Review: Nintendo Takes The Checkered Flag With Mario Kart Wii! (Page 2 of 6)
Taking a quick peek behind you is always a good idea but don't stay in this view for too long or you may end up crashing
You have to hand it to Nintendo: they are doing everything they need to win the current console wars. They're selling consoles left and right and more importantly, they keep putting out quality titles that people are almost guaranteed to go nuts over. And the hits just keep on coming: right on the heels of their immensely successful Super Smash Bros. Brawl comes Mario Kart Wii, another title that is sure to keep the momentum going strong for the Big N.
The Gang's All Here
Mario Kart Wii isn't your prototypical racing game. It sits in the middle ground between realistic simulations like Gran Turismo and arcade-focused speedsters like Burnout. But it has something those other titles don'tthe special Nintendo style that makes it stand out from all the rest.
The best example of this lies in Mario Kart Wii's roster of racers: the cast of characters is composed mostly of Nintendo all-stars like Mario and Bowser with a few nice surprises, which I won't ruin, thrown in. Each racer also has access to a variety of vehicles, each with their own individual stats. Sadly, the characters don't have as much individual personality as they do in games like Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Strikers Charged, but you do have a nice variety to choose from.
The triple redshells are one of the most powerful items in the game. Remember that they can be used as a defensive shield as well.
You Spin Me Round Round
From a gameplay standpoint, Mario Kart Wii doesn't deviate much from the formula set by the previous titles in the series: in short, it's tons of fun. There are two types of events: races and battles. Races are all out sprints to the finish line while battles consist of racers roaming around an enclosed space, tossing shells and other weapons at each other. If you've played any of the previous titles, you'll be on familiar ground but even if you are new to the series, you'll still be able to master the game's racing action after a few sessions.
Drifting, where you slide around the track at an angle to generate a speed boost, is still the name of the game and using it effectively is often the difference between racing in first and puttering in last. If anything, all of the tracks are built for drifts so it just makes sense to use them. Items also play a huge role and run the gamut from simple banana peels to the powerful Bullet Bill which transforms you into the classic ballistic enemy from Super Mario Bros. and rockets you around the track.
You can pull off nifty tricks when you get airborne but only when you're using certain control schemes.
Keep a close eye on your ranking inbetween matches when playing through the Gran Prix mode. You'll have to change up your racing strategy depending on your standing.
Don't think for a second that this is the final roster of available characters. Play long enough and perform well enough and you'll add a few more faces to the list.
![Screen Update: Speed Racer [PS2]](/screens/141542/205598-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Metal Slug 7 [DS]](/screens/142292/205544-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Lips [Xbox 360]](/screens/142386/205582-1-1.jpg)
![Screen Update: Wanted [Xbox 360]](/screens/142398/205578-1-1.jpg)
