Mario Kart Wii [Wii]

Bikes are the element that most distinctively help MK stand out from its predecessors. They've got their own course class, the 100cc, and their own gameplay dynamics. Since you'll be able to hit wheelies on the bikes, you'll potentially have a more dynamic driving experience than in a kart. On the other hand, you'll be more fragile than a kart, and can lose battles against them more easily if you race in the 150cc circuits, which allow all vehicle types. MK introduces a trick-based system for both vehicle classes. When you hit ramps within each course, you'll be able to hit a button or gesture in mid-air (depending on your choice of controls) and upon landing get a speed boost.

For the number-crunchers out there, Nintendo has also confirmed that twelve characters will be available at the beginning of the game, with more unlockable. Trackwise, you're looking at thirty-two courses. You'll have sixteen brand-new tracks and sixteen classics that range from the first SNES title to Mario Kart DS. Among the classic levels we played were Ghost Valley 2 from SNES and Wario's Gold Mine from MK:DD. DK Summit, one of the new courses, is a snow-capped mountaintop that feels like a remixed version of MK:DD's DK Mountain. It's got a halfpipe with plenty of ramps for stunts and trickery.

No Mario Kart game is complete without plenty of items to give you an advantage against your opponents. MK Wii is no exception. All of your favorites are back. We noticed that Bullet Bill, one of our fave power-ups, now has some tweaks. You'll cause more havoc and devastation as you rip through waves of competitors, but it's all CPU-controlled, so you'll have to be careful about when you unleash it lest you regain control of your kart just as it ends up careening over a cliff.

There'll be three new power-ups as well. The POW item looks like the old POW box from the original Mario Bros., and as in that arcade classic it causes havoc on the stage. If you're in, say, fifth place, the POW will cause every car that's ahead of you to spin out and lose control. The Lightning Cloud is even more devastating; it's like a mixture of the Golden Mushroom and "hot potato." You'll get huge boosts of speed for a limited time, but as the clock ticks, you run the risk of being hit by lightning, which shrinks your kart. Fortunately (for you, not your fellow racers), you can pass the Lightning Cloud around to other people when you bump into them and leave someone else to deal with the consequences. Finally, there's the Giant Mushroom, which, just like in New Super Mario Bros., allows you to super-size yourself and leave a trail of turmoil in your wake.

From the build we played, it seems that Mario Kart Wii is even farther along than we thought. Nintendo says that it's coming in spring, and we certainly believe it now that we've sampled it. It looks like Nintendo's combining enough new gameplay elements to make it feel fresh while retaining the classic feel of the series. Beyond the new control schemes, the addition of motorbikes will have a profound effect on how people play. Hopefully the online play will function as well as Mario Kart DS' did, minus the cheating and exploits. Needless to say, spring can't come soon enough.

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