This Mario Kart clone blows its competition away!
927987
Played Mario Kart? This game takes those fundamental game ideas and expounds on them beautifully. With AMAZING gameplay and flow, this game is a solid buy. Plenty to do for every type of gamer.  A true diamond in the rough.
4551866
Anyone who put a few hours of play time into this game will realize that it's easier to get into than past Mario Kart titles, mostly purists will sense this right away. Nintendo made this title with the casual gamer in mind to get the most attention and for the most part it pays off.

Mario Kart lets you play through several game modes where you pick a character, pick a kart or motorcycles (new to the franchise), pick a stage (16 classic tracks from past MK titles and 16 brand new tracks) and then you race for 1st place against 11 other CPU racers. Along the way, you can pick up several power ups to help you or hinder your competition as well as multiple ledges to perform speed boosts. As you go through the single player mode, you start off at the lowest class (50 cc) and earn the right to unlock the 100 cc class (cars go faster) and the 150 cc (cars go the fastest.) Races take place in the form of "Cups" featuring tracks of various themes. Of course, Nintendo always pack in extra content waiting to be unlocked when you fulfill certain conditions. In the end you can unlock secret characters, karts and motorcycles. Anything you unlocked in the single player mode can be used in the online multiplayer modes, which is where you can race up to 11 other people from across the world. Win your races and you win rank points and improve your status online.

The PROS: graphics, sounds and music. There are lots of characters to use. There are lots of karts, bikes and characters to unlock. The controls are very easy to use and you have a choice of Wiimote and Nunchuk, Classic Pro controller, Wii Wheel (included with game) or Gamcube controller as your means to control the game. 4 player support is available so you can play with your friends. Online multiplayer is fun and works (unlike the online multiplayer featured in Super Smash Bros Brawl.)

The CONS: Remember when I said earlier the casual gamer can get into this game? It's because the overall difficulty of this game in general is low, EXCEPT for the cheap A.I. on the highest difficulty level. Racing in the 150 cc means dealing with the cheap, cheezy, rubber band A.I. of the CPU racers (very frustrating at times.) Some single player modes are not available in the multi-player modes. And yes, hackers have found a way to boost their stats and snag power ups without actually acquiring them so beware whenever you race online for any funny activity.

I recommend this title because it is generally fun and anyone who plays it will keep on playing for years to come. I, myself, was never a fan of Mario Kart until I picked this one and I unlocked everything and still play it online. If you are looking for a fun racing game for the Wii, you can't go wrong with this one. ********HIGHLY RECOMMENDED********
1283964
When I first got a Nintendo 64, I only could afford one game.  So I chose Mario Kart 64 since I had played Super Mario Kart for Super Nintendo before and loved it.  I played and played and played some more.  It was my first game and it still is my best.  It is very original.  No wonder they sold over 1 million copies.  I give this game 5 stars.  Try it.  You won't regret it.
2040347
If you weren't sure about getting a Wii U - NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT! Mario Kart 8 is one of those games that makes your eyes tear up and mouth water all at the same time. It's a grand homage to past Mario Kart games with masterful improvements. First let's start with the music - it's all orchestrated and sounds like the voices of angels. Next, the courses - a great selection of previous Mario Kart courses with many, many more new courses. Thirdly, characters - a wide variety to choose from (the largest roster in Mario Kart history). Nintendo took what Mario Kart 7 (3DS) did right and added a lot more content! This game is a must have.

What are you waiting for? GO GET IT NOW!!
4058334
This weekend has been reserved for Mario Kart 8 and nothing else! Graphics are amazing. Take some time and look at the detail when racing. You will be pleasantly surprised as to what you may find. For me the two great things that stand out are the anti gravity addition and online play. I recommend you to try Mario Kart 8 out. Disappointment shall not find you. Good job Nintendo! Onwards to Smash Bros and Zelda!!
2696033
An awesome update to the Mario Kart series. The controls are much better than in the Wii version, and the menus much easier to use. It also features downloadable content coming out soon, with more of what I like: characters, vehicles, and tracks.
4795975
Let's be honest here.. Double Dash was fun, but it was horribly balanced with special moves and snaking made it impossible to beat anyone who was good at it. Mario Kart has never been about driving "Skill" it's been about driving "strategy."

