freespeech

Hypermark

reecord2

I wish there was a mode to disable computer assistance, and let players choose and disable what items are in the race. They do something like that in the Smash Brothers series, why not in Mario Kart?

Mario Kart reminds me of the classic NBA Jam series, where the computer assistance got to be so bad, the losing team could make countless 3 pointer shots in a row, and the winning team would miss Slam-dunk shots repeatedly.

Having computer assistance (a.k.a. "handicapping") in matches keeps matches close and competitive, but at the same time it makes the matches feel sort of "rigged". You end up having to make a strategy to stay in second place most of the match to avoid blue shells. Every time someone pulls out in first place I just want to laugh and call them a sucker.

Ed_209

Cdog923

Hellmark

Balius

auberondreaming

Nintendo's been around for decades and they've never released a first party game on any other platforms but thier own. What's so different now, since they're coming close to the amount of money God would have if he was a person.

Jac21

What is that supposed to mean, "honestly"? Do you think Nintendo goes around paying every proffesional reviewer to give out high scores to their first-party games? They don't get high scores because the reviewers arent "honest", they do because they're great games.

I'm still on the fence with this one. I hear reviewers picking out flaws and people saying the opposite. Though some of the arguments reviewers are making are complete shit.

Jac21

Josh*

Mezodon

@Balius: DD was one of the Gamecube's best selling games, so I doubt any changes were sales related.

Mezodon

RinaldoOrpheus

overlord_x

HeroUWii

My only real criticism of Mario Kart Wii is that the battle modes are filled with chattel.

Instead of a survival mode, the Ballon Battle has become a matter of a collective score, and it's entirely offensive now. If I can hit two people but will likely take a hit myself, it's a winning strategy where it was probably not previously. It's better for people who get ganged up on, and because nobody gets eliminated, better for the low end, but I'd have liked to have options. Turn off computers, turn off items, make teams smaller or uneven, these things would have made multiplayer much more appealing to me. I like being able to customize the experience.

Balius

But new Mario Kart is the best racer until New Fzero on wii.

One Way Mule

Perhaps we're being too judgemental on a spin-off within the Mario franchise, the A.I has always been shit and the items -are- deliberately unbalanced (stop complaining about Blue Shell, you newbies); however, it IS infuriating to discover every single step these games take forward with add-ons, to realise it has taken roughly ten steps backwards in gameplay once compared to the last instalment.

With bikes, stunts and cars thrown into the frame, I'm not even sure it deserves to be called "Mario Kart" anymore.

Maybe I lack fanboy-vision or something?

humongous_mouse

Stompy1

Zyzex_Remix

Get a grip, Mario Kart Wii, hands down, is the best Mario Kart game out there. Yeah Multiplayer does seem tacked on, every time I play it, it does seem like Nintendo are throwing some multiplayer bones towards the XBLA dogs, but clearly these scraps are not enough as these dogs are hungry for more.

ThatguyRichie

Balius

Like pretty much everything on the Wii, its a multiplayer game. I got bored of single player, yet playing with the missus, or friends is a great laugh.

And for me, thats probably the biggest problem. I really do think the online of this game is inexcusable.

Because its such a group game, its the game, and the ensuing banter that makes it fun. And without the banter, its just run of the mill.

Im not even sure the wheel adds anything to it. The game itself would be just as much fun with a joypad. Which is why im actually quite disappointed this came out on the Wii. If this had come out on PS3/360, it would look stunning, and the online would have voice, which would mean its as good with a group of mates, as it is with other people online.

Mr_Ed

JesseLacey

When i look at the titles that have occured on the N64, GC, and Wii respectively I have to say:
Ocarina > Majora > Twilight > Windwaker
Mario 64 > Galaxy > Sunshine
MK64 > MKWii > MKDD
SSBB > SSBM > SSB
Prime 1 > Prime 3 > Prime 2
I realise that these are just my opinions, but basically what im saying is that I feel that N64 generally had the best titles of the three consoles and this is just one more game that makes me remember the good old days. Of course as they say "In five years, these be the good old days".

