mario-kart-week
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Virtually Free: Karting, 64-style
Mario Kart Wii may be out already, but that doesn't mean we have to stop celebrating it! This week, we're giving away a copy of Mario Kart 64 (1000 points/$10) on the Virtual Console to one lucky reader, to better enable you to compare and contract the past and present of the series. Or, you know, just to have fun. Whatever works for you.So what do you have to do to win? First of all, you have to leave a comment (with a valid e-mail address) on this post suggesting one other Mario Kart title you'd like to see on the Virtual Console. Second, you must be a legal resident of the United States with an American Wii (sorry, Canadians, we have to leave you out of this one; blame the gifting system and not us!) and 18 years of age or older. You may enter once per day between now and Monday, May 5; the contest comes to a close that night at 11:59 PM Eastern time. Questions? Check out the official rules.
Wii Fanboy Review: Mario Kart Wii
With its inclusion of bikes, stunts, and the Wii Wheel, Mario Kart Wii is an almost note-perfect riposte to all of those accusations that Nintendo is reluctant to innovate in its first-party games. In fact, in its bid to simultaneously please both newcomers and veteran players, Mario Kart Wii ends up feeling like the biggest deviation for the series since its inception sixteen years ago. And, on the whole, that turns out to be a good thing.%Gallery-4772%
Main Course: Our favorite Mario Kart tracks
Mario Kart Wii is only days away -- unless you're lucky enough to be outside of the U.S. and thus already have it -- and our blowout coverage is winding down as our anticipation levels wind up. But what's an entire week of Mario Kart without celebrating one of the most basic elements of the franchise? We're talking tracks, from our old favorites to awesome new experiences. You told us about your favorites ... now come with us on a journey through ours. Gotta have a place to race!
Virtually Overlooked: Kart Fighter
What if a bunch of Nintendo's world-famous franchise characters stopped adventuring and just got in a big fight? No doubt that would be an awesome game. You can just imagine the dollar (or appropriate currency) signs in the eyes of the person who came up with a surefire idea like that. That was the idea behind Kart Fighter, created ... some time after Super Mario Kart was released, by an unknown Hong Kong developer. It's a 2D fighting game starring Mario and friends, in familiar settings based on the Mario games.Nintendo totally ripped these guys off. Have they no respect for intellectual property?%Gallery-19761%
Characters we'd like to see in Mario Kart
When you think about a franchise that has been around as long as Mario Kart, you see it's hard to validate each title as the series gets farther along. One of the ways to validate the game for fans has been to offer a complete and full roster of racers. Well, we're going to go through the characters we wished were in the games, yet woefully aren't. So read on and see what changes we would like to have happen to the roster in upcoming installments in the Mario Kart franchise!
Celebrate Mario Kart Wii with alternate karts, Wii wheel substitutions
Using a baby as a Wii Wheel substitution is not the best idea for either your gameplay or the infant in question. Our sister site Nintendo Wii Fanboy has this and more suggestions for when the Wii Wheel isn't enough. In case you're looking for more Mario Kart Wii-related shenanigans, they've also devised a listing of potential "alternate karts," including what we envision would be the most "kart" race ever: Wario in a rickshaw vs. Yoshi on a pogo stick. Alternate Kart Universe Reinvinting the Wii Wheel
Reinventing The Wii Wheel
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Reinventing_the_Wii_Wheel'; Mario Kart games are all about having a great time racing against your friends -- and yet the Mario Kart Wii package shamefully includes but one Wii Wheel attachment. You could purchase a separate Wii Wheel, but that's a bit costly, and requires the foreknowledge that you'll have a second player soon. And then what if you have three friends coming over? Without four Wheels, you could face a controller shell emergency. In such desperate situations, you may go scrambling about your house for something that can be fashioned into a DIY Wii Wheel. In order to save you a bit of panic, we've come up with a bunch of makeshift Wii Wheels that will work in a pinch -- and some that wouldn't, but are almost as funny as adults holding fake steering wheels in the air and pretending to drive with them. Head for the starting line!
Alternate kart universe
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Alternate_kart_universe_The_future_of_Mario_Kart'; Karts are cool, but they are so sixteen years ago. However, our favorite Nintendo racing franchise is evolving and expanding to include a whole new selection of vehicles. No longer are you limited to the archaic kart, the common carriage, or the pedestrian pipes-on-wheels. But how will the addition of bikes affect the future of the franchise? We've cooked up a few possible additions to the Mario Karts of tomorrow, and while we could have gone with the obvious, such as rideable Yoshis, or perhaps a water pack à la Super Mario Sunshine (but not this one), instead we tried to think outside the box ... or kart. Let's see if we can get those engines revving for the future of Mario Kart! Zip forward in our time machine!
Sixteen years of Mario Kart
It's been nearly two decades since Super Mario Kart, and in that time, the five console releases have turned Mario's hobby into a powerhouse franchise in its own right. And no matter where you started in the series, be it with Super Mario Kart or Mario Kart: Double Dash, you've probably already noticed that the old adage applies here: the more things change, the more they stay the same. We're kicking off a week of everything Mario Kart with an overall look at the franchise, with an emphasis on old familiar faces and places. Reappearing characters, recurring tracks, and our oldest memories with the series: you'll find it all right here. Looking to stay spoiler-free? Only very basic information is revealed about Mario Kart Wii, near the end of the gallery. Follow Yoshi! >
