How many of you were a bit nervous when Nintendo announced that Mario Kart Wii would be released so soon? How many of you started thinking it might be a 'rush job' to fill a gap in the Wii release schedule? How many saw the bikes and thought "oh no, they've ruined Mario Kart"? We'll admit it: deep down, we were worried about all of the above. It turns out we should have known better.
Long story short: it's Mario Kart. It's not some warped, twisted monster that used to be Mario Kart and has now mutated into some horrible kart/bike shambles that's lost its magic. That familiar, addictive Mario Kart gameplay is still there, only now it's even better.
Don't Go Breaking My Kart
There are 12 playable characters when you first start the game, with a whole host to unlock. We won't spoil them just now but, needless to say, a couple of the hidden characters are surprise inclusions who haven't been in a Mario Kart game before. The usual weight classes are back in force, with characters split into light, medium and heavy classes. At first, each weight class has a choice of three different karts and three different bikes, but more are unlockable as you progress.
There are 32 tracks in total, consisting of 16 new tracks and 16 retro ones. Although a couple of the new tracks are curiously similar to ones in older Mario Kart games (Luigi Circuit and Moo Moo Meadows have more than a slight ring of Double Dash!! and Mario Kart 64 to them), the majority of them are fantastic new additions to the series and have some great little quirks in them. For example, Koopa Cape has a downhill stream going through the middle of the track, so it's worth trying to time your powerslides so you go through the stream and get extra speed.
The retro tracks have been given a bit of polish, so even the SNES tracks look nice and 3D. Every game in the series is represented (except the arcade ones) with four N64, DS and GameCube tracks and two tracks apiece from the SNES and GBA titles, meaning whatever your favourite Kart game is, there should be something here to keep you more than happy.
The Wheel Deal
There are four big gameplay differences that greatly affect the way the game is played. The first of these is the most obvious: the inclusion of the Wii Wheel. Believe it or not, the wheel actually works tremendously well. Yes, it's just a plastic shell and shouldn't really make a huge difference but it really does add to the atmosphere. What's more, the steering has a larger 'dead zone' than Excite Truck did, meaning there's a reasonable degree of leeway in how you much you can turn the wheel before your kart starts turning. This gives you more control, since turning left and right requires more deliberate turns in that direction, rather than the way it was in Excite Truck where the slightest rotation of the Remote made the truck start to turn, leading to all sorts of slippy-slidey shenanigans as you frantically turned the Remote left and right just to straighten up.
Snakey Breaky Kart
The second big difference is the removal of snaking. Ever since the N64 game, practically every Mario Kart game has included the ability to get a speed boost by waggling the controls left and right as you powerslide. This has finally been scrapped, and now your speed boost is determined by how long you can hold the slide. So all you do is the usual 'hop and slide', then as you turn the corner a blue spark appears. You can either let go there and get a speed boost, or keep sliding until you get a red spark which gives you a better boost. Since it takes a while before the blue boost activates, this pretty much eliminates snaking, as it's now a lot more hassle than it's worth.
I think this game looks completly flawless and utterly awesome!
GAAAAHHHH! I have to wait till tuesday!!!!!!!! 
but i can't get it the day it comes out or 4 days afterwards!
I can't WAAIIIIITTTT!
It really does look spectacular
It looks brillent but how do you pull stunts with the gamecube controller I wonder because I am for certain using the gamecube controller. Just for old times sake.
Doesn't look too good, might give this mario kart a miss.
Well i'm definatly getting it tommorow, I played it at GAME on saturday, and came second
, and it was great fun my Favourite MK game has to be DS and i only played Luigi circuit on this version and i can say i think its better, although the character graphics are a bit rough compared to say Brawl or Galaxy, the background has that familiar mushroom kingdom feel and for me is a real treat, the new items are really fantastic. and yes i was bothered about the bikes too but i used one and it seemed good, although it felt weird with the wheel 
but nothings perfect 
.
