Mario Kart Wii Review
The Mario Kart franchise has been around since the days of the Super Nintendo. That was when I first experience the kart-racing phenomenon, and with the release of each new game in the series, I still find myself excited for the newest iteration. Almost every game in the series has been a solid-one, minus maybe one, in my book (Mario Kart Advance). How will its transition to the Wii hold up?
Mario Kart Wii is a step forward for the series in many ways, but also is a step backwards. I’ll attempt to explain throughout this review, and ultimately give my recommendation on whether or not this title is worth your time and money. I’ll start with what has always been the meat and potatoes of the series…Grand Prix. Split into the familiar 50, 100, and 150cc difficulty classes, Grand Prix is setup exactly the same as it has been in the past. This system has always worked well, and Nintendo has decided not to stray from the formula. There are 8 cups this time around, 4 containing a total of 16 new courses, 4 containing 16 classic tracks. The new courses are well designed, interesting, and fun to place. The classics, although lacking when compared to the new, are still fun to play, and offer up some nostalgia for veterans of the franchise. New to MK this time around are the bikes, which are exclusive to the 100cc, while only karts can be used in 50cc, and both types are available in 150cc. Another addition are tricks. Performed mid-air, tricks result in a significant boost when the kart/bike hits the ground. Personally I think this is a subtle yet important addition. It adds another factor into the gameplay, and also a level of strategy, as the resulting boost can either help you, or send you flying off the track.
The first class,
50cc, is very slow, and simply put, very easy.
If I weren’t one to unlock everything, I likely wouldn’t even bother
with this class. It will help new
players become accustomed to the game however.
100cc is a step up, both in terms of game speed and difficulty, but still
rather easy. 150cc on the other
hand is the fastest (although slightly slower than some of the games in the
series) and most difficult class by far.
You must have the controls down, be able to drift well, and play smart to
be victorious here. You may have
heard reports about the level of “rubberbanding” (computer catch-up) at
150cc, but honestly, after playing through all 8 cups, I really didn’t think
it was too bad. Yes, you will get
hit with a large number of items, but if you drive well and play smart (always
hold an item behind you when in the lead), you shouldn’t really have too many
issues. I will admit however, that
being hit with a blue shell near the end of the race can be frustrating, but
I’ve found that even with a low ranking in one race, you can still definitely
place 1st overall.
Grand Prix was a solid experience overall, but I do have some complaints. First off, the field of racers has been expanded from 8 to 12. On paper this sounds like a great idea, but due to the large number of weapons being used, 12 can become overwhelming. In a game where items play a large role, 8 racers on the track is a good number. Not a huge factor, but still noticeable. Plus, the CPU racers always stay in a large pack together. So if an item hits you, you’re not dropping one spot, you’re dropping 6-10 spots. Second, the tracks have been widened significantly. I know there are more racers, and after playing with the Wheel (fun to try, not precise enough at higher difficulties) I understand the reasoning, but I still feel that the wider track slows the sense of speed, and makes every turn a bit too forgiving. I’m a fan of the speed and more cutthroat racing. Third, the new items are mostly unnecessary. What happened to the character specific special items? I loved this aspect of Double Dash and I thought they may include it again. Instead, we got power-ups that include a Giant Mushroom (same as a star), a POW block (just annoying), and a self-inflicted, passable lighting cloud (what the?). I think the core items of Mario Kart (Bananas, shells, etc) should always form the base, and any extra items should be attributed to the character you’re using. I miss the big Bowser shell and the big banana peel. Last but not least, the drifting system has changed. I’m not sure if this is a complaint or not. I do like the new system, but I also miss the skill needed in the past to get turbo-boosts. I realize this was replaced to curb online snaking (thank you), but maybe make it an option in one-player next time?
I've got a nice shiny blue shell....with spikes.
Multi-Player
Always another huge piece of the MK pie.
This time around I must say that Nintendo took a significant step
backwards when it comes to the local multiplayer.
I’ve had the opportunity to play both locally and online, and I must
say I’m quite disappointed in the local options.
First off, Grand Prix multiplayer is gone.
Yes, you can select 4 races and it adds up the points, but it was fun
going through with a buddy and unlocking everything.
Why the omission? Versus
racing has been changed as well, but essentially remains the same. There is solo and team versus modes, in which you either race
on “teams” and the points of all team members are added up, or you race on
your own and the points are added the same.
The difference with MK Wii, is of course the team racing, but also that
every vs. game will include a full roster of 12 racers.
This is a cool addition, but I’d like the option to change this as
well. What if I want a straight up
match, just three friends and myself? Can’t
do it. Come on Nintendo, making games for everyone doesn’t mean
leaving out customization. The
Battle mode is another story. ONLY
team battle is available, and I must say I hate this change.
