Mario Kart (Wii)

[Junko]

Finally took it online today , I was right , Im not all that good but its superb

[cutmymilk]

Thanks Flinty (and others), turning off Wiimote works a treat, not once have I seen that mentioned before, ggrrrr.

I WAS getting the GC pad working by turning off the wiimote but thats not the proper way to do it.

I looked at the instructions (!) and all you have to do is go back to the main menu and press a on the cube controller

[Edame]

Is there an easy way to skip the credits? I have trophies for all cups in 50cc mode but wanted to go back and improve my grades but now each time I finish a cup it takes me through the credits. If it's unlocked something I don't know whether restarting the wii will lose anything.

[MikeRox]

you've always been able to just press start (prolly + on Wii remote) to skip credits on previous Mario Karts.

[Silvergun X]

There's a nice little surprise in here in the form of an unlockable cart.

->Open Spoiler<-

Blue Falcon is unlocked when you finish all Mirror Retro cups with a gold.

[teddymeow]

When you set up a room for friends can you get 12 friends in it? It's just that Daragon was on last night and it said that he was in a room with 4 / 4 slots full.

[Silvergun X]

Teddy, i've had a friends session set up with 5 people in it so yes you can have more than 4 at least.

[JP]

Are there any handling differences between the characters as there used to be or is just down to the vehicle you choose in this one?

I tried a couple of characters and couldn't tell any difference at all. I'm going to be traditional if they are all the same and stick with my usual Yoshi!

[Silvergun X]

You've got 3 classes of character, Small, Medium and Large. (Or Light, Medium and Heavy if you want to look at it like that)

The differences in handling come from the 3 different classes and the different vehicles for each class. But as Mario and Luigi are in the same class for example, there won't be any handling difference between those two.

There will however be a handling difference between Toad and Mario both in standard karts, as they're Light and Medium.

[JP]

Cheers, I only tried a couple so hadn't noticed any differences. Does it actually say which class each is or is just from looking at them?

Can you tell I've only spent about 30 minutes on this so far!

[Silvergun X]

No worries.

The top two rows of character are light, the middle two rows of character are medium, and the bottom two rows of character are heavy.

[JP]

Cheers!

Just went online to finish adding the last few friends and had a time trial challenge waiting from Dazzyman. I was weeeeeeeeeeel behind!!!

I like the idea of being able to send challenges like that, perhaps I'll make sure I've been on that track in more than one race next time though to save the humiliation lol.

[Dazzyman]

Well Ive got a massive indentation in my thumb my hands ache and I cant feel my left hand!

Ive just "finished" ALL the cups on gold (not that you can finish a game like this) on single player and I totally understand why the tracks are wider now. The game is pure old nintendo genius and for me like Galaxy a serious classic in the making. At first I just didnt like it one bit and thought it was a poor mans Snes relation. Then I got used to the wheel and tucked right in on 50cc and adored every second of it. Unfortunetly frustration started to settle in on the first evening and sheer blinding migrane so I stopped. I think part of that was I messed for about 2hours with chuck then wheel and rinse and repeat and couldnt decide.

Friday I went back to it and settled on wheel and this for me is where the game shines with Karts. Once I got passed the learning curve and got used to the two boost and jiggling eh wheel it became second nature. I dont think Ive felt a wireless control quite like this now for a tilt mechanism. I thought Exite truck was good but this is sheer brilliance. I did all the 50cc cups by end of Friday apart from last two and stopped for the night. The frustration subsided when instead of on my first race cancelling when I got smacked to last I continued. I then reliased that I could still come from last to at least get 3rd if I managed to get some nice goodies and for me this is where part of the brilliance comes in. Im not one for rubber band racers normally as I always want to rely on my skill. I guess multiplayer you can shove the weapons differently but for a solo experience I just found it on edge of my seat all day long. Normally if Im first I can stay first and keep a few bits incase like nana behind us incase a nice red shell appears. I dont feel now that it is as frustrating as it first appeared and to me it gives everyone that fighting chance to catch you up.