To be honest i started to have my doubts with the Wii, TP was good but not as good as the hype, bark was bigger than the bite if you like, and then Galaxy came along, and although not as good for me as SM64 it was still brilliant and then Brawl and MKWii really changed things and with the upcoming games such as Tales of Symphonia 2 and Wii Ware this could be very good for the Wii now all we need is some third party titles to keep the awesome standards Nintendo has shown.
its My B'DAY on 29/04 and i was rally upset when my m=d wouldnt let me have it the day it came out.
The HYPE is just amazing and just to think 'mario kart tsv' (touch screen tv)(made up)
Well i pre ordered it and got it just now and im off to get a head start.
Nintendo strikes again.
Seems that the Wii is going for complete domination over the next few months.
With MK, SSB Brawl and WiiFit all coming out, it won't be hard, either!
I've got my copy pre-ordered and will be picking it up as soon as possible tomorrow morning!
It will be nice to go online before America.
Heh, maybe we can set a few records too, before the leaderboard gets clogged up by the scores you're never going to get anywhere near.
The online feature looks like it could be great. I think a thread should be made where we can all post our friend codes and have a MK tournament! Anyone up for it?
On Friday I'm getting Mario Kart Wii from GAME luckily i subscribed to Mario Kart wii ^_^
so on Friday I'm getting it ^_^,CAN NOT wait until i go online on it its gonna be a blast
I'V HEARD THAT IF YOU BOUGHT THE GAME ON LINE YOU MAY HAVE GOT IT THIS MORNING WITH YOUR POST
WELL THATS WHAT THE GUY AT GAME TOLD ME YESTERDAY 
WELL I THINK I CAN WAIT JUST ONE MORE DAY 
BUT COME 09.00am FRIDAY MORNING ARE BE STANDING IN THE QUE TO GET MY COPY THEN ITS ALLDAY GAMING THE MARIO KART WAY 
.
Looks brilliant. I can't wait to play this game. 12-Player Races and 12-Player Online Battles sounds like crazy fun. I'm Hoping it's a welcome addition to my collection.
Anticipation is at boiling point. I am able to get this game tommorrow.
Now I would like to write tons about how awesome this looks, but sadly I'm using a Wii so I can't, so I'll be short sweet and to the point, the controls are brilliant, so are bikes and as a self-confessed retro addict I went to heaven when I heard about all the classic tracks. In short, third looks like the best Mk ever
Now I would like to write tons about how awesome this looks, but sadly I'm using a Wii so I can't, so I'll be short sweet and to the point, the controls are brilliant, so are bikes and as a self-confessed retro addict I went to heaven when I heard about all the classic tracks. In short, third looks like the best Mk ever
I think this game has alot more features than the DS version of it which is really cool. But I still prefer the DS one because the handheld feature of it really does give it an extra spark
I got it today in the post, it rules!
ONM know what their talking about.
Pm me if you want a race.
I was lucky enough to play this on saturday, and it was a fantastic two minutes. Just being able to play it and understand what I am in for when I get it tomorrow, when I finally get my hands on a copy.
I loved how good the game looked. When I played it, I imagined all those people who looked at a snapshot of the game and said it didn't look good, playing it and realising just how wrong they were. They should have waited till they played the game before having a go at it
I'll be racing tommorow...
...then I've got work 5pm till 9pm.
i cant wait to get mario kart wii. ive been building up this moments from the day i heard it was going to get released. ive read loads of reveiws and bought the official nintendo magazine with the mario kart reveiw.
tommorow im getting up at 10 and marching straight down town to buy it. im spending the whole day on it and im going to try and coplete the game by friday next week. 
I cannot wait. 
Yeah, I'm getting it. I have not played the DS version, so my MK experience ends with DD, which wasn't great.
But this looks good. I am going to buy it today...as soon as the shops open
Do you think that any nerds will have camped outsude shops wanting too be the first to get it?
