User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 947 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 40 out of 947
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  1. Feb 16, 2014
    7
    Abit of treading water is going on here. The course design is nothing special and the elements they've added add very little to actual gameplay. A lazy update
  2. Feb 12, 2012
    7
    Well, i actually thought all the rumors about this game being best in the series was true. MKW was bad and i thought this was going to redeem it. But no, this is just as bad. Here are some pros and cons

    Pros: Kart customization, Better online and communities, some great tracks like Neo Bowser City, better retro courses, blue shell problem is fixed (It used to be 3-5 a race in MKW, now
    Well, i actually thought all the rumors about this game being best in the series was true. MKW was bad and i thought this was going to redeem it. But no, this is just as bad. Here are some pros and cons

    Pros: Kart customization, Better online and communities, some great tracks like Neo Bowser City, better retro courses, blue shell problem is fixed (It used to be 3-5 a race in MKW, now it's 1-3)

    Cons: The Fireflower item which is very unfair and you get it around 2nd place. Very small and tight courses. The Maka Wuhu glitch that noobs do online. Very short Rainbow Road. 100cc isn't needed unless you want gold wheels. Bad characters, don't even try doing the first 3 retro courses on 150cc. And a lot more item abuse than MKW.

    Overall it's good if you don't mind getting unfairly beaten on your last lap.
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  3. Dec 17, 2011
    7
    The game was good, but not great. The glider and under water capabilities do add new dimensions, but they aren't in the races enough. The glider is only used is a little over half the races. Even when it is used, the average glide lasts no more than 6 sec. Being under water is cool, but the only difference between water and land is a slower discent and wider drifting. My three main NOsThe game was good, but not great. The glider and under water capabilities do add new dimensions, but they aren't in the races enough. The glider is only used is a little over half the races. Even when it is used, the average glide lasts no more than 6 sec. Being under water is cool, but the only difference between water and land is a slower discent and wider drifting. My three main NOs were: 1.) Only half the courses were new. Yes, it is cool to relive old courses, and I didn't see every game, so some were new. However, the Mario Kart DS (first for DS) game had every course new, which was awsome! 2.) The battle courses are kind of boring. Mario kart DS had battle courses with levels the fight above and below others. 3.) the biggest one, THEY REMOVED THE CHALLENGE MODE!!! Mario kart DS had a mode where you could do unusual talks in a kart leading up to mario kart boss battles. That part of the game was my favorite!!! *P.S. To Nintendo: would a storyline in the game hurt at all? Expand
  4. Apr 27, 2013
    7
    I would give the game an 8 out of 10, if it weren't for the exclusion of single races for the single-player mode. And who would honestly be interested in driving as Queen Bee? Lol. Other than that, it's a fun, easy-to-get-into racing title with a nice visual upgrade.
  5. Dec 8, 2011
    7
