Mario Kart 7

 3DS
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 947 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 745 out of 947
  2. Mixed: 162 out of 947
  3. Negative: 40 out of 947
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  1. JD_Chambers
    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
  2. killian13
    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
  3. MIDP
    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.    … Expand
  4. guyofgames
    Oct 19, 2013
    7
    The game is a little too hard at 150 pp.Next letters are useless dont pay attention to them.iooiooiuoiuoiuouououoiuiouugsjgyhuhkjyhfsduilhgjsyiughswyrughdf
  5. Falcus
    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    … Expand
  6. naufri27
    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
  7. br_1245
    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,
  8. spongeswift
    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
  9. baltowolf
    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
  10. Bmaje
    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
  11. Sai_rox
    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
  12. GamecubeLover
    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.
  13. CH513
    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
  14. SortOfCritic
    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
  15. Pedrinhyeah
    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
  16. Zequila
    Jan 8, 2020
    7
    Great game but too short and easy. In 3 hours i win all 150cc cups and unlock everything.
  17. TheOkCringe
    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
  18. lesiuML
    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.
  19. SloppyJones
    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
  20. Babalee
    Jun 22, 2023
    7
    Mario Kart 7 is a solid Mario Kart game with some great tracks and an interesting character selection. The online play at the time was really fun and the mechanics are pretty good as well. The main problem with this one is a lack of content today, all you can really do is race by yourself against AI considering this game is on a handheld. Not a ton of reason to go back to it today, butMario Kart 7 is a solid Mario Kart game with some great tracks and an interesting character selection. The online play at the time was really fun and the mechanics are pretty good as well. The main problem with this one is a lack of content today, all you can really do is race by yourself against AI considering this game is on a handheld. Not a ton of reason to go back to it today, but it's far from bad and still a fun experience.… Expand
  21. TeaFan556
    Dec 21, 2021
    7
    [RU]
    Простите меня, начал играть в эту часть слишком поздно, из-за чего нормально не принимал участия в онлайне. Поэтому не сильно зацепило :(
  22. SealedLooks
    Jan 20, 2023
    7
    Mario Kart 7 had big shoes to fill. With the enormous succes of the DS console and with that the succes of Mario Kart DS, there was some pressure on the new 3D Mario Kart. Not only was MKDS a fast paced racing game wich fitted the DS very well, it was (together with the MKWII) the most inovative mario kart yet, at least on the handhelds it was. Unfortunatly for MK7, now that we know howMario Kart 7 had big shoes to fill. With the enormous succes of the DS console and with that the succes of Mario Kart DS, there was some pressure on the new 3D Mario Kart. Not only was MKDS a fast paced racing game wich fitted the DS very well, it was (together with the MKWII) the most inovative mario kart yet, at least on the handhelds it was. Unfortunatly for MK7, now that we know how MK8 and deluxe looks like, the first hit it has to take is the visuals. It is a obvious upgrade in comparison with MKDS, but that was really it. It doesnt do much for me, also because MKDS makes up for the visuals in some aspects with a lot of character, wich MK7 has way less of. Not only is the music mainly reused, but i found most of the new made maps not really inovative nor intresting, it is a given at least some of new maps in an MK will play and look cool, but (again) if you compare in with MK8, it has way less going for it. Some new aspects were decent. It introduced the glider aspects, and that does add a new mechanic to the game, and can work in your favor if you do it correct. The 'double drift boost' is also introduced here, wich is probably the best thing about the gameplay next to it using a joystick and taking very good advantage of that. But unfortunately i did not like the character selection nor did i like almost the entire feeling this game gives off. it has a blant cover and a boring menu if you ask me. It still is for me a pretty good mario kart, it still is a game you should have because you can put so many hours in it, but for me it does a little bit more than the minimum required to get you hooked. Good, but not fantastic or groundbreaking in almost any aspect… Expand
  23. Tomatonato
    Jan 31, 2023
    7
    Gliders are so cool. GLIDERS ARE SO COOL. GLIDERS ARE SO **** COOL.

    And kart customization is awesome too.
  24. Daviwaru
    Mar 19, 2023
    7
    Mario kart 7 é um bom jogo, mais acaba sendo repetitivo no final das contas.
  25. tdunster
    Jul 4, 2015
    6
    My introduction to Mario Kart was when the SNES release came out. I was expecting a lot from the 3ds version and as such I was disappointed. it's just not fun anymore. Even online you still feel like you are on your own as it's become more about holding a racing line than actually competing with your opponents via power-ups and launching things at them.

