I've got my copy reserved. It's gonna be so much fun racing against other DDers!

The expression on their face when I throw a shell at them just as they're about to cross the finish line will be priceless! >:D

So far it's getting better reviews than Mario Kart Double Dash, and I really liked Double Dash. I'll probably give it a shot. Hopefully the tracks will be as cool as some of the tracks on Mario Kart DS.

I know people are probably going to whine about its online functionality, just like they did with Brawl. But I've never cared much for online play.

Apart from it being a downgraded double dash, not really. Basically all they've done is added some new character models (and recycled the old ones) and tracks, removed all the new gameplay elements from DD, removed coop from the GP mode and added third-rate online and bikes. Everything I've seen of it so far seems like both a graphical and gameplay downgrade from DD.

- While riding double has been removed, Motorcycles and stunts have been added. Sure, the online will probably stink, but who cares? Make some friends.

- Of course they've recycled old tracks, like a most of the past Mario Kart sequels have. I like seeing old favorites with a new shine. But you're pretending they're not adding a bunch of new tracks, which they are.

- Coop GP has not been removed. The magazine that claimed that didn't know that you can choose the first track and play straight through with your friends , making a coop GP.

- If you're going to keep griping about graphics, just do us all a favor and sell your Wii to somebody who will appreciate it.

In my view, Nintendo has done a good job expanding the mario kart series and each game they make gets better, if this trend carries on i'm sure that mario kart Wii will be a success despite if the wii steering wheel is bad

Of course they've recycled old tracks, like a most of the past Mario Kart sequels have. I like seeing old favorites with a new shine. But you're pretending they're not adding a bunch of new tracks, which they are.

Sort of. Sixteen tracks are considered new. Of those, some are genuinely new tracks and some are "reimaginings" of tracks that have appeared in every version of the game since the SNES version. Plus, did they really need to include four Mario Circuits and three Bowser's Castles?

Coop GP has not been removed. The magazine that claimed that didn't know that you can choose the first track and play straight through with your friends, making a coop GP.

And everyone else who has played that game tells a very different story. Yes, you can compete in a mode that lets you choose a number of tracks in a similar fashion to GP, but you can't play through the GP mode cooperatively, nor can you unlock anything in the multiplayer modes. Sounds like they took it out to me.

If you're going to keep griping about graphics, just do us all a favor and sell your Wii to somebody who will appreciate it

I don't expect it to be 360 or PS3 quality, but it should at least match the GC version if not be better. Recycling character models and making lower detail courses is just sheer laziness.

Well, the game looks fun, and luckily for me, that's much more important than pointless crap like "spiffy graphics" or "100% original courses".

Generally that's the case with me as well. This game doesn't look as interesting or as fun to me as Double Dash. If the previous game was more fun, why should I bother? My biggest gripe so far is that they have removed all the additions from DD and gone back to an older system that I didn't find as fun. So, if I've already got Double Dash, why should I be spending my money on what is essentially a downgraded version?

What's next? A baseball game?



Oh wait.

Inkmonkey
Well, the game looks fun, and luckily for me, that's much more important than pointless crap like "spiffy graphics" or "100% original courses".

Silly Inkmonkey, games aren't supposed to be fun, the best games, like Warcraft and Shadow of the Colossus, are dull and monotonous!

On topic: of course I'll get it.

isukun
Generally that's the case with me as well. This game doesn't look as interesting or as fun to me as Double Dash. If the previous game was more fun, why should I bother? My biggest gripe so far is that they have removed all the additions from DD and gone back to an older system that I didn't find as fun. So, if I've already got Double Dash, why should I be spending my money on what is essentially a downgraded version?

Put that way, your opinion makes a lot more sense. If the step away from cooperative racing bothers you, then I guess it's fair for you to not look forward to it.

You know it's funny, but I mostly heard people complain about the double kart deal in Double Dash. Many people totally wrote off the game because of it. You're the last person I would have expected to think otherwise.

I really liked the cooperative nature of Double Dash, and my brother and I made a great team. Honestly I'll miss that feature, but playing Mario Kart DS made me realize that great course design is important too.

I agree with the general mumblings. The best aspect of DD was the co-op play, and I will miss that.