Tastier

silentbobfan

Hawkeye_87

LeLoi

This is by far my favorite Mario Kart, and I have them all.

chogaijin

wearafrown

Makeda

Also, the MK Channel is a lovely idea, its nice to check up on things while your not even playing the game.

Makeda

The biggest, most annoying thing about this game is the god damn fucking number of items flying around.
For example, with the blue shell's return and, now with 12 players, more items are striking you down fast and often, you are definitely being punished for being in 1st. The game is more luck than skill now.

I bet there is a 90% chance that before you cross the finish line (if you're in 1st) you will be hit by 2 red shells and a blue shell, and maybe a pow block and lightning blot simultaneously. Its THAT bad.

Bowserfire

I'm imagining two players ahead of the pack dueling for the coveted spot, taking curves on the outside edge and tapping the brakes to ever so subtly drop behind the other. Of course, you could just outright stop, but then you risk dropping far, far behind, unable to speed ahead and grab First when it matters, a few metres from the finish line.

Oh who the hell am I kidding. It's over. Mario Kart is finished.

Withmyrice

okenny :)

Here, here. While I'm reading all these comments I keep thinking "why the hell is everyone talking about Mortal Kombat"

MK= Mortal Kombat

MK=/= Mario Kart. Know your history commenters!

globones

How could Nintendo print money with a more powerful machine?

@quen:

First in overall quality/support of the console or First in the markup of their cheap console? Yeah.

globones

ChuckCharles

PHILOSOPHER541

Did you even try out battle mode at all? Or is a handful of GP races and a handful of online multiplayer races enough for a review these days?

DKII

Nintendo make very, very simple games. They rarely go to lengths to tell stories or deepen their characters, and as such, as we grow up and the graphics gain fidelity, and other developers drop things on us like Bioshock or GTA4, we grow to expect Nintendo games to somehow match brawn with that.

I can't tell you how vital it is for Nintendo's future success that they don't ever go there. They are in such blistering command of polished simplicity it's staggering to watch, and while we, old and weary, may be clinical about it and brush it off as soulless and calculated, at the same time it is like condemning Beethoven for not writing more light hearted waltzes.

I'm excited about the Wii, not for its advances or regresses or whatever it is that Nintendo are trying to sell us, but because for the first time in a long while they're out of their element, and they're trying things out; Right now they're plodding along trying to do the same schedule of franchises they do every year, but at the same time they do mad things like the wheel, the balance board, the channel metaphor.

Before i was like.. Oh well.. Better luck next time Nintendo. Now it's turning into christ almighty i can't WAIT for the next one! I'll be hugely impressed if Nintendo doesn't sink their profits into some serious r&d, and eventually we'll reap the benefits of that, even if it does wind up some kind of shoe you wear on your head that projects images on your balls. It's so WEIRD all of it, and that, to me, is what gives it its soul.

Sunjammer

Hellmark

Samos42

Apreche

Furysetzer

I felt that EXACT same way with Mario Galaxy. Nintendo's lost something over the past few years. Their games just aren't what they used to be, and it's scary as a gamer who grew up a Nintendo fanboy.

boxmyth

It means even though i'm better than someone else there's always a chance of fortune rolling in their favor. It increases their enjoyment of the game, and thanks to the awesomeness of synergy, that increases mine as well.

Then again this is 100% true for same-screen multiplayer and probably completely false for online.

With MKDS i refused to play randoms for all the snaking, so my experience there as well was with people i could communicate with through MSN and the like on the side. Hearing your opponent tell you "you wouldve won if it hadn't been for that blue shell" softens the blow immensely.

It's such a double edged sword for Nintendo. It's nice to be able to tick off "online mario kart" on the list of the Wii's achievements, but it's also the kind of thing that most readily displays how little Nintendo actually know about online multiplayer and how the atmosphere of same-screen multiplayer is deadly hard to replicate online.

