Like many other gamers and fanboys out there in Europe, Friday the 11th of April was a big day for me. Mario Kart not only got released, but it was released before our friends over the pond got their hands on it. This diary explains my findings of the game, my experience with the WiiWheel and how I feel about Mario Kart in general (as well as fish finger sandwiches). Enjoy!

Thursday
Day 0

It all starts in the morning i take a quick trip down the shop and buy some supplies for the day. beer, coke and my fav energy drink relentless. I get a good nights sleep in prep for the next day.

Friday
Day 1

4/11/2008 9:46 AM
So I arrive home, unbox and pop it in. it asks me to create a license which is basically a profile. The menu is shiny and the music is pretty nice in the background. I go through to single player and I’m presented with 4 options Gran Prix, Time Trials, VS Race and Battle.. What no mission mode? I load up Gran Prix, 50cc and I see a large selection of characters already (12) I pick the OTHER fat plumber (Wario) and get on my way.

4/11/2008 9:50 AM
I start the first race of the first cup, the track is alive with Mario characters and Mii’s all cheering on while we race, all looks very nice.

4/11/2008 9:53 AM
I’ve finished the first race, I came in second (god damn blue shell) getting to grips with the WiiWheel is quite hard, at the moment I’m not sure if I like using it. Onto the next race!

4/11/2008 9:56 AM
Second race (moo moo meadows!) felt quite short, came in 1st, Wii Wheel still not performing the way I would like it to.

4/11/2008 10:01 AM
3rd race down, I seriously got screwed by the WiiWheels controls this race. Maybe I’m not tilting it correctly… either way I would rather not disclose what position I finished in, lets just say.. Not in the top 3.

4/11/2008 10:05 AM
Final race of the first cup and back in first place, where I belong. Thanks to some nifty item throwing (my double dash specialty). I ended the cup number 1, but didn’t win anything. The game has a grading system like the DS game giving you an overall grade on performance.

4/11/2008 10:07 AM
Wow was just looking around, found how to put the Mario kart channel on the Wii so I can check and update it without having the disc in. also noticed the WiiWheel has a hole so the remote can still aim at the TV, very clever.

11/04/2008 10:10
Start the grand prix again on 100cc, Bikes only, to see the different in bikes. Wish me luck, I’ll probably need it.

11/04/2008 10:14
Did the first race again, WOW there is such a difference between kart and bikes with regards to how they drive. It could just be the vehicle types as the stats are different for each machine, but I found that a lot easier to control. That could also be because it was going faster. Onto the next race!

11/04/2008 10:17
The 2nd race is over, ok starting to like using the WiiWheel now. Not sure if it’s the bikes precision or just the stats of the bike. I came in 2nd and it was my own fault. Oh also figured out tricks… well I say figured out, I mean I move the wheel like I’m having some kind of attack and Wario does a move.

11/04/2008 10:21
OK so I decided I don’t like one of the tracks (one with the bouncy mushrooms) because of the lack of controls you have in air… maybe I just haven’t figured something out yet.
3rd race finished, 2nd place again.

11/04/2008 10:25
DAH! Last race and the worst happens, 3 blue shells. What a joke. Blue shell of justice my arse. I finish the cup in 2nd place but I enjoyed it this time around a lot more.

11/04/2008 10:38
After a quick break I head back on the game, so fair quite pleasantly impressed with what the tracks has been so far. I’m heading for 150cc and the classic courses this time around.

11/04/2008 10:42
Getting to grips with a double dash track on 150cc is fairly simple. I think I’ve got the knack of the WiiWheel, but I’m eager to try a normal pad or Wiimote/Nunchuck combo. I finished 1st place with ease this time, but think that’s because I know the course quite well.

11/04/2008 10:45
Wow, it appears tracks I know are pretty easy to get around, but that’s pretty obvious, I won in first place without seeing anyone else on the course after the 2nd lap. I really prefer the bikes and may have found my vehicle of choice already.

11/04/2008 10:48
Finished the 3rd race on a SNES track I’ve never played before but I know from seeing my friends play, I come very close to bottom and cry.

11/04/2008 10:51
Another track I’ve never played on the 64 but luck smiles upon me and I make it through to first place, I’m starting to think that when it comes down to the punch the WiiWheel will take A LOT of practice with to be able to win in a pinch, make no mistake you can pick up the WiiWheel and play straight away but don’t expect to win every time with it. Now, to ponder this with a fish finger sandwich.

