Concept: Mario Kart Wii doesn't really break new ground in this category. It's still Mario characters driving go-karts. Oh, look, they've added bikes for no reason at all! Anyway, most of the things this game has to offer have already been done.
Playability: In terms of controls, the game is spot-on. You can choose four control styles (I actually now prefer the Wii Remote and Nunchuk), and the control is perfectly calibrated for all of them. The menus are simple and easy to navigate, and online there is barely any lag.
Style: It's still a Mario game, through and through. You have the slightly cartoonish graphic style, with roughly digital-sounding music. The style doesn't really change much, but it does fit the game.
Variety: This is one of the game's weak points. Even through different weight classes, the karts and characters all feel pretty much the same. The tracks also don't offer very much in the way of individuality, not in the way the stages of Smash Bros. did.
Multiplayer: The game works incredibly well in this category. It's easy for pretty much anyone (even the non-gamers in my family) to quickly get into the game and compete with me. The ability to play against other people online is a plus, as real humans don't get quite as rubber-banded (and dare I say it, unfair) as computers.
Immersion: Will you want to keep playing? Yes, but only multiplayer. You're just running through the same courses over and over again with the COMs in single-player. Multiplayer/online is a genuinely fun experience.
Technics: In terms of graphics, sound, and gameplay technicalities, this game does well. The karts are bright and shiny, the course textures are detailed, and the sound/vibration effects are spot on. However, it seems as if they could have programmed better AI instead of having them rubber-band to your every move.
Longevity: This game lasts a long time, in both a good way and a bad. A good way, in that you can play multiplayer with your friends and download Tournaments (more like Missions from Kart DS) from the Internet every month, but bad in that the game's single-player mode is just frustrating to beat.
Miscellaneous: The game has two main problems, both having to do with player skill. One is that when you drive on Manual (the preferred choice for previous Kart players), the game actually increases how aggressive it is toward you - the COMs get harder and the items get flung at you at higher speeds. Speaking of items, my friend put it best - in Kart 64, the items are just trying to slow you down. In Kart Wii, they're trying to kill you. The most powerful items take away your other items so you have no chance of recovery, and it's not altogether uncommon to be hit by a blue shell while being struck by lightning. Nintendo would say they're just trying to give newer players a chance, but I think that there are better ways to do that than essentially giving them items with the power of nukes.
In conclusion, Mario Kart Wii is a pretty good game. It's fun to play with friends, but when no one else is around, it can get pretty frustrating. Final Score: 4/5
Buyer's Notes: This game includes the Wii Wheel accessory. It doesn't actually do anything, just makes you feel like you're holding a steering wheel. Is it that great? Well, it's included at normal price, so you can't exactly say you're getting ripped off, but I can do just as fine with a Wii Remote. It might help nongamers to get into it, though.
Playability: In terms of controls, the game is spot-on. You can choose four control styles (I actually now prefer the Wii Remote and Nunchuk), and the control is perfectly calibrated for all of them. The menus are simple and easy to navigate, and online there is barely any lag.
Style: It's still a Mario game, through and through. You have the slightly cartoonish graphic style, with roughly digital-sounding music. The style doesn't really change much, but it does fit the game.
Variety: This is one of the game's weak points. Even through different weight classes, the karts and characters all feel pretty much the same. The tracks also don't offer very much in the way of individuality, not in the way the stages of Smash Bros. did.
Multiplayer: The game works incredibly well in this category. It's easy for pretty much anyone (even the non-gamers in my family) to quickly get into the game and compete with me. The ability to play against other people online is a plus, as real humans don't get quite as rubber-banded (and dare I say it, unfair) as computers.
Immersion: Will you want to keep playing? Yes, but only multiplayer. You're just running through the same courses over and over again with the COMs in single-player. Multiplayer/online is a genuinely fun experience.
Technics: In terms of graphics, sound, and gameplay technicalities, this game does well. The karts are bright and shiny, the course textures are detailed, and the sound/vibration effects are spot on. However, it seems as if they could have programmed better AI instead of having them rubber-band to your every move.
Longevity: This game lasts a long time, in both a good way and a bad. A good way, in that you can play multiplayer with your friends and download Tournaments (more like Missions from Kart DS) from the Internet every month, but bad in that the game's single-player mode is just frustrating to beat.
Miscellaneous: The game has two main problems, both having to do with player skill. One is that when you drive on Manual (the preferred choice for previous Kart players), the game actually increases how aggressive it is toward you - the COMs get harder and the items get flung at you at higher speeds. Speaking of items, my friend put it best - in Kart 64, the items are just trying to slow you down. In Kart Wii, they're trying to kill you. The most powerful items take away your other items so you have no chance of recovery, and it's not altogether uncommon to be hit by a blue shell while being struck by lightning. Nintendo would say they're just trying to give newer players a chance, but I think that there are better ways to do that than essentially giving them items with the power of nukes.
In conclusion, Mario Kart Wii is a pretty good game. It's fun to play with friends, but when no one else is around, it can get pretty frustrating. Final Score: 4/5
Buyer's Notes: This game includes the Wii Wheel accessory. It doesn't actually do anything, just makes you feel like you're holding a steering wheel. Is it that great? Well, it's included at normal price, so you can't exactly say you're getting ripped off, but I can do just as fine with a Wii Remote. It might help nongamers to get into it, though.