GetDotted Domains

Viewing Thread:
"Mario Kart Wii"

The "Retro Game Reviews" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.

This thread has been linked to the game 'Mario Kart Wii'.
Sun 04/05/08 at 00:35
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Mario Kart has always been a tough game to review. Ask any number of Nintendo fanatics what their favourite shell-throwing racer in the series is and you’ll receive a multitude of varied answers. Indeed, all five previous versions of Mario Kart (six, if you include the arcade edition) has its own dedicated fan base. This is because Mario Kart is a franchise built on memories. We can all recall that fist-clenching moment when we defeated our best mate at the finish line with a well-timed green shell. But this memory doesn’t necessarily come from the same game. Your favourite Mario Kart isn’t the one with the best tracks or the best controls, it is the one you and your mates had the most fun with, and that could be any of them. Which is a good thing if you’re Mario Kart Wii, because if it were down to track design, graphics, physics and control, this game might struggle-- a bit.

VISUALS


Visually, Mario Kart Wii looks like it came out of the back end of a Chain Chomp. In split-screen multiplayer, it makes Double Dash look hi-res, thanks to its blurred visuals and jaggies. It’s not a lot better in single player either, with the occasional slow down, and it’s not a patch on the stunning Super Mario Galaxy.

But it does have its redeeming features. There’s a lot happening at the same time for one, with up to 12 racers complete with changing scenery, and it’s also nice to see your Miis spectating as you race around. But lets just say this: it’s a good thing that the graphics have no bearing on how fun it all is.

AUDIO


The audio in Mario Kart Wii is a somewhat bittersweet affair. Some of the tunes are certainly catchy, some are funny, and the little comments as you overtake your opponent are still present. So all-in-all the audio is a solid affair.

Yet much like the visuals, we’ve all been spoilt by the splendour of Super Mario Galaxy. We can all remember the sweeping orchestral sounds that game contained, and Mario Kart Wii fails to come close.

SINGLE PLAYER


The Mario Kart of old is famed for its poor single player experience. It was frustratingly unfair on 150 CC, with faster opponents and endless blue shells. It also was dull and lifeless on 50 CC. In fact, the only reason to ever bother with the single player was to unlock all the characters and tracks in multiplayer. In Mario Kart Wii, nothing has changed.

There's a lot more going on this time around. There’s the largely pointless trick system for one, which invites gamers to gain an extra, inconsequential boost after jumps by flicking the Wii remote. Then there’s a confusing array of track obstacles, from mud pits and deep snow to cows and bouncing mushrooms. Finally, the bikes, which, wheelies aside, offer little new. Yet one of the biggest changes is the widened tracks, which are made to fit 12 characters and make up from the slightly clumsy Wii Wheel. This may be ideal for novice gamers, but the tracks are now easier to navigate, and offer nothing to the veteran Mario Kart fan. This is all the more disappointing when you consider that Nintendo’s last racer Excite Truck was friggin’ ace.

Despite the criticism, Nintendo has presented us with an array of control methods. Although the Wii Wheel (and indeed the Wii Remote on its side) lacks precision, it is still a lot of fun to use, moreso than the other methods. Yet those who use the GameCube controller, Classic Controller or Wii Remote/Nunchuck combo will enjoy far more control. Which is of course very important when you consider that the slipstream (or drafting) is back (Wahoo!), and there’s a tonne of new obstacles and pitfalls to avoid on the tracks.

Indeed, it may not be fun all the time, but with a variety of karts and bikes, 16 re-mixed classic tracks (along with 16 all-new races), the ability to play as your Mii and five different control systems, Mario Kart Wii does offer a lot more than its predecessors.

MULTIPLAYER


With a wavering single player, disappointing visuals and unspectacular sound, it may be looking bleak for Nintendo’s newest racer. Yet thankfully, courtesy of a superb online mode and more options than ever before, Mario Kart Wii’s multiplayer is absolutely cracking.

The massive amount of track oddities may be an annoyance in single player, but with friends it all adds to the sense of anarchy. The new tracks are hugely enjoyable with four players, with the older tracks in place to give a familiar sense to proceedings. There are also more characters to choose from, a better selection of vehicles, and some new weapons.