Nintendo will have to learn, eventually, that their old franchise games may not translate flawlessly to online play without some resonant changes to the core gameplay. For MKW they'd benefit from the ability to turn weapons on/off when you create a game much like with the Worms games of old. I know i personally would appreciate a "pure" MK experience once in a while without any items whatsoever.

It's ironic and telling that the best online multiplayer game Nintendo has ever published, Metroid Prime Hunters, was created by western developers. I'm surprised they didn't learn more lessons from that one.

Sunjammer

BTW the one thing I don't think is that impressive about the game - the choice of courses from past games. They're okay, but imo not that great. I suspect this is because they don't want to repeat things too often that have already been remade.

@GhaleonUnlimited: This one was obviously built for Wii controls from ground up - they actually ship it with a plastic wheel for christ's sake, that should be a clue that some effort went into the controls. And it's definitely good (even the original review said that, just that it wasn't as good as hoped). So, um, according to your own statement, you should be buying it for sure.

As for new ideas, new ideas are entirely what's 'sustaining' Nintendo - Mario Kart will no doubt make them some money but Brain Age, Wii Sports, and Wii Fit are just three of their recent new ideas... new ideas which took them from third place to first.

quen

JohnnyD57333

I've played all the previous games except the N64 version, and enjoyed them all. To me this feels, as quoted, pretty much like Double Dash but better. For instance, I forget the name, but the road stage - it's just like the road stage in Double Dash (which was my favourite) except there's much more traffic, it goes faster, somehow you can still dodge it, etc... really great.

I agree the menu screens are pretty bland but I hadn't thought of it that way until now. What I *had* thought was, 'wow, this game is quick to start'. I know a lot of Nintendo games are but still, it's nice.

As for powerful items, are people really still complaining about that? Sure it's annoying if you're an expert - but the powerful items are there so that people who *aren't* experts can have fun too. That's really why the game is so great. Without the strong luck/giving-people-a-chance element you'd just have any other competitive driving game, and the person with best technical skills would be cruising around in first position taking the perfect line all the time - instead of desperately trying to eke out a lead in advance of the next attack. :)

Wheel = fun, end of. Who cares if you could win slightly more with the remote+nunchuk? The online play does auto-ranking, right? So you'll likely be ranked with people of a similar skill level (to you using the wheel, if you do) and still have a good chance to win....

quen

GhaleonUnlimited

Spot on review, mate.

Big World

Kuroh

I will give MKDD credit for having the most awesome courses to date, only second to MKWii's courses (Koopa Cape, anyone?).

And as for Plunketts views on Online Play: it's really the Wii's "fault", not somuch MKWii (even Masahiro Sakurai wanted voice chat in SSBB, however the "highter powers" denied him), and remember, the is Nintendo's first big step towards online consoles (did anyone say Phantasy Star? I thought not), so cut them some slack. Also about his comments on the Wii wheel shell... has the Wiimonte EVER shown 1 to 1 controls YET? I thought not. If you thought the wheel shell was going to magically give the Wiimote 1 to 1 driving precision, think again. It's nice and I like it (but only for online races, and 50cc GP races; 100cc/150cc races where the cpu uses cheapo items are a Wiimote+Nunchuck affair only). Also items are only cheap when the cpu spams red shells, mushrooms, stars and blue shells, humans are ok/not-as-cheap with 'em thou.

journies_end

Kenofthedead

That said, I have yet to play Mario Kart Wii. I've watched my brother play it and I haven't seen much that's different. It doesn't seem all that much like there are any more Blue Shells flying around than there were in MKDS.

VergessenHeld

mikevanpwn

KM91

hollowfreak

good times i tell ya.

zanzibarlegend

MickyK

MURDERFACE

It's not progressive design, but it tends to cause a great deal of polished product that people can enjoy.

Balius

Puchi

Calandrind

I have conflict between the nunchuk and GCN controller. Yeah, the d-pad is a little awkward, but I can say the same thing about buttom config on the nunchuk set-up (at least for me).

