It's nearly here so I figure we need to start our hype train.

Sunday April 27 release date.

32 Tracks. 16 new, 16 classic.

12 Player On-line racing

A considerably more robust on-line feature set including leader boards, a Mari Kart channel added to the Wii so you can check who's on-line and how they have been doing. Matches Wii friend codes with the game friend codes so a little easier to connect up there.

Team battle mode which kind of sucks because there is never any one on one battle mode

Karts and Bikes

Mii integration (why would I race with any one but myself is the question)

The most important part, The Wii Wheel. Crafted by Nintendo artisans who created 30 prototypes before settling on the current design all reviews say it is Nintendo perfect and that they would not play the game without it.

A few links for your perusal.
http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/mariokart/vol1_page1.jsp

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=95123

http://www.gametrailers.com/game/5151.html

All my Smash Bros heads who are jumping on this one to get at me with friend codes ASAP.



"I put my foot so deep in yo ass the water in my knee will quench your thirst!" Ras Kass {Miami Life}

it included a bunch of other shit like a sensor bar, power cable, component cable, golf club, baseball bat and tennis racket.

copped absolutely

I wasn't too hyped by the gameplay videos that I've seen, but I haven't played a MarioKart game since 64.

especially online. Crazy.

i'd be more excited about that. they usually only make one game per system, but the DS is going to have a longer run than nintendo anticipated im sure, it would be dope to have a 2nd MKDS. the game engine and feel of the game is pretty much perfect, just throw in some new tracks and more online options

the screen shots look dope

you really didnt like the GC one?
fuck man, that shit was money

MK for the SNES is still one of my all time favorite games (virtual console, where the fuck is it!??!?)

but the 64 version was a piece of shit to me
too slow, tracks are too big, boosts were a pain in the ass, etc

the GC version tho kept a lotta the new elements and stuff but rekindled the intensity of the original

i barely played the 64 one cuz it sucked so bad, but i was wrapped up in the GC one for the longest time

The level design was tight.

I beat that game forwards and backwards.

n/m

_________________________
Help me raise fund to fight MS!:
http://tinyurl.com/2n53wu

Philly, check this out:
http://livefromphiladelphia.blogspot.com/

It was like extra's that you think would involve some strategy, but not really.

The DS version is imho the GOAT

Its a tough call b/c the SNES one was such a classic and the N64 might very well be the best party game of all time. My friends and I still play that shit to this day.

This is easily one of the best game series ever, and I have no doubt the new one will be awesome.

1. it had fewer courses than the N64 version. FEWER. And they were shorter.

2. most of the courses in GC were poorly designed. FAR too many right angle turns that involve slowing down, not going FAST. few of the courses in GC were designed 'fast' like my favorite courses in N64 (DK parkway, Luigi Raceway, Choco mountain).

The GC version had decent graphics and wasn't a bad game. But compared to how good the N64 version was, GC version was not an improvement.

Possibility

constructive.

the courses in MK GC were poorly designed. The courses in MK64 made the game for me.

i was OBSESSIVE over the SNES version
like i could sit there for hours by my damn self jus playing random shit
i would time trial the shit outta every damn course and my times KILLED
and my battle skills could never be fazed
but my bread and butter was luigi on match race (i'll school you on 150 cc special cup too)

with that said... the 64 version was crazy disappointing
they implemented that boost system, but the game just FELT slower
the battle stages didnt have that hectic feel of the original

because of this, i didn't play it much at all cuz i was so bummed out
so i dont remember the number of courses or course design all that well
but while i can pick up and play any SNES mario kart any day (and the GC one for that matter), i have no desire to play the 64 one ever again

i actually thought the course design/selection of the GC one was great
i fully expected to be disappointed when i played, but it really really felt like i was playing an updated version of the SNES one
the first time i got all tense and sweaty at the end of a race cuz it was so close, i KNEW mario kart was back
(i played the advance one for a while too and that was fun, but not the same as the big console feel... never played the DS one tho)

not saying you're wrong, but this is what i felt as a crazy nut about the first game

what did you like about the GC courses? I really thought they didn't flow well. The turns were too sharp, and involved too much slowing down.