11/04/2008 10:55
While waiting for my fish fingers to become cooked fingers of fish, I sneak into the Mario Kart Channel, when you first go in you need to join the ‘Mario Kart Service’ this downloads all the latest data from friends ghosts to rankings etc. you can then select loads of options and upload all of your own ghosts and ranks to Nintendo and friends. The connection to Nintendo Wifi seems a lot faster than before. There are 4 online options in the Mario kart channel which are view friends, track or download ghost data, see rankings and join competitions. I hope Nintendo host some comps in the future.

11/04/2008 11:07
I go for another cup on 100cc. With the WiiWheel, it’s the speed I’m most comfortable at. After this and a fish finger sandwich I will be trying the Wiimote/Nunchuck combo. First race, first place.

11/04/2008 11:33
After enjoying a short break to eat a fish finger sandwich and wash it down with a nice can of Relentless (pro) I get back to some Mario karting! 100cc obviously.

11/04/2008 11:49
I’m starting to get much better with the WiiWheel, it’s taken some time but it’s getting there. I’m playing through a cup I just unlocked and I’m quite enjoying these tracks more than previous new ones especially one called Maple Woods. 100cc still.

11/04/2008 11:58
Ok just played another new track, that may become one of my favs of all time, on a volcano that’s falling apart as the race goes on, very very cool. Oh and got 1st place.

11/04/2008 12:07
Wow, some of these later tracks really are good, a lot of environmental items to be wary of, but they are really enjoyable. The last track I played reminded me of the bridge race on MK:DD but with a lot more vehicles. Plus its nice seeing your Mii’s around the stages on billboards and ticket booths. 100cc

11/04/2008 12:20
I = fail @ rainbow road.

11/04/2008 12:22
Ok, I’ve changed over to the retro controller now to see if I can control this a little better. Ill let you know once I’ve done a grand prix

11/04/2008 12:45
After getting stopped by my sister because she’s unsure to pick up the case and an extra wheel I finish off a grand prix and decide I love the retro controller. The drifting is excellent compared to it but I don’t think I can do tricks with it but I can drag items behind me, something I don’t think I could do with the WiiWheel.

I also find out some of my friend codes have been Ok’ed by whoever ok’s them and I can now play against my friends online, more on that later.

11/04/2008 12:58
Now I’m getting used to the controls and tracks, I’m noticing the smaller touches Nintendo have put in, watching the players animation as they throw a weapon off, listening to the radar style beeps as a red shell is incoming just to let me know I’m in danger. For a game that’s been made pretty quickly there are some nice smaller touches.

11/04/2008 13:23
Me + Retro Controller x Rainbow Road = Epic Win

11/04/2008 13:32
I thought I should take a moment to say that although drifting was ‘removed’ I still use it just as much as I used to, it hasn’t really changed at all and truly skilled players will have no problem with what’s happened to it, if you ask me. You have to be more skilled to use it this way. I also want to say the bikes handle superbly. After using them now for nearly 2 hours they move exactly the way I want them to on the retro controller. I honestly mean that.

11/04/2008 14:01
After taking on all that 100cc has to offer I push up to 150cc again and change the controls to Wiimote/Nunchuck, the game recognises that I’ve changed it already and notifies me of the change in controls.

11/04/2008 14:26
Playing with the Wiimote/Nunchuck is probably the best option, although its taking me some time to get used to it, you can have the bonuses of the wheel and retro controllers so you can do tricks using motion controls and drag items behind you.

11/04/2008 19:28
After picking my girlfriend up, I’ve completed 150cc and 100cc, seeing how my girlfriend enjoys it now. I really have to say that I think W/N are the best combination of controls so far, the wheel works for the most part but its hit and miss and while the retro controller is fine, it isn’t easy to do tricks.

11/04/2008 20:06
Ok people I’m calling it a night with Mario Kart. Tomorrow I’ll be tackling multiplayer mostly (hopefully if it works). not many games can make me play this much by myself, i really think that shows how good this game is. pic included to show my time on Mario Kart today.

Saturday

After sending out several friend code messages (talk about those in a minute) last night I left my Wii to update with Mario Kart codes to play some online today.