    mario kart 7 is the seventh mario kart as the title suggest but how is the game does it live to the series standards or gets hit by a blue turtle shell read to find out STORY if you ever played a mario kart game then you will know that there is no story or career mode i can see hard core racing fans being turned off by is GAMEPLAY mario kart the gameplay remains the basically the same withmario kart 7 is the seventh mario kart as the title suggest but how is the game does it live to the series standards or gets hit by a blue turtle shell read to find out STORY if you ever played a mario kart game then you will know that there is no story or career mode i can see hard core racing fans being turned off by is GAMEPLAY mario kart the gameplay remains the basically the same with trying to get first place as in anything racing game and use items to get up in the race and keep your potion but with a few new editions first is racing in the air and water these aren't that long and sadly there is no tracks that have these only have gliding or under water also coins that give you a boost which have which haven't them since original one on the super nintendo version of mario now for the bad the AI always seam to have good luck while you always have bad luck isn't bad 50cc notice in 100 but 150cc makes it insanely hard and of course the blue turtle shell always appearing at the worst time now my final complaint is that there is no free race all there is for single player is grand prix time trial and battle that is it now for the good the online play is the best in any 3DS game with awesome use of street pass and spot pass also being able to race as your mii VERDICT is this the best mario kart no if never like the series before is won't change your mind but if you are huge fan you are going to enjoy is game i give mario kart 7 a 7/10 Expand
  6. Dec 14, 2011
    7
    I have to say, This game wasn't half bad. The tracks were outstanding and the level of creativity was great. I also liked the fact that you can fly in the air or go underwater ( not like mario kart wii were you would just die instantly). Th only let down of this game were a few of the powerups. The tanooki suit was pretty useless and I STILL get annoyed by the blue shell. Overall I giveI have to say, This game wasn't half bad. The tracks were outstanding and the level of creativity was great. I also liked the fact that you can fly in the air or go underwater ( not like mario kart wii were you would just die instantly). Th only let down of this game were a few of the powerups. The tanooki suit was pretty useless and I STILL get annoyed by the blue shell. Overall I give this game 7 Expand
  7. Feb 11, 2012
    7
    A decent Mario Kart. It's not the best in the series, but, people will enjoy customizing their karts, driving underwater, and gliding through the air just to get that trophy waiting for them at the finish line. But, the thing that really pisses me off the fact that you can get hit with ANY shells in the air. Come on, really, it's bad enough that they do this on ground level, but, now theyA decent Mario Kart. It's not the best in the series, but, people will enjoy customizing their karts, driving underwater, and gliding through the air just to get that trophy waiting for them at the finish line. But, the thing that really pisses me off the fact that you can get hit with ANY shells in the air. Come on, really, it's bad enough that they do this on ground level, but, now they can do it in the air too? Expand
  8. Mar 9, 2012
    7
    Good points:
    -Fun gameplay
    -Fun online, provided you don't get disconnected often like I do... -Good replayability -Kart customisation -Different game modes. Grand Prix, Vs Race, Time trial, Coin battle, Balloon battle. -Land, sea, air. You can be driving one minute and the next underwater with a propellor or gliding through the air. Bad points: -Blue shells got EVEN MORE annoying. Now
    Good points:
    -Fun gameplay
    -Fun online, provided you don't get disconnected often like I do...
    -Good replayability
    -Kart customisation
    -Different game modes. Grand Prix, Vs Race, Time trial, Coin battle, Balloon battle.
    -Land, sea, air. You can be driving one minute and the next underwater with a propellor or gliding through the air.