Also, on MK64, did you think courses like DK Parkway were slow? I thought courses like that were fast as shit. Choco Mountain. Frappe Snowland? Fast, IMO.

i thought they were a blast, but since i dont remember the 64 ones too much, its hard to compare the two
i didnt really feel slowing down too much with regards to the turns tho
it may be the handling on the car i chose or the way i play or something (i used the pink birdo car)
but i thought they revamped the system in a great way to incorporate the boost burst from 64 with the pacing of the original

other then that it was great.

And a couple of the battle maps fucking sucked, esp the Donut one and the one GC one. But bomb-battle on the pipe level? Some of the best multi-player that has ever been created. We wasted at least 200 hours of our Friday afternoons during senior year on it.

If they had some more complex maps like Pipe Plaza, it coulda been one of the GOAT multi-player experiences.

...and GTA coming out at the end of the month, I'm gonna have to pass for now due to lack of time/funds. :(

http://wii.ign.com/articles/865/865975p1.html

Closing Comments

Remember that line-up we did at the start of this review? Well, despite a few minor flaws - most notably the failure that is offline Battle mode - the sheer quality of this latest Mario Kart installment pretty much sits it right alongside the near-faultless SNES original. Despite initial fears, this is proper Mario Kart, and it's Mario Kart done right. It's fast, it's fun and still one of the best party games ever created. Thanks to some seriously well-implemented online options though, it brings so much more to the table than its forebears, most notably in terms of longevity. Really, the most serious drawback is that it's still just Mario Kart - and if that's a formula you hate, you're still not going to change your mind. For everyone else though, it's an essential purchase on Wii and a return to form for Nintendo's console racer.



Rating Description
out of 10
9.0 Presentation
It's comprehesive, beautifully presented and probably Nintendo's greatest online achievement to date. Brilliant stuff.

8.5 Graphics
Cartoon stylings are deceptive - there's a lot to love here, including 60 FPS, huge draw distances and plenty of on-screen furniture. Frame rates and quality take a hit in split-screen, sadly.

7.5 Sound
Plenty of the usual toots and whistles complement some servicable but ultimately forgettable tunes.

8.5 Gameplay
A return to form in terms of arcade purity and all the better for it. Plus, new additions and refinements make for a fairer, more compulsive experience.

9.0 Lasting Appeal
Despite a bodged offline Battle mode, it's still a greaty party game and online racing, plus competitions, mean there's a ton of mileage here.

8.9
Great OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
------------------------------
Soulseek Name = Purevidence786

I wonder if we're gonna be able to use the same friend codes as for SSBB or if there's gonna be yet another set of codes.

http://wiinintendo.net/2008/04/09/2-hours-of-mario-kart-wii-direct-feed-all-32-courses/

Midnight release at my local Gamestop. I will post my Friend Code ASAP. Who else is copping tonight?

0430-8660-6280


"I put my foot so deep in yo ass the water in my knee will quench your thirst!" Ras Kass {Miami Life}

and pretty much took the skill out of it, i d love opinions on the game from any of you who are actually good at powersliding and snaking, and how you feel about the game

the major idea behind power sliding remains the same. you're drifting around turns to maintain speed and keep a tight turn. all they took out was the annoying and somewhat excessive part where you had to rapidly move the joystick back and forth to get the speed boost.

I think they basically streamlined power sliding without changing the nature of the technique. I've only had MK Wii for one day, but it seems like they stayed true to the nature and techniques of mario karts' past.

doing tricks in the air for speed boosts is an excellent addition.

>the major idea behind power sliding remains the same. you're
>drifting around turns to maintain speed and keep a tight turn.
>all they took out was the annoying and somewhat excessive part
>where you had to rapidly move the joystick back and forth to
>get the speed boost.

i don't remember exactly, but i thought u had to "hop" then move the joystick
can you even jump (hop) in Mario Kart Wii? I played it yesterday but couldn't figure it out
and how exactly do you powerslide? is it just automatic when you turn?

granted i haven't played Kart since 64, i was racing terrible on the Wii. anyone got some tips?

did you have it on 'automatic' or 'manual'? In 'automatic' you can't power slide.

But yeah, 'hop' going into the turn, then hold the hop button and the 'drift' button. These buttons depend on how you're playing (wii wheel, CG controller or nunchuk).

you move the joystick back and forth in order to steer around the turn, but you don't have to constantly flick the joystick back and forth in order to get the speed boost like you did in MK64. In MK Wii, when you hold your drift long enough, you get the speed boost.

the other main tip is make sure you do tricks & flips in the air, it gives you a speed boost.

that somewhat annoying part is what separates the good from the bad players. i kind of saw this coming though, a lot of mediocre players on MKDS complained about how good people can get at snaking and boosting thru pretty much the whole track, so nintendo dumbed it down, could still be a fun game though, but less skill = less fun to me

I wasn't a great snaker, but I could respect it as a skill. If somebody had the dedication to learn to boost through a whole level, then of course that person should win.