And hopefully game will not sell my pre ordered copy, or i will burn their pre ordered selling @$$
I'm getting it, definitley! Does it come with the Wii Wheel?
well they wont be, I pre ordered mine and it came in the post yesterday
The game is great, i really love the new controls with the wii wheel! Feels a bit strange to begin with but, WELL DONE NINTENDO!
Yeah, it comes with the wheel, go now!
Im off to see if anyone is online so I can see if im only any good against the computer, lol
Yes, yes it is.
Mine's awaiting me in Walkden's Blockbuster, and we have no car!
My dad best hurry up with this MOT, I need to go Karting!
lol this didn't make my wait for the post man any easier ! i've been watchin a few videos on youtube to pass time ,theres quite alot of videos of people who have a chiped wii and have mkwii...loosers
I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!I NEED THIS GAME!
OK so I finally get round to posting, got mine yesterday morning and didn't stop playing all day! What a FANTASTIC game, the wheel works like a treat and the online mode is simply awesome.
Right, back off for more racing. See you all online!!!
Im still not so sure about this, ive read a few very conflicting reviews :/
Posting this at school now lol
I got mario kart yesterday as i pre-ordered it from game and it has got to be one of nintendo's finest games. I got it around 7 o'clock last night and didn't get off it until 11:30! 
It is a must have game!
From everyone's points put forward here, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about.
Still waiting to go and get my copy, it's unbearable!
Quite right, it's a fantastic game and worth the price just for the online mode alone. Don't hesitate to get a copy!
Just bought this game this afternoon.
Got a butt load of people downstairs getting frustrated with the damn wheel. haha.
I think im going to go for either classic GC controls or the chuchk/mote combo.
1 glaring omission though......WHERE THE HELL IS MULTIPLAYER GRAND PRIX!?!?!?!?!?
Do I have to unlock it or what.....
It better be in there somewhere or someone will pay.
Absolutely epic game. The wheel is an excellent addition, and the controls feel so intuitive. The tricks and bikes are also great new features, and really they add a bit of strategy into the mix. Well done Nintendo.
All i know about this game is that it's great and deseves 97% not 94
We got it yesterday and I just can't put it down...
I love the retro tracks, i find that they have made the old tracks with new graphics and added a few extras like shy guy beach (i think its named) from mario kart super circuit was amazing to ride at first, I loved it aswell as the extra in it, i won't say due to spoiling it for someone who hasn't got the game.
I did the smart thing and pre-ordered Mario Kart Wii: it turns out 83 of the 120 at my local GAME were reserved, and I really felt for the guy next to me who didn't pre-order and was told they were all reserved. Anyway I have to say this game is magnificent!!! The controls are simple yet effective and the trick system can be used by anyone. One thing that has added to the difficulty is how quickly racers can change positions by a vast amount, which only adds to the competitiveness!! The perfect racer!!!
This is one epic game some of the course are brillant and the battle cources are also Brill. I also anjoy the ranking system and timetrails
I disagree with this reveiw.
My main critisism is the CPUs. I am not the best at mario kart games, and on mario kart DS I have the setting at normal. I was frustrated to learn that there is no difficulty rating in mario kart wii, as a result, I find the CPUS too hard and frustrationg. they also seem to be the luckiest CPUS as well, they all seem to have blue shells and POW blocks, all the time!
80%
I like how there are no hnegative points, I bet I'd find like 1million, E.G. people who quit online, easy to complete and unrealistic controlling
SNES Mario Kart was gd
i cant wait until i but it1
yaay i got mario kart and i think its really awesome ive won 3 secret characters but im not going to tell u them then it will give the surprise away and its great that its online!!!!
there`s loads of silly little things that annoy me with mario kart, the 2D mii`s in the crowd, the wii wheel is unresponsive, nintendo took away the charecter specific weapons that were present in double dash, and i don`t really see too much improvement on the graphics over double dash either. but with those grumbles asside, the gameplay is great, the online features are easily the best on the wii so far and the online games are very addictive, mario kart wii, deffintly worth buying,
I just Mario Kart Wii and it is awesome and my favorite track is The Rainbow Road. It is great and the Wii Wheel is excellent.
absolutely amazing game wii wheel works amazingly!!!!
but how do u unlock dry bowser?
