Mario Kart Wii

 Wii
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
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  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 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 MarioThis 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… Expand
  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 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.This 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?"    … Expand
  3. Carlsdil000
    Jan 6, 2014
    10
    Addicting and fun. Super frustrating, but in a good way. I would often spend hours and hours playing this game. Best racing game out there, definitely.
  4. 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 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 :)
  5. Mariofan
    May 13, 2015
    10
    This game is SO AMAZING!! Best Mario Kart game of all time so far. The graphics are great for Wii. The controls are perfect. The character selection is the best in the series. There are lots of awesome tracks. You can even race as a mii. Mario Kart Wii is one of the best Wii games ever and I HIGHLY recommend it.
  6. SonicDude
    Aug 19, 2015
    10
    Mario Kart wii is truly an amazing game . Good selection of characters, Great tracks, good graphics, Many karts and bikes to choose from. One of the best games on the wii.
  7. ErkH.
    Apr 13, 2008
    10
    Edge magazine is a joke. When a game scores consistantly in a certain range and one review skews so far in one direction or the other something is amiss. Nintendo has never made a bad mario kart game and there is no reason to think they will start now.
  8. ASGaming21
    Feb 12, 2015
    10
    I enjoyed this game a lot, I still play it today to get more unlockables. I only have a few karts, a few bikes, Rosalina and Dry Bowser to get and then I'm done. :)
  9. Nick
    Apr 15, 2008
    9
    Really good fun - takes a while to get used to but the new tracks are great and I actually find the bikes even more fun than Karts.
  10. FredE.
    May 5, 2008
    9
    Excellent Game, Online Play with Friends is FUN :)
  11. cycodamo
    Aug 3, 2008
    10
    Simply the best game I've played on the Wii so far. At first I thought it was a bit too easy and kind of a stripped down Mario Kart to appeal to a wider audience, but in fact it retains all of its challenge and unrelenting fun from previous iterations - finding the perfect line to powerslide around a corner before hitting a jump and executing a trick to try and catch up or leave the Simply the best game I've played on the Wii so far. At first I thought it was a bit too easy and kind of a stripped down Mario Kart to appeal to a wider audience, but in fact it retains all of its challenge and unrelenting fun from previous iterations - finding the perfect line to powerslide around a corner before hitting a jump and executing a trick to try and catch up or leave the rest behind is terrific fun. Single player is a great challenge, and people who complain about being taken out by items obviously haven't been paying attention - that's what Mario Kart is all about! Besides, if you're good enough you can avoid them (ie don't stay in the middle of the road, you know that's where Bullet Bill travels). Online is where the game really shows off: it's completely lag free and there's nearly always a maximum 11 opponents to race against. You will quite easily race 50 times in a row without realising how much time you've spent online in this game - it's just so damn addicting and fun. Lastly, the wheel device is marvellously realised, very accurate and does increase your enjoyment of the game. Can't say enough good things about Mario Kart Wii, 10/10.… Expand
  12. LucoT
    May 8, 2008
    8
    It feels like Mario kart:Collector's edition. 16 new tracks, 16 old ones, honestly I prefer racing on the new tracks. It's a good thing the racing is so fun, because they've really hashed the battle mode. This would have been an easy 10/10, but battle mode is integral to Mario Kart and it just don't feel right playing in teams all the time.
