Mario Kart Wii Critic Reviews

Mario Kart Wii has more variety, more to do, and ultimately more to keep you coming back than any Mario Kart before it (and as a hardcore advocate of the SNES original, I never thought I would find myself saying that); but more than that, it is a flagship title for the Nintendo Wii. Not only is Mario Kart Wii the most important title that will be released on the format this year, but it will stand the test of time as one of the best games the Wii has to offer.

If anyone tells you they don't like the game, then they probably don't like chocolate, the Superbowl or comedies either. There is so much fun packed into the title that all but the most "alternative" of core gamers are bound to love it.

The refined gameplay, the super slick presentation and the flexible controls all add up to one of the finest racing experiences ever.

A fantastic racer and the best online Nintendo game ever.

It's the ultimate Mario Kart package rather than the best, but it's still a lot of fun.

Mario Kart Wii is the penultimate multiplayer experience on the Wii, and a must-own title for anyone serious about gaming.

It's a fast and fun racing game that is easy enough for beginners to pick up and enjoy while still a challenge for veteran players to master. The addition of online play (other than it's not so friendly friends system) and the introduction of the Wii’s motion technology add even more oil to what is already a pretty slick offering.

With more features, modes and multiplayer options than ever before, fans should be revved up to get behind the wheel.

Don't expect revolutionary new things, but if you're after good clean fun on your Wii with mates or against online opponents - you can't get much better than this.

The offline and online content is extremely entertaining and the pursuit of casual and hardcore karting has never been this much fun.

Still terribly fun with its competitive online modes and a great use of the Wii Wheel. And at the end of the day, it presents the traditional polished and shiny look of all of Nintendo’s big guns that we simply love.

Despite initial fears, this is proper Mario Kart, and it's Mario Kart done right. It's fast, it's fun and still one of the best party games ever created. Thanks to some seriously well-implemented online options though, it brings so much more to the table than its forebears, most notably in terms of longevity.

Mario Kart Wii against 11 real opponents is intense and exhilarating. Sometimes it's also infuriating but in the end that too is mostly a good thing. Still, something should have been done to the power ups of old. Fire and forget weapons and small chances of escape aren't the best combination. While the multiplayer side shines the single player parts are a let-down. Driving against cheating opponent and being constantly bombarded is frustrating.

A really solid Mario Kart with a terrific online setup. There's plenty here to make up for the disappointment of local multiplayer, but it does stop short of magnificence.

The core Mario Kart gameplay remains basically unchanged, but it’s well executed and slightly enhanced by minor tweaks and a variety of control setups. The online mode is the real star here, however.

However, Mario Kart Wii is second on the series' podium as it rides alongside the N64 version’s tried-and-true track quality, offers the online play that the 64DD never brought around and sports superior graphics that make its 11-year-old counterpart look very dated on today's big-screen televisions.

The Wii's enormous "casual" gamer base will eat Mario Kart Wii up with its accessible pick-up-and-play controls. Veterans aren't left out either with online play they've been clamoring for well over a decade.

There are some things that feel completely out of whack though, such as the uncharacteristically cheap AI in 150cc, the lack of voice chat for an extremely social online game, reliance on friend codes, and "everyone's a winner" feeling you get when random items show up and completely turn the game upside down in an instant.

The package as a whole works well, not because of the packed in wheel, not because of the new content and innovation, but because Nintendo have proved that they understand what it is that makes this series great - the balance between racing and fighting.

Nintendo decided to play it safe and fans of the series certainly won't mind.