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| From: Nintendo
Category: Video Games
Buy New: $65.61
New (88) Used (8) from $63.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  317 reviews
Sales Rank: 3
Platform: Nintendo Wii
ESRB: Everyone
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Age: 5 - 20 years
Operating System: Nintendo Wii
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 0 x 0 x 0
MPN: WI-RVLRRMCE
Model: rvlrrmce
UPC: 045496901004
EAN: 0045496901004
ASIN: B000XJNTNS
Release Date: April 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Ruined by exclusively single-player unlockables July 11, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I feel really torn about this review, because there are elements of this game that are really, really fun and elements that are the bland, boring results of some horrifically awful game design decisions.
Let's start with PROS:
The maps are well-thought and nicely implemented, and there's a reasonable amount of variety, especially when Mirror Mode becomes available.
Controls aren't terrible, even though the wheel can be a bit annoying at times, and the vehicles are all pretty nicely balanced. I can see the merits of using any one of them, really.
It's pretty addicting. My fiancé and I play this all the time, and haven't really gotten tired of it yet. Though the Battle modes aren't the same as in earlier games, they're still quite a lot of fun.
In fact, multiplayer in general in this game is a lot of fun (though more than two players requires a TV of at LEAST 50 inches, and sometimes the network can be a little spotty if you're playing online, especially when playing with someone on the other side of the continent). It's a great game to play with other people.
Which leads me to the CONS:
As with the offerings of most developers these days, the game is designed such that over half the playable content is locked, and you have to spend hours or days of your time unlocking it all to actually be able to play it. The concept in itself isn't really that terrible, and if implemented intelligently can add hours or days of fun and enjoyable gameplay. Unlike with, say, Super Smash Bros Brawl, however, Nintendo seemed to be in a frantic gallop to implement unlockables in Kart in the most annoying fashion imaginable.
See, in Brawl, there are multiple options for unlocking characters and content. That is, you don't have to sit there grinding for hours and hours by yourself -- you can play with one or more friends and all have a good time with the game while incidentally unlocking various things in the process. Not so with Mario Kart Wii: Unlockables are an exclusively single-player experience. Of course, since Kart seems to have always been oriented toward multiplayer -- and the Wii seems no different in this respect -- it just gets boring and annoying and frustrating to have to SIT THERE FOR HOURS BY YOURSELF UNLOCKING THINGS.
And this is my biggest gripe with the game. I adore playing it with other people, and like I said, it's a great multiplayer game. But whenever I sit down for a lengthy grind session to unlock the last few bikes and karts and characters, I can feel my interest in the game drain away and my frustration and rage explode like some kind of nuclear doomsday device.
It's not that I suck at video games, but the random chance that makes multiplayer races fun (like getting hit with FIVE BLUE SHELLS IN A SINGLE RACE) can result in your having to play the same sets of courses ten times apiece to unlock some bike. And when you're playing on your own, the whole "SKILL DOESN'T MATTER - RANDOM LUCK WILL EVEN THE SCORE" element of the game just becomes infuriating. It's fun when your friend does it, but when some computer does it, all they're doing is forcing you to ceaselessly replay the same courses by screwing you up and keeping you from placing first or whatever else it is you need to do to unlock whatever random object.
It quickly stops being fun when it's just AIs being jerks and needlessly robbing you of your time -- time that could otherwise be spent playing with a friend instead of marrying yourself to unlocking over half the game's content and in the process becoming so skilled a player that your friends don't even want to really play with you anymore because you always win.
In summary, good game, but really, really a step in the wrong direction with the unlockables. Next time, Nintendo should really consider throwing in some multiplayer alternatives.
 MarioKart July 10, 2008
This game is awesome! The whole family really enjoys playing it! My sons are 8 and 5 and they love it! I highly recommend it!
Fun for the whole family! July 7, 2008
The entire family enjoys this one, I highly recommend a Wii Wheel for everyone though, it is easier to steer correctly and it was a "wii" bit frustrating when we tried to drive without a wheel and just the controller. Other than that one issue, everyone in our family likes to play this game!
What a Winner! July 6, 2008
Nintendo continues to hit homeruns with their Mario games. This one is no different.
The visual and sounds are great. The game control is decent. And this one is as replayable as any other Mario Kart game. The online play adds an additional bonus which is also fun and addicting.
However, the wheel is useless. I find it has much less control and causes more tired arms by using it for any length of time. Just put it away and use the Wii remote and nunchuck.
I (34-years-old) have just as much fun as my son (6-years-old) playing this one. Truly a classic, family-oriented game. A+ Nintendo!
 another problem with ordering from Amazon... July 6, 2008
1 out of 10 found this review helpful
I am not going to order from Amazon anymore. I ordered the Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel, paid for it, received my e-mail that it had been shipped and that I waited, and waited, and waited, checked the tracking number that said it was shipped and waited, and waited, and waited. I finally e-mailed Amazon and they told me to wait another 2 weeks, so I did. Then I e-mailed them again and waited again and then I recieved an e-mail from them stating that the item was not in stock and that it wouldn't be in stock any time soon and that I should wait and try back again some time. That has happened too many times on Amazon. :(
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