  13. TitaniumDragon
    Jan 26, 2009
    8
    Mario Kart Wii is a good game, and is worth purchasing if you own a Wii. Its the latest iteration in the Mario Kart series, and it is a good game. But it isn't a great one, and its flaws rankle. First off, unlike its predecessors, you have to actually unlock the right to play every race. This sucks, because it is annoying not to be able to just jump in wherever. But the bigger issue Mario Kart Wii is a good game, and is worth purchasing if you own a Wii. Its the latest iteration in the Mario Kart series, and it is a good game. But it isn't a great one, and its flaws rankle. First off, unlike its predecessors, you have to actually unlock the right to play every race. This sucks, because it is annoying not to be able to just jump in wherever. But the bigger issue here is that playing multiplayer -doesn't unlock the races-. So you get the game, plug it in to play with your friends (and you can now play with up to FOUR people vs the computers in the grand-prix type race) and... you can't play any but the first four cups without beating all the cups in single player. This is incredibly frustrating and there's absolutely no good reason for this. The races shouldn't be locked in the first place, and even if they had to be for some reason, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever multiplayer play shouldn't be able to unlock them. Battle Modes are, likewise, inferior; you can no longer do free-for-alls between four players, which were the most fun, and you can't do elimination battle matches anymore, which were also fun - why isn't this still an option, at least? There's no good reason for it. The computers also are very poor at battle mode. The items in this game also suffer from being too swingy. Blue shells are too difficult to avoid and Bullet Bills are just horribly overpowered and completely game-swinging, and frustrating when you're doing well and then suddenly a bullet bill comes up and beats you. Overall the game is a good game - its got good races (though I feel Mario Kart 64 had better courses on the whole) and it is a fun racing game, but there have been better racing games. If you play it alone, you'll probably like it quite a bit, but multiplayer just feels like second fiddle, and as I purchased it for the sole purpose of playing grand prix mode multiplayer, its quite annoying. That said, the time trials are quite cool in this game, as you race against "ghosts" which are previous racers. While this existed previously, you can now download and race against other players as well as the "staff ghosts", which makes it more enjoyable as you can sort of tell how well you're doing. Overall, thumbs up, but not the greatest game ever, let alone the greatest mario kart game ever. Incidentally, the Wii wheel is pretty awkward - you're better off using the controller.… Expand
  14. Dare
    Jan 5, 2009
    8
    Most of the time I hate reading user reviews. This game does not deserve a 10. It does not deserve a 0. Get real, folks. This game is really good, but a 10/10 means perfect, and this game isn't perfect.
  15. AdamB.
    Apr 10, 2009
    8
    Compared to past Mario Kart games, Wii is nearly identical in terms of gameplay, with the exception of bikes, Miis, and online play. Mii support is great fun and makes online play much more diverse. The online play is nearly lag-free even with 12 players, and races and battles are always intense and fun, but there are a few serious downsides. There's no way to communicate with people Compared to past Mario Kart games, Wii is nearly identical in terms of gameplay, with the exception of bikes, Miis, and online play. Mii support is great fun and makes online play much more diverse. The online play is nearly lag-free even with 12 players, and races and battles are always intense and fun, but there are a few serious downsides. There's no way to communicate with people online, or add them to your friends. So you're pretty much playing with random people all the time, and it feels like playing CPUs since you can't talk, wave, or perform any other basic type of human interaction. Nintendo constantly demonstrates its utter incompetence when it comes to online functionality. At first I was inclined to attribute the lack of features to the family-friendly nature of the Wii, until I encountered players named "Turdnugget" or who used Hitler and penis-faced Miis in online games. The removal of dual-player karts is also a step down from Double Dash, but the inclusion of tracks from SNES, GBA, N64, and GameCube are a welcome addition. Getting a 3-star overall rating is essentially impossible, so it's honestly baffling why they included it. Even two stars on 150cc tracks requires constantly restarting the 4-race circuit, and a constant stream of blue shells along with the unforgiving and cheap AI will result in controllers broken in frustration. Players going for high scores needn't bother using the overly sensitive and fairly useless motion control feature. Despite the numerous downsides, Nintendo managed to put in a fairly respectable effort that's a lot of fun (in short bursts at least) for gamers of all ages.… Expand
  16. JG
    Nov 24, 2008
    8
    Graphics: 10 star variaty: 8 unlockables: 4 single player: 10 multiplaer: 4 I have played Double dash for a long time and liked it a lot. I just got the wii and got Mario Kart Wii. The graphics are awsome as for most wii games. Great variety after unlocking 32 tracks, 8 cirsuints, 90 bikes, 90 karts, and 30 charictars. The The unlockable list is confusing which is why I rated that at 4. Graphics: 10 star variaty: 8 unlockables: 4 single player: 10 multiplaer: 4 I have played Double dash for a long time and liked it a lot. I just got the wii and got Mario Kart Wii. The graphics are awsome as for most wii games. Great variety after unlocking 32 tracks, 8 cirsuints, 90 bikes, 90 karts, and 30 charictars. The The unlockable list is confusing which is why I rated that at 4. Single player is insainley good (better than expected)! Multiplayer is bad in the sense that there is only VS and battle although those are intriacte I think there should be grand prix mode should be in multiplayer like it is on double dash.… Expand
  17. JonathanC
    Aug 6, 2009
    8
    The classic Mario Kart we all know and love is back. The motorcycles are a good edition. The classic courses and battle stages are lackluster however. There are no character specific power ups, and the double item boxes of double dash are gone. Again rubber band A.I. make things difficult
  18. ChaceS
    Jan 31, 2010
    7
    This game is very enjoyable, but I don't think it's 10/10 material. I hate the battle mode. Why on earth do they make you play with CPUs on teams? They should have included the option to do battle mode like in MK:DD and MK64. The new levels are fun. However, I think some are too cluttered. Many levels from Double Dash I would consider to be better than some from MKwii. It's This game is very enjoyable, but I don't think it's 10/10 material. I hate the battle mode. Why on earth do they make you play with CPUs on teams? They should have included the option to do battle mode like in MK:DD and MK64. The new levels are fun. However, I think some are too cluttered. Many levels from Double Dash I would consider to be better than some from MKwii. It's still a good game, though.… Expand
  19. nintendoid13
    Oct 23, 2010
    10
    I always loved the old mario kart games like 64 and double dash but this game is ten times better!! The extra courses are sweet and I love the balloon battles. The multiplayer is awesome too.