I love this game!
I've played Double Dash!! and the arcade versions but they don't give me that same feeling that Mario Kart 64 used to give me all those years ago.
I played it for the first time after I got it home yesterday, it was wonderful and I'm going to play even more today.
The controls are easy to get used to and the wheel is fantastic! My only gripe is that the wrist strap gets in the way.
I've tried wearing it, letting hang loose, wrapping it around the wheel. Gripping it with the wheel feels a bit better but it still bugs me. I could take it off but I'm lazy and might not be able to get it back on again.
I love the fact that all you have to do to perform tricks is flick the wheel!
Is there a way to get a speed boost at the start of the race, like in Double Dash!!?
Yes You can Hold Down 2(accelerate) as soon as the 2 Is about to dissapear and If you fall of the stage accelerate as soon as you touch the ground for a little Boost!COME ON MKWII!
Well I have to say, THIS GAME IS AMAZING!!!!
Ive got all the 50CC cups and unlocked Rosalina and King Boo!
I might not be that far but DAMM its good!,
Im getting Smash Bros. (if it ever comes out here)
Wii Fit looks cool, but I aint paying £69.99 GGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't Believe how well the Wii wheel works to be honest, on my license I got a Wii wheel usage of 100% and intend to keep it that way. Best Nintendo online game I have played to date also
ive got the game and i have unlocked rosalina as a playable racer and stuff but im getting a little bored now doing the same thing over and over again
but i overheard people saying you can customise your own kart 
im not sure if you can make your own but if you can i have one question
HOW THE HELL DO YOU UNLOCK IT
This game is easily my favourite on Wii.
I was expecting to think of MK as filler until Brawl came out, but i'm now wondering if this is better...
The online play is the best I've ever seen and the tracks and vehicles are brilliant. Well done Nintendo!
Hmmm....I wonder if you have a point there...
I'm still looking forward to Brawl, but Mario Kart Wii has definatly distracted me. For instance; I don't foam at the mouth from excitement when people mention that Brawl's coming soon anymore....
I'd like to praise Mario Kart Wii as much as ONM but unfortunately there are several gripes about this game that other reviewers and myself have noticed that drag the score down in my opinion.
The main problem I have with the game is the terribly unbalanced item system. I'm sure many of you hardcore players out there have noticed how easy it is to drop about 10 places almost instantly no matter how well you play. This is caused by too many new super weapons that appear too frequently. Once you get first, you can't drive a few yards without being bombarded with blue shells, POW blocks and lightning bolts. Then you get slammed by players rushing past with Starmen, Bullet Bills and Mega Mushrooms. Not to mention the rubberband AI in this game that make 150cc and Mirror a living hell!
Then there's the online points system that awards more points to low rank players and less to high ranks. The worst part is how easy it is to lose all you hard earned points once you start to get good at it. I currently have 8600 points and can't even finish 3rd without losing points. The maximum points I can earn is something like 40 whereas the maximum I can lose is over 200!
Once you combine the two, the game's frustration factor begins to rise fast.
Having said that, the game is still a huge hit and easily my favourite wii game and one of my favourite games of all time. I'd give its about 8.8/10
its a good game but what the difference between this (mario kart) and rumble racing (old ps2 racing game) it had same graphics better cars better item and more choices of cars tracks and of course a better controler i think when you look at it that way its a let down
reply to me about hwat you think about mario kart
Wow this game is the best racing game ever!! With loads of charcters to unlock it will keep you busy for ages!!! Everything's good except about 3 things.
1. Sometimes you get weapon after weapon. not kidding e.g (blue shell, banana, red koopa shell, red koopa shell, hit by a bullet bill and then you fall off.)