    Bad points:
    -Blue shells got EVEN MORE annoying. Now they run along the road taking out people who aren't even in first.
    -Rubber banding: Doesn't matter how skilled you are, they will always catch up. Some may call this fun, I call it a pain in the arse. When combined with homing shells, this can mean the difference between a clear win and coming in last. Seriously, I've been bombarded on the last race of a grand prix 10 meters before the finish line by 3 different CPU opponents and ended up coming next to last.
    -Glitches. There are a couple of known glitches in races at the moment meaning what could have been your favourite track is now your worst nightmare. Nintendo are NOT patching this in order to "keep things fair for early adopters vs. newcomers." The game won't be going down in price any time soon so you might as well grab it if you plan on buying it.
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  9. Apr 28, 2012
    7
    Excellent example of how a well known game title is not just milked, but also improved every port / new version again.

    But guys, remember: If you give it a ten now, what should the next mario kart Wii-U get? There's no 11 or 12 to be given here...
  10. Oct 20, 2015
    7
    Online matchmaking is a disaster (expect to wait at least 5 minutes before getting into a game) and the customization options, while intending to cater to individual's racing preferences, leave only a few viable combinations if you want to actually win online. Other than that, a great racing game as are most Mario Kart entries!
  11. Jan 12, 2013
    7
    Once again Nintendo show why Mario Kart is still one of the best game series on any console. The game looks great, the new features do really add to the gameplay and the only multiplayer is great. If you own a 3DS you have to but this game.
  12. Feb 24, 2013
    7
    Mario Kart 7 was in my opinion a good game. Its what you would expect of a Mario Kart game. The gameplay is familiar, and quite good, and i sunk hours into it. The only things that bothered me were small things like the lack of characters from previous games. The character roster being rather small compared to what I thought it would be. Waluigi, Dry Bones, Dry Bowser, Birdo, Funky Kong,Mario Kart 7 was in my opinion a good game. Its what you would expect of a Mario Kart game. The gameplay is familiar, and quite good, and i sunk hours into it. The only things that bothered me were small things like the lack of characters from previous games. The character roster being rather small compared to what I thought it would be. Waluigi, Dry Bones, Dry Bowser, Birdo, Funky Kong, as well as a few others, have been ignored in favor of some less important characters (IMO) such as Lakitu, Metal Mario, Wiggler, and the Queen Bee from the Mario Galaxy series. I mean c'mon why would you take Waluigi from us? The 10 coin limit is also rather annoying when you are trying to unlock different car parts. All in all, its worthy to pick up, but it could have had a lot more unlockables, maybe a few new modes to shake up the mix, and easier online capabilities. Expand
  13. Jul 29, 2013
    7
    I love mario kart all the mario kart is very well but this mario kart is for me the .........best of this serie .
    the modifications with the new features to make this game a global success
  14. Aug 4, 2013
    7
    Just like every other Mario Kart, this is a great multiplayer experience. However, what hinders this game from getting a perfect 10 and me, still preferring to play the old "Mario Kart DS" instead, is the simple lack of the "Settings" option that exists both on the Wii and DS version.

    What exactly am I talking about? Well, first off, let me have you know that, Graphics in this game
    Just like every other Mario Kart, this is a great multiplayer experience. However, what hinders this game from getting a perfect 10 and me, still preferring to play the old "Mario Kart DS" instead, is the simple lack of the "Settings" option that exists both on the Wii and DS version.

    What exactly am I talking about?
    Well, first off, let me have you know that,
    Graphics in this game are amazing, top notch.
    Online is the best in the series so far.
    Levels are maybe not THE best in the series, some of the new ones are fun, but I definitely miss some old ones, but that wouldnt keep them away from a perfect score in my opinion.

    So, to answer what I mean with this "Setting" stuff.
    In Mario Kart Wii as well as DS you can play multiplayer. When you do so, you can then choose the rules of how you play which are two simple choices "Wins" or "Races".
    This means if I play multiplayer with 5 friends, we can play a tournament, with the computer over 30 races if we wish. Or 2, or 8,15, you get it, whatever we want.
    Now however, some genius at Nintendo decided to remove this option, limiting us to 4 race tournaments.
    There is nothing wrong with a classic 4 race tournament of Mario Kart. But the question is, why remove the option?

    I who personally love to play a cup of 8 races with my brothers and friends can now not do that. And another thing is when playing the "Communites" online, I can there also, only play 4 races, but now without any computers, which mean I cant play an online tournament with one friend...unless its one on one races of course.

    Thats really not what Mario Kart is all about.
    Of course I can go and play against other humans with my brother, and keep track of where we are placed. But video games are a lot about immersion, and that kind of ruins it.
    This is why I now have gone back to Mario Kart DS when racing on my handheld with friends.

    Great game, but a simple setting is what has taken away the lasting appeal along with the perfect 10 to a 7 out of 10 with this rating system.
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  15. Oct 19, 2013
    7
    The game is a little too hard at 150 pp.Next letters are useless dont pay attention to them.iooiooiuoiuoiuouououoiuiouugsjgyhuhkjyhfsduilhgjsyiughswyrughdf
  16. Dec 7, 2013
    7
    It's Mario Kart on the 3DS. Not much more to say.

    The core game is great here--casual kart racing with insanely addictive multiplayer and smooth graphics. What's wrong with the game? Lots of things. The multiplayer, while very fun, is extremely limited in terms of game modes. The two "battle" options are very simple offerings. The main mode is amazing, but major disconnection issues
    It's Mario Kart on the 3DS. Not much more to say.

    The core game is great here--casual kart racing with insanely addictive multiplayer and smooth graphics. What's wrong with the game? Lots of things.

