Super Mario Kart

[LostOverThere]

I haven't played it since I was a kid and I just don't think its aged that well. If it makes you feel better I could lie and say I still love it.

Remember: Two wrongs don't make a right, but two Wrights make an aeroplane.

[Strange Cookie]

Yes, the fantastic online mode, the introduction of stunts to allow skilled players to distinguish themselves further, good handling, the best looking title there has been to date and some truly awesome race tracks. I can't stop myself shuddering over the Wii version either.

 

Oh, don't let me put on my ranting hat. :p

Too late...

 

Actually, I agree with Goron_3. Mario Kart Wii is a great game, but it can't hold a candly to Mario Kart DS or Super Mario Kart, bar ofcourse online functionality for the latter. I don't really like the stunts-mechanism as it simply becomes a habit instead of a true strategic tool. You don't get an advantage if you do it. You simply get a disadvantage if you don't. It's not a matter of being skilled, just a matter of waggling/pressing a button while in the air. Same with the drifting-turbo mechanism. Now it's simply a matter of drifting for a long time, with no counterdrifting needed watsoever. I know this was done to avoid snaking, and that there was no such mechanic to begin with in SMK, but it's made way to easy in the Wii-version. And I think (remember, my opinion) Mario Kart Wii has some of the weakest level designs in the series. Overcrowded roads, nearly unavoidable obstacles, too many 'crazy' ideas that aren't really suited or simply distract from the racing. Together with the unbalanced items and characters, it makes more of a game of cheer luck rather than skill. In previous versions, I felt like there was a good risk-reward-system. Yes, you can take than small pasageway across that final corner. It'll cut you time, but it's risky. In the Wii-verion, it's more often than not a case of having take the risk. There are shortcuts, but these are often even less of a risk than the normal road.

 

In the SNES-version, a red shell was the big daddy. It was also rather rare. Now, it's 'merely' one red shell. Also, no gamebreaking blue shells, which ironically, is a selling point in the trailer of Super Mario Kart.

 

And has the Battle mode from SMK ever been bettered? Nope.

 

It's true some elements of SMK haven't aged well. But the mechanics behind it are simpler, and that makes for a better game IMO. It has more focus on actual racing, without too many distractions like stunts, overpowered items, jumping across muchrooms etc. I also like that once an item box has been used, it remains empty, making items in general more sparse.

 

The DS-version still takes first place IMO. Bear in mind, all MK-games are great.

Edited April 9, 2010 by Strange Cookie

[STOOPIDDITTIES]

64 was the best.

[darksnowman]

Same with the drifting-turbo mechanism. Now it's simply a matter of drifting for a long time, with no counterdrifting needed watsoever.

 

I could be wrong but I think in MK Wii, the tighter your turning circle, the quicker your powerslide boost will build up. I think thats how they tried to cut out snaking- because if you try to powerslide while on a straight, then its gonna take ages to get the boost.

 

In the Wii-verion, it's more often than not a case of having take the risk. There are shortcuts, but these are often even less of a risk than the normal road.

 

Theres a shortcut in Mushroom Gorge around the start/ finish line that I'm yet to succeed with.

[Goron_3]

Mario Kart DS and the SNES game are by far the best, incredible games. Both reward skill and there isn't an over reliance on items, tracks have short cuts but if you make a mistake you're in a lot of trouble. The Wii version is so unbalanced, mainly due to the fact that there are items EVERYWHERE. You can see why they did that though; they wanted a Mario Kart that you can play with your family and fair enough they got that and got sales from it. For me though, it's all about Super Mario Kart. Tight gameplay, high difficulty (Rainbow road...omg) and it really rewards precision. It's not just a great kart game, it's a great racing game.

[mcj metroid]

Ya i can't really understand why I don't like the wii version either. I have been excellent at 4 player mario kart for years and then the wii version comes along and I suddenly suck ass.

 

technically it should be the best hmm I haven't figured out why yet. There is a sharp hit on graphics in 4 player split screen I'll say that. It really needed HD but then again double dash was clearer..

 

but super mario kart is god. Only lacking 4 player through no fault of its own.

[Sheikah]

Oh, don't let me put on my ranting hat. :p

Too late...

 

Actually, I agree with Goron_3. Mario Kart Wii is a great game, but it can't hold a candly to Mario Kart DS or Super Mario Kart, bar ofcourse online functionality for the latter. I don't really like the stunts-mechanism as it simply becomes a habit instead of a true strategic tool. You don't get an advantage if you do it. You simply get a disadvantage if you don't. It's not a matter of being skilled, just a matter of waggling/pressing a button while in the air.