    Lots of people love this game    My introduction to Mario Kart was when the SNES release came out. I was expecting a lot from the 3ds version and as such I was disappointed. it's just not fun anymore. Even online you still feel like you are on your own as it's become more about holding a racing line than actually competing with your opponents via power-ups and launching things at them.

    Lots of people love this game but I have no idea why. It's too simple to be a simulation and its too boring to be an arcade racer.

    The graphics and 3d effects are good as is the sound and overall presentation so for that I will give it a reluctant 6/10.    … Expand
  26. maddymarie
    Jan 1, 2013
    6
    In comparison to it's predecessors, Mario Kart 7 does a fantastic job of knocking them off course via blue shell. The many different courses that could be selected, the kart customization, the new characters; it all was a thrilling ride.. While it lasted, which wasn't very long. I had high expectations when it came to this specific Mario Kart, and to be honest, it didn't live up to what IIn comparison to it's predecessors, Mario Kart 7 does a fantastic job of knocking them off course via blue shell. The many different courses that could be selected, the kart customization, the new characters; it all was a thrilling ride.. While it lasted, which wasn't very long. I had high expectations when it came to this specific Mario Kart, and to be honest, it didn't live up to what I thought it would. Nintendo had so many opportunities to change things up with Mario Kart 7. A good portion of the game, felt recycled to me. Although it was nice to have many different courses to choose from, many of them were from previous titles in the series. The character roster also felt very small - and I've unlocked every playable character. It would have been great to see new play modes as well. The coin collection and balloon battle modes are quite fun, however it would've been really nice if Nintendo had of added at the very least one extra mode. To end my review, I say that this game is worth purchasing, if you don't mind playing through some of the old courses, or are new to the series.… Expand
  27. alphaomega88
    Jan 6, 2016
    6
    Probably my least favorite Mario Kart game ever...while nothing feels broken, there is just 'something' missing, and it leaves this iteration, at least for me, feeling kinda soulless. IMHO, Mario Kart DS is the best handheld iteration yet released.
  28. gorelequint
    Apr 19, 2013
    6
    Everything about this is an improvement over the Wii version slightly better handling, replacing the tricks with surprisingly good hang-glider and underwater sections, great course designs, slightly less chaotic, meaning a skillful player stands a higher chance of winning (as opposed to the Wii, which made it very hard for the most skillful player to consistenly win, with it's over theEverything about this is an improvement over the Wii version slightly better handling, replacing the tricks with surprisingly good hang-glider and underwater sections, great course designs, slightly less chaotic, meaning a skillful player stands a higher chance of winning (as opposed to the Wii, which made it very hard for the most skillful player to consistenly win, with it's over the top blue shells etc.)

    The graphics are a big step up from the DS version.

    The reason I'm marking it with only 3 stars, is for 2 of the most willfully stupid design decisions I've ever seen in a modern video game.

    Firstly they've removed single races so if you want to have a quick race on your favourite track? Tough, you can't. You have to do a 4-race Grand Prix in sequence you can't just have a single race. So if the track you fancy playing happens to be the excellent new Rainbow Road track, you have to finish 3 other races before you're allowed to play it (unless you choose to do a solo time trial). While it's not game breaking, it is an idiotically stupid decision. It's really page one of Video Game Design 101 in a racing game you let players pick a course and race on it... has there been any other racing game in modern gaming history where that feature was removed?

    And secondly there are 2 camera views normal and the view surprisingly works really well, gives a great impression of speed, lets you have a close-up view of the other racers. It should be a lovely optional extra feature for players who prefer it... except... when you select view, tilt controls are enabled whether you want them or not.

    Other companies allow the player to choose which control method they prefer, and which camera they prefer... but apparently not Nintendo.
    If you like the view, you have to suffer tilt controls whether you want them or not... and if you prefer the conventional view, you're not allowed to use the tilt controls even if you wanted to.
    Tilt controls are ok, but tilting messes up the 3D so you you like the 3D effect, and like the view, you have to painstakinginly keep the 3DS dead level as you steer with the circle pad (cirle pad still works in view), anytime you accidently tilt the console, you veer off to the side.