In addition, Balloon battle is pointless, because after you lose your
balloons, you are re-spawned anyways! Might
as well just call it “time battle.” Coin Runner is the other option, and it’s fairly stupid,
compared with “Shine Thief” of Double Dash.
Also, the new battle arenas are HUGE.
I would drive around and not see anyone for the longest amount of time!
Thankfully some classic arenas are available.
The large arenas combined with the team aspect, make battle mode
pointless and not fun. Sadly this
was one of my favorite modes in previous games.
Online
Hats off to Nintendo for making some improvements in this area.
This is by far the best online Nintendo game yet.
You can actually send friend requests (if you are Wii “buddies”) this
time around, and the matchmaking system works great.
It’s quick and painless. If
you join a group currently in a race, you can watch the race live, switching to
watch different racers as you please. The
points system is also simple yet effective.
You start out with 5000 VR (vs. racing) or 5000BR (battle racing) points.
Where you rank in each race (or battle) will either increase or decrease
this number. This number will then
be the basis for matchmaking you with similar skilled players.
The item balance online is fairly good and racing others from around the
world is just fun. I thought I
would be more upset about the lack of voice chat, (although I’m still
frustrated about it) but these races are fun regardless.
Trying to raise your VR and BR will keep you coming back for more. The online rankings are great as well. Through the new Mario Kart Channel, you can see your ranking
for tournaments and time trial times. Nintendo’s
“friendly” system, which doesn’t give you a “ranking number” works
well and still gets the point across. Overall
the online setup is very smooth, every menu is well designed, and the experience
is a big step-up for Nintendo.
I wish I could be here. Racing. Go-Karts. In the sand.
Graphics
This is Wii, so we’re not looking for the most detailed and exquisite looking
graphics on the planet. Everything
in Mario Kart Wii looks “in place.” The
colors are bright and vibrant and every track just bleeds that Mario style seen
throughout the other games. The
graphical upgrade over previous games is nice, all the new tracks look great,
and it’s neat to see the older tracks redone (especially some from the SNES).
On the other hand, the textures and areas around the racetrack aren’t
very detailed, but at the same time they don’t need to be.
It’s not something you really notice while flying by (or crawling by in
50cc). I will say however, that the
character models are simply unforgivable. In
game they look fine, but the character select screen?!?
When choosing a character you can see some of jaggies, and many of them
still don’t have fingers. I know
the Wii isn’t the most powerful, but it should’ve been easier to make the
characters on the select screen just a little better looking. Diddy Kong looks cross-eyed for crying out loud.
Other than that screen, everything here menu-wise looks fantastic.
The intro movie is very well done, and menus are laid out in a very
simple, yet attractive manner. For
some reason I really like the gameplay behind the buttons on the main menu.
You’ll see what I mean. Overall,
the graphics fit the game well and look just fine, but I do think Nintendo
could’ve done some more work in certain areas.
Sound
Not really much to say here. The
music fits very well and is well done. I
love the music on the Bower Stage from the N64…probably my favorite in the
game. All the scores are very
pronounced and sound very crisp. The
characters yelps and wails are well done also, but after numerous power-boosts,
tricks, and item uses, those yelps tend to get slightly annoying.
Replayability
You’ll be playing this game a long time.
If you like to unlock things, you won’t be disappointed. There are numerous characters to unlock, as well as
additional carts. The Grand Prix,
which can get repetitive during long sessions, essentially has 3 (ok, 4 counting
the unlockable "mirror mode") difficulty
levels with 32 tracks apiece. There
is also an unlockable Grand Prix mode as well.
Another replay extender is the ranking system.
In addition to receiving 1st, 2nd, or 3rd
place in Grand Prix, you will also receive a rank. This rank is earned based on running into things like walls,
achieving good finish times, and your overall driving.
The rankings go from E to 3*’s, and it’s rather nice to see *’s
next to all your rankings. In addition, if you rank * or higher on all the cups,
you’ll have a * over your head online. Just
a nice little incentive to do well I suppose.
Local multiplayer is still fun, although battle mode missed the mark this
time. Online racing adds a whole
new level of replayability, especially for a Nintendo title.
Recommendation
If you’ve been a fan of Mario Kart series, the
short-comings of this game won’t really affect how you feel about it.
Even with my complaints, I still thoroughly enjoy the game, as it’s
just simply fun to play. The online
option makes this game even more appealing for vets to check out.
On the other hand, if you’ve never played Mario Kart, I would still
recommend at least giving this title a shot. Some issues aside, the Mario Kart franchise is still one of
the best arcade racers available.
Overall Score: 8.8 (out of 10)