 

Not true. If you use bikes, you can choose to wheelie whenever you want. Using wheelies to your advantage at the right moments can increase the distance between you and the players behind you. You need to know when to use them, really. Using them at the wrong time can send you on a one-way path to death.

 

Same with the drifting-turbo mechanism. Now it's simply a matter of drifting for a long time, with no counterdrifting needed watsoever.

Even you must know that is absolute bollocks. Just knowing how to drift, and knowing when to begin drifting on a corner, and how to tightly drift around a corner are different things.

 

I know this was done to avoid snaking, and that there was no such mechanic to begin with in SMK,

 

That pretty much ruined MK: DS online play for me. It turned every race into something that looked downright ridiculous, and clearly was an abusable flaw in the game. Notice how people don't snake like that in real racing games. Not that this is a real racing game, but they clearly never expected online games to play out like that when they developed it.

 

And I think (remember, my opinion) Mario Kart Wii has some of the weakest level designs in the series.

 

Heathen! It easily has some of the best levels ever; especially Maple Treeway, and Rainbow Road is awesome for the skilled. It also features some of the best past levels, combining some great new ones with old favourites.

 

Together with the unbalanced items and characters, it makes more of a game of cheer luck rather than skill.

 

Welcome to Mario Kart. But if you really want to test purely skill; and I mean skill, with no random factors whatsoever (wholly boring, in my opinion) switch off items and play rainbow road. It's that simple.

 

In previous versions, I felt like there was a good risk-reward-system. Yes, you can take than small pasageway across that final corner. It'll cut you time, but it's risky. In the Wii-verion, it's more often than not a case of having take the risk. There are shortcuts, but these are often even less of a risk than the normal road.

 

According to players here, the AI cheats in this release of Super Mario Kart, making it not a test of skill. And ever since the blue shell was released, it was never really properly skill-based either. So the only title that could ever claim the skill honour would be MK64. And even then, I could have sworn the AI cheated.

 

In the SNES-version, a red shell was the big daddy. It was also rather rare. Now, it's 'merely' one red shell. Also, no gamebreaking blue shells, which ironically, is a selling point in the trailer of Super Mario Kart.

 

Instead the AI just blatantly cheats its way past you. :p

 

To be honest, the blue shell makes it harder and you're required of more skill since you are the one usually in first place. At least if you're any good. So if you win in MK Wii, after being hit by 2 or 3 blue shells, you just know that you're great.

 

And has the Battle mode from SMK ever been bettered? Nope.

 

Yup, MK64. :p

 

It's true some elements of SMK haven't aged well. But the mechanics behind it are simpler, and that makes for a better game IMO. It has more focus on actual racing, without too many distractions like stunts, overpowered items, jumping across muchrooms etc. I also like that once an item box has been used, it remains empty, making items in general more sparse.

 

To me, it just seems like such an eyesore that I couldn't even get to the stage of picking it up again. I can withstand 2D from a past era, but not old 3D. It's just so blocky, and the screen flattened... my eyes do bleed a little.

Edited April 10, 2010 by Sheikah

[Goron_3]

Shiekah, Mario Kart Wii is the only Mario Kart where items have such a large effect. Go play double dash for example, the red shells barely even effect you (once you get hit you can get up to speed almost immediately) and apart from the chain chomps there's barely a dominating item. Now in MK wii, they increased the number of players so more people with items, but it's not balanced. The focus on items is so much larger in that game.

 

Double dash, SMK and MK:DS all have items but the focus on using them is much less noticable.

[STOOPIDDITTIES]

Double dash, SMK and MK:DS all have items but the focus on using them is much less noticable.

 

Just because a game has a different focus point doesn't make it less of a game. Just a different one.

 

But I have to say I do agree with you about the track designs. I feel that along with DD it has too many distractions on the new courses for me to get as much fun out of them as I do with the old ones.

 

I don't see the problems with powerful items though, as a kid, the idea that my family and friends who weren't half as good as me could still have a fun time was the where the majority of the appeal lied. And now that I can race people who are ten times better than myself, well, it feels refreshing to be able get a Blue Shell or Bullet Bill before they lap me without trying.

 

Mario Kart Wii is the definitive Nintendo racing game. Ridiculously accessible to everyone, yet has plenty of depth in its gameplay and is stupidly fun with others.

 

I don't see how you can fault that.

[Sheikah]

Shiekah, Mario Kart Wii is the only Mario Kart where items have such a large effect. Go play double dash for example, the red shells barely even effect you (once you get hit you can get up to speed almost immediately) and apart from the chain chomps there's barely a dominating item.

For starters: switch items off. If you don't like them, it's that simple.