    The multiplayer, while very fun, is extremely limited in terms of game modes. The two "battle" options are very simple offerings. The main mode is amazing, but major disconnection issues plague one's experience. It's rather annoying, especially when it takes a long time to load, connect, reload, and so on.

    There are also very few characters to choose from, with just over 15 unless I'm mistaken. The new courses are pretty good, but none of them are anything spectacular. Also the kart customization is quite useless, as is the "gliding" mechanic and the underwater segments, as they last only for a minute or so.

    The item imbalance will kill you--but that's what you've come to expect when you hear "Mario Kart," right?

    Other than those flaws, the game is great--addicting, fun, nice-looking. A good game for the 3DS, and for any fan of Mario Kart or kart racing in general.

    Points off Presentation and Formula for sameness of other MK games.

    Presentation: 6
    Formula: 6.5
    Visuals: 8
    Audio: 7
    Gameplay: 7
    Lasting Appeal: 10

    Overall: 7.3/10
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  17. Nov 17, 2019
    7
    Jugando previamente a Sonic & All-Stars: Transformed, daba por hecho que Mario Kart 7, siguiendo toda su trayectoria, estaría uno o dos niveles por encima. Y después de pasármelo ha sido justo al revés, pues tiene menos personajes (algunos introducidos con calzador), menos modos de juego y menor sensación de velocidad. Sigue teniendo su encanto, pero por primera vez no el suficiente comoJugando previamente a Sonic & All-Stars: Transformed, daba por hecho que Mario Kart 7, siguiendo toda su trayectoria, estaría uno o dos niveles por encima. Y después de pasármelo ha sido justo al revés, pues tiene menos personajes (algunos introducidos con calzador), menos modos de juego y menor sensación de velocidad. Sigue teniendo su encanto, pero por primera vez no el suficiente como para justificar su compra al precio completo. Expand
  18. Nov 5, 2018
    7
    Divertido e viciante, consegue manter o jogador interessado por meses. Falta um indicador de tempo n atela e uma explicação mais clara do que deve ser feito para ganhar mais peças de kart. Mas é um titulo que todo dono de 3DS deve ter,
  19. Mar 20, 2017
    7
    Yes Mario Kart on the go is an amazing thing but sadly this game does not live up to the hype. Rainbow Road is fantastic, the online mode may be clean and easy and this game is very easy for beginners but the good things sadly can't outshine the bad things in the game. Some of the tracks are lazy, there isn't enough characters and playing with friends is a chore. Overall Mario Kart 7 is anYes Mario Kart on the go is an amazing thing but sadly this game does not live up to the hype. Rainbow Road is fantastic, the online mode may be clean and easy and this game is very easy for beginners but the good things sadly can't outshine the bad things in the game. Some of the tracks are lazy, there isn't enough characters and playing with friends is a chore. Overall Mario Kart 7 is an ok game that has some good aspects. Expand
  20. Aug 18, 2016
    7
    the game is good and has beautiful graphics, but sometimes comes will be annoying and a little trapasseiro sometimes, and the online mode is terrible, every worsening day today I was playing against a 7 players and one bugou simply teleports third place for the first and wins the race, since this happened on a 7 of 10 online races, and the positions are changing after the finish line, Ithe game is good and has beautiful graphics, but sometimes comes will be annoying and a little trapasseiro sometimes, and the online mode is terrible, every worsening day today I was playing against a 7 players and one bugou simply teleports third place for the first and wins the race, since this happened on a 7 of 10 online races, and the positions are changing after the finish line, I won a race and when the classification appeared I came in second in again I finished second and the classification changed to seventh, online mode is that this game has not Expand
  21. Oct 30, 2015
    7