    Another annoyance is the 3D the depth of 3D is really toned down here, compared to something like Starfox. Again, other companies might let the player choose how much 3D the player wanted (after all, that's the whole purpose of the 3D slider) but no, Nintendo have decided that the players only have the option of a very gentle 3D effect here if you wanted deeper 3D like other games? Tough, Nintendo have decided you can't have it.

    There's no denying, it's great to look at, fun to play but when Nintendo start turning into Apple, with their philosphy of telling customers what they want, instead of allowing them to choose, and it starts to impact on how much fun a game is to play, they deserve criticism.    … Expand
  29. mykellinden
    Jun 23, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mario Kart 7 is defninitely a solid entry into the MK franchise, however, the only qualm I ever had with the game is that, after completing all of the CCs and acquiring all Kart parts, the game begins to lose a little bit of its shine, as at that point, the game comes to rely on the online functionality for its fun, as well as the multiplayer. There was a time, back when Mario Kart Double Dash was the major MK at the time, even though there was no Story Mode, as is typical with Mario Kart, Double Dash had a decent amount more replay value than Mario Kart Wii and 7. I feel that what I am trying to say is, Mario Kart 7 is good...for a while, until its replay value starts going down.… Expand
  30. Carlsdil000
    Oct 25, 2013
    6
    Kinda boring after a while. The Mario Kart formula works better on home console when you can use a joystick to drive around. The analog stick on the 3DS doesn't really drive all that well. I was disappointed with this game, but if you're a huge Mario Kart fan then go ahead and get it.
  31. AtomicLugia
    Aug 29, 2013
    6
    Aww, another multiplayer-only game. Yes, it contains a single player mode but it's so pathetic. They made the V.S. mode only for the stupid multiplayer. I want to race with easy CPUs on 150 cc on my favourite tracks, and that's ruined because of the multiplayer crap. What a shame. Another bad thing is the fact that unlocking characters is HARD. Good things about the game is Rosalina, who'sAww, another multiplayer-only game. Yes, it contains a single player mode but it's so pathetic. They made the V.S. mode only for the stupid multiplayer. I want to race with easy CPUs on 150 cc on my favourite tracks, and that's ruined because of the multiplayer crap. What a shame. Another bad thing is the fact that unlocking characters is HARD. Good things about the game is Rosalina, who's getting another chance to be playable. And the multiplayer is good, because this game is ONLY for multiplayer. If you're a single player fan, stay away from this game.… Expand
  32. Brc123
    Nov 15, 2014
    6
    I think people are giving this game leverage just because it's "Mario Kart". Don't get me wrong, I love Mario Kart, but I could have done fine with not buying this game.

    I will start with the positives: The tracks are very good. The game looks fantastic for a Nintendo Handheld. And the underwater and hang gliding actually feels like a much-needed feature. The soundtrack is pleasant, the    I think people are giving this game leverage just because it's "Mario Kart". Don't get me wrong, I love Mario Kart, but I could have done fine with not buying this game.

    I will start with the positives: The tracks are very good. The game looks fantastic for a Nintendo Handheld. And the underwater and hang gliding actually feels like a much-needed feature. The soundtrack is pleasant, the controls feel smooth and accurate. The new items are fun. And the kart customization is pretty cool. And that's about it.

    Now for the negatives: I have no idea why Nintendo brought back coins, it only adds to the luck factor when you're hit 5 times in a row by shells, bullet bills, stars, and your loss of coins causes your maximum speed to go down. The roster is beyond pathetic. Taking out classics such as Waluigi, Toadette, Birdo, Diddy Kong, etc, for characters like Lakitu, Metal Mario, HONEY QUEEN? Really? Probably Mario Kart 7's most unforgivable mistake was the absence of a VS mode. If you don't have Wifi or a friend with the game, you can play Grand Prix (Gets old really fast and can't choose specific maps), Time Trial (Boring...), and the terrible Battle mode. The elimination for balloon battle, shine runners, etc, was the best part of battle mode, but with coins it is pretty much impossible to lose and extremely boring.

