The Gamer Girlfriend 1.15.09: Mario Kart Wii

Posted by Greg Bruno on 01.15.2009

Like Your Girlfriend? Like Mario Kart? Let Andi Show You How To Mix The Two Together As 411's Greg Bruno Presents The Latest Edition Of The Gamer Girlfriend!


First and foremost, Andi and I would like to thank everyone for making the first edition of The Gamer Girlfriend a huge success. Special thanks to the guys from halo.bungie.org and Urk from Bungie.net for highlighting the column on their respective pages. Last but not least, thanks to everyone who left comments! We read them all, good or bad, and use what you say to drive towards a better product for you to read and enjoy. So without further adieu, let's dive right into the second edition of The Gamer Girlfriend.

This month's game:


Mario Kart Wii.

We chose this game because…well…because it's fun and that's what playing video games is all about. The Mario Kart franchise has been around since the SNES and was an instant hit when it debuted in 1992. Since its initial release, there have been multiple releases and sequels. The most recent edition, Mario Kart Wii, has been a huge hit with the Nintendo audiences. The holiday sales were through the roof for Mario Kart Wii. One of the driving forces (pun immensely intended) behind the new installment of the franchise is interactivity. As with the majority of Nintendo Wii games, user interaction is the focal point of the game play. The game comes packaged with a "steering wheel" in which the player places the Wii Remote inside of in order to steer the on screen character. If that doesn't scream "Buy me!" I don't know what does.

Once again, the lovely Andi J has agreed to spend some time with the game. After she plays, she'll give her thoughts on how those gamers out there who want to get their significant others into gaming can do so.



Told you she was a big fan!

I'll have you note, however, that Andi is a pretty big Mario Kart fan. I asked her how much experience or knowledge she had of the Mario Kart franchise. She responded with "Super Nintendo all the way, baby!" So, the last time Andi had played a Mario Kart game was quite a few years ago. Let's see what she thinks of the new, motion driven (again…pun) sequel for the Nintendo Wii.

Before we play, what would you say this game is about just by looking at its cover art?

Andi:
Definitely a futuristic alien war of some type…. Just kidding! Racing, of course!

Graphics:
While Nintendo systems have never been graphical powerhouses, the Mario Kart franchise never needed stunning visuals in order to have an exciting gaming experience. The cartoon-like look and feel of the game gives it more character than the majority of those utilizing the Unreal III Engine. Brightly lit stages and character models let players relive the times they had with the original Mario Kart games. Of course, the Wii is much more capable than the SNES, so animations are more fluid, texture work is much more detailed, and the overall graphical quality has been improved. The Wii is certainly capable of turning out some quality looking games.

Andi, what do you think of the graphics in this game?

Andi:
I think the graphics are pretty typical of Nintendo. Nothing too special, but they get the point across. The Mario games, to me, will always be old school, so I appreciate the more cartoony graphics for these games.

Sound
If you're like me (old), then you've grown up with these sound effects and musical scores. If you've played any of the previous Mario Kart games, you'll recognize the majority of the music from other games. Some of the characters voices are as annoying as you remember, especially Baby Mario and Baby Peach. Other voices are pretty generic. You've heard all these before, trust me.

Andi, what do you think about the sound effects, voice work, and music in this game?

Andi:
That greatly depends on which character you choose. With that said- I highly recommend NEVER being Baby Peach. I am ALWAYS Peach. As girly as that may be, she is my girl. We go way back to SNES. But when Baby Peach was rocking past me in her stroller I figured I'd give her a shot. I might have thrown the wheel at the TV if I heard another high pitched "oh" from her. Other than that, the music is classic and when the song speeds up for the final lap it still kinda gets my heart pumping ;-).



Turning into the turn! It's what the Wii is all about!

Do you think the typical non-gamer girlfriend would enjoy this game?

Andi:
Yes, I think a non-gamer girlfriend could easily enjoy this game. It is simple, fun, and a game you juuuust might kick your boyfriend's ass in. I however, did not. This made me angry. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was the one to beat back in the day. I think I need more time to adjust to the new steering in the Wii game.

Fun Factor
The Mario Kart franchise has always been a blast to play. From its initial simplicity to its current gimmick, you'll have a blast playing this. The tracks are fun to cruise around and the weapons are awesome to use against others. Pick this one up and play with as many people as possible, you'll thank me later.

What would be a good way for a boyfriend to get his girlfriend into this game, if at all?

Andi:
If your girlfriend has ever played a Mario Kart game on another system like I did, I think she'll be eager to play. If she's never played, let her beat you the first couple of times. It will give her satisfaction you will never understand to beat you at a video game. After that step it up and make it challenging (that is if you are actually better than her). As pissed as I was that Greg hit me with 3 freaking red shells in a row two inches before the finish line and knocked me out of first place, I was still having a blast. (Don't worry baby- revenge will be mine!)

Final Girlfriend Approval Rating:



Andi:
While I think I'd still prefer a D-pad to navigate my kick-ass kart, it was fun trying out the wheel on the Wii. I used to tease my friend Sarah constantly for moving her entire body into a turn. I guess she can laugh at me now because I found myself falling off the couch with every sharp turn. This is definitely a fun game for couples. Challenge each other, bring out the trash talk (jokingly of course), and make a few bets. Who knows, you might get her to start a gaming column with you!? ;-) But just a warning boys, girls may be terrible drivers, but in this case that is to our advantage. So when we smash you off the road and into the water, don't be too mad.

P.S. Just a quick clarification on our rating scale. The rating scale is based on how much I think a non-gamer girlfriend would like the game, not my personal opinion of it. I think Halo is a great game, just not a girlfriend game. So Urk, I'll be expecting my Valentine's Day gift basket to be arriving on time, free of any mailing complications ;-)

Hopefully Andi has given you some ideas as to how to get your own significant other to sit down and enjoy some gaming time with you. Remember to make it time for the both of you. Please leave comments below to give us suggestions for next month's installment of The Gamer Girlfriend.