[Playing…] Mario Kart Wii

This summer I have been able to enjoy a game that I have had for a long time but to which I was never able to dedicate too much time in the past. The game in question is Mario Kart Wii, the sixth part of Mario Kart, the fourth on a home console and the best-selling of the entire saga.

I had already played Mario Kart Wii but almost exclusively in multiplayer mode, so this was the first time I have dedicated myself to playing seriously in single player mode. As it couldn't be otherwise, the first thing I looked for was the new features, which are spread throughout the entire game, which seems like a good sign to me.

In game modes there are not too many surprises, we have the usual Mario Kart GP, the way to beat records and practice circuits, races against friends and the incombustible battle mode. Obviously the biggest novelty of this game was that it allowed online mode, something very important at the time, but which remains an anecdote today as the service is not active.

When choosing, we find new characters like Estela/Rosalina, Funky Kong, our Mii and the occasional unnecessary baby. There are also new items such as the mushroom that makes you giant, the cloud that electrocutes you and makes you small (and that you can pass to an opponent by colliding with them) or the POW block that stuns enemies and makes them lose their items. Other new objects that appeared in the DS version also appear on Wii, such as the squid that soaks the screen in ink, leaving us partially blind.

Obviously the game has its four usual cups (Mushroom, Flower, Star and Special) full of totally new circuits (although some have parts very similar to circuits of Mario Kart Double Dash from Gamecube). When it comes to vehicles, this game does not offer the variety of vehicles of the previous game, but in a way it makes up for it in another way, since There are several types of Karts with different weights and also several motorcycles., which are like Karts but lighter and easier to maneuver in curves, in addition to being able to take advantage on the straights by lifting the wheel. Another very important addition to racing is the possibility of do pirouettes every time we take a ramp, getting a much-needed turbo in return.

It is also appreciated that they have maintained the slipstream of the DS version, which allows us to gain speed and push the car in front of us if we are stuck behind them. The slipstream is risky because we are at the mercy of rival bananas and shells, but it is worth it.

The best addition of Mario Kart Wii It's not the bikes, nor the new characters and objects, but the four retro cups that recover circuits from past games in the saga (Shell, Banana, Leaf and Thunder). Mario Kart Wii It was not the first to have retro cups, but it was the first for a home console and that makes the stages of previous consoles such as Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Advance look as if they were new stages (obviously the jump is less impressive in the Gamecube tracks which are practically identical). These old tracks have some changes and additions to adapt to the gameplay of this version, but in general they are copied from the originals.

Having added those four retro glasses makes Mario Kart Wii It has 8 cups (and also mirror mode) so in terms of number of circuits, game modes and runners, it is a very complete game. Curiously, it was almost even more so, since There was also going to be a way to complete missions, which unfortunately was not completed. for the final version of the game but it did begin to be developed (some of the missions can be found inside the game DVD).

There are many things that this game does well, but above all I highlight the variety of controls, since we can play with the Wii remote on its side (using the plastic piece shaped like a steering wheel or not) with the classic controller and with the Gamecube controller. This seems silly or obvious, but you'd be surprised how many Wii games didn't bother to support any controller other than the Wiimote. In Mario Kart control is the most important thing and Mario Kart Wii It has enough alternatives for everyone.

Despite all the good things, I couldn't help but find some "buts" about this game, although fortunately they aren't too many, nor are they very serious.

Possibly the thing that disappointed me the most about this game is that MarioKart GP cannot be played with two players (which can be done in the previous ones) so that the games against friends will be races between the two of you or games in battle mode.

And if you think that battle mode is the best to settle accounts between you and your friends, you are half right with Mario Kart Wii. Battle mode is still there (and has many scenarios available because there are new and retro ones) but it is played by teams, which means that you won't be able to play with your friends alone, there will always be console characters hanging around (and if there is a way to play without teams, I haven't found it). This is good when there are few players, but if there are 4 of you and you want to beat each other, forget it. Unfortunately, the Assault on the Sun and Bombardment modes have been removed. Mario Kart Double Dash and a way to collect coins has been added, which is not bad at all, but it does not reach the soles of the Bombardment's shoes.

Another thing I didn't like was that the use of objects has once again been as conservative as in Nintendo 64 and the risk of the Gamecube version has been lost. Let me explain, in Nintendo 64 you could have certain items (like turtles) held behind your Kart, which protected you from enemy shells and in case no one attacked you you could use it as a weapon normally, let's say a shield and weapon at the same time. In the Gamecube version (like the original Super Nintendo version) this could not be done, the shell was a weapon, not a shield, if you wanted to protect yourself with one, you had to throw it back at the right moment, something much more risky and intense than just having it there holding on.

And speaking of shell shields, the green or red triple shell item returns and remains as unbalanced as on Nintendo 64, because in addition to acting as a shield, it allows you to attack normally, personally I prefer how they did it on Gamecube, where it only served to attack. At least they have left the penalty that if we receive a hit while we have multiple items (triple shell, banana or mushroom) we lose the other two, which will end up on the ground to get in the way.

As you can see, the buts are few and quite personal and by this I mean that in general terms this game met its expectations and that it is highly recommended even today.