I agree there are too many racers at times and that leads to being punished for being in the lead (it is ridiculus to go from last to first nearly within sight of the finish with a Bullet Bill). Either of those issues as mentioned is likely not as bad as having both going on in concert.

But "soulless"? Really? It is a little clinical, but we're talking about a game franchise that at this point is doing rather well not being completely stale, yet maintaining nearly identical game play as the original on the SNES.

The fact this game is basically the same one we've seen repeated 8 times and it's still fun is to its credit.

dbushik

Anyways, I disagree completely with anyone saying that this is a step backwards.

Doomstink

silentbobfan

Mezodon

Ieatbears

Mario Kart is something I'll be playing with friends, in the same room, almost every single time. Online racing will be used to just get better at the racing with some real people.

I really don't want to hear people constantly spewing racist garbage or talking about how every item is "gay." Especially because having to mute somebody in the middle of a match would be horrendous for my race time.

And Plunky is the first I've ever heard that really dislikes the wheel. Everyone else I've talked to seems to enjoy it quite a bit.

Either way, I'll find out for myself at the end of the week.

Huckleberry

If you loved Double Dash!! you will most likely to be disappointed by the removal of several gameplay elements. In the end you're only left with moderate (and certainly not revolutionary) gains - most notable being the online play.

I know this is unlikely a common scenario but if you've never experienced LAN racing with Double Dash!! you really missed out on the best feature. Most people forget that it *was* possible to use this feature (albeit unofficially) over a WAN as well. At least you didn't have to deal with friend codes! :p

If you aren't 100% sure about taking the Mario Kart Wii plunge do yourself a favor and rent a copy of Double Dash!! for some historical perspective. At the very least you'll enjoy a memorable cooperative element that just can't be found in it's successor.

iisdev

While I agree it seems lifeless with no shittalking or interaction, for how quick and seamless it was at 3am in the morning last night I have no choice but to love it.

capcaveman86

I think that the "overwhelmed" wheel controler is for my 5 year old, it is actualy perfect.

Usualy in battle games, people messes with the one that has more ballons, that is why we need to mess with the first place, deal with it.

One more thing, if: "Mario Kart Wii isn't a bad game. Far from it! I've enjoyed playing it"..... why you write in red alarming font???

boynas

OMGeorge

Sloopydrew

Sunjammer

The blue shell in MKDS didn't catch this hailstorm of hatorade if i recall correctly, and to me it was like a simple part of the game to occationally get fucked over by a blue shell, just as much as i'd fuck others over in the same way.

It's a big part of the roulette of Mario Kart. Item balance has very little to do with this game. The only balance there is is that you're less likely to get screwed at the back than at the front, and personally i like it that way.

The thing with the blue shell is that it's only "acceptable" if it's extremely rare, and in a smaller field of racers that was the case. In the new expanded field you run into nuke items ridiculously often, and it breaks the natural flow of the game. MKW is the first Mario Kart game i've played in which i've been hit by *several* nukes in quick succession, and there is simply no excuse for that.

Blue shell is like Gorlax in smash bros. When he hits it's just a big fat dumb event that makes little sense in terms of balance, and thats its awesomeness. Nothing like throwing a giant pokemon at someone followed by a resounding "In your face! IN YOUR FACE!"

Blue shell. The ultimate weapon.
We just shouldn't be seeing it every race like we do now.

Sunjammer

Since when was there a story mode in mario kart,

and also, if you take the items away for mario kart its not really mario kart any more.

bawbagdan

Guess what? I'm not buying this game, SNES Mario Kart is still the best game in the series.

Hansel

Sunjammer

Dauragon C. Mikado

I am finding the new levels especially to be incredibly well designed and fun to play.

tzakiel

SHADOSofNin

Nothing against you Luke, I just disagree each of your negative points except the one on the wheel.

Chacun à son goût!

el_gordo

For real.