 

DD, now that you mention it, is one of the worst MK games; the steering feels like shit. The two players to a kart thing means you get twice the number of items, meaning usually twice the amount of carnage.

 

Pow blocks in the Wii version can be jumped or stunted through. There's the lightning bolt, but that's in the other games. And the blue shell is in all the recent ones, too. Only if you're really far behind do items like the mega mushroom and starman really affect you; same as most of the games that have the starman. Therefore, besides the blue shell, and the occasional lightning bolt (but that affects everyone except the person so bad that they'll never catch up), you're pretty much left to your own devices.

 

And red shells? You know that if you're hit by one of them, it's usually your own fault. It's not like there aren't enough items that defend against them.

[dwarf]

I haven't played the SNES version but I'm pretty damn sure MK: DS kicks its ass.

 

I've played Super Circuit, DS, Double Dash and Wii. For me the DS version is miles ahead. I thought snaking was pretty cool, the items weren't utterly ridiculous (i.e the bullet bill was nowhere near as frequent or powerful like in the Wii version) it had a retro feel yet still played really smoothly and looked great. Plus the online was fantastic, and the tracks were superb.

 

The Wii version went massively overboard on the item rape. Turning off items doesn't solve the problem either, because then it's just boring. You want to have that feeling of chaos without the bullshit.

[Sheikah]

I haven't played the SNES version but I'm pretty damn sure MK: DS kicks its ass.

 

I've played Super Circuit, DS, Double Dash and Wii. For me the DS version is miles ahead. I thought snaking was pretty cool, the items weren't utterly ridiculous (i.e the bullet bill was nowhere near as frequent or powerful like in the Wii version) it had a retro feel yet still played really smoothly and looked great. Plus the online was fantastic, and the tracks were superb.

 

The Wii version went massively overboard on the item rape. Turning off items doesn't solve the problem either, because then it's just boring. You want to have that feeling of chaos without the bullshit.

You can also tone down the items so there's nothing overpowered, and IIRC, their frequency too. :p

[dwarf]

I found virtually no difference when I did that. Plus I'm pretty sure you can't have that option online.

[Sheikah]

No difference? But it totally eliminates the show of many 'powered' items.

 

You can't do it online, but then again most people are comparing this to titles that couldn't be played online so I thought to compare the main, offline modes. Plus the lengthy connection system in MKDS is terrible. And people quit, left right and centre. Cowards.

[dwarf]

Well I've not owned a copy of the Wii version but I've played it a lot at a friends house and we got blue shelled as often as normal. The difference it makes is pretty darn minimal.

 

I had great online races in the DS version, and I never quit races. There are many people out there like me that didn't quit either, and with an even-ish playing field I found it was much better than the Wii version online, bar the actual match making.

[Sheikah]

Well I've not owned a copy of the Wii version but I've played it a lot at a friends house and we got blue shelled as often as normal. The difference it makes is pretty darn minimal.

You probably didn't set it up right. If you remove ubers, the chance is significantly reduced...

 

MKDS was broken for me, what with no penalty for quitting (so most people did when I started to thrash them), how long it took to connect and the fact everyone snaked (effecitvely an abusable flaw of the game).

 

The Wii version's online is seamless. At least if they stick with the online system they have for it now with future titles they'll be on to winners. Maybe future games will have more competitive options...

[dwarf]

We definitely didn't set it up wrong, there's only 4 tick boxes aren't there? I can't remember but we tried to turn down the shit to a great degree.

 

I snaked. It is skilful in a way, isn't cheating either. It was annoying to use in a way but fun at the same time because beating certain people relied on it. The MK Wii online points system is just dumb. The fact that it's temporary and you can tons of points you worked really hard to gain by finishing last, through no fault of your own, made it unworthy of coming back to in order to improve. Better off not having a system if you're just going to implement a half hearted one.

 

They should've just done a modal average position system, including info like how many races taken part in.

[Sheikah]

The fact that it's temporary and you can tons of points you worked really hard to gain by finishing last, through no fault of your own, made it unworthy of coming back to in order to improve. Better off not having a system if you're just going to implement a half hearted one.

 

It's also what adds to the thrill. Knowing you could lose so many points when over 8000 if you came second, even, made you care that much more. It shouldn't have, but it did. I remember placing something like 7th when I had 8,000 points once (don't ask how), and losing so many. Funny times.

 

They should've just done a modal average position system, including info like how many races taken part in.

Actually they have that. And how often you place 1st, etc.

