You grip the controller tightly in anticipation. You let out a slow breath as the countdown from three begins. Just as two is about to become one, you rev your engine hoping to get just that much more of a jump on the competition. Then the cloud waves the flag and off you and all other eleven speedsters shoot.
You quickly shoot to the head of the pack using a combination of speed and daring maneuvers. Soon you begin to out pace the others, and there is no one else near you. You begin to relax a little, allowing the groove of each turn to seem more a part of you than a part of the track.
Then you hear it. The sound of an alarm meaning something is approaching you. You zig left, but it’s still on you. You zag right…no good you can’t shake. Then a blue turtle shell with wings hovers above you a short moment before diving on top of you sending you spinning out of control and the lead.
You yell out loud. How could it all be so cruel? But there is not time to contemplate the nature of life. You have managed to regain control of your kart.
You grimly tighten your grip on the control, press the acceleration button and launch yourself back into the heat of both the race and the battle. You will take first place, even if you have to leave a wake of banana’s and turtle shells behind you to do it.
Wait. Did I just say banana’s and turtle shells? I did, and if you are thinking I am describing the latest installment of the Mario Kart series, you are right as well. This game actually managed to catch me a bit by surprise.
I originally picked the game up because I remember being a kid when the first Mario Kart came out. I loved it, and there was nothing better than having some of my buddies come over and waste a few hours driving each other insane with the combination of racing and battle. Now that I am a father, I really thought my kids would dig it. Well I was right, however what I had not expected, was to like the game so much myself.
At first glimpse Mario Kart Wii is a pretty simple game. You select a character, pick a vehicle and off you go. The idea that it is a simple game is only reinforced as you easily win race after race. However somewhere in there, the other drivers get a little better and the tracks get a lot more difficult.
Pretty soon, where once you were winning by easy margins, you are now yelling at the television because of the latest pwnage that the other drivers have just handed you. Add to the mix being able to race three different styles of races, the 50 cc (Karts only) the 100 cc (bikes only) and 150 cc (karts and bikes) and the game has a lot of variety that keeps the game fresh.
While for the most part my experience with Mario Kart Wii was a positive one, there were several things that I found annoying. First the learning curve on the way the control works in the game is somewhat steep. Instead of using the D pad to turn the vehicle of your choice, you tilt the control from left to right.
This may seem like a simple thing to do, however it takes a minute to get the fine tuning down and while you are getting this fine tuning down, don’t be surprised if you knock over your soda, elbow your friend in the ribs or ever fall out of your chair. Yet once the control style is mastered, it’s off to a first place finish.
I did give the wheel a try and strongly recommend anyone who wants to retain their sanity stay far, far away from this little device. The concept is neat, but the follow through and the game play result is very frustrating to say the least. However, if you have a masochistic bent to your nature, then by all means use the steering wheel.
So all in all I liked the Mario Kart Wii game. It could offer a bit more, but it still manages to be a great game that is fun to play with both family and friends. On the proverbial scale of 1 to 10 I would have to rank it a pretty solid 8. Just remember, stay away from the wheel!