Dauragon C. Mikado

Orionsaint

It's fun for multiplayer but Nintendo's online is horrible and I don't have enough friends that like coming over to play Mario Kart.

silentbobfan

D00mM4r1n3

bluetom00

megaStryke

Willy105

My favourite game from the series is Mario Kart 64, and the worst for me is precisely Double Dash, so MK Wii was a step forward compared to MKDD.

However, I totally agree with you when you say it's kind of soulless (as Double Dash).

I''l have to try the online mode later, because I'm still not connected to wifi.

Anyway, I'm 21 years old, great fan of the series (MK64 is my second best game of all times, just after TLOZ Ocarina of Time) and Mario Kart Wii for me is a good game, much better than Double Dash, but still far from putting the series back in the place it really belongs.

"Saludos" from Santiago de Chile, I've been reading your blog since quite a long time now, but just today I got registered.

eliasarriazolalujambio

Gospel X

p.s. There are multiple ways of missing weapons -
Pow - Shake the remove before it hits to not spin out and continue driving - you have to time it right bt works
Blue shells - When your entering a cannon the blue shell will miss u. Also infinite boosts can sometimes work or waiting just before boost strip so you boost of after it hits.

Crog

The Great Aussie Evil

Also i dont think have a microphone would help on mario kart, could end up like Xbox Live haha. i actually had to turn MK online off the other night cause every single bloody item that everyone got hit me :|

i was literally screaming in my room, haha

bawbagdan

Imagine if some of the original Nintendo games had this type of public criticism. Of course now, people look back and say "oh I am a fanboy" and I loved ALL the Mario Karts, but this one falls short...

I call BS on this one...Mario Kart Wii delivers on so many levels, is it perfect...no, but your feedback is well outside the norm I would imagine.

XgamerM

sugardeath

The GameCube controller worked well, but the Wiimote and Nunchuck are FLAWLESS. I'll give the wheel another shot someday, but right now the Wiimote and Nunchuck are all I need.

spiderweb1986

kubevubin

And the wheel rocks. Online I'm rarely not in the first 5 spots.

If you want voice chat set up a tape player that loops the F-word and you'll be all set.

blizzardjesus

It Could have been the best battle mode of all MK games- but why... WHY do they always have to change the rules up?... Ugh Nintendo... your a fucking drug i swear...

King Seafoam

Because each new edition seems to up the handicap more and more. I fully expect the next Mario Kart to include an item that will just turn off the console of whoever's in first.

Or just shock them through the controller, thus rendreing them unable to control their bodily functions...let alone a kart.

Oh I'll still play it, but I'll be sweaing up a storm.

TRT-X

@MrPerson: Trust me, I do that tactic. Except on a lot of courses there's enough space to drive around the guy (because EVERYBODY hears the shell coming, and EVERYBODY knows what the driver's going to try and pull)

@Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.: I've had my share of enthralling races. And I don't mind losing a few spots due to an item if the people behind me were able to keep up most of the way.

The ones I don't like are when I'm utterly dominating a race (races where I've got maybe a 10-12 second lead, then get hit with Blue/Blue/Bolt/Star/Bullet and end up 10th within the final stretch.

There's a hard fought and tight race, and then there's just ultimate lame. I'd wager that it's almost 50/50.

I'm usually fighting it out with at least one other person for most of the race, but I hate to see us both get the shaft at the VERY end of it all after having fought so hard.

TRT-X

shimage

eskimo-bob

SoulSuckingJerk

cheeseboybeans

Like Plunkett, I've definitely enjoyed the other iterations of the series (particularly MarioKart DS). But in terms of confabulating driving skill with the item matrix, SNES MarioKart is still the one to beat.

Obiter

sporkhead

valhum

Why are people bitching about this like it's new to the series.

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

All told though... I am playing this thing non-stop, and frankly prefer it to smash brothers for single-player enjoyment.

pashaveliki

Your comment was negative, so people reacted to it as such. I understand that you might not have meant for it to be negative, and if that's the case I would advise that you pay more attention to what you write.