    All in all, the game feels lazy, and was probably just rushed out to help out with the 3ds's abysmal launch sales. I may have ranted a lot about the cons of this game, but the things Nintendo did do well in this game, were fantastic. I will continue to have mixed feels about this game but for now    … Expand
  33. pikodon
    Apr 3, 2014
    6
    before the game came out there was a rumor about nintendo releasing DLC for games, and then I kept seeing mario kart 7, and I got really excited with the possibility of extra tracks other than the usual 16, and i was a little let down by the absence of that feature, especially with so many "classic" tracks that either came from mario kart wii, or from the classic track selection from mariobefore the game came out there was a rumor about nintendo releasing DLC for games, and then I kept seeing mario kart 7, and I got really excited with the possibility of extra tracks other than the usual 16, and i was a little let down by the absence of that feature, especially with so many "classic" tracks that either came from mario kart wii, or from the classic track selection from mario kart wii, we expect to see new tracks everytime in 3D, thanks to moves like this, some people will never see their favorite tracks in 3D, because Coconut Mall is more important.
    the random selecting track when playing online is a joke, there's a 90% chance you'll get tracks like coconut mall, daisy cruise, or 2 others ALL the time, sometimes is so frequent I wonder why didn't they call this coconut mall 7
    also a cheap move was making you limited to getting 10 coins max whichever mode you're in, and don't give you coins you get in time trial or vs time trial, the lamest padding to make the game last longer considering you need them badly to unlock new kart parts.