I'm the guy who rides in 7th place purposely waiting for the lightning bolt ;-)

Anyways the game has a single player mode that can be quite difficult in the 100 and 150 class races and there are a lot of cool player unlocks such as the ability to play as your Mii. The wheel takes a while to get used to, and i inevitably gave up on it and either use the gamecube controller or the nunchuck but it's still a lot of fun and something different. If the single player mode isn't enough to quench your thirst, there's a very well conceived online mode that let's you put your ranking up to the test in both race and battle modes. My only complaint is the really shotty online friends menus, which make it nearly impossible to set up a game with friends and really enjoy it.

Overall I think this game is a lot more fun and balanced than the previous installations, and a lot of the retro maps are included (including SNES!) That being said, if you own a Wii and do not own this game then you might as well be using to help hold up your couch.
3309869
From what I've experienced so far, this is definitely one of my favorite Mario Kart games. I daresay it bypasses even Mario Kart Wii--my previous favorite.

The art direction is gorgeous, the soundtrack is beautiful, the track designs are amazing., and the new items are a lot of fun.

Mario Kart 8 supports off-TV play, so you can play on only the Gamepad if you want to (as long as your Gamepad is within range of your Wii U; range varies depending on wall thickness, amount of obstructions, etc).

My one complaint is Battle Mode. Rather than giving you track "arenas" made specifically for Battle Mode (like the previous MK entries), MK8 has you battle on the same tracks that you race on, which isn't nearly as fun or exciting.
3076622
Nintendo has never made a bad Mario Kart game, but some are definitely better than others.  This is probably the best portable version, and amongst the best 3-4 of the whole series.  Double Dash on the Gamecube is probably my favorite, with this and Mario Kart Wii tied for 2nd place.  If you've played Mario Kart before you know what you're dealing with - fun and addictive racing with lots of replayability.
823124
This game can be summed up in one word:
WOW!
Ever wonder what would happen if you pit Pikachu against Samus? Mario versus Luigi? Princess Peach vs. Princess Zelda? Link vs. Young Link? Link vs. Ganandorf? You get the idea. This game is a fighting game between Nintendo's All-Star cast of characters. Each character has one or two stages based on his/her adventure(s) and has character specific moves.
Let's start with the Graphics.
Graphics: 5/5
The graphics are outstanding. The stages vary in style, each featuring its own unique obstruction. For example, the Coronia stage has Arwings swooping down and shooting at your character. All the stages are neatly rendered and are perfect for the game. The characters are very crisply modeled and textured. They stand out sufficiently from the background and have great little effects like reflections and the like. Just take a look at Mario's pants and you'll understand what I mean when I say GREAT TEXTURES!!!
Gameplay: 5/5
The gamplay is simple and efficient. It is designed so the newbie can easily pull of some cool looking moves, and the experianced player can utilize each character to its fullest. The combat system is different from most fighting games in the respect that the damage meter goes up, not down. In most fighting games, you try to kill the oponent by lowering their life bar to nothing, but in this game you try to increase the damage counter, enableing you to hit the opponent farther. If you suceed in hitting them off the screen, you win! There is, however, a special Stamina mode where you play with health, but that is just one special mode.
Controls: 5/5
Like I said above, the controls are perfectly well thought out. L and R shield, A is standard attacks, B is special attacks, Y and X are jump, Z is grab, and you use the control stick to navigate the platformer environment and alter attacks. With the control stick, there are exactly five different attacks you can do on the ground with the A, an additional five you can do in the air, as well as five special attacks with B, ground and aerial. Of course this changes from character to character, but overall, this is the general ability scheme.
Unlockables: 5/5
It seems like there is ALWAYS something to unlock in this game!!! Whether it is another stage, a trophie, or one of the twenty five playable characters, there's almost always something else to do! And if you want to have another go after you unlock everything, you can erase the data and start again!
Sound: 5/5
The sound effects are right on. Everything is properly synced and the sound fits the action perfectly. Little touches like a characters voice getting deep in Giant Melee and squeeky in Tiny Melee give a special touch to this game.
Music: 5/5