The weapons include the earthquake-causing Pow blocks, an electric cloud that will attack if not passed to another racer, and the violent Bullet Bill, successor to Double Dash's Chain Chomp. All of these are great, and nicely complement the familiar bananas, trick boxes and red, green and blue shells.

But it isn’t the 4-player multiplayer that drags Mario Kart Wii out of the dirt like a well-placed Lakitu, for the game’s online mode is by far Nintendo’s biggest triumph yet. Mario Kart Wii’s online mode is up there with the best on any format. It boasts an approachable lobby system, complete with a map of the world, and you even have your own license which displays your online abilities alongside your Mii.

The decision to include a massive 12 players easily makes up for the fact your mates aren’t in the room with you. It’s brilliantly hectic and at times laugh-out-loud funny. And there’s even the chance to work in teams in the Battle mode, which is excellent online (four-player Battle mode in teams is best avoided).

The friend codes are back, of course, but we should all be used to them by now. And they're easily forgiven when you take into account Nintendo’s Mario Kart Channel. The channel is available on the Mario Kart Wii disc and can be downloaded to your Wii menu. It is the best game-specific Wii channel out there and sets a great precedent for future games. You can download or upload Ghost Data from the channel, as well as view if friends are racing online, take a look at the worldwide rankings and participate in Nintendo challenges. It is chock-full of features and Nintendo promises to update it further in the future.

CONCLUSION


Mario Kart Wii is a hard game to review. It may disappoint in many technical areas, and even its untouchable multiplayer occasionally slips on a banana. But, if you’ve already scrolled down to the score, then you’ll know my complaints have been squashed by a truly stunning online mode. The fact that Nintendo created it shows what they can do if they really want to. It’s as gripping as Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4 can be, only far more accessible to new gamers. Exactly what the Wii was built for.

Mario Kart Wii has many faults. But when it’s good, it’s very, very good, and as long as you have Wi-Fi, it will keep you occupied for many months to come. Now go create some memories
There have been no replies to this thread yet.
Sun 04/05/08 at 00:35
Regular
Posts: 18,185
Mario Kart has always been a tough game to review. Ask any number of Nintendo fanatics what their favourite shell-throwing racer in the series is and you’ll receive a multitude of varied answers. Indeed, all five previous versions of Mario Kart (six, if you include the arcade edition) has its own dedicated fan base. This is because Mario Kart is a franchise built on memories. We can all recall that fist-clenching moment when we defeated our best mate at the finish line with a well-timed green shell. But this memory doesn’t necessarily come from the same game. Your favourite Mario Kart isn’t the one with the best tracks or the best controls, it is the one you and your mates had the most fun with, and that could be any of them. Which is a good thing if you’re Mario Kart Wii, because if it were down to track design, graphics, physics and control, this game might struggle-- a bit.

VISUALS


Visually, Mario Kart Wii looks like it came out of the back end of a Chain Chomp. In split-screen multiplayer, it makes Double Dash look hi-res, thanks to its blurred visuals and jaggies. It’s not a lot better in single player either, with the occasional slow down, and it’s not a patch on the stunning Super Mario Galaxy.

But it does have its redeeming features. There’s a lot happening at the same time for one, with up to 12 racers complete with changing scenery, and it’s also nice to see your Miis spectating as you race around. But lets just say this: it’s a good thing that the graphics have no bearing on how fun it all is.

AUDIO


The audio in Mario Kart Wii is a somewhat bittersweet affair. Some of the tunes are certainly catchy, some are funny, and the little comments as you overtake your opponent are still present. So all-in-all the audio is a solid affair.

Yet much like the visuals, we’ve all been spoilt by the splendour of Super Mario Galaxy. We can all remember the sweeping orchestral sounds that game contained, and Mario Kart Wii fails to come close.

SINGLE PLAYER


The Mario Kart of old is famed for its poor single player experience. It was frustratingly unfair on 150 CC, with faster opponents and endless blue shells. It also was dull and lifeless on 50 CC. In fact, the only reason to ever bother with the single player was to unlock all the characters and tracks in multiplayer. In Mario Kart Wii, nothing has changed.