  20. robguy222
    Aug 29, 2011
    10
    i love this game. it is so much fun. i always win! I have mirror mode. I got it in about 6 months. It just so so fun to play. 262 reviews have a 7 or more. That's great!
  21. SuperRater52
    Feb 22, 2012
    10
    Does this game really deserve a 10? Some people don't think so, and that's their opinion. Mine on the other hand is a little bit different. This game is amazing!!!!! When I was little I played Mario Cart on the N64 all the time! This game not only brought back what I loved from the N64 version, but added so many new aspects that I truly enjoy! The online is great, all of the bikes andDoes this game really deserve a 10? Some people don't think so, and that's their opinion. Mine on the other hand is a little bit different. This game is amazing!!!!! When I was little I played Mario Cart on the N64 all the time! This game not only brought back what I loved from the N64 version, but added so many new aspects that I truly enjoy! The online is great, all of the bikes and karts are fun to use, and this game is really fun to play with friends and family. Many people complain about the computer cheating on the game, and it does to a certain extent. However, isn't that like almost every other racing game? I think so, and I have played plenty of racing games. The computer isn't unbeatable anyways!!! You just need to race smart, and you will win!!! Love this game, go buy it!!!… Expand
  22. RamKikura
    Feb 29, 2012
    5
    This is a weird game.
    Very good in some respects, and very bad in others.
    The good points: -The time trial mode is AWESOME. Every aspect of this mode is near perfect. This is by far one of the best features of the game. -On VS mode in two player, when you turn off the items and the AI players, it is a very enjoyable racing game. -On VS mode in two player, with balanced items and no    This is a weird game.
    Very good in some respects, and very bad in others.
    The good points:
    -The time trial mode is AWESOME. Every aspect of this mode is near perfect. This is by far one of the best features of the game.
    -On VS mode in two player, when you turn off the items and the AI players, it is a very enjoyable racing game.
    -On VS mode in two player, with balanced items and no AI, it is very like the N64 version for game play, which is great.
    -The characters are awesome, and the addition of the bikes takes it a step forward. (Although after playing for a while you start to realize that it should be called Mario Bike, because there isn't much point to using the karts after realizing how much better the bikes are.)
    -Some of the new levels are really fun to play.

    Now for the negatives
    -Grand Prix is a huge let down. After realizing that the wheel contoller syley is a hinderance instead of a help, and switching to the controller/numchuck configuration, 50cc is way too easy. The rubber band AI in 150cc is so over the top that it's not really worth playing 150cc cups unless you want to unlock characters/carts/bikes/mirror mode. 100cc came close to being fun, but didn't quite balance out right.
    -The reliance of over-powered items (espically in 150cc) rather than making the AI better racers.
    -The wheel controller style is very inaccurate and annoying to use.
    -Battle mode isn't worth playing
    -No 2 player Grand Prix
    -This is way too much of a luck game. I could understand having multiplayer purely casual (or as I would like to have seen, a way to change the setting between casual and hardcore style gaming) but making the solo player grand prix mode the way it is makes no sense to me. The overpowered items, the terrible rubber band AI, the addition of 4 more racers to throw things at you, the fact that 9 times out of 10 all 12 racers finish the race within 3-5 seconds of each other so when you get hit with 3 red shells, 2 blue shells, and a pow block right at the end, you go from 1st to 11th, and just the simple fact that you can't go a tenth of a lap without getting hit with something make it very unenjoyable to play.