Before I start off let me talk about Wii friend code messages. This is Nintendo’s best idea for the awful plague upon Wii’s around the world…friend codes. In Mario Kart (or the Mario Kart channel to be precise) you have a small banner at the bottom which cycles through messages, talking about downloading ghost data, joining competitions and making friend via the message board. Wait… What? That’s what went through my head. Clicking the link brings up your Wii console address book, the big list you’ve had since you first got the Wii. With this list you can send a message to any of your friends inviting them to become friends with you on Mario Kart. That’s pretty cool right? It gets better.

Once your friend has the message they can press ‘accept’ at which point the Wii will load up Mario Kart (if you have it in the drive obviously) and AUTOMATICALLY put the friend codes in. This happens on both consoles and after a short wait (like always) you can play online with your friend. No inputting lines of numbers! Yay!

Now I’m not saying Nintendo have made this right finally, because they shouldn’t of done friend codes in the first place but this is better than nothing right?

On with the diary!

Day 2

12/04/2008 09:51
After getting a coffee a sit down in my leather chair and boot up the Wii, my sole intention this morning is to get more experience with the multiplayer both offline and online. I load up Mario Kart and go into Nintendo Wifi to check my friends list.

12/04/2008 10:06
Ok, my friends have all been enabled, when I click on then I see their Mii’s the globe behinds them spins to their location and it says what they are doing (unless they are offline obviously). One thing I don’t like is the fact it doesn’t show the name I have called them, just what they want to be called. For instance my good friend Dave (everyone’s got one of them right?) uses Mr. Miyagi (probably spelt wrong) from the Karate Kid movies of the 80s, so his name is Mr. Miyagi not Dave. Now if 2 people used the same Mii, how would I know who’s who? I ponder this with some toast and tea.

12/04/2008 10:20
After finishing the toast I get into some online matches with a few friends, I load up a room and they tell me they can see me doing that straight away (I’m talking to friends over Skype while playing.. no voice or text chat in-game) and join in. We can select from 25ish pages of preset text lines such as ‘Yay!’ and ‘Wow! You’re all so fast!’ it makes me hurt inside as I want to shout ‘LOLZ DUDE YOU GOTZ PWNED! GG’ but can’t.

12/04/2008 10:30
First 4 matches end with some friendly banter over Skype. I come in 1st overall and gloat like a beast to my friends, the online is smooth and without ANY lag even though all of us are not online with the Wii but with a PC and Skype also. So far online seems to be a triumph.

12/04/2008 10:50
After a few more rounds of online play (in grand prix mode) I can see the online is barebones, but works really well. I’m really happy with what they’ve done and for Nintendo it’s a great success. My friends and I chat about ghost data, the hacks and try sending each other some. We don’t get it.

12/04/2008 11:13
We try out some online battles rather than races, first we go for battles with balloons, these have been drastically changed in the way that even if you lose all your balloons, you can still live and fight afterwards. Its also only team based, not impressed.

12/04/2008 11:19
Next up is coin runners, not as fun as races but definitely better than the balloon matches. Coin Runners and Balloon Battles use the same maps. Some of them are pretty rubbish.

12/04/2008 11:27
We go back to Grand Prix… its far more fun.

12/04/2008 11:52
I decide to jump into some worldwide online matches, I can’t remember if I mentioned it before, but when you play with the WiiWheel it shows that on the score board after every match. The people using the wheel never come in first….

12/04/2008 12:43
After playing worldwide for a while I see some of the things Nintendo don’t want me to see, I see people appearing and disappearing. I get one disconnect due to everyone disappearing (or maybe that was just me). It doesn’t happen often, but often enough to get annoying.

12/04/2008 12:59
I hop back into some single player to re-acquire my self esteem after losing several times in worldwide multiplayer. I’ll admit I looked online how to unlock a few extra characters that I wanted to try out.

Final Comments
After playing Mario Kart for a few more hours on Saturday, I came to my conclusion. Mario Kart Wii is a fantastic game with the same qualities I loved about the DS game. There are certain problems like Ghost Data hacks and certain bouts of problems with online modes, but I can’t say it bothered my experience with the game a whole lot. I love the single player and multiplayer, the both perform very very well. Overall I’m glad this game is made the way it is. I’m sure that before Mario Kart came out, I was upset about another game.. can’t remember what it was called, think it was Brawl something? Either way, I think Mario Kart is one of the best games to date on the Wii so far.

As for that other game I cant remember.. Brawl something? I’d rather have Mario Kart who knows, maybe the online mode in the other game is broken….

Fin