I have a long history with the Mario Kart series, having played most (but not all) of them over the years. Perhaps most extensively was Mario Kart 64 back in college at a buddy's house (other regulars in the rotation back then were Madden, Tecmo Bowl and Golden Eye). Mario Kart is a title that has always had a lot of appeal - whether it was to a bunch of guys in college, or my wife and her friends or even my children - the race mechanics compliment the colorful Mario landscape perfectly.
As my first review of a 3DS title on my blog, this is one I have been pretty excited to talk about.
Graphics - 9:
There is no slowdown, you don't see images clipping through solid objects and the entire landscape of the courses is a genuine treat to behold. Also, something that I feel should come into consideration when doing a 3DS game review is the 3D, and here it adds a wonderful sense of depth as you race around the track. There could be more details in some of the models, but there is almost always something interesting to look at and it scales beautifully on the 3D screen. Little touches like the inkblots on the screen or the sense of flight while gliding past obstacles really get a chance to shine here.
Sound & Music - 9:
Catchy tunes never really got old as I raced around the track, and I found a couple to be pretty memorable in their own right. Also, the Mario Kart games have always had adequate if unspectacular sound, but I enjoyed playing this title with my headphones on as the various effects often gave me an idea what was going on with the cars behind me. This includes me swearing under my breath as I realize a blue shell is about to strike.
Gameplay - 9:
The racing handles really well. There is a lot of variety to be had in the different kart loadouts and the additional airial gliding and submerged watery course sections added a nice bit of variety to what was happening. I had to admit that when I first saw video of those segments, I was worried that using a glider was getting too far away from what Mario Kart is, but I'm happy to say it's usually managed in small doses and only serves to add greater variety to the proceedings. Plenty of power-ups including a couple of new ones help keep things fresh as well for those who enjoy their combat with their kart racing. The dual screens work well also - I enjoy the large map at the bottom which is easier to glance at and read than some of the smaller overlay mini-maps found on the console releases in the past.
Intangibles - 9:
I need to do more racing against others online, but the fact that the option is there and handled so well gives me something else to look forward to later. Sure, blue shells are still cheap and the seeking shells aren't much better - but that's the beauty of it since you can do the same thing to the computer. Different speeds, unlockable kart extras, lots of tracks including some favorite classics - and you have a recipe that has had me lodging a ton of time into this game.
Overall - 9:
It's Mario Kart, and if you are a fan of this particular brand of quirky cart racing - which I clearly am - then you will no doubt find a lot to love about this release. If you have trouble coping with blue shells, cutesy characters or simply do not like Mario - then you will likely look elsewhere, but you'd be doing yourself a disservice as well since my entire family has found this game to be a blast.
I do like the game, but I can't help but despair that the series is becoming more and more item-and-gimmick based and losing its core values.
ReplyDeleteI also find the new tracks in this game to be a mere shadow of the design of previous Mario Kart games.
But still, good fun, and well designed - the online is really brilliant.
I think for me it's more that I've played every Mario Kart entry way too much and that it feels like I've seen everything the series has to offer.
ReplyDeleteEven if that's my overall opinion of the series, this game is still a technically great game. You make some great points here and this is a pretty solid review. I'll be sure to stick around and check out some more of your stuff!
@Games - The online is awesome, and for me a huge selling point. What's always made this series shine has been the multiplayer, so having more of that readily available at any time is a huge perk for me.
ReplyDelete@Parko - Thanks! And welcome aboard, hopefully you'll like what you see here, and I plan to make more visits to your neighborhood soon too. I linked in your blog on my page as well. :)
Mario Kart 7 are "adherence to standards." It is about the assumption that whenever there is a new Nintendo system, it will be a new Mario Kart without exception.The graphics are 3D glassless. This makes it the best Mario Kart series. I ever play on my NDS.
ReplyDelete