Most of the music is stage specific. Depending on what character the stage was modeled by, a different theme will play. For example, if you are playing on one of Samus's stages, music from the Metroid series will play. If you play on one of Link/Young Link/Zelda/Ganandorf's stages, Zelda Music will play. If you play on one of Fox/Falco's stages, StarFox music will play. You get the idea. The only original themes are the Super Smash Bros original stages.
Overall, great game! If you have a GameCube, this is an instant classic!
653234
The new Mariokart is outstanding, though not perfect. Anyone who is a long time fan of the game should definitely get it.  Breakdown of pros and cons from the point of view of a mariokart veteran:
PROS:
-Nintendo definitely addressed my primary concern: the wii remote/steering wheel.  This may be a neat way to drive for new kartists and adventuresome veterans, but I'm an old dog and that is a new trick.  Luckily you can drive using a game cube controller, or a wii remote w/ nunchuck set-up that mimics the old controller style.
-The new courses are, for the most part, outstanding, and very fun.
-The addition of motor bikes is great, they are a lot of fun.
-The addition of tricks is also a lot of fun, and you get turbo boosts after executing them, which is great.
-The addition of zip-arrows at the tops of some of the more curvy sides of some courses lets you perform half-pipe style maneuvers, which is a fun new element
-Though I am not online with my wii yet, you can race against friends online, which I am very much looking forward to.
-The inclusion of 4 separate circuits of tracks from previous mariokarts is outstanding, though also disappointing given some of the courses they chose, and some of the ones they left out. (Probably impossible to please everyone on that one though.)
CONS:
-Bikes are fun, but they play way better than the karts, so there is no reason to use karts.
-Control style is dumbed down- even in "manual" mode it is easy to drift for turbo boosts, and you cannot achieve them faster by toggling the control stick back and forth while drifting as in previous versions. This makes it easier for new players, but skilled veterans may be annoyed at not being able to break out all of their time-honed talents.
-In vs mode, only player one can control the selection of courses, a little annoyance, but an annoyance nonetheless.
-No new ghost track? Really? (unless there are bonus tracks that can be unlocked- unlikely, as I've just about finished beating everything.)
Bottom line, still an awesome mariokart, and much better than double dash (gamecube version), but still not quite as good as the ageless N64 version.
3877261
This game is quite impressive with motion tracking and takes time to get the moves down just right. It's extremely smooth and of course you can't be a fat kid to play it (Being a former NCAA D1 sprinter makes it easier lol). Yes! Fat kids stop complaining as now you can't just hit the "A" button to do secret moves. You actually have to interact with the game (hence Kinect with your body and not your thumbs). You'll find yourself sweating and maybe even a bit of a workout if you're not used to this type of gaming. There's also an entirely different learning curve to these games as it's full body motion and not button mashing or swinging a Wiimote in one hand. This is how Sonic Riders should have been in the first place unlike the first two cheesy installments. This takes it to a whole new level of gaming entirely customizable like something in life being super awesome. Like anything good it takes time to get used to it! Get off your butt, quit button mashing, and join the new generation of gaming!
1154857
I started skeptical, thinking this was another gimmicky add-on for a console.  I have always preferred the standard game-pad interface, and I have been unimpressed with the Wii.  Then I fired up Kinect Adventures.  The sensor moved itself to accommodate me (6'3") and my son (4' 5"), and off we went.  I tried the river rapids game and found the controls so responsive that I could steer the raft simply by leaning side to side!  Next up, the wall-ball game.  It tracked my hands and feet perfectly, and the game is a blast!  Gunstringer is even better!

I know some people have had trouble with room size with the Kinect, and this is certainly an issue.  Nevertheless, my coffee table is exactly 6' from the front of the TV screen, so when Kinect adventures started, I did have to move the table back about a foot to be able to be detected in the "good" range.  Better yet, however, was when I moved the table forward, right up to the TV screen, and then I had more than 8' to play in.  The sensor happily registered me in the "better" range, and we had no problems with the table being in front (plus, you can't accidentally kick the TV with the table there!).  If you move out of range, the Kinect tries to keep you going, but flashes a warning to move back or forward.  If you drift for too long, you get dropped out of the game.  Fear not, however, as you simply have to move back into range, and you're back in the game.

