All in one it is just an amazingly fun, addicting game.

Sound(9/10):
Sound is good, nothing special but it's good. The characters all have their trademark sounds or saying that can be heard through your TV and the Wii remote. That's a good thing because you don't hear the same thing from each character. The music also supports the gameplay a lot and really pulls you in. You make it to the last lap and the music speeds up which really builds your nervousness if you are in first place or your anxiousness if you are in last place.

Lasting Appeal (8/10):
As great as Mario Kart is this is where it lets you down. There is only so much you can do with Mario Kart, a curse of probably all racing games. You have the Circuit mode were you can complete the 50CC, 100CC, and 150CC. The only problem is that they are all the same. What's the difference between them? Not sure,honestly. I think it's the speed of gameplay. Either way, you get bored by the time you start the second CC and when you make your way to the third it's just because you want to complete the game. The multiplayer is fun online but it's very repetitive. Nintendo's focus isn't online multiplayer, that's for sure. You race, win, and get points to higher your level. You race lose and lose points. Nothing more to it. Battle Mode can help out if you get tired of racing but even just chasing each other and shooting shells can get old.

Final Score (9/10):
A great game and a definite must own for any Mario fan. Even if you aren't into racing much this game will change your mind. You can pick it up for $39.99 over at GameStop.com and to enjoy it even more pick up the steering wheel which will only cost you about $9.99.

Great review, I definitely liked your style of rating. I've played this game on like the Super Nintendo but haven't on the Wii yet. Might have to get it because I want to play online. There is online play right?

Great review. I like that you can play with the nunchuk/wiimote as well as the gamecube remote you know? There is a lot to unlock in this game, several characters and bikes. Several hours of gameplay, lots of replay value.

Nice review, lots of info on Mario Kart, but I think most players will have a different views and aspects. Its all about taste if you ask me.

Great review! I want to get this one for my kids so bad. Heck, I want to get it for myself, lol. I love the Mario games!

Nice review! I enjoy playing Mario Kart Wii as well!
Usually, I only play it with friends though. Personally, I don't like using the steering wheel because it's too hard. I just use the nunchuk like a noob. A lot of people call me 'cheap' for using because it is way easier to control the character. I also find it easier to do tricks with. I definitely agree with your final score. Mario Kart is a great game and is one of the best games on the Wii in my opinion. I would definitely recommend buying it.