    I never got the hype of Mario Kart, and I can't work out the point of a second one on the DS except to exploit the 3DS's rather weak, blurry 3D function. Mario Kart isn't a bad game, by any stretch, but it really doesn't do anything to add to the series, except add flying to to the Mario Kart genre... And it doesn't really do much as the flying has rather dull, unresponsive controlsI never got the hype of Mario Kart, and I can't work out the point of a second one on the DS except to exploit the 3DS's rather weak, blurry 3D function. Mario Kart isn't a bad game, by any stretch, but it really doesn't do anything to add to the series, except add flying to to the Mario Kart genre... And it doesn't really do much as the flying has rather dull, unresponsive controls compared to the rest of the situations you'll find yourself in while playing the game. The roster plays like your usual who's who in the Mario Universe, and the larger characters like Bowser and Donkey Kong have slow acceleration yet high top speeds while Toad has great acceleration yet low top speeds and Mario has the best of both worlds. Does that count as a spoiler? Expand
  22. May 7, 2016
    7
    The Mario kart series has always been a fan of mine, but this game was a little sub-par compared to all the others. First off, not the best character choices. They incorporated characters that weren't that beneficial to the Mario series, but left out some the key people that were helpful in the Mario kart series. Next, the new courses they designed weren't that good. I feel like that notThe Mario kart series has always been a fan of mine, but this game was a little sub-par compared to all the others. First off, not the best character choices. They incorporated characters that weren't that beneficial to the Mario series, but left out some the key people that were helpful in the Mario kart series. Next, the new courses they designed weren't that good. I feel like that not the most creativity was put into this game. Courses such as Shy guy Bazaar and Daisy Hills weren't that creative in my opinion. Three retro courses were added that weren't that good in my opinion. DS "DK Pass", GCN "Dino Dino Jungle" and GCN "Daisy Cruiser". Also, a major glitch was show able to slip past editing in Maka Wuhu, skipping about 1/3 of the track. Lastly, I pose a final question to Nintendo. How is Waluigi Pinball able to be added into the game, but not Waluigi himself? Expand
  23. Aug 1, 2016
    7
    Mario Kart 7 is good but probably the worse in the series. I think the game has a BAD selection of characters and the courses are similar to other mario kart courses. This game is also another way to use Miis but the concept is overused.
  24. Jul 8, 2017
    7
    This entry is probably my least favorite game in the Mario Kart series, but don't get me wrong, it's not really a bad game (7/10 is not too bad). While the game has some great race tracks, like DK Jungle, Neo Bowser City, Piranha Plant Slide and Rainbow Road, most MK7 tracks are quite bland and easy. It really seems Nintendo had ran out of ideas for the game. The character roster is veryThis entry is probably my least favorite game in the Mario Kart series, but don't get me wrong, it's not really a bad game (7/10 is not too bad). While the game has some great race tracks, like DK Jungle, Neo Bowser City, Piranha Plant Slide and Rainbow Road, most MK7 tracks are quite bland and easy. It really seems Nintendo had ran out of ideas for the game. The character roster is very weak, as well. Honey Queen and Wiggler aren't very iconic Mario characters. Waluigi is a lot more iconic, and he should have been playable. But Metal Mario is easily the worst inclusion, he´s just Mario encased in metal. Battle mode is very boring, as 2-minute matches and boring stages screwed it over. VS mode is only available in multiplayer, and it's not even that good there. But the soundtrack is very decent, the graphics are great for the 3DS, and the 3D effect is very neat. Overall, the game is fun, but at the same time, is a bit lacking. Good thing Nintendo recovered a bit in Mario Kart 8. Expand
  25. Jan 1, 2018
    7
    Mario Kart 7 is nothing special, but with friends, it can still be a fun filled experience to play on the go
  26. Jan 5, 2019
    7
    This game is good game

    The tracks are no killer, sort of annoying really. But not annoying that will make me stop playing. Some may say that this is the first Mario Kart game to give the opportunity to custom your ride, and for that it is excused, but as im not making comparision here: The customization options are not very large, so. thumbs down for this. There is not many
    This game is good game

    The tracks are no killer, sort of annoying really. But not annoying that will make me stop playing.

    Some may say that this is the first Mario Kart game to give the opportunity to custom your ride, and for that it is excused, but as im not making comparision here: The customization options are not very large, so. thumbs down for this.

    There is not many courses to choose.