2. Battle have to be in teams
3. CPU are mean and gang up on you and think like a human. (Might be good or bad for some.)
this game is absolutely awesome best wii game out
a must buy
this game is absolutely awesome best wii game out
a must buy
this game is absolutely awesome best wii game out
a must buy
i want it im saving up
this game is definitely one of the best games on the wii. it is definitely in my top five anyway. the controls are unique and work perfectly, there are so many characters to choose from and loads of unlockables. the online is awesome, if somewhat restricted on battle mode (but not enough to cause annoyance), and i would say it is the best mario kart game ever. well done nintendo!
i think mario kart wii is single handedly the best racing game in a long time, but thats just my opinion. when nintendo announced the game i wasnt i bit nervous because i always have and always will have full confidence in nintendo that they will deliver the goods. if any of you were nervous then i have to say im a bit disappionted in you, have full confidence in nintendo always!
I tried the wii wheel and couldnt get used to it il probably just use a gamecube
Mario Kart is one od the bested games in the world!
there sud be a game that you cud fly planes as mario characters!
I live in England (Europe) but i got the game on 10th April, one day early, from my local grainger games store for £35.00. I thought you said it came out on 11th April, LUCKY ME!
All of the unlockables are here. If you don't want this spoiled, look away NOW.
Unlockable Courses
Star Cup - 3rd or better in the Mushroom and Flower Cups
Special Cup - 3rd or better in the Star Cup
Leaf Cup - 3rd or better in the Shell and Banana Cups
Lightning Cup - 3rd or better in the Leaf Cup
Mirror Mode - 3rd or better or all cups across all classes
Unlockable Characters
King Boo (Large) - Win the 50cc Star Cup
Diddy Kong (Medium) - Win the 50cc Lightning Cup
Baby Daisy (Small) - Get a rank of * or better in all 50cc Wii Cups
Rosalina (Large) - Win all 50cc Wii Cups with a Super Mario Galaxy save
OR
Get a rank of * or better in all Mirror Mode cups
Mii (Outfit A) - Win the 100cc Special Cup
Dry Bones (Small) - Win the 100cc Leaf Cup
Bowser Jr. (Medium) - Get a rank of * or better in all 100cc Retro Cups
Daisy (Medium) - Win the 150cc Special Cup
Dry Bowser (Large) - Get a rank of * or better in all 150cc Wii Cups
Birdo (Medium) - Play Time Trials on any 16 coursesOR
Win 250 WiFi races
Toadette (Small) - Play Time Trials on all courses
OR
Win 1000 WiFi races
Funky Kong (Large) - Unlock 4 Expert Staff ghosts
Baby Luigi (Small) - Unlock 8 Expert Staff ghosts
Mii (Outfit B) - Unlock all 32 Expert Staff ghosts
Unlockable Karts and Bikes
Piranha Prowler (Large Kart) - Win the 50cc Special Cup
Turbo Blooper (Medium Kart) - Win the 50cc Leaf Cup
Cheep Charger (Small Kart) - Get a rank of * or better in all 50cc Retro Cups
Twinkle Star (Large Bike) - Win the 100cc Star Cup
Rapide (Medium Bike) - Win the 100cc Lightning Cup
Nitrocycle (Medium Bike) - Get a rank of * or better in all 100cc Wii Cups
Quacker (Small Bike) - Win the 150cc Star Cup
Royal Racer (Medium Kart) - Win the 150cc Leaf Cup
Dragonetti (Large Kart) - Win the 150cc Lightning Cup
Aero Glider (Large Kart) - Get a rank of * or better in all 150cc Retro Cups
Dolphin Dasher (Medium Bike) - Win the Mirror Mode Star Cup
Phantom (Large Bike) - Win the Mirror Mode Special Cup
Bubble Bike (Small Bike) - Win the Mirror Mode Leaf Cup
Blue Falcon (Small Kart) - Win the Mirror Mode Lightning Cup
Magikruiser (Small Bike) - Play Time Trials on 8 courses
Rally Romper (Small Kart) - Unlock 1 Expert Staff ghost
Torpedo (Large Bike) - Unlock 12 Expert Staff ghosts
B Dasher MK-2 (Medium Kart) - Unlock 24 Expert Staff ghosts
Also note you can play 50cc or 100cc using karts and bikes by winning all cups in those classes.
