ONM - MarioKart Wii Review

I'm beginning to really fall for this game now, and it's all down to the wheel. As much as I rated MK DS, it was very much a case of same ol' same ol' which got boring once the novelty of new courses wore off. My intial impression of MK Wii with a pad were even worse - the game was slow and the courses twice as wide! Too easy and too boring for someone who'd spent years trying to hit pixel perfect racing lines on the original - it seemed like a complete concession to the casual gamer. For novelties sake I then tried the wheel, and haven't looked back.

The motorway sized course that seemed ridiculous with analogue make sense with the wheel. It's a little trickier to control - think driving without abs and computer assistance - but still very precise and after 30 mins you'll be throwing yourself round bends with as much confidence as ever before. The extra width gives you a little more room for error and nailing perfect corners - which felt almost formulaic with a pad - are now air punchingly cool. It's just a whole lot more fun.

The mutation of Battle Mode is nearly unforgivable, but I haven't enjoyed the racing as much since the snes original. Great stuff :)
 
MK Wii has one huge disappointment for me, the battle arena!:)

For truth, the one with the balloons drove me mad for the one game I could stand to play it...unless I'm missing something, it just seemed a case of blasting round the arena, hoping to bang into something!! :p
 
I didnt know this was out till I walked into game yesterday & there were copies on the shelf :eek:
Superb fun, like the N64 version which was the 1st MK I every played.

Me and the girlfriend were shrieking like loonies well into the early hours of the morning, online multiplayer is just superb :D
 
GamesTM gave it 6/10. :eek:

I can see what they're moaning about - it's lost the purity of the original, most of the tracks are rubbish/too wide, 12 karts means more red/blue shells and slowdown in multiplayer. I definitely prefer the tracks on Mario Kart DS (IMO, the best version since the original).

Still, multiplayer is great fun as usal. Only dead batteries ended our gaming session today! :D
 
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just played this really good fun, although very frustrating in regards to the amount of power ups flying about (but that should be expected with the extra players) i feel that if you miss a pick up your missing a real opportunity tbh. That all said i did have a lot of fun although i didnt like the wheel i used my wavebird pad :D
 
I've been converted to the nunchuk - much more precise steering. Doing better online now - got up to 5500 and should be able to push on to 6000 easily with another hour or so's racing.

I only tried it out because I wanted to race against the Mrs but she couldn't get on with the wheel, so I suggested she tried the nunchuk instead. So now I get to play against her (albeit on automatic so I don't destroy her by drifting everywhere!) and I do better online. Nice.

Getting a bit wound up with the excessive power ups... Had an online race just now and was doing quite well in first, with quite a gap between me and second place, then got hit by three red shells and dropped to fifth or something.
 
i disagree, i think the powerups make it more interesting, after all this is about powerups really rather than a normal racing game and who can get to 1st and stay in front with driving skills.
 
Although powerups are part of the game, I also think there are too many of them. There have been points where I have been in first and suddenly im him by 2 or 3 powerups in a row. The first one is annoying but when 2 & 3 hit you as you are still spinning from the first, there is nothing you can do but watch yourself slip into 12th :(

I think the main cause of the problem is that the boxes respawn way to fast, they should take 10 seconds or so, rather than the 2 or 3 they seem to take at the moment.

Mr-Xoc
 
My problem with MK on the DS was the snaking :(

Is there any way to play as your Mii in this game? In the advert on the TV they are playing and it is their Mii that is actually in the Kart? :confused:
 
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