Mario Kart Wii Preview
March 28,2008 - One would think that since Super Smash Bros. Brawl has been out for a month now, Wiis across the world would probably be taking a breather due to the distinct possibility that people could’ve unlocked everything the game has to offer. Unfortunately, even if Brawl did become tiresome, the Wii will have to continue slugging down some energy drinks. Why? The release of Mario Kart Wii is right around the corner.
The Wii’s niche has always been its appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers and Nintendo’s strategy to get the casual gamers this time is the introduction of the Wii Wheel—a steering wheel peripheral that will come packed in every copy of Mario Kart Wii. It’s unknown whether or not the inclusion of the Wii Wheel will affect the overall retail price of the game, but it isn’t expected to turn hardcore Mario Kart players off. Like Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii will allow players to find their perfect method of control with five featured control schemes. Aside from just using the Wii Wheel in conjunction with the Wii Remote, players can use just the Wii Remote horizontally (much like ExciteTruck), the often-used Wii Remote and Nunchuck combination, the Wii’s Classic Controller, and of course the GameCube controller. Don’t think the Wii Wheel is just a gimmick, though. Why would it come packed with the game if it was? It’s not that the wheel is probably less precise, but we’re sure it just takes more practice to be comfortable with it. Besides, Nintendo says the wheel will make it easier to pop a wheelie.
Yes, you read that correctly. Mario Kart Wii will be the first Mario Kart to allow players to use motorcycles. Like the go-karts, they each have their own traits and have a preference for some of the standard racers. While bikes may be more nimble, they’re more prone to disaster, especially if someone like Bowser crashes his kart into the bike. Another new factor worth talking about is the ability to use your created Miis as drivers in the game. When playing with friends and family, it should provide for a more wholesome thrill—granted, there’s nothing wrong with using Mario in a game named after him, but it’s a nice touch. It’s actually a good thing Nintendo did this, because unfortunately there have only been 12 characters to be confirmed in the game—four light, four medium, and four heavy.
If you somehow have never gotten involved with the Mario Kart series, don’t worry—throughout the years, the game has gone virtually unchanged. Instead, the old-school gameplay has always gone through some significant upgrades—but nothing overly drastic. The last Mario Kart to come out on a console, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, was met with some deserving criticism because despite maintaining classic go-kart fun, it didn’t include online play, a feature that usually always enhances multiplayer gameplay. Just ask fans of Mario Kart DS.
While Mario Kart Wii is expected to have an online component just as fun, if not better, than Super Smash Bros. Brawl, players still have to deal with pesky friend codes. But once players actually get connected, the game should maintain the fun factor players all know and love. Nintendo hasn’t confirmed anything about leaderboards yet, but you can go on hoping for now. And this is worth mentioning: masters of the “snaking” ability in Mario Kart DS, be warned, you can’t do that anymore. It’s great for those who hated that since it probably “ruined the fun” of the game, but it’s also horrible for people who actually had to amount a significant amount of skill in order to actually win.
Speaking of that little “snaking” matter, oftentimes it is done because players simply hate to be dominating in a race, only to get owned by a lightning bolt or blue shell. While those items are still in the game (they’re Mario Kart classics), the multiplayer mode also includes an item switch, so players can decide which items they’ll allow to be used before a circuit starts. It’s just another cool factor.
So far, the game looks great. There are all sorts of courses, both new and old, and the new features should do exactly what Nintendo wants, appeal to the mass audiences. However way you look at it, this is the much anticipated sixth installment—so you can bet that the old-school writers will be taking that account when playing the game for review. This preview just scratches the surface. We didn’t even talk about specifics in-game, what new items there are to be used, and whether or not shortcuts make their way into the game. Keep cool, though; Mario Kart Wii is slated for release a month from now. Until then, continue brawling, or check the GameHUB for the latest media content on the game.
Written By: Danreb Victorio | Tags: Mario Kart Wii, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo
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Yes, you read that correctly. Mario Kart Wii will be the first Mario Kart to allow players to use motorcycles. Like the go-karts, they each have their own traits and have a preference for some of the standard racers. While bikes may be more nimble, they’re more prone to disaster, especially if someone like Bowser crashes his kart into the bike. Another new factor worth talking about is the ability to use your created Miis as drivers in the game. When playing with friends and family, it should provide for a more wholesome thrill—granted, there’s nothing wrong with using Mario in a game named after him, but it’s a nice touch. It’s actually a good thing Nintendo did this, because unfortunately there have only been 12 characters to be confirmed in the game—four light, four medium, and four heavy.
If you somehow have never gotten involved with the Mario Kart series, don’t worry—throughout the years, the game has gone virtually unchanged. Instead, the old-school gameplay has always gone through some significant upgrades—but nothing overly drastic. The last Mario Kart to come out on a console, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, was met with some deserving criticism because despite maintaining classic go-kart fun, it didn’t include online play, a feature that usually always enhances multiplayer gameplay. Just ask fans of Mario Kart DS.
While Mario Kart Wii is expected to have an online component just as fun, if not better, than Super Smash Bros. Brawl, players still have to deal with pesky friend codes. But once players actually get connected, the game should maintain the fun factor players all know and love. Nintendo hasn’t confirmed anything about leaderboards yet, but you can go on hoping for now. And this is worth mentioning: masters of the “snaking” ability in Mario Kart DS, be warned, you can’t do that anymore. It’s great for those who hated that since it probably “ruined the fun” of the game, but it’s also horrible for people who actually had to amount a significant amount of skill in order to actually win.
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So far, the game looks great. There are all sorts of courses, both new and old, and the new features should do exactly what Nintendo wants, appeal to the mass audiences. However way you look at it, this is the much anticipated sixth installment—so you can bet that the old-school writers will be taking that account when playing the game for review. This preview just scratches the surface. We didn’t even talk about specifics in-game, what new items there are to be used, and whether or not shortcuts make their way into the game. Keep cool, though; Mario Kart Wii is slated for release a month from now. Until then, continue brawling, or check the GameHUB for the latest media content on the game.
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