_________________________
Hey OKP, help me raise funds to fight MS!:
http://tinyurl.com/2n53wu

Philly, check this out:
http://livefromphiladelphia.blogspot.com/

but snaking and getting boosts are still the most important skills. you just don't have to wiggle back and forth to get the speed boost. you have to be able to hold the turn long enough to get the boost. i'd almost argue that it's still a defining skill, just different.

I don't really see this change being make or break for anyone who loves Mario Kart. I say that as someone who had definitely mastered boosting through levels in MK64.

but say for example on MKDS, a medium level player will NEVER EVER beat me in a race, im simply so much better at boosting and snaking than they are, that even if i get hit with red and blue shells they arent fast enough to catch me.

and when playing against someone of my skill level or better(well the only skill level decidedly better would be people who hack with action replay), its incredibly fun just knowing that whoever messes up just ONE time may lose because of it

so, boosting is still there, but now its at an accessible, remedial level as compared to MKDS at least. if you want to see some wild shit go to youtube and look at mkds videos of world record/elite players, it doesnt remotely resemble casual players

the blue shell thing was where i pretty much said "enough is enough"

yea

Toys R Us has a sale where you get Mario Kart and 50% off on selected other games, including the stellar PES 2008.

*I'm about to start ranting shortly*

I knew this BS would happen. I absolutely knew it. I bought PES 2008 about 3 weeks ago and held on to it waiting to see if they'd have another sale like they did for Brawl. I didn't hear anything, so I opened it. Anyway, now that I've opened it it goes on sale. &^*(^*%(^%. You know, I'm pissed off at myself because I absolutely knew it was going to happen, but I second guessed myself. Anyway, pick up PES 2008. It's dope. Online is dope.

<end rant>

just got it yesterday - it's super-fun online

I haven't played Mario Kart since the old snes days, but this is the ultimate party game, right up there with guitar hero or rock band. Anyone else not really feeling the wheel? I prefer using a nunchuk and wii remote.

I'll post my friends code later when I get home.

if brawl had anything CLOSE to this i'd be playin the shit a lot more

also at first i thought you could only play against friends like one on one or whatever
but if they're on in other races you can join up with their games too

>but if they're on in other races you can join up with their
>games too

my cousin was lit and couldnt hang
i was gonna go to sleep
but then saw a little happy face on the screen where you choose between Worldwide/Regional/Friends
you can see who's on and what races they're doing, and jump right in

even tho its still limited functionality, it makes me wonder why brawl couldnt do anything even close to this

n/m

you can just jump in there and race the next track with them

i haven't been a gamer since Nintendo 64 but I decided to pick up a Wii this week. Game is just the way I remembered it. And on line feature is pretty slick. Except everyone kicks my butt.

im finding it really difficult to steer precisely

sometimes ill turn 1 way with the wheel, and my lil dude goes in the complete opposite direction

and sharp turns r nonexistant

i only played for like an hour

and i understand that drifting is supposed to handle most of it

but still im struggling a bit

go to settings and take it down to 2, should work after that.

n/m

you gotta use the nunchuk

n/m

I already know what your doing wrong (wow what a way to start a post). The Wii Wheel is actually uber precise, I guarantee your movements are to exaggerated, my son does the same thing and I am forced to calm him down and have him make smaller movements. Also, the hop button will really tighten up your turns, as for the suggestion your sensor bar is somehow incorrectly set, well it would have little effect as the game only uses it fr menu functions.Slight movements like you would in a real car.

just got it only played 50cc. good stuff

Cause that is where it's at. We have got to get all our friend codes together and get a tourney going, think I may make that post later.

im still pretty new. i think if i jump online now i would always be getting last.

it's like buying a Wii all over again.

at bestbuy they werent on the shelf you had to go to checkout and tell them you wanted it and they got from somewhere.

But the single player makes me wanna throw the controller into my CRT tube, then bang them shits with a spiked fucking bat(C)Rae, fucking BS AI. Hats off to you if you've unlocked everything in this game.

I guess I'll never unlock Funky Kong.