    but the gameplay is great, and the new gliding feature works really well and can give you a boost if get to use it well, really fun.
    also they went back to 8 players in a race instead of the crazy 12 from mario kart wii, so that's a plus!    … Expand
  34. ikereview
    Nov 2, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this game i consider mediocer underwater racing and gilding is nice but they removed dry bones and waluigi but they put characters like honey queen rosalina and wiggler witch are all unlockables why mario kart 7 y u ruin handheld mario kart… Expand
  35. ND-Bringer
    Jul 13, 2021
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At the time it was viewed to be an utterly brilliant game, but it hasn't aged well with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe overshadowing it. Now don't get me wrong, I still think it's a good game. While the core mechanics have improved and the new gliding plus underwater driving mechanics are a blast...the variety is pretty bland this time. No missions, no simple VS matches, at least we have Balloon Battle and Shine Runners...I mean Coin Runners!The main meat of this game is the online multiplayer which can be pretty entertaining, but playing this game alone is otherwise pretty barren. Imagine if you were unable to connect with said friends. The only thing you could really do is replay cups and collect coins for random new parts. Not a bad way to kill time, I've collected over 700 coins and have only unlocked 1 new glider. I really like the customization options, but like Skylanders Imaginators, you need to wait a long time before you can unleash your customization creativity until you have the necessary parts. Even 16 cool, new tracks can get old fast. Even little problems can grow in time, like how in DS, enemies like Thwomps are shown on the bottom screen mini map, while in 7 they're no where to be seen. What if your on a long, straight path, wondering where the next turn is...AND BAM! You're hit by an out of nowhere enemy while scanning the area below. It's gets worse with trying identify the theme Nintendo is trying to create with this game. DS carries a Super Mario 64 theme, while the tracks aren't mysterious, they are rich with colorful designs. Its links with 64's adventure theme. If you play Kart DS after 64 or 64 DS, it's a really wonderful game combo since they carry similar spirits. 7 on the other hand is a mash between Galaxy, 3D Land, Mario Kart Wii's shadow art style. There's not enough room on a handheld system to fit all of that together. I also would've preferred mainly 3D Land theme as well as having a similar colorful art style so it at least could carry a decent theme that's a treat for the eyes. This shoddy art style feels bland somehow. 3DS kids games should have flourishing colors not serious shadows. That's better suited for E10 and teen games. That's the least of this game's problems. The character selection may not be the worst, but where is Waluigi? He has his own killer track now, this isn't Smash Bros, many people count on him being a playable character! Remember how irritating it was when DK wasn't a playable character in Mario Party after 4 until 10 came along? He's no sideshow attraction! Even though he was in the first game. Seriously, the Honey Queen was that important to make a new character? I may love unlocking new characters, but there is little thrill to be found here. The rest of the characters may be cool, however unlocking them is a challenge with unbalanced difficulty. It's not that hard, heck the com difficulty feels a lot easier compared to DS. New characters except for the Mii, can only be unlocked by claiming 1st place cups from the 150cc Grand Prix. In DS, characters and karts are unlocked with each completed cup from easy to hard. Giving the racer a sense of growth while playing through the game. But here in 7 all the challenges are at hard difficulty. Making the journey feel one-minded and frustrating inexperienced players. I still remember tasting defeat every day while trying to complete these cups.It just makes things stressful with this unbalanced difficulty. Even after collecting a ton of coins after a cup you're not guaranteed to get a new part, its uninspiring to get better at this game unless you have some friends to compete with. As for the tracks, we got a decent selection of new and old tracks. At least Waluigi Pinball made it into this game! DK's jungle reboot stage is great! But he's strangely calm that the Tiki Tak Tribe is attacking his island this time. Also, Wuhu Island is a great setting and all, but do you really need to add 3 Wii Sports themed stages? I'll say it a game, this game needs more variety. If you want to add another Rainbow Road stage, despite all of the tension they create, I can live with that. But I don't know if everyone remembers Pilot Wings and Wii Sports Resort all too well. Point is, I didn't love this game like DS. The driving and multiplayer mechanics may have improved, but without that, this game would have nothing to stand on. I will give it credit for giving birth to 8, but today its a fallen king that's likely to stay down and leave its kingdom to the next heir. But this king hasn't aged well. Great at the time, but its just not as enjoyable as DS. It may have better control, but you're in for underwhelming experience compared this series last Mario Kart handheld game. Even after winning all the cups in 1st place with my Bowser Jr. Mii, I not really satisfied. This game failed to appeal to me. Sadly it will forever live in Mario Kart 8's Deluxe's shadow. Sigh...now if we could only get bosses & ROB into Mario Kart Deluxe.… Expand
  36. TropicalNayr
    Mar 31, 2021
    6
    i would give this a 65%
    This is a improvement of Mario kart ds where they just went over there mistakes and laziness in Mario kart ds, the graphic are way better than before, and they added some new games to make it more fun but if you already played Mario kart ds you don't need to play this it is basically a redone version.
  37. wafflewithsyrup
    Dec 10, 2011
    5
    I don't really know what to think of this game, it feels like the DS version with prettier graphics, and some other stuff like high-flying and underwater racing (WTF).
  38. Cyrose
    Aug 7, 2012
    5
    Frustrating and disappointing, Marion kart DS was much better.
    However, graphics and on-line are great.
    But: -the VS mode has been removed, -no missions -glider customization is totally useless -no speed...
  39. Vanpire73
    Mar 19, 2014
    5
    The Diddy Kong Racing format was much, much, MUCH better. I can't even comprehend why they don't use a formula similar to that. There is zero strategy in this game other than trying to not be in first place until the bitter end of the race. Random power-ups are just not fun IMO. Being heavily rewarded for being in last place and heavily punished for being in first just doesn't cut the mustard.
  40. benjy24
    Mar 9, 2013
    5
    There is no vs and the game is like Diddy Kong racing (airplane=glider and boat=propellers in water). It doesn't help if you can't connect to StreetPass
  41. noob_saibot
    May 4, 2013
    5
    Just looks the same from other games like always sorry but MK games is now a copy over from other games only with new things added to this one and lack of characters too where ist Waluigi go?

    And the bikes too? They is no bike's anymore?