Today I got up at 12pm and straight on this. I finished the rest of the 50cc and started on the bikes. At first again I was abit meh with the bikes like I was with thinking the carts where rubbish handling. I then settled on Luigi and his first bike and after switching to chuck and mote I started grinning again. 100cc I started to reliased and understand yes you need the tracks that wider and I soon forgot about that issue. The bikes handle really well with the chuck and mote and instead of em feeling gimmicky for me I soon really started to enjoy them. I purposely used the chuck though to get 100cc and 150cc etc... out of the way with bikes so I can go back to using wheel all the time whether im with bikes or wheel as even though it feels good I adore the wheel too much. Once I hit 150cc I was using every stretch of road and had some serious battles with the AI and cant see much of a difference with bikes vs karts in races, seems to be a very level playing field.

Ive also seen loads of occasions now of the AI taking each other out and not just myself and the blue shell situation has seemed to take me out less and less the more I play (if your first and someone gets a blue shell it targets you and you only and gives a big blast radius to catch anyone near you). Again at first I detested the blue shell but now I like it and find it another stroke of genius for an even playing field same with the POW (1-3 gets dizzied); for me it just makes tight crazy fun packed racing. Another thing Ive noticed with the AI is if I win whoever is 2nd fdoesnt stay second for the rest of the GP which Im glad about. Only downside from that is that when I finish the peole in order behind me are classified instantly. I would have prefered to wait till they all cross the line but I guess the argument for that is rubber band AI 2nd in table always finishing 2nd.

Now as some know my health is very bad and I dont play games usually for marathon sessions, usually around 4hours at a time. Ive checked my playtime for today and Ive clocked 10 and half hours today on this as only stopped for an hour at around 6pm. I just couldnt get enough of this and had to get ALL golds which Ive finally done. Total playtimes around 14hours basically in less than 2 days so for me great value just for the cups. I have yet to go into all the other stuff from ghost racing (love the way you can send each other ghosts to challenge with) and of course the reason I wanted all the cups done online play.

For me this is just a classic in the making. Their is so many nintendo touches that come around once in a blue moon in gaming. Makes me laugh that we seem to be getting with the Wii the tag that its for the casual market. I personally think the opposite has happened. Console games always used to be like this, nice dip and out arcade style games I would sit and play for abit then go back to my PC for the deep games. Now my PC has been replaced by 360/PS3 for the majority of these deeper games and Ive not got the Wii for the old style console gaming. When I got a great console game though Id clock up serious hours on em everyday dipping in and out and this for me is what Mario Kart Wii has in abundance.

The only downsides I could find for this is on solo play Id like the option of having just bikes or just karts for 100cc and 150cc. They are nicely balanced but Id like that option. Also the ghost ranking is bust as top 10 are cheating by doing two laps then sitting their just after start line. Ive heard their wiping em and fixing em thankfully though.

For me certain reviewers have got this way off. Its the ultimate party game but its also one of the most deep arcade racing experiences Ive come across since Mario Kart Snes. I detested N64 MK and DD on cube with a passion and for me this is exactly what this felt like at first. Soon as I got used to it though Ive seriously fallen for it. Ive found the graphics to be pretty good for the Wii but the sound and music has really impressed me along of course with the tilt mechanism. I dont think Ive heard Dolby Pro done so well before and it sounds incredible with 7speakers; music is fantastic also as is the icing of the cake with the remotes speaker blaring all sorts out.

I seriously came close to cancelling it from the Edge review even though I gave up with them years ago. Their was such average and negativity feeling regarding it I thought it would be dire and make me cry like baby jesus. I even felt like that at first playing it, but boy am I glad I carried on and kept the order their. I really wasnt fussed about it on Thursday when it arrived either and was more bothered about Ikaruga, how bloody stupid was I!

For me its a serious grower and Ive gone from a low 7 at first (nearly touching a 6) to now I could quite happily give it a 9. It really is a bitch to play at first and 50cc does it no favours. Get passed learning the wheel and the mechanism of play and its one of my favourite games Ive played in years

Edit yea I got a challenge last night for this John and only tried it on the single player GP so thought Id send you it at same time in response as you where about I adore that function that you can send it up to 5 friends and keep sending em back and forward. To me that means you in theory wouldnt have to bother with even the "real men" as long as you can beat your m8s then thats the best thing heh

[Silvergun X]

Proper post there mate. Well said.

Glad you're using the wheel as the weapon of choice.

[Pookmunki]

Dazzyman, I haven't tried it myself but apparently if you press the + button on the class selection screen after completing a gp you can switch it to bikes or karts only...

Nabbed off IGN so apologies if it doesn't work...