Is It The Wii Sytem Or Is It Mario's Wii System

By Author: Jack Blue
Total Articles: 36
Comment this article

Mario Kart was one of the most popular games on the Super Nintendo console years ago. The follow up, Mario Kart 64 was a disappointment. Can Mario Kart Wii bring back some credibility to the series?
In a word, yes it can. Nintendo have pulled it off this time around, as Mario Kart Wii boasts the fantastic gameplay and timeless replayability factor which made the original so popular with gamers of all ages.
Mario Kart Wii though, is so much more than a polished up version of the original Super Nintendo title. For starters we see the introduction of new vehicles such as motorcycles and dirt bikes. At first glimpse you wonder why this has been done, particular as the game is called Mario Kart, not Mario Kart-Bike-Cycle, but rest assured these new vehicles take absolutely nothing away from the classic Mario Kart experience we all came to love, and in fact it enhances it in most cases.

With the two wheeled vehicles comes another new addition in the shape of a mid-air stunt system, allowing you to pull off some crazy moves whilst up in the air - after speeding off a ramp or hill of some kind. These stunts do little ...
... to add to the ultimate aims of the game, but are a fun new feature that helps make Mario Kart Wii the best in the series so far.

The main part of the game is of course the Grand Prix mode which puts you head to head with eleven other racers over four different tracks. The tracks you race depend on the Cup you have chosen to take part in.

Before you begin racing you are able to choose a difficulty setting, which are displayed in the form of ‘engine sizes' which is a nice touch, and you can choose to compete in any of four different cups with a further four being available later in the game when you have managed to unlock them by performing well in those open from the start. All in all this leaves you with 32 very different, many of which you will have seen before in the previous Mario Kart releases, which helps appease those retro-kart lovers amongst us, however they do not seem quite as enjoyable as they once were. The new tracks are a completely different story though and you will spend hours cruising around each one finding new things each and every time.

The motion control abilities brought in by the Wii remote control can at times get the better of you. If you are buying the game, it is probably worth picking up the steering wheel peripheral too as it certainly helps with your driving. Holding the Wii remote horizontally on it's own just is not quite as easy somehow.

The graphics, considering everything is done in the famous Mario cartoon style, are smooth and clear and remain so under the speedy frame rates that the game has to run under to keep up with the fast-paced racing action. The audio, made up of so many sounds fans of the Mario series will be familiar with, also fits in perfectly and everything sounds just as you would imagine it to. This is a true Mario classic.

If you own a Nintendo Wii, Mario Kart Wii is quite possibly the one must have title so far as it will appeal to gamers of all ages, all interests and all levels of experience. The easy to grasp control system ensures you can have fun whatever your own personal gaming ability, so much fun that you will even find yourself in a good mood after finishing last.

Also, if you have been putting off buying a Nintendo Wii because you are waiting for a special game to tempt you into doing so - wait no longer, it's already here and Mario Kart Wii is that game.