![]() My favorite tracks are probably a new version of Bowser’s Castle with all the fiery obstacles you’d expect from that classic area, Maka Wuhu which is the best execution of the new sprint type track that eschews the typical three lap setup in favor of just dividing one long loop into three segments, and Music Park which exhibits some of the creativity that exudes from the best Mario Kart tracks. Just like most Mario Kart games, MK7 has four cups of four new tracks each, but I feel like they just don’t stack up with most games in the series, particularly the recent editions ( Double Dash, DS and Wii). My biggest gripe with the game is the set of new original courses. It just isn’t really a game-changer in any way. It is hard to complain about as it will let people get closer to their ideal racing attributes as well as giving something else to unlock as you play. You can choose between various bodies, wheels and gliders which slightly tweak the different attributes of the vehicle. The other big addition is the ability to customize your kart. But I suppose as another way to add more routes in some cases it doesn’t hurt. You can also go underwater during certain segments, but I’m kind of indifferent towards this aspect. This is especially cool when it leads to alternate routes through different tracks and sneaky shortcuts which makes for some of the game’s better course designs. The first is the ability to fly off certain jumps with the aid of a new hang glider. Mario Kart 7 adds a couple of truly new features to the series to mix things up a bit. It seems like a stupid thing to mention, but it might mean they have tuned the game to not give this item out late in races as often which is another step in the right direction (or maybe I just got lucky!). Also worth noting is that the Blue Shell only cost me one race in my time playing Mario Kart 7. Which means it might actually help the person who threw it instead of just those close on the leader’s heels. While I would prefer they get rid of the dreaded Blue Shell altogether, I thought it made a little more sense here since it goes along the ground giving it a chance to hit other racers besides just the one in first place. ![]() Weapons can be held out behind you for defensive purposes and well if you’ve played Mario Kart you kind of know what to expect. It’s the expected mix of standard shells and banana peels to go along with more unique items like squid ink. Weapons don’t seem to affect the races in as big a way as recent entries which is another plus. It also helps that Mario Kart 7 released in a post MKWii world where the boost mechanics have been changed for the better, no longer requiring the back and forth motion of the steering mechanic that was so annoying and allowed for the plague that was snaking. This was in large part due to what a huge improvement the 3DS circle pad is over the DS d-pad for steering. They have really nailed the controls for the first time on a handheld in my opinion. I have finally taken the opportunity to put the game through its paces and found it to be another solid if unspectacular entry in the series. ![]() As much as I love the series, it is so much about local multiplayer with friends for me (something this version isn’t conducive to) that I just kept pushing it off. It took me a while to get around to Mario Kart 7.
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