I'm not too sure about the steering wheel idea. I do like that you have a choice between the wheel, the remote and nunchuck and the gamecube controller. However, I have heard that there are some things (stunts maybe?) that you can only do with the wheel. That makes me annoyed, because if you want to be a hard core gamer, you have to use the wheel.

What do others think of the wheel? It doesn't seem to have come up yet.

The general consensus I'm getting from reviews is that the wheel works just fine. Reviews either say it works better than they expected or they don't seem to have complaints about it. I guess the worst I've heard of it was that if you don't hold it perpendicular to the floor (like a bus) then it's slightly less accurate. But even that reviewer mentioned that he got used to it and then the controls were just fine.

Now that I've got it, I've been enjoying myself. Currently I'm using the time trials to practice driving around with the wheel that came with the game.

Oh, as for my Mario Kart Wii number, check the stickied thread about Gamertags, Wii numbers, and stuff. :)

Just cleared all the 50CC cups right now. The game is great.

The wheel takes a bit to get used to, but it's effective, I prefer the nunchuck for the analog steering while still getting my stunts down.

The courses are great and this is hands down the best Rainbow Road ever.

Now that I've got Dry Bones unlocked, I am a happy camper. I didn't care for the Wii Wheel, especially since the wiimote+nunchuck system is so much more effective. I tried the classic controller, but it was too much of a hassle to pull my finger off the stick to do stunts.

What is the Wii-Mote/Nunchuck control system like?
I've used the wheel and the Cube controller and I definitely preferred the whiil (I kept flicking the Cube one...)
But I never tried the other set up, so is it any good?

Basically the nunchuck option is a good middleground between the two. The wiimote flick works great for doing stunts and wheelies, but the analog stick is better for people used to traditional Mariokart gameplay.

I don't have the game yet, but I imagine I'll give the wheel a good solid effort.

I'm working my way through 150CC right now, I hope I snag mirror mode tonight.

Did a few time trials with the Wii-Wheel, and overall, I'm getting used to it, but I keep powersliding the wrong direction, like on Luigi's Raceeay. That corner with the boosters in the left lane? I keep going to slide around the corner, but I start sliding towards the boosters and not around the corner so I gotta adjust. Once I get used to the wheel, it should be awesome, I particularly want one of those trendy gold-wheel icons.

Also, mario Kart's online is SO much better than Brawl's. No lag, all sorts of features, it's neat.

Still, for my money, wiimote and nunchuck are the way to go.

hpkomic
Also, mario Kart's online is SO much better than Brawl's. No lag, all sorts of features, it's neat.

I've had problems doing random matches in Brawl; there's nobody on at all, so if I want to do online battling, I have to register friends for that. Mario Kart Wii's random matches are great. No lag, up to 12 players at once from different places in the world. It's a load of fun, but now I have to get cracking on unlocking Princess Daisy as she's my usual racing character of choice. :)

Now if only I could figure out a way to get past all those cows...

Lonnehart
It's a load of fun, but now I have to get cracking on unlocking Princess Daisy as she's my usual racing character of choice. :)

Y'know, my friend and I had just unlocked Daisy by accident, and we were both in agreement that we hated her. She's basically Peach's annoying, valley girl cousin. Anyway, as far as we could tell, no one actually liked her. Yet, here I stand corrected.

lol im so gonna pwn as luigi in that game i got mine reserved!

I've unlocked a good few characters, but has anyone gootten Dry Bowser (he's supposed to be one of the hardest to get)?

Here is a list of unlockables.

http://mariokartwii.com/showthread.php?t=3681

Oh, I know how to get him, I was just wondering if anyone managed yet.
SO far I've only gotten the star rankings on 50cc, although I haven't really re-tried the cups to get star rankings in 100cc yet.

The wheel control is fun to use, though mastering it will take some time.

I noticed no one's putting up their Mario Kart numbers in that stickied thread. :)

- I hate using the wii wheel but it can be fun at times.
- The online play has almost no lag.
- Overall the game is fun and great when your friends come over.

So, is no-one else experiencing loads of disconnections and joining up to games taking ages? Because, that keeps happening to me.

Now I'm starting to wonder... what happens when you run out of VR points?