15 Years Later, Mario Kart Wii Remains an Unbeatable Blast
Mario Kart Wii remains one of the world’s most beloved video game consoles, so it was only fitting that its Mario Kart game should be its most successful installment during release. Of course, that title has since been taken by Mario Kart 8, but for many people Mario Kart Wii served as their introduction to this beloved franchise – and what an incredible introduction it proved!
Mario Kart Wii is the epitome of what a Mario Kart game should be — hectic, overstuffed, random, chaotic and most importantly: pure enjoyment. If there’s any reason to keep your Wii connected at all costs, it’s this game.
Mario Kart Wii’s motion controls are unmistakably the star of this game – and for good reason: they were truly exceptional. My favorite feature was when characters could perform tricks if you shook your Wiimote right before jumping off a ramp – it added an extra layer of strategy and excitement that’s always fun to witness.
For those having trouble turning the Wiimote left and right, there was a plastic wheel with an insert slot where you could insert your Wiimote. Adults might have shrugged this off as just another piece of plastic, but for kids it was the coolest thing ever. Not only that, but using it made driving much more intuitive than just using the Wiimote alone.
Mario Kart Wii offered plenty of alternatives if you weren’t a fan of the motion controls, such as using the Wiimote and Nunchuk, Wii Classic Controller or Controller Pro, or even GameCube controllers. Unfortunately, without using the Wiimote meant having to press down on the D-pad for tricks which was neither enjoyable nor convenient. In my opinion, Wiimote and Nunchuk was by far the best way to play this game – hands down!
No matter which control scheme you preferred, Mario Kart Wii had plenty of appeal for players. Bikes were the big new addition that wasn’t in Mario Kart 7 but returned in Mario Kart 8; for many people, however, it was the bikes that took this franchise to another level – they truly brought it full circle!
Of course, everyone’s preference is different, but bike users typically chose this route due to their superior ease of use. Sure, they were harder to master but the drifting felt cleaner and more controlled with bikes – plus, they looked cooler driving on the tracks!
Mario Kart Wii boasts the finest base track selection in its entire franchise.
Moo Moo Meadows offers both calm and excitement. Mushroom Gorge feels like driving through a theme park. Moonview Highway resembles Toad’s Turnpike from Mario Kart 64 but much better. Koopa Cape requires you to navigate rivers and underwater tunnels – an important reason why bodies of water have become such an integral part of Mario Kart games since the Wii title.
What used to be something to avoid, is now something the games often encourage you to utilize for your benefit.
Coconut Mall is one of Mario Kart’s iconic tracks, and its music alone will get any fan nostalgic and excited. But more than that, Coconut Mall just feels right – an easy go-to when playing solo or multiplayer games. No wonder then that this track would reappear in Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and even Mario Kart Tour for mobile gamers!
At this point, Mario Kart may be Nintendo’s most important franchise – or at least their most reliable money maker. That’s largely thanks to Mario Kart DS and Wii — these two titles took the racing game franchise to an entirely new level.
Mario Kart games have always sold well, but before the DS and Wii, its biggest title was Mario Kart 64 which sold more than 9 million copies. Mario Kart DS sold 23 million copies while Mario Kart Wii had a whopping 37 million sold! These numbers represent tremendous leaps forward for Nintendo who usually prefers keeping their games exclusive to their consoles. That may have been one of the catalysts behind mobile Mario Kart becoming available from Nintendo’s website in 2013.
Some people think Mario Kart Wii is superior to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and I tend to agree – both games offer fantastic multiplayer experiences. No matter your opinion on which is superior, Mario Kart Wii likely provided you with some of your fondest video game memories; thankfully, the game remains an unforgettable blast today.