 

Another awesome thing about the Wii version is the ability to complete a race in the fastest time with just 3 mushrooms, and get put on a leaderboard. You can then see the video of someone's top time and race against their ghost.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Sheikah

[dwarf]

Actually they have that. And how often you place 1st, etc.

It isn't displayed by your points though is it? Or is it? The average position should be the thing that comes next to your name.

 

Why am I arguing about MK Wii? You can all continue this endless debate.

[Strange Cookie]

Heathen! It easily has some of the best levels ever; especially Maple Treeway, and Rainbow Road is awesome for the skilled.

 

Exactly my point. Those are two of the tracks I really like, because they are more for the skilled. This is the first MK where I actually feel relieved to drive on Rainbow Road, because when you fail, you know it's because you screwed up, not some bad luck-karma.

 

Welcome to Mario Kart.

 

Welcome to new Mario Kart. It didn't use to be like this.

 

 

Anyway, dwarf is right: this is a pointless debate. For every counterargument you've thrown at me, I can counter back, and I bet you can counter those again... and we both are right, because they are both great, if different games. Les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas, as the French say. I everybody liked the same games, it would be very dull indeed. Know that's it's nothing personal, I just like a fiery debate from time to time.

 

Actually, I found this video review, which perfectly expresses my feelings about the game.

 

 

UPDATE: downloaded it and played it. It's even better than I remebered. I had forgotten so many great things about it: the coins, the drifting, the shortcuts (Yay for feathers!), and really the feeling that when I screw up, I get what I deserve.

 

That said, the music of MK Wii is phenomenal!! Easily on par with MK Super Curcuit! It's got some of the most memorable tracks outthere.

Edited April 12, 2010 by Strange Cookie

[RedShell]

The long awaited Super Mario Kart Album by the OneUps was released today!

Jazz/Funk meets the SMK soundtrack and it's seriously rad.

 

Check it out here:

http://theoneups.bandcamp.com/album/super-mario-kart-album

 

Music Vid:

 

: peace:

[Nicktendo]

Now that this is out and everyone has downloaded it and not using it on homebrew I thought I would set this amusing challenge, which is as follows...

 

Win a GP on 50 or 100cc where EVERY character scores at least 1 point over the course of the five races in your chosen cup.

 

A lot harder than you might think. Strictly f0r t3h 4@rdc000000rzz!!11one1

[flameboy]

How the hell can you make that happen?!??

[Nicktendo]

How the hell can you make that happen?!??

 

It's almost impossible but there's a clever way to do it on Mario Circuit 2 in the mushroom cup. It's all about learning the line the CPU takes on the track.

 

Yes, when I was a child I had far too much time on my hands... I still love this game though, it's great. I'm stuck in 150cc, much harder than I remember.

[Ronnie]

Not seen a Mario Kart game that equaled the Battle Mode tracks from Super Mario Kart yet. The simple levels, combined with the devastating red shells and above all else, the feather, made for some brilliant matches. It was all about skill, unlike the current rubbish.

 

The only other mario kart battle mode level I enjoyed was that round doughnut type level in MK64. Again, simplicity, all about skill.

 

 

Oh, don't let me put on my ranting hat. :p

Too late...

 

Actually, I agree with Goron_3. Mario Kart Wii is a great game, but it can't hold a candly to Mario Kart DS or Super Mario Kart, bar ofcourse online functionality for the latter. I don't really like the stunts-mechanism as it simply becomes a habit instead of a true strategic tool. You don't get an advantage if you do it. You simply get a disadvantage if you don't. It's not a matter of being skilled, just a matter of waggling/pressing a button while in the air. Same with the drifting-turbo mechanism. Now it's simply a matter of drifting for a long time, with no counterdrifting needed watsoever. I know this was done to avoid snaking, and that there was no such mechanic to begin with in SMK, but it's made way to easy in the Wii-version. And I think (remember, my opinion) Mario Kart Wii has some of the weakest level designs in the series. Overcrowded roads, nearly unavoidable obstacles, too many 'crazy' ideas that aren't really suited or simply distract from the racing. Together with the unbalanced items and characters, it makes more of a game of cheer luck rather than skill. In previous versions, I felt like there was a good risk-reward-system. Yes, you can take than small pasageway across that final corner. It'll cut you time, but it's risky. In the Wii-verion, it's more often than not a case of having take the risk. There are shortcuts, but these are often even less of a risk than the normal road.

 

In the SNES-version, a red shell was the big daddy. It was also rather rare. Now, it's 'merely' one red shell. Also, no gamebreaking blue shells, which ironically, is a selling point in the trailer of Super Mario Kart.

 

And has the Battle mode from SMK ever been bettered? Nope.

 

You are my hero. Totally spot on on every point.