    Then most part I asking you all to stick with the Wii version is better than this one.
  42. User12345
    Sep 22, 2013
    5
    Mario kart 7 is a decent game. But has lots of problems. First of a all this game was rushed for Christmas which is why retro studios had to come and help. But that is why there are not a lot of characters in this one. Also no vs mode offline is really annoying to those that would like to race by them selves on there own decided courses. Time trails is not that good because you can't saveMario kart 7 is a decent game. But has lots of problems. First of a all this game was rushed for Christmas which is why retro studios had to come and help. But that is why there are not a lot of characters in this one. Also no vs mode offline is really annoying to those that would like to race by them selves on there own decided courses. Time trails is not that good because you can't save a replay and the ranking is not like Mario kart wii how it had a better ranking system. Now for the good. First online is here with 8 player battle and vs which is really fun. Your ranking goes by VR in this one just like Mario kart wii. But you gain VR slowly and I barely get matched up with people around my skill level, I've been paired up with someone that had 33,000 VR meanwhile I only had 1,137 VR. That is a problem which every nintendo game online suffers with. I can describe online in one word lag. No matter how good of an internet you have you will get lag which is frustrating I have been hit 3 times in less than 5 seconds with that stupid tanooki tail, star than red shells. From 2nd to last in less than five seconds. It's not fun when that happens because no matter what item you get it won't bring you back I guarantee. Now for communities, first thing I thought of when I heard about communities. "Wow this actually seems cool" but I was dead wrong. First of all your community is not private as people you've played with can join via the friendsopponents list. And it takes long to join one once I was waiting for 30 minutes to get in one and it had five of my friends and we all have good internet. The game had no skill involved all luck. Such a frustrating game. Wow so you don't get much in this game. This game could have been somewhat better if it was not rushed. But they knew people would still buy it which is stupid. I would rather wait and make the game better than making it rushed. Please nintendo don't this again it's embarrassing and just shows how much you care for the quality of the games, the fans and the reputation of your games.… Expand
  43. cooldipp
    Mar 20, 2015
    5
    ima have to give this a 5 because of the character roster downsize, mission mode(really don't care about it) and single character stats,kart selection(Mario kart ds u get your own kart that's design just for that racer) but it has some good things about it like
    -3D mode
    -beautiful designs -first row 3ds tracks only bottom track previous games tracks -new charcters -A.I harder(not    ima have to give this a 5 because of the character roster downsize, mission mode(really don't care about it) and single character stats,kart selection(Mario kart ds u get your own kart that's design just for that racer) but it has some good things about it like
    -3D mode
    -beautiful designs
    -first row 3ds tracks only bottom track previous games tracks
    -new charcters
    -A.I harder(not really)
    -new items
    and that's pretty much it from my point of view
    But it could have been better they should have kept the character roster(R.O.B,Dry bones) and at least make the A.I harder other then that's this is a good game    … Expand
  44. UCA
    May 8, 2014
    5
    It's a diffcult game. But I think this game is too simple because you really only can be two skills, dodge an attack and attack with your weapon or magic.
  45. bigeli
    Jul 7, 2023
    5
    One of the Mario Kart games of all time. Truly one of the video games ever. Mario Kart 7 has one of the most terrible character rosters I've ever seen. Wiggler and Honey Queen, are you kidding me. Besides that, they added gliders and custom karts, (wow!) The graphics are nice but this game really doesn't do anything with the Mario Kart franchise. No Mario Kart game is bad but this is theOne of the Mario Kart games of all time. Truly one of the video games ever. Mario Kart 7 has one of the most terrible character rosters I've ever seen. Wiggler and Honey Queen, are you kidding me. Besides that, they added gliders and custom karts, (wow!) The graphics are nice but this game really doesn't do anything with the Mario Kart franchise. No Mario Kart game is bad but this is the most medicore in the series. The game does have a pretty cool track selection, but that doesn't matter, as there is literally no VERSUS MODE.… Expand
  46. Tritonio
    Jul 3, 2017
    4
    Meh... Single player is too random for me to enjoy. Feels like you constantly need to focus on item management and when to switch positions with someone else. If you immerse yourself to the actual race (like I want to do when playing a racing game) you'll end up losing at the finishing line because of some shell hitting you. And winning because of a finding a good item at the last momentMeh... Single player is too random for me to enjoy. Feels like you constantly need to focus on item management and when to switch positions with someone else. If you immerse yourself to the actual race (like I want to do when playing a racing game) you'll end up losing at the finishing line because of some shell hitting you. And winning because of a finding a good item at the last moment doesn't feel fulfilling either.

    Multiplayer with strangers is harder but feels more balanced and less random than when playing single player though. Unless you have someone hacking but even then they usually just stay at first place and you can quite often ignore them.    … Expand
  47. Nuteboy100
    Nov 7, 2016
    4
    Mario Kart 7 was one of Nintendo's big chance to be recognized, and they failed. Horribly. Mario Kart 7 has good game-play, and customization is fine, its that the character roster is very small, only compromises of 12 characters. Online mode is hacked at times, leaving a player vulnerable to being hacked, or meeting hacker on a race, and leaving servers down for maintenance

    Speaking    Mario Kart 7 was one of Nintendo's big chance to be recognized, and they failed. Horribly. Mario Kart 7 has good game-play, and customization is fine, its that the character roster is very small, only compromises of 12 characters. Online mode is hacked at times, leaving a player vulnerable to being hacked, or meeting hacker on a race, and leaving servers down for maintenance

    Speaking of "leaving", Nintendo left some things out. What happened to quick race?! Or what about the beloved missions from Mario Kart DS?!? They decided not to add those.

