I have a 7 year old nephew,ad and it was his Christmas present. Very happy, the wheel is fun to play with and the sounds of the game and levels are really enjoyable.

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Mario Kart Wii follows the established pattern for the Mario Kart games: pick a character from the Nintendo ranks, from Mario or Donkey Kong to Super Mario Galaxy's Rosalina, then go head-to-head in kart races on wacky tracks based on Nintendo games.

Nintendo's don't-fix-what-ain't-broke attitude could be called conservative, but it also means the game has built-in appeal for players who enjoyed previous Mario Kart games. The Wii version does introduce a significant new element in the form of motorcycles. Bikes drift a little easier than karts (but with less power) and can do wheelies to gain speed in straightaways. In a word, they're not revolutionary, but they add a little room for players to develop their own racing style.

Also present are the requisite new tracks. There are four new cups and four "retro" cups that resurrect tracks from previous games. The retro tracks run the gamut from the original SNES Mario Kart to selections from the GameCube and DS versions. The recreated tracks strike an intriguing balance between having a nice Wii sheen and maintaining the graphical style of the systems they first appeared on. The new tracks are more of a mixed bag. Some, such as Toad's Factory and Mushroom Gorge, present fun and interesting new concepts. Others, like the new Bowser's Castle, are elegant refinements of classic themes. Frustrating, however, are so-called "new" tracks that blatantly crib from older ones, such as Moon View Highway, which is a dead ringer for Toad's Turnpike (N64).

Most perplexing of all is the handling of items. Falling off the course, getting hit with a thunderbolt or blue shell, and other sundry events all now cause you to lose an item you're holding. In races haunted by the possibility that you may be robbed of your item at any moment, item strategy goes out the window. There is a strong disincentive to hold on to an item and use it at an opportune time; instead, you want to use it as soon as you get it so as to get some benefit instead of just having it taken away. This system may be a deliberate move on Nintendo's part to strip away a layer of complexity and thereby make the game that much more accessible to neophytes, but it is ultimately to the game's detriment. All this is not even to mention the greatly increased incidence of high-powered items like blue shells, which you may now see several times per race.

The solid core gameplay redeems most of the flaws of Mario Kart Wii, and even the game's shortcomings may be less than apparent to new players. The "next generation" has not spurred a quantum leap forward for the series, but as a new iteration of a reliable franchise, Mario Kart Wii does not disappoint.

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WOW - I Am Hooked! Let me just say that I've anticipated the release of this game since standing in line to get the Wii the first day it was released and I can truly say that it's even better than I expected! For what it's worth, I'm in my late 20's and was a HUGE fan of Kart for the 64 back in the day (I feel it's worth mentioning that since the only negative reviewer thus far said he did not care for the 64 version). It can be a bit frustrating at times, but that's part of the reason why it's so great! You can be in last place and come back to win it all (or get in the top 5 anyway). The wheel works great - feels very comfortable. You press the built-in trigger (or B button) to drift and build speed or if you race in automatic, then it doubles as a special button, but mostly that's the left button on the control pad. 2 is accelerate and 1 is brake/reverse, although I'm not sure the brake works quite as well as it did in the 64 version. Online play is AWESOME, but there are some pretty darn good racers out there (even though it just came out today!) It's difficult to write a elegant review since it's way past my bedtime, but I wanted to tell potential buyers how awesome this game is before I go to bed! I'm not a big fan of Smash Bros - I thought Mario Galaxy was very very good, but in my opinion, Mario Kart is the very best game out there for Wii! If you're going to play with friends at your place, I recommend spending $10 for extra wheels - it makes it much more fun! Race On!

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Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel

THe game is awesome. Every bit as fun as the last Mario Kart games. I really don't like the wheel, but the nunchuck/wiimote combo make an extremely good alternative. I'm glad I bought this game.

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I new at WII, also bought a PS3, wow what a blast WII is and Mario cart is a Blast, lots of screens and variations, cant go wrong, good graphics.

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This is a very fun game. A little stressful as you run over things and go the wrong way but that is just because I have not mastered yet. We really enjoy this game. It is a lot of fun with multiple players.

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I bought this for my 14 year old cousin for his birthday. It shipped right on time, and he absolutely loves it. Thanks!

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This game is amazing. It has mega replay value. One player two play three player four.

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Great game for everyone in the family, from our three year old to the adults. Love that four people can play at once and that it has so many different options for racing. Overall, a great game. I highly recommend it!

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Sooo much fun! Mario Kart is a great party game! Easy to play and control with the wiimote, with settings to make it more difficult for advanced players. Using the wheel is harder to control though, so most people just stick with the wiimote.

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Mario Kart w/wheel is a fun game and I certainly give it a thumbs up!

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I've been playing this game with my family and extended family and it is a whole lot of fun. to some it up, this game rocks! we play it everyday and it never gets old. when we are up for a challenge other than ourselves we logon to the wii wireless network and play other players around the world and the kids think that is just the neatest thing.

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This is a great game as expected. I would only pay full price for a Mario game. Every other title can be purchased when its on sale price.

Overall i am pleased with this game. I am most pleased that i can use my GameCube controller because that Wii Wheel is AWFUL and even without the wheel you have to hold the controller side ways in order to use it. Its just hard to control your KART if you dont have a standard controller. If you want to keep coming in at 12th PLACE keep using the nunchuk or wheel controller. I am surprised this isnt an issue for other people. Nintendo Wii's novelty has worn off & they need to keep developing every game with the standard controller in mind as a secondary choice because the nunchuks are just down right AWFUL at this point!!!!!!

Back to my review. This is a great game. Some of tracks feel a bit short but i enjoy it nevertheless. I noticed in terms of graphics it really doesnt steer far away from the GameCube version. Oh well i hope everyone else enjoys this =)

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My Sis-In-Law bought this game for my 7 year old Daughters Birthday in August. I also have a 10 year old and an 8 year old Nephew who had the game first. This game they have been playing for months they absolutely Love it and it keeps them busy for hours on those rainy cold days when they are in the house. It is definitely worth the money. Great Game for the Kids.

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I love this game and the wheel Mario Kart is so much fun its for all ages not just for kids.The wheel makes you feel like you are really driving the karts its great.

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