Mario Kart Wii [Wii]

But we will. The solid framerate is an obvious first, and it's followed by a quick and charming interface. Once online you can check for friends (small icons will instantly tell you if they're on before even going into the "friends" section), but can also get with 11 other racers in worldwide or regional play almost instantly. When in-game, a wheel icon displays for any racers using Nintendo's shell, but a golden wheel, the first step of Kart obsession, we might add, will show up if you've played the majority of your Wii experience with tilt control. Also in-game are star icons if you've earned higher than an A on every cup at every skill level in single player, with star, double star, and triple star being the possible "bragging rights" options out there. Then there's the point system that works with racing and battling separately, basically acting like a reverse ranking where the goal is to win races and drive up your total score from the starting 5,000 to well beyond 10k, which basically replaces the conventional GP scoring in single player mode, and acts as the system for matchmaking like-leveled players.

It sounds like we're just listing features, but these are all high points to the online experience. Friend codes or no friend codes, Nintendo has taken a huge leap into the world of online with Mario Kart Wii, and has rivaled what Xbox Live does in a few simple ways. Coming late to a game will let you view the racers in progress like a live replay, and the Mario Kart Channel (usable without having the disc in) will let you view online friends, with a click of their Mii sending you on-deck into the match, automatically teaming you with them if there are spots available, and if it's indeed a team-based online match. Snaking is also out of the game, which already makes it a much better interactive world, and Nintendo even boots you from games if you attempt to drive in reverse and screw up other racers. We'll complain about the company's "big brother" attitude with friend codes and the like, but it's sure nice to have a fast, fun online experience without the drama that comes with going live.

There's also a neat level of features used in Mario Kart that don't really need to be there, but are still fun to see in action. You can get regular updates from a Mario Kart-themed newsletter on your console, send commemorative photos of yourself hanging out with the cast whenever you beat a full cc class, and even get messages from "other Nintendo games" that send you characters; Mario Galaxy is one such example.

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We mentioned the presentation already, but that goes hand-in-hand with the visual design of Mario Kart Wii. The menus are slick, but very simple, and that speaks volumes on the rest of the game as well. Tracks can be very basic, low poly, and soft, but everything still has a very appealing look to it, and we can see people both loving and hating the direction Nintendo took with the game. Some tracks, such as the new Mario Circuit, look vivid and beautiful, and it's no wonder it's the level used in nearly every Nintendo-made piece of Kart media out there. On the other side, tracks like Grumble Volcano have a very basic look, and are a bit uninspired. The retro designs, however, are pretty well done, with some of the best work coming from the simplicity in designs like Super NES's Mario Circuit 3, shaded with flat colors and displaying a crisp, still-retro feel.

Closing Comments
How do you score a game like Mario Kart, where there are millions of players worldwide, each with their own perception of what the franchise should be, what's important in a Kart experience, how they want to play it, and which game is truly the pinnacle of the series? What it really comes down to is exactly how Nintendo was aiming this one, what worked, and what didn't. It's obvious now more than ever that Kart is an every-player's game, so while you've got a few options for the hardcore gamers, there's dozens more geared towards those in the Mario Party, Wii Sports, and Wii Play camp. There are some things that feel completely out of whack though, such as the uncharacteristically cheap AI in 150cc, the lack of voice chat for an extremely social online game, reliance on friend codes, and "everyone's a winner" feeling you get when random items show up and completely turn the game upside down in an instant. Granted that's Kart, but it's also a way to water down competition, which is exactly how Super Mario Kart got its start.

Every player is going to have their own love/hate relationship with Mario Kart Wii, but in the end the game does so many things right that it'd be foolish not to give credit where due. Online seriously raises the bar for Nintendo, trumping even Smash in a big, big way. The sense of community you can get even with random racers online and ghost-supported leader boards is impressive, and the fact that you can head on to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection solo, with a friend via split screen, or hook up with buddies across the world without worry of lag and never-ending disconnect notices makes Mario Kart Wii a pure joy to play online. It isn't the best Mario Kart in the series, but it's a must-play experience on Wii, and standard-setting offering as far as online, channel support, and connectivity are concerned. Now if you'll excuse us, we've got some online stats to obsess over.

We'll see you online.

When it comes to sequels, it really doesn't get any safer than Mario Kart Wii and that's because Nintendo hasn't mucked around with too many of the gameplay components that have become staples of the franchise. Most of them remain as enjoyable today as they were when I was growing up with them. Responsive controls. Unpredictable tracks. And one of the best multiplayer experiences around -- they're all back. The title's online portion is so well done, in fact, that I'd recommend Kart to you even if it shipped without a single-player offering -- and that's a real testament to the Wi-Fi Connection component, as I'm normally not inclined to back multiplayer-only games. <p> A few issues do persist, though, some more frustrating than others. First of all, I am still not at all convinced that playing the game with the Wii Wheel adds anything to the experience. It improves upon playing with the standalone Wii remote if only because you will be more comfortable turning a wheel than a peripheral shaped like a television remote, but that's really about it. And truthfully, I feel like I'm at a disadvantage when I play Kart with motion controls because every so often I will take a turn incorrectly, not because I made the wrong motion, but because the Wii remote did not translate my motion correctly. I forced myself to play Brawl with the Wii remote because I really wanted to use Nintendo's new controller, not some classic pad. And yet, given the choice I would prefer to play Kart classically. The Wii Wheel certainly works well most of the time, but not as well as a more traditional setup, I'm sad to state. <p> The other issue relates to a design choice that Nintendo has backed for years, one that die-hard fans will probably back forever, too, and one that I feel is stupid, anyway. I'm referring, of course, to the manner in which you advance through the higher difficulty single-player courses -- a good deal of skill, but just as much luck. You can be zipping through a 150cc stage without a single error and well ahead of every other competitor when, seemingly out of nowhere, bam! Blue shell. Lightning bolt. One cheesy last-ditch effort after another by unfair AI-controlled components. And suddenly you've gone from first place to eighth by no fault of your own. You don't even have a defense against these items -- that is, unless you consider praying that your cheap AI competitors don't decide to rob you of a victory. <p> The thing is, none of these complaints stop me from enjoying Kart Wii. In fact, it's still a great racer that oozes Nintendo charm and polish in most areas. And it represents the single biggest step into the online arena for the company, which has dragged its feet where connectivity is concerned. There is no racing revolution here, but if you grew up and loved the Kart experience, you're going to love the Wii game, too -- and you're going to be playing online for months to come.

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