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Mario Kart

Racing
Releases: 04.27.08
Nintendo
Nintendo
ESRB: Everyone

Mario Kart

With the arrival of Mario Kart on Wii, the console finally breaks into the online multiplayer race

by Jessi Prouse

Mario Kart Wii is the kind of casual racing game you can pick up and play for a few minutes or burn away a few unsuspecting hours on. All the standard rules apply – drift, toss banana, glare at your friend for using a blue shell. Don’t expect amazing graphics or a soundtrack you’ll want to add to your Ipod – but this is Mario Kart and in the land of mushrooms that make you do something other than stare at your hand with wonder, gameplay is key.

There are a variety of control schemes to chose from, but it’s all a matter of finding you’re stride and deciding what kind of racer you are. You’ll be able to choose from the original gamecube controller, the Wii’s classic controller, the Wiimote and Nunchuck, or the Wii Wheel included with the game. I liked the idea of the Wii Wheel – until I pulled it out of the box. The immediate disappointment that comes from pulling a hunk of lightweight cheap plastic out of the box isn’t alleviated by placing the Wiimote into the center of it. It’s small, small enough I felt like someone might accuse me of beating the crap out of some kid and taking his toy. It’s obvious Nintendo wasn’t thinking of adult players when they designed the Wii Wheel – and that’s too bad because it actually worked. Everyone should try it out for a few tracks at least just to feel the smooth steering that comes surprisingly naturally. As long as you don’t plan on manually drifting or jumping every ramp, it can work, but inevitably other control schemes just work better. I found myself preferring the Wiimote and Nunchuck combination. The quick flick of the Wiimote for tricking and bike wheelies feels instinctual and the free form movement from holding two remotes is comfortable.

The “anything goes” randomness of Mario Kart Wii is a love slash hate affair that’ll drive you crazy one day and leave you bragging about your mad kart driving skills the next. You can go from 1st to 12th in a matter of moments and it actually becomes dangerous to remain in first place until the last second of the race. If you don’t mind hanging back and waiting to speed boost yourself past the leader in the final stretch, you’ll do pretty good. If you’re like me, however, and you just want to boost boost boost your way to the front and as far beyond the slowbies as possible, you’ll end up digging your own grave. Power-ups, like the newly added POW Block that’ll flatten everyone and the Thundercloud that will shrink you if you’re not fast enough to smash into another player and transfer it to them, along with the old standby shells, bananas, and boosts, can turn a victory into a massacre. If luck is on your side and the stars are aligned, this randomness can work in your favor and it’s this trade-off that makes the frustrating loses bearable. Otherwise, just try not to throw your remote too far across the room.

Mario Kart Wii tosses up a Nintendo classic that we all know and love with a much needed twist: online play! Finally we get a chance to see what the Wii is capable of, and frankly, I’m impressed. Now I can fill my days playing the likes of BIGDADDY and Jimmy the “guy who kept running the course in reverse” rather than just playing NPCs because I realize my real life friends have lives. No kidding, however, the online play is instant, lag free, gaming crack. Even two-player online racing was butter smooth and aside from a few disconnections, the WFC experience is quick and easy. Pick a character, pick a ride, and you’re good to go. Player’s vote on the upcoming track and random roulette makes the selection, giving you a few seconds to promise a sacrificial hamster to your god of choice if you can manage to avoid the Rainbow Road track. You gain (or lose them in my case) points based on how you placed which effect your overall rank, and thus your ego on the leader boards.

Mario Kart Wii is the game that, in my opinion, showcases the Wii’s wifi capabilities beautifully and will hopefully encourage more Wii games to include online play in the future. Add this game to your list of must-haves and be prepared to break it out at every party until your friends score their own copy and they can challenge you from the comfort of their own couch.

Smooth online play, the Mario Kart we know and love

The MK we already know and love; cursed friend codes!

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