There's a lot more going on this time around. There’s the largely pointless trick system for one, which invites gamers to gain an extra, inconsequential boost after jumps by flicking the Wii remote. Then there’s a confusing array of track obstacles, from mud pits and deep snow to cows and bouncing mushrooms. Finally, the bikes, which, wheelies aside, offer little new. Yet one of the biggest changes is the widened tracks, which are made to fit 12 characters and make up from the slightly clumsy Wii Wheel. This may be ideal for novice gamers, but the tracks are now easier to navigate, and offer nothing to the veteran Mario Kart fan. This is all the more disappointing when you consider that Nintendo’s last racer Excite Truck was friggin’ ace.

Despite the criticism, Nintendo has presented us with an array of control methods. Although the Wii Wheel (and indeed the Wii Remote on its side) lacks precision, it is still a lot of fun to use, moreso than the other methods. Yet those who use the GameCube controller, Classic Controller or Wii Remote/Nunchuck combo will enjoy far more control. Which is of course very important when you consider that the slipstream (or drafting) is back (Wahoo!), and there’s a tonne of new obstacles and pitfalls to avoid on the tracks.

Indeed, it may not be fun all the time, but with a variety of karts and bikes, 16 re-mixed classic tracks (along with 16 all-new races), the ability to play as your Mii and five different control systems, Mario Kart Wii does offer a lot more than its predecessors.

MULTIPLAYER


With a wavering single player, disappointing visuals and unspectacular sound, it may be looking bleak for Nintendo’s newest racer. Yet thankfully, courtesy of a superb online mode and more options than ever before, Mario Kart Wii’s multiplayer is absolutely cracking.

The massive amount of track oddities may be an annoyance in single player, but with friends it all adds to the sense of anarchy. The new tracks are hugely enjoyable with four players, with the older tracks in place to give a familiar sense to proceedings. There are also more characters to choose from, a better selection of vehicles, and some new weapons.

The weapons include the earthquake-causing Pow blocks, an electric cloud that will attack if not passed to another racer, and the violent Bullet Bill, successor to Double Dash's Chain Chomp. All of these are great, and nicely complement the familiar bananas, trick boxes and red, green and blue shells.

But it isn’t the 4-player multiplayer that drags Mario Kart Wii out of the dirt like a well-placed Lakitu, for the game’s online mode is by far Nintendo’s biggest triumph yet. Mario Kart Wii’s online mode is up there with the best on any format. It boasts an approachable lobby system, complete with a map of the world, and you even have your own license which displays your online abilities alongside your Mii.

The decision to include a massive 12 players easily makes up for the fact your mates aren’t in the room with you. It’s brilliantly hectic and at times laugh-out-loud funny. And there’s even the chance to work in teams in the Battle mode, which is excellent online (four-player Battle mode in teams is best avoided).

The friend codes are back, of course, but we should all be used to them by now. And they're easily forgiven when you take into account Nintendo’s Mario Kart Channel. The channel is available on the Mario Kart Wii disc and can be downloaded to your Wii menu. It is the best game-specific Wii channel out there and sets a great precedent for future games. You can download or upload Ghost Data from the channel, as well as view if friends are racing online, take a look at the worldwide rankings and participate in Nintendo challenges. It is chock-full of features and Nintendo promises to update it further in the future.

CONCLUSION


Mario Kart Wii is a hard game to review. It may disappoint in many technical areas, and even its untouchable multiplayer occasionally slips on a banana. But, if you’ve already scrolled down to the score, then you’ll know my complaints have been squashed by a truly stunning online mode. The fact that Nintendo created it shows what they can do if they really want to. It’s as gripping as Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4 can be, only far more accessible to new gamers. Exactly what the Wii was built for.

Mario Kart Wii has many faults. But when it’s good, it’s very, very good, and as long as you have Wi-Fi, it will keep you occupied for many months to come. Now go create some memories

Freeola & GetDotted are rated 5 Stars

Check out some of our customer reviews below:

Thank you very much for your help!
Top service for free - excellent - thank you very much for your help.
Many thanks!!
Registered my website with Freeola Sites on Tuesday. Now have full and comprehensive Google coverage for my site. Great stuff!!
John Shepherd

View More Reviews

Need some help? Give us a call on 01376 55 60 60

Go to Support Centre
Feedback Close Feedback

It appears you are using an old browser, as such, some parts of the Freeola and Getdotted site will not work as intended. Using the latest version of your browser, or another browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera will provide a better, safer browsing experience for you.