Legion329

lets face it wii online games and wii online in general will never be on par with the other consoles..
granted i do not have a 360 anymore i was able to understand why there so many hardcore xbox live fanboys.

i had a gut feeling mario kart wii wasn't goin to be that good.
at least i know i can wait a lil longer to pick it up!

xtraman

About some reviews saying skill is taken out from the game because powersliding has changed, that is rubbish. Whenever online, it is obvious the better players win far more often towards those with less "skill" as they call it. It doesn't put everyone on a level playing field, although in some circuits (particularly Peach beach and luigi Circuit) it seems like it, the others I have had no problem with. The other half of the skill comes from learning when to powerslide, which kart to use and also how to overcome each circuit in the fastest way possible in the situation given (e.g. start of Koopa Cape, you have a green shell, use to to hit the goombas near the grass to get a mushroom that allows you to skip the grass, found that out by accident when racing online).

sporkhead

Hope their next console ditches the motion control nonsense and the rehashes, but I highly doubt it.

Tons Of Fun

Bruce Skillis

Overall, though, it's a fantastic game, and I even dig the Wheel.

Robotube

maniacmayhem

Megan Fox iz Hot ^-^ -ph15h

KaneRobot

Get creative with yours. I lace the track with traps so when I do get hit hard, I've got banana peels on ramps, fake powerup blocks mixed in with real ones, green turtle shells bouncing around enclosed areas... Have you people forgotten what it's like to booby trap the track to keep first place regardless of what items the other players get? I had half-a-lap leads last night because of those tactics and gains over 1000 points to my ranking.

Also...in regards to the blue shell. I used to bitch about it too on the DS version. Until I realized, once that Shell is coming (which the Wiimote will alert you to it, since we don't have the dual screen) slam on the breaks. anyone that tries to pass you gets caught in the shock wave.
MKDS had some gamers get really creative with dodging weapons and causing others to take damage when they are the target. MKWii is no different. Keep the shells and banana peels behind you for those pesky red shells. Some one spamming a POW block? look for a quick jump...renders it ineffective...lightning cloud getting you down, run into the first slob you see, TAG they're it! There are counters for every weapon in the game except for the lightning and the blue shell. Are the weapons overpowering? sure, but I like the chaotic nature of it because regardless of what powerups you get, you still have to learn the track. I've seen plenty of people get blue shells and lightning and still couldn't get passed 10th place.

Striderhayasa - Phillyyakk on PSN and Live.

As far as this review goes (along side the others I've seen), there seems to be this glorified idea of what Mario Kart used to be. Like some of the other commenters have said, Mario Kart has always been about the mayhem of getting in first place, losing first place, and trying to reclaim your standing. The Mario Kart series has always been designed to challenge and frustrate the player. I've played every iteration of the Mario Kart Series and I honestly think this is the best with MK64 coming in second (block fort battle ftw). As far as the SNES version goes, has anyone gone back and played it recently? The controls are clunky and the items are hard to aim, and the flat tracks make for a really weird, driving-on-paper experience.

As far as online chat goes, like many others, I see no need for it. Trash talking is too big of a problem, and like it has been said before, how a person races does the talking.

On the issues of items, they go both ways. I've had races where I've been hit with two blue shells and a lightning bolt on the first lap. However, I can have been hit by all that, fall back to 10th or even twelfth place, get even just a single mushroom, and if used properly, can be rocketed back into first place. Yes, a well placed mushroom can take you from 10th to first. I've done it.

Now for controller concerns. I like the wii wheel. I don't swear by it, but it's fun to use. It gives Mario Kart a really nice sort of floaty feel while still offering a good deal of control (except when you do tricks). However, when played with the wiimote and nunchuck combo, the gameplay becomes incredibly tight. This mario kart is by far the most responsive, fastest, and frantic kart to date.