    That isn't all, the whole game is one big glitch. Maka Wuhu has a glitch that can skip three quarters of the whole track. What promises to be a revolutionary game would've been one if they fixed everything and added what the players wanted.

    I would give this game a skip.    … Expand
  48. Lustikurre
    May 13, 2014
    3
    + New amazing tracks (including 1-way tracks).
    + Aquatic racing and gliding.
    - A.I cheating, - Powerslide babyfied, - Skill = luck - Removed game modes (Single race and Mission mode) If you ever played the DS version of mario kart you know what a mario kart game should play like. Nintendo has removed all skill in this game as the powerslide is now automatic so you cannot catch up    + New amazing tracks (including 1-way tracks).
    + Aquatic racing and gliding.

    - A.I cheating,
    - Powerslide babyfied,
    - Skill = luck
    - Removed game modes (Single race and Mission mode)

    If you ever played the DS version of mario kart you know what a mario kart game should play like. Nintendo has removed all skill in this game as the powerslide is now automatic so you cannot catch up if you're behind or broaden your lead with pure powerslide skills.

    The whole game is mostly based upon luck now. Will you get bombarded with blue shells? The answer is moslty "Yes", especially when you're in the lead at the final lap. You cannot do ANYTHING to avoid them either. On the 1-way tracks the A.I is always faster than you for some odd reason, making it even harder to finish in first place.

    Another let down is the removal of the single race and the mission modes from the DS version.
    I loved being able to play race after race with the cource chosen at random for me, or playing the cool missions once in a while, but Nintendo oddly chose to remove features instead of adding new ones.

    All in all this is a stripped down version of the DS version and my conclusion would be that if you don't own the DS version I'd say give that version a go before this one. Trust me, the gliding and the aquatic racing isn't better than skillful powersliding and more game mode options.    … Expand
  49. DolphinReviews
    Jul 20, 2022
    3
    It exists... really all you can say about Mario Kart 7. It's a bland, unoriginal entry in a great series.
  50. cwepahguy225
    Jul 5, 2014
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mario Kart 7 has a tiny character roster, with lots of crappy characters. Because there is no anti-gravity, hang gliding and underwater racing felt random and out of place. The big downside is the fact that races have only 8 people instead of 12. Customization was cool, but there weren't enough options.… Expand
  51. Focaccia
    Jul 15, 2017
    1
    Mario kart 7 underwhelmed me a lot. The controls were meh, and the replayability is almost inexistent. Some retro tracks are a nice addition but the new tracks and new characters are boring. The game was just meh in every single aspect. As a handheld game, it maybe sort of okay, but as a Mario kart game, it doesn't do the franchise justice.
  52. GDsReviews
    May 27, 2022
    1
    Mario Kart 7 has a good soundtrack, but easily the worst character roster and controls of any Mario Kart game. It is extremely easy to accidentally engage the Gyro controls while steering with the 3DS’ control stick. Some of the new tracks are split into sections rather than laps, adding a new challenge to the series that was carried over into Mario Kart 8. Overall, the wonky controls andMario Kart 7 has a good soundtrack, but easily the worst character roster and controls of any Mario Kart game. It is extremely easy to accidentally engage the Gyro controls while steering with the 3DS’ control stick. Some of the new tracks are split into sections rather than laps, adding a new challenge to the series that was carried over into Mario Kart 8. Overall, the wonky controls and atrocious character roster makes this easily one of the worst entries in the Mario Kart series.… Expand
  53. wegie125
    Dec 3, 2017
    0
    I don't think they could really mess up Mario Karty, this was by far the most advanced on a handheld. It had potential that they just ignored though. They had a chance to bring back the mission mode from the original mario kart on the DS and it was missed out. Sad to see. So close to perfection
  54. Theowy
    Jul 1, 2023
    0
    I like this game alot and I got on a rainbow road speedrun highscore and I was proud of it but i dont like how supposedly the different karts have different effects
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best 3DS Game of 2011
3
#3 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2011
4
#4 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Gameplanet
    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.
    Read full review
  2. Gamer.no
    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.
    Read full review
  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]
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