Until then,
Doom Goomba
mario kart wii is the best online game i have for the wii. the best bit about the game is that you can race your friends.
Alert Alert
We have a code red, no. even worse a code blellow. ONM was wrong
Mario Kart Wii deserves a higher score because of the new downloadable and free missions.
the greatest driving game series has of course done it again, Mario kart never disappoints me and it never will,definitely worth buying 96%
the best mario kart game ever, what a great idea adding bikes to it, the best track is coconut mall and the best character is Luigi
the 1 thing i want to know do u still get the powerups like a star and shelss and lighting bolts so plz get bck to me o and is steering hard
This should've been given 96% really. There's little wrong with it. Its one of the big four or five games on the Wii at the moment.
i like the idea of it on the wii but i can't get past 150cc the ai is very hard to beat
Why did it get 94%, and yet it has no faults. Maybe it just isn't meant to be the Wii's best game. It deserves 96 or 97 even maybe.
In my list of Best Games ever it ranked third, behind Ocarina of Time in second and the Great Super Mario Galaxy in first!
The better items will come the lower position you are in. Happy?
I didn't get this game when it first came out I got it a few months later, but it doesn't matter when you get it, it will still be the same game. I can understand that some people would want the game a.s.a.p so they can get playing, but I wouldn't want to pay extra money for it if I just had to wait a couple of months extra.
I love this game.
It is best if you play it as multiplayer.
The grafics are great.
And if you have friends who like Mario Kart then definitely play this with them.
Some of the coures and characters are the same as the other versions but its good to see them being used again!!!
Love the game!
i think mario kart wii is great with heaps of charaters , karts, bikes and also a variety of tracks and lots to dobut think this game only gets 91% i think.
One of the top 5 games on the Wii. Brilliant tracks, brilliant characters (but no R.O.B
), brilliant sounds, brilliant vehicles and online play!
. Or in time trials, where they sit still and beat everyones time by 20 seconds. At least Nintendo get rid of most of them.
Only bad point I can think of is that they don't/can't fix the glitches where people fall of the track and reappear way up it, still moving
Who's ready for a sequel?
If anyone wants to play me , private message me your friend code and I'll add you.
Best ever mario kart. Wii wheel works great and online multiplayer is the best online on wii. Motorbikes are great additions as are tricks
hey onm how can you say the weapons are balanced to perfection when you constantly get hit by blue sheels and pow blocks all the time and also the ai is extremely unfair and very preditable as your always guarenteed to get hit by a blue shell right before you finish
Blue shells are annoying; but they are part of the game. POW blocks are also easy to avoid.
Awesome game!
Edg3 gave this 6/10. SIX/TEN! How could they give the most awesome game of spring* 2008 a 6 out of ten?
*SSBB was out in summer.
I can't believe you gave Mario Kart Wii 94% which is less than what you gave Mario Kart DS when Mario Kart Wii is clearly the better game! With 12 racers in one race instead of just 8, the snaking system being axed to make getting big powerslide boosts easier and 32 brilliant tracks makes this the best racing game on Wii! The only falt I can find is the CPU opponents get blue shells a lot but that aside Mario Kart Wii is excellent! My opinion: 99% at least!
Had this game since last year, and so far the only game I know of to score five +points in ONM. Couldn't agree more with Quantum Raven.
94% is ridiculous! it offers nothing new for fans, although there are a few new characters and tracks there is no new game additions, they even dropped the missions ! and now i have completed all stages and all characters + karts is starting to get boring this is not worth a 94% more like 90%!!!
i though it was perfect at first but once u complete it it is kinda boring it deserves a 88%