I also think that more kart choices is better. It really personalizes the experience. You pick the kart or bike that best suits your racing style.

Also, I'm surprised at how few people have commented on the time trials. In my honest opinion, it's the best time trial set up to date. Sure, you could say "it's time trial, what's to improve?" but with the added functionality of online ghosts, as well at least two Nintendo made personalized ghosts per track and the ability to just watch the ghosts race makes the time trials in this game the best that I have ever seen. I honestly will just download the top ghosts and watch them race so I can learn ways to improve my own game. Maybe look for what they do well and what they could improve on and incorporate that into my racing.

Another thing that amazes me is that no one has commented on the music yet. The soundtrack and even sound effects in this game are amazing! The voices tend to leave a little something to be desired, but I could just sit on a course and listen to the music play. Some of these songs are just as memorable as the MK64 songs, especially Coconut Mall and Rainbow Road. Which reminds me, this Rainbow Road has to be the most brutal Rainbow Road ever conceived in a Mario Kart game.

As for actually playing online I can't comment because my Wii has a bad connection to my in home wireless, and I haven't had a chance to play multiplayer yet. But I can say that this is the first game that I have bought in a while that my dad actually sat down and tried out. The last time he actually tried one of my games was when I was like, 8 years old. I'm 22, so that was a huge deal for me.

I do lament the lack of a multiplayer grand prix. That was one of the things I loved about double dash was the ability to race in grand prix with three other friends and working together to secure the top two positions.

I guess my only other complaint would be the frequency in which the computers seem to get blue shells. I remember (maybe incorrectly) in MK64, getting hit with one, maybe two blue shells a race. And only in the last lap or so. But to get hit with two blue shells in the first lap? That does seem a might excessive. The only plus to the blue shell is that it has an explosion radius that can hit any other racer that's too close to you.

One last word of warning about the blue shell. If you're in second place and the first place person has crossed the finish line, you're the new target for the blue shell. I learned that the hard way last night...

Dyram

Maybe I don't even need this game seeing as I also just picked up F-Zero GX for $8 at GS!

nflsonic

themissing

Just slow down - yes, blasphemy, I know - and make sure that as many people as possible are caught in the blast. The game gives you enough warning that you should be able to catch at least a few people.

What I find annoying by this edition of the blue shell is that once it's locked on to you, it doesn't seem to matter if you drop a place or two before it hits you. I fondly remember screwing second-placers over in earlier editions of the game by hitting the brakes a couple of moments before the blue shell was gonna hit, and watching someone else zoom past me and take the shell to the head instead.

MrPerson

In a 50cc race I did on the first day I got the game, I got a Bullet Bill in 7th place....7th! I went straight to first with a considerable lead. I was pissed, mostly because I didn't feel like I deserved first at that point, because that means anyone can take first from me with one of those things.

Bruce Skillis

Bunn

parasiteartist

Pros:
-Fun and chaotic just the way I like it. My gf's brother's first time playing MK at all and he was able to take 2nd once while online.

-Wii Wheel isn't bad at all. Gives you the feeling you are karting! Button placement are all natural to me. I haven't tried the other controls, but I have played every installment of MK besides DD. The wheel makes it appealing to casual gamers as well as veterans. Something to respark MK in my opinion.

-Online play was great for the most part. No lag even when playing people from Mexico and Japan. Two player online play is also great in my opinion.

Cons:

-I have yet to have played in a 12 man race. It would say 11 then when we start picking and voting tracks it would drop down to 7. I love racing with more people... makes it so 4th place isn't as bad as 12th =)

-I hate how we need another friend code. Luckily mine ends with XXXX-9000-5000. I just wish Nintendo could just use the initial console Code instead of a new one per game. My signature in my forums are now 3 lines longer thanks to Nintendo.

Overall I am very pleased with MKWii. For the money and what you get it is a great party game in my opinion.

Seventh

bonnebonne

The online could be better but you get what you pay for.
We use Xbox live and set up a private chat so the online games are still very per