What do you get when you combine an intense, cutthroat racing game with the lovable, family appeal of the Nintendo cast? Well, Nintendo shows us with its newest installment to its go-kart racing franchise: Mario Kart Wii.

Like its predecessors, Mario Kart Wii allows players to choose from a variety of famous Nintendo characters and puts them in a go-kart to either race or battle it out against other opponents. The abilities of the players, such as speed and acceleration, are determined directly by the character they choose. These characters range from fast-pick-up powerhouses such as Bowser to little speedsters like Toad. Players also can choose from a mix of racetracks to zip around on, and can utilize a plethora of items to defend against or slow down their opponents.

Mario Kart Wii includes a few new features which make it unique to the series. For one, this is the first Mario Kart game that gives players the option to ride a motorbike as opposed to a go-kart. The motorbike handles similarly to the go-kart, except players can do things such as pop wheelies for speed boosts. Another cool addition to Mario Kart Wii is the Wii Wheel, which you can use as your controller to feel like you’re actually the one driving. Finally, Mario Kart Wii includes a much larger cast of characters than before and an imaginative mix of old and new courses.

I’ve been a fan of the Mario Kart series since its beginnings on Super Nintendo, and I can definitely say that they are just those types of games you can play any time with anyone. Whether you have had a long day and you just need to de-stress with some close friends or you’re at an awkward party with complete strangers, you can just turn the game on and everybody will jump in.

Even if you have never played before, Mario Kart Wii is definitely worth trying out. You might even be a natural. You’ll know you’re playing too much, though, if you start throwing parties just to show off your Grand Prix Cups.

By Joe Legato

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