This article is from the first edition of The Video Game Librarian website I published between 2008 and 2010. It was originally written on May 20, 2008.

Mario Kart Wii was released a little over three weeks ago and I haven’t been playing a single other game since. So here’s a few thoughts I’ve had about the game, which is now available for the Wii…

The Mario Kart series hasn’t changed a whole lot since it began on the Super NES with Super Mario Kart. But that doesn’t mean each iteration doesn’t have it’s charms. And after changing up the formula a bit with the tag-team racing of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart Wii actually feels like a return to the classic gameplay of Mario Kart 64 with a few new additions.

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: April 27, 2008
Genre: Kart Racing
ESRB Rating: Everyone

The biggest change in Mario Kart Wii is the inclusion of Wii Wheel controls. The Wii Wheel is just a circular piece of plastic that the Wii Remote snaps into that allows players to “steer” their kart. But it’s an interesting way to play Mario Kart, and while it’s easy to oversteer with the Wii Wheel, it only takes a few games to get the hang of it. The game also includes Remote/Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and GameCube Controller support for a more old school style and all of those work great as well (in fact, I like to use the Classic Controller).

The other big change is the addition of bikes to the Mario Kart world. At first, the bikes feel a bit like a gimmick, but after I gave them a chance (100cc initially requires you to use a bike), I found that I almost prefer racing with the bikes. They control a bit different from the karts, but both really feel at home in Mario Kart Wii.

Finally, online play has come to Nintendo’s kart racing king for the first time in Mario Kart Wii. There’s no voice chat and online modes are limited to single races, team-based battle mode, and Coin Runners (the team with the most coins wins), but it works and it’s easy to get lost in Mario Kart’s online play for hours. Nintendo-sponsored Tournaments and Time Trial leaderboards (with downloadable Ghosts) is just icing.

Mario Kart Wii feels a lot like the previous games in the series (and the inclusion of retro tracks doesn’t change that), but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Mario Kart formula was perfected a long time ago and it’s just as great as it ever was in Mario Kart Wii (and a lot of the new tracks, including the best Rainbow Road ever, are fantastic). Add in online play, and if you’re a Mario Kart fan, it’s easy to think that Mario Kart Wii just might be the best game the Wii has to offer.

Verdict: Highly Recommended