While there’s sadly no VW Beetle to be had, the Mario Kart Wii online tournament mode is now up and running, and we gave up our lunch break to bring you hands-on impressions of Nintendo’s very first challenge. If I knew then what I know now, I think I would have chosen lunch.
Directly accessible through the in-game Mario Kart Channel, the game’s first tournament drops you into a modified version of Mario Circuit, where the gigantic Chain Chomps are off their leash and hop menacingly along critical parts of the track, dragging Item Boxes in their wake. After picking any character and vehicle you like, you compete for the fastest time possible over three laps. The new additions make a usually ho-hum Mario Circuit surprisingly fun, but there are two major catches:
1.) You can restart the race at any time, with no penalty.
2.) You’re not actually playing online — every other kart is controlled by the game’s AI. You merely submit your score to an online leaderboard.
In a nutshell, what this means is that Nintendo’s so-called tournament boils down to an mere time trial, the only difference being the constant aggravation of 11 other AI karts pelting you with Spiny Shells every time you finally think you’ve nailed the course. If you’ve got half a mind to compete, you’ll restart the race every time you take a major hit, and — considering the utter worthlessness of Single Shells, Bananas and Fake Item Boxes when your objective is speed rather than a first place finish — probably whenever the luck of the draw is less than incredibly auspicious. Not that there’s any need to be competitive, considering all you’ll have to show for your efforts is a a spot on the Mii bell curve and subsequent bragging rights.
Now, there’s no indication that all Mario Kart tournaments will be like this — to the contrary, the press release seems to suggest they’ll mix things up a bit. We’ll collect coins, be limited to specific characters or control schemes, they might even play around with the rules. But between Mario Kart Wii’s own 12-player online races and this glorified AI ghost mode, I can’t see myself ever choosing the latter.
For the record, I eked out an above-average 2:02.688 using Peach and the Dragster — but I’d have to shave off half a minute to catch up to the current world champ, at 1:35.110. If despite all this you’re still eager to smoke him, you’ve got eight days — the tourney runs through May 9th.
Full press release:
Nintendo Announces Worldwide Mario Kart Wii Tournaments
Nintendo has thrown down the gauntlet for Mario Kart® Wii racers worldwide. Now it’s time to see who’s up to the challenge, as players take on the world in Mario Kart Wii Tournaments.
Every few weeks, a new tournament will appear on the Mario Kart Channel, an online feature that not only allows players to compete in tournaments, but also exchange race data with friends. Tournaments might take the form of a challenge for players to race a certain course as fast as they can with specific characters, or to collect a number of coins on a course using the Wii Wheel™ accessory or another control setup. They can feature unique rules or obstacles on the course.
The first tournament, which appears today, directs racers to compete for the fastest time on the Mario Circuit. Look closely though – something may be different. Players can attempt the challenge as often as they like during the duration of the tournament. Their best time will be recorded and added to the worldwide rankings, allowing players to see how they stack up against the best racers from around the world.
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