    -Overall the game felt lazy too me. It seems as though they relied on the gimick of the wheel controller and the new items to sell the game, and in the process got very sloppy with the actual gameplay.

    So overall, I feel that this game had tons of potential, but unfortunatly a lot of it was wasted. While there were definatly some very strong points (mainly the time trial mode as I mentioned) overall it was a very underwhelming game given what we have come to expect in the Mario Kart franchise.    … Expand
  23. user1MILLION
    Aug 12, 2012
    10
    If anyone ever tells you Mario Kart doesn't change enough tell them their argument is invalid because clearly they haven't looked at the tracks. Many have the same themes: water, desert, normal grass, sky, castle, etc.. Mario Kart Wii has that plus a mall level, a tree level, and also updated levels from previous Mario Kart iterations. Also, anyone who complains about how unresponsive theIf anyone ever tells you Mario Kart doesn't change enough tell them their argument is invalid because clearly they haven't looked at the tracks. Many have the same themes: water, desert, normal grass, sky, castle, etc.. Mario Kart Wii has that plus a mall level, a tree level, and also updated levels from previous Mario Kart iterations. Also, anyone who complains about how unresponsive the Wii's motion controls are needs to play this game. I would venture as far as to say that this is better than playing with an analogue stick and much better than a d-pad. If you have a Wii this is a must-have.… Expand
  24. GoreSmasher
    Dec 13, 2014
    10
    I played so much i think that's the reason my wii couldn't read disk. I had really good times playing this game with my friend online and anyone who had a wii had it.
  25. spongeswift
    Jun 19, 2017
    8
    Mario Kart Wii: the broken game I actually like. Bikes were OP, and Funky Kong was spammed it wasn't a perfect game. But it's great tracks, good racers and kart/bike selection, and item distribution the good really outshines the bad.
  26. Silverzapper
    Mar 9, 2016
    7
    I think that this is a good game. However I think it would be really nostalgia blind to give it a ten. I played it and I didn't enjoy it as much after the release of Mario Kart 8. There are some great tracks and I loved the battle mode. I played that mode so much. Battle mode is the reason why I come back to this game. Unfortunately online play has been discontinued so you wont be havingI think that this is a good game. However I think it would be really nostalgia blind to give it a ten. I played it and I didn't enjoy it as much after the release of Mario Kart 8. There are some great tracks and I loved the battle mode. I played that mode so much. Battle mode is the reason why I come back to this game. Unfortunately online play has been discontinued so you wont be having as much fun with battle mode as I did. However if you are a Mario Kart fan and you haven't you need to buy this. That's all I have to say.… Expand
  27. Barnes1987
    Mar 6, 2017
    10
    One of my all time favorite Mario Kart games. This game was great for multiplayer and has all that Mario Kart goodness that keeps you coming back for more. Must buy game for the Wii.
  28. Diegochocho
    Jul 8, 2018
    8
    Juego para divertirse en familia, con buenos circuitos y buena jugabilidad.
  29. CowDude121
    Jun 2, 2017
    8
    Great for a wii game, not as great for a mario kart game.The tracks are very creative and the power ups are awesome as usual but overall Mario Kart 8 and Double Dash are better Mario Kart games.Don't let that back you away from buying this, Mario Kart Wii is the best racer for the Wii.If you have a Wii, go get this!
  30. KeanuGermany
    Jun 5, 2020
    10
    Graphic: 10
    Music: 10
    Control: 10
    Variety: 9
    Degree of Difficulty: 10
    Fun: 10
    Story: /
    Multiplayer: 10
    Content: 10
    Long-term Motivation: 10
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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

Critic Reviews

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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
  1. Nintendo Power
    90
    With more features, modes and multiplayer options than ever before, fans should be revved up to get behind the wheel. [May 2008, p.86]
  2. 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]
  3. DarkZero
    80
    Then there is the Wii Wheel peripheral itself, which if you did not already know is just a plastic housing for the Wiimote. I have to admit though it is a well made bit of plastic, and is not only smarter looking than the uninspired Wii Zapper, but also more ergonomic to hold. Unexpectedly it is very easy to use.
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