The XBOX 360 is an amazing piece of hardware, but it really isn't complete without the Kinect!
3444343
It's kinda interesting how there are Sonic games that tend to be exclusive to handheld gaming systems while spin-off games featuring Sonic tend to mirror the versions released on consoles. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing continues this trend, as it shares (mostly?) the same content with that of the versions on Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC, except made to fit onto the smaller screen of course. It's actually a very impressive conversion! As for the game itself, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing may feature Sonic and co. but it really seems like Sonic only gets top billing in the title just to garner sales; the focus is more on Sega franchises in general. Yeah! Sega actually has more than one video game series! Who knew?

Bit of sarcasm aside, this game is basically what you would get if you combined Mario Kart with the concept of Super Smash Bros, except with Sega instead of Nintendo. You get characters and tracks based on series like Sonic, Super Monkey Ball, Jet Set Radio, Samba de Amigo, Alex Kidd, and the list goes on. You race in the Grand Prix, take on the many tracks individually, or partake in various different kinds of Challenges the courses have to offer. The works, really, and I'm not just saying that because that's what I expect out of the usual kart race; I literally mean it works fine as is.

If you've played Mario Kart before, you know exactly how this will work. Drive around an elaborate and colorful track (based on a game in this case), use items collected from item capsules scattered around the track to provide benefits and hinder opponents' progress. Dash panels are also around for extra boosts, but there will also be obstacles on the track that can act as items against you. Drifting is also useful for speed and sharp turns, and ramps allow you to perform mid-air stunts for more boosts, almost like in Mario Kart Wii.

With the gameplay sum-up said, this game does a great job at emulating what works in Mario Kart! The tracks are memorable and truly elaborate; there is even quite some eye candy to be found along the track surroundings! The graphics are lush and vibrant (the game even mostly runs at a silky-smooth 60fps) and the music is full of remixes from the games that the tracks represent. It almost makes me wish there was a 3D Sonic game on the DS, or a Samba game that could somehow work on the DS. A new Alex Kidd probably wouldn't hurt, either.

But yeah, this game is a lot of fun............ON EASY MODE. There's a good reason why I don't FULLY recommend this game; honestly, if you tried playing this game on the Medium or Hard settings, you'll find yourself with AI that is unthinkably unfair. Every time I tried playing the game on these difficulties, I usually end up having an item hit me around every five seconds, and since you lose all momentum when struck, the problem becomes that much more glaring. If you can manage to do well on Medium or Hard, then more power to you! It doesn't change the fact that I'll take Mario Kart's 150cc or Mirror cc over this! It's also kind of a bummer that Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is extinct, so to play this game online, I highly suggest going to the iOS/Android or PC ports, unless if you LOVE giving Microsoft and/or Sony precious money for something as little as online multiplayer.

However, the issues at least don't punish you by restricting the features you could potentially access; you purchase unlockable content with the in-game "Sega Miles" currency, which can be earned by playing races regardless of difficulty. So that said, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a worthy addition to your DS library if you can accept another kart-racer on the DS that's not called Mario Kart.
4417926
Feels like all the other Mario kart games...better than the last one, but none have been as good as the original SNES version.
3124922
How can a person actually gives one star to this game??? For those people who give one star, you probably don't drive or don't know anything about racing. This game is insanely stunning (Graphics, Sound, Replay value)! With the price [$$$]right now, you should get it quick! but I figure everyone should have already owned it. GT3 offers you a variety of racing, with many many many racing tracks. It also gives you real life racing experience of how to corner, make fast U-turns etc. With so many cars to choose from, you can feel a taste of every vehicle. You can feel the difference between FWD, RWD, AWD race cars. Every car just gives you a different driving feel, so you'd have to adjust your handling skill on each car. I don't recommend GT series to kids because they'll just always complain how hard the game is. This is the game for people who love real racing and challenge, not for people who only like racing games like Mario-cart. If you are like me, this would be the best racing game that suits you.
3609078
Best family game I've played in years, and the best Mario Kart game yet.  Fun, beautifully animated, with entry-level playability for very young children (my four year-old plays with me) and higher difficulties presenting a challenge for even seasoned players.  Lots of things to open up and unlock through gameplay that are a combination of difficulty-based achievements and persistence-based ones.  Upcoming DLC planned for the future looks to offer lots of new content to keep things fresh and interesting for many months to come.