Mario Kart Wii

 Wii
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 73
  3. Negative: 1 out of 73
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  1. Gamer 2.0
    73
    With Mario Kart being the epitome of racing franchises for many years, it is sad to see how little the game changes its dry formula and actually takes several leisurely steps at addressing failing issues.
  2. Hardcore Gamer
    70
    For anyone who has their Wii up and running online, you should definitely take the plunge, because the game's strengths will outweigh its flaws. If you can only play this game offline, however, then unless you're a masochist (or someone psychotic like me, who actually managed to get to the final stage of F-Zero GX’s crazy-hard Story Mode) pass on this; in fact, I'd go so far as to advise you to run in the other direction.
  3. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    64
    While Mario Kart Wii is predictably similar to its predecessors, something has changed with this installment. Something that makes it feel subtly unlike other Mario Karts--and not a change for the better. [June 2008, p.73]
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  5. Edge Magazine
    60
    Having sacrificed racing integrity in "Double Dash" to side with social silliness, Nintendo has turned 180 degrees into an awkward halfway house. [May 2008, p.86]
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  6. games(TM)
    60
    It might seem like the most complete Mario Kart experience yet, but in reaching for a wider audience, Nintendo may have lost sight of what made the series great in the first place. [May 2008, p.112]
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  7. Wired
    60
    [Mario Kart Wii's Battle Mode] is no longer a last-man-standing contest: Matches now last three minutes each, and if your kart takes too much damage, don't worry! You'll just respawn. Even worse, all battles are now played in teams of two. So while you can still have four human players, they can't all face off against each other -- and what's the point of that?
  8. Giant Bomb
    60
    Personally, I’m completely tired of getting exactly what I expect.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best Wii Game of 2008
2
#2 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2008
5
#5 Most Shared Wii Game of 2008

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1245 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,039 out of 1245
  2. Mixed: 155 out of 1245
  3. Negative: 51 out of 1245
  1. blisss
    Jun 10, 2011
    10
    This is the best Mario Kart Yet, from amazing tracks to amazing gameplay, to the bullet bills that can help you when youre doing bad, to theThis is the best Mario Kart Yet, from amazing tracks to amazing gameplay, to the bullet bills that can help you when youre doing bad, to the blue shells that knock me out of first a lot where it provides a challenge for me to get back into first, to the many fun gameplay modes in multiplayer, especially 3-4 players, is really fun. Its really fun to play with friendss. Its the best Mario Kart yet, and unlike some people believe, even though there are items that can help you, this game does take some skill… Full Review »
  2. MentalVortex
    Jan 25, 2013
    7
    This is definitely the pinnacle of the Mario Kart series and the best game for Wii, thanks to the highly satisfying online mode which CANThis is definitely the pinnacle of the Mario Kart series and the best game for Wii, thanks to the highly satisfying online mode which CAN provide countless hours of replay value. HOWEVER, this enjoyment is hampered considerably due to the ever increasing amount of cheaters using hacked consoles to give themselves constant invincibility, infinite blue shells and other unfair advantages. For every 10 games played online, I would estimate you will encounter at LEAST 3 or 4 games with such cheaters. This was not a frequent occurrence when the game was initially released, but over time, and with Nintendo's proven unwillingness to address the issue, it has become a common annoyance which ruins the experience.

    Aside from the online play, the addition of motorbikes is the most visible addition to the series, and have become quite popular since, more often than not, they are faster than the karts the game is named for. Regardless, the choice between the two vehicle types adds nice variety and good challenge for the underdogs using the classic go karts.

    Lastly I should mention that while there are about 20 tracks, several of these are from previous games in the series making things seem not so original. A couple extra new courses would have gone a long way to keep things from getting stale over time.

    Apart from these issues, the game offers an exciting racing experience which everyone can enjoy. The question however is "for how long?"    … Full Review »
  3. HellBugsie
    Jul 9, 2014
    7
    Yes, this is a fantastic game. BUT, also a very rigged game at the same time. I can't help but notice that all the computer characters areYes, this is a fantastic game. BUT, also a very rigged game at the same time. I can't help but notice that all the computer characters are stronger than my own player. Example: if they barley hit me from behind I seem to fling off the track and loose control, if I were to hit a computer player side on hard they would barley move!!! I do love this game but it does need a lot of improvements :)… Full Review »
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