Mario Kart 7 Review

The Mario Kart games always seem to be a catalyst. Whenever they’re released, the platform they’re on is at the crossroads and usually Mario Kart will mean things are getting real. You know it’s on when it’s Mario Kart time. Does Mario Kart 7 deserve a spot on the podium, or is it merely making up the numbers? Let’s find out, I promise less puns as you continue.

As soon as you boot up Mario Kart 7, you’re presented with four simple options. It’s worth noting that Mario Kart 7 keeps things really clean and simple, as it doesn’t take too long to enter and exit the modes or Mario Kart “channel”.

From the dawn of time, the solo options for the Mario Kart franchise are exactly as you remember them and have not changed all that much. There’s eight different cups, split between four brand new cups and the remaining consisting of revisited “retro” tracks from the franchise’s past. Each of the cups can be completed in 50cc, 100cc and 150cc. Each one gets progressively harder than the ones before it. I say harder because 150cc is somewhat challenging – whereas 50cc is simply too easy and 100cc just doesn’t provide enough of a challenge. Playing 150cc sees the game’s AI act smart, and the “rubber banding” mechanic we’ve grown to (love to) hate isn’t as severe, providing a good challenge instead.

Like other previous games, coins are littered around the tracks. The more the player collects (up to 10), the faster your speed will be and while this sounds minor, this extra amount of speed may be the different between coming 1^st and 2^nd on the final stretch. The more coins you collect, the more customisations can be unlocked for your kart which is a first for the series. New karts, tires, and glider styles can be unlocked which all contribute to the handling of your vehicle. You’ll also want to collect as many coins as possible and race in a streamlined way in order to get a three star rating at the end of the cup.

Mario Kart 7 takes to the skies and the water this time around, with the addition of gliders and propellers added to karts for racing in the sky and underwater, respectively. These additions both add something new to the series and are quite fun to try (and subsequently figure) out where they will fit in your own racing strategy. Do you take the high road? Take the risk and fly that little bit further to get ahead? It’s all part of the fun and the strategy. Underwater parts are on some tracks, and are optional, but there’s a fair amount of forced underwater racing too. Also new to the game is the addition of a first person perspective, it’s not anything new for the genre but it is new for Mario Kart. It’s a different way to play the game for sure, but the peripheral vision being restricted makes it a little bit harder to “battle” it out on the course. First person is meant to be controlled with the gyroscope, meaning you’ll have to negate the 3D effect in order to do so. Both the first person and standard views control great with the system’s Circle Pad, a great improvement over the D-Pad controls we’re used to on portable Mario Kart games.

The items arsenal in the game has also gotten a redux, most of the usual suspects are there, and a few poorer items introduced in Mario Kart Wii have been carved out with a scalpel and thrown into one of those toxic waste bins. The new items will be familiar to those who have played other Mario games, however, with the Tanooki Suit coming to Mario Kart in the form of the Super Leaf. Its pal, the Fire Flower, works as you would expect as well. The most interesting item this time around is the Lucky 7. As the name suggests, the Lucky 7 rolls a roulette of most of the items in the game and as you would expect, can be a real game changer with the ability to turn the tide of the race.

Mario Kart 7 again splits the tracks between old and new. The new tracks are for the most part, great. But there are a couple of stinkers as with any racing game, and from my own personal observation, a few that nobody seems to choose online. The tracks that do stand out are the Melody Motorway and Piranha Plant Pipeway tracks. These two tracks are sure to be included with future Mario Kart games; they’re new classics and a joy to race on. Some of the new tracks also don’t have “Laps” but instead sections, with a Wii Sports Resort Wuhu Island themed track really standing out. I personally enjoyed the remixed Wii Sports theme that played during this track. The classic track selection is good, for the most part, but some of my favourite tracks from other games have already been included in other games. It would’ve been good to see some other tracks get the updated treatment.

Once you’re done with the solo modes, the real meat of the game is the included online modes. I’ve never seen so many people online on my 3DS friends list, which in itself is like a dream come true. Being able to see people who are playing online and the ability to join them when they are joinable is online how it should be – and it’s great to see it implemented in Mario Kart 7.

There are three big modes for online; worldwide racing/battling, racing/battling with friends and the new spiffy communities feature. Worldwide works much like Mario Kart Wii, allowing players to join races in progress – simply wait for a spot and away you drive. All races are ranked and you lose and gain VR points depending on how well you do. There’s no local mode for playing against your other compatriots, however lag, thankfully, is largely non-existent. Friends Mode is basically the same, but it allows you to play with friends. Like the in-built friends list, the system allows players to see who is online and who is joinable to race/battle against.

Communities, however, is the real standout feature and it’s the best thing Nintendo has done in the online space since stepping into the online arena. It works simply – someone (anyone) can create a community and that community is given a code. You can then hand out that community to other people to play against. You can set a limited amount of rules for each community, and at which speed they’re played at. It’s no Smash Bros. Brawl when it comes to customisation.

There are a few little annoyances with the online mode, though. I’ve joined my friends many times now only to be told that the group is full and I am unable to race (though this is a common problem with many online environments). You can’t quite from this point, though, and the only way is to reboot the game. Watching Mario Kart races could be fun while you wait, but you can’t pick who you watch or figure out who your friend is (making the wait rather tedious).

Ghost Data can also be exchanged not only over SpotPass but also with StreetPass as well. You’ll want to check out the Mario Kart channel from the Main Menu from time to time, to see what interesting tests Nintendo has challenged you to. Time Trials, although officially under the solo banner, update from the internet, allowing players to test themselves not only against friends but also the world.

Mario Kart 7 has some of the best graphics on the system, most in part to the stable and smooth 60 frames per second (even in 3D and while playing online). It’s absolutely flawless and we hope to see more 3DS games reach this benchmark in the 3D mode while still looking absolutely amazing. Races are also brought alive with tracks really popping out in 3D. Retro tracks have been remade great, remaining faithful to their original look while updating their topography to take advantage of the 3D. The game’s music is a bit of a mixed bag – with some of it not being great while other pieces are utterly forgettable. Classic tracks keep their tunes intact and it kicks the nostalgia up to ten.

Everything about Mario Kart 7 is great – though there is a severe lack of Waluigi in the game. Sure, it’s not so important, but his level is still there! Blue Shells have reverted back to their classic functionality – they now roll instead of flying ahead. Racing skill, like always, isn’t integral to the Mario Kart 7 experience as a lot can be up to lock and this is bound to annoy some people. If that’s you, then perhaps you should play something else. Mario Kart 7 feels a little too barebones in parts, but complete in others – it could’ve definitely done with some more time and features. If Nintendo follows its previous track record, we won’t be seeing another Mario Kart on the 3DS, which could be disappointing if we don’t have an opportunity to see more improvement to the series until the Wii U.

This is going to be an incredibly obvious statement, but here goes. Mario Kart 7 is a Mario Kart title – you know what you’re going to get from it and quite frankly, that’s it. This is both a blessing and a curse. Good because the Mario Kart games are great fun to play offline and online, and because you know what you’re getting. Mario Kart’s formula has not even changed, and depending on what side of the fence you sit on, that will affect your view on the game. For me, it’s a good thing, but a sprinkle of bad in some respects. That being said, what we have got is another great instalment in the Mario Kart franchise, and one that will be in your 3DS for months to come.