    The graphics are poor. Not ugly. But they definitely are not pretty. AT ALL (Here i'm comparing with some other titles that I have experienced on 3ds).

    Now, thank god we can play online for free, because this basically save the gameplay and its worth to buy this game. It's fun to play online (altough i do believe TEN THOUSAND COINS is WAY too much to get a golden ride that is not even good to run)

    The others types of "courses" such as coin rush, or coin mode, and dont recall the exaclty name, are just terrible.; no one plays that **** just mention it is give more credit than it deserves. is that terrible.

    Definitely worth to buy if u have a 3ds. But not an oustanding game.

    I dont give a green note (8 up) because dont deserve, and perhaps 7 is too low. So condiser this a seven and a half.
    Expand
  27. Jan 8, 2020
    7
    Great game but too short and easy. In 3 hours i win all 150cc cups and unlock everything.
  28. Apr 26, 2020
    7
    This game is all right, but certainly not a perfect title. The game definitely offers some innovative mechanics, and some pretty memorable courses, but the overall feel of this game if kind of awkward. The battle feels lackluster, especially with the 10 coin limit in Coin Runners, which makes no sense. Nothing totally wrong with the title, but it only got a 6.83 out of 10 from me, makingThis game is all right, but certainly not a perfect title. The game definitely offers some innovative mechanics, and some pretty memorable courses, but the overall feel of this game if kind of awkward. The battle feels lackluster, especially with the 10 coin limit in Coin Runners, which makes no sense. Nothing totally wrong with the title, but it only got a 6.83 out of 10 from me, making it my 6th favorite title. Expand
  29. Mar 21, 2022
    7
    Very solid Mario kart, frustrating as ever and not fair as always! Lot of fun and fast racing. Nice levels design although there could be little more of them. There could also be little more of characters and vehicles... But it is all much improved in MK 8 deluxe on switch.
  30. Jul 31, 2020
    7
    This is a good game, like just about all Mario Kart games are. If you're a fan of Mario Kart, you'll like this game. However, out of Mario Kart DS, Wii, 7, and 8, which are the four I've played, I would say this is the weakest one. Honestly, most of my displeasure stems from the fact that they removed Vs. mode from this game for some reason. That really hinders the replay value of thisThis is a good game, like just about all Mario Kart games are. If you're a fan of Mario Kart, you'll like this game. However, out of Mario Kart DS, Wii, 7, and 8, which are the four I've played, I would say this is the weakest one. Honestly, most of my displeasure stems from the fact that they removed Vs. mode from this game for some reason. That really hinders the replay value of this game for me, since it means that if you want to play races without any other actual people, you have to play either Grand Prix, where you can't choose specific races to do, or Time Trials, where you don't have the CPUs to race against. My other complaint is the distinct lack of Waluigi. The core gameplay is pretty much the same as the other games before it, where you just drive around as Mario characters, hitting people with items and having a good time. The kart customization is a cool new addition, and so is being able to glide through the air and drive through water. The graphics are also very nice for a handheld console, being way better than the graphics for the DS one, and about on par with most other games on the 3DS. One part of this game that I really love is the ability to play with friends who don't have the game. You can play with them through download play, and while they can only play as Shy Guy, it's better than nothing, and has allowed me to have some good times in this game with friends who I normally wouldn't have been able to play with. Overall, it's not the best Mario Kart game, but it's still enjoyable and Mario Kart is always a good game to have on your Nintendo console. Expand
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 73
  2. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Feb 14, 2012
    80
    It's not doing anything revolutionary on it's own, but serves the loyal audience with the best offering Nintendo can muster – and that's pretty good indeed.
  2. Feb 6, 2012
    70
    Unless you are a big Mario Kart-fan, this game might not be worthbuying. By all means, it's fun the way only Mario Kart can be, itlooks more stunning than ever before and if you need new tracks it caneasily offer hours of entertainment. But Nintendo must have made this game on autopilot.
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 19, 2012
    60
    Arcade racing game cooked by well-tried foolproof recipe entertains you most of the time but there are a few frustrating moments too. [Christmas 2011]