*Authors Note* Mario Kart 7 is a Nintendo 3DS exclusive.

The Mario Kart franchise returns riding on the enormous success and popularity of the Wii hit Mario Kart Wii with the 2011 iteration Mario Kart 7. We are used to seeing one Mario Kart release per generation of handheld or console, so the question that is begged is… Will a release of a new Mario Kart this early in the life of the 3DS hold up in 5 years time? It’s obviously impossible to make an exact prediction, but based upon what Mario Kart 7 has provided, I feel the answer is a resounding yes.

The Mario Kart franchise has a very tried and true formula (like most Nintendo franchises) that it has stuck to for the entirety of its existence, but Mario Kart 7 has made some steps toward breaking that stereotype by adding new key game play elements that change the way the game is played. The game sticks to the conventions of the last few releases where the game presents you with 16 new tracks and 16 reworked “classics”, however with these new tracks come new possibilities. The game has added both a flight and underwater component, and this brings about new equipment for your karts. A propeller has been added to your vehicle which becomes useful when submerged in the ocean and a glider for hang time you receive when flying over the edges of cliffs.

While the glider works well and adds depth to the game play, the propeller and underwater segments are something of a disruption. The propeller allows the karts to drive underwater, but the underwater segments run slower than the rest of the race (due to water pressure) and the propeller just becomes their logic for allowing you to drive underwater. What Nintendo should have done was allow for the underwater segments but not slow the player down due to logic. Mario Kart is not a logical franchise, and they should not go changing that now. Back to the glider though, and it’s an incredible feeling to go hurtling towards the edge of a cliff, sail off the end, and then get carried through the air as you swerve, dip, and dive through the sky attempting to collect coins and get back to solid ground. There is a wonderful risk/reward choice required each and every time you use the glider.

Another change made to the formula is the ability to select not only your car, but your tyres and the type of glider you use. These choices, depending on the players strengths, can help influence the outcome of a race, so if you don’t have the greatest control, then select tyres that help out if you end up off the track, and so on. New items the Lucky 7 (which enables you to possess all items at once, but other players can bump you and steal them), the fire flower (which allows you to fire off fireballs as quickly as you can for a defined period) and the tanooki tail (which allows you to smack away incoming shells etc) have all been added, but none of them feel overpowered or unbalance the experience.

While discussing items, the most contentious part of the franchise is the games “rubber-banding” that finds a way to consistently bring the pack together. A well placed lightning bolt may ruin a race for you, and there will always be a time when a blue shell will hit you 10 seconds from the line and you watch in despair as your competitors overtake you. It’s brutal at times, but it’s a part of the Mario Kart experience, and the best racer may not always win.

The visuals are among the best the young 3DS has mustered thus far, and the 3D does at times add to the experience, however any slight movement of the handheld can make the picture blurry and in a racing game this can be disastrous, so I may advise players to keep it off unless they’re very sure of their ability to keep a steady hand. The soundtrack is probably the least inspired of the games in the series however there are still a number of catchy tunes to bop along to.

What draws players to Mario Kart though are the tracks, and Mario Kart 7 probably has the best selection in the series’ history. As previously mentioned there are 16 new and unique tracks, and 16 older tracks that have been retrofitted to utilise the glider and propeller. Focussing on the new tracks first however there are some real highlights and most notably they are those that use the glider (Melody Motorway, Alpine Pass) but tracks such as Wario’s Galleon are developed so well that they do not make the propeller component feel tacked on. Classic tracks such as Kooper Beach have been slightly altered to enable the player to use these new features to access short cuts in a different fashion to the ways they once did. You have 17 characters to choose from, from Mario to Yoshi, Bowser to Donkey Kong and even your Mii, there are plenty to choose from.

Multiplayer is again a big component of the package with Balloon Burst returning, as well as the usual races, and a new coin collection battle where the player with the most coins at the end wins. Multiplayer can be played locally, online with friends or anybody across the globe.

Some will argue that Mario Kart 7 is the best the franchise has produced, and they wouldn’t be far off. As evidenced by Wario’s Galleon, the propeller and water segments can be executed properly, but more time needs to be committed toward making them more exciting for the player. Rubber-banding still frustrates, as it will always do, but the millions will keep buying these games because they are enjoyable not only to the core gaming audience but the masses off casual players, and that in itself is evidence of a quality game.

Mario Kart 7 – 9/10

Paul James

@pjreviews1989