Wii Used Games

Mario Kart, simply put, is one of the best multiplayer racing games to ever be conceived. It may not have the realistic action of your Gran Turismo type games, but  it cannot be topped in the sheer fun category.  The game has been around since the super Nintendo days and features popular characters from the world of Mario pitted against each other on a multitude of progressively zany courses. Throughout the courses are different useful objects ranging from banana peels and turtle shells that a racer can utilize if they remember to veer  and snag them. These objects add a certain amount of chaos to the race, making it anybody’s game up until the finish line. There is nothing more satisfying than nailing the first place guy with a blue shell or a lightning bolt right before he is about to cross the finish line, then zooming past him to snag all the glory. Everyone one who has played Mario Kart seems to have his or her own favorite character (Wario Rules) and favorite course  (Jungle Parkway). The all previous incarnations of the game have gone on to become classics. You still cannot snag a used copy of Mario Kart 64 for anything short of 20 bucks (plus s+h) on Ebay.  Good luck finding someone who wants to part with this coveted game in the first place.

Thankfully, the new Mario Kart that Nintendo has fashioned for their new Wii console is just as fun as its predecessors, and also includes a few more fun features. The new Mario Kart boasts a  total of 32  courses and is a mixture of both the old and the new.  Those who wax nostalgic about a particular course from a previous incarnation, do not worry, many of these old favorites have been revamped and are included within the selection. For those who are bored of the Speedway or the Turnpike:  16 newly created courses that optimize the new available features await you.

 

Among the newest feature is the inclusion of bikes as an alternative to the standard go-kart. These bikes are a fun new twist, but many purists are bound to dismiss them. Also included is an array of powerful new items that help level the playing field. Added to the arsenal of banana peels, mushrooms, shells and lightning bolts are the POW blocks, which can stun everyone and cause them to drop their stuff, and the mega mushroom which will give a racer temporary gigantism allowing them flatten their opponents.  Another new feature that is bound to stir up some controversy is the inclusion of a mid air stunt system.  If a player sticks a landing of a mid air stunt they are rewarded with a boost of speed. The newer courses are laden with both half pipes and pits in order to accommodate this new type of game play.  The older courses also have some new lift off platforms, but they are a bit scarcer, keeping within the nostalgic theme.

Another new inception is the steering wheel cover shell that the game ships with. The Wii-Wheel fits over the Wii-mote transforming it into a motion based steering wheel. It takes some getting used to, but can end up being a good time. The game is also compatible with the classic controller, giving those who just cannot hang with the new technology the chance to still have an awesome time kicking the crap out of their friends on the racetrack.

 

The game play of the new Mario Kart is pretty much the same as the older games (why fix what is not broken) with a few changes in the overall mechanics for the better. The graphic are pretty crisp and the online play option is as good as it can be for the Wii.