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GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
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Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 01/30/2007
- Updated on: 06/22/2007
- Released on: 01/29/2007
- Originally published on GameSpot: Mario Kart 64 (Wii) Review
Few subjects polarize former Nintendo 64 owners more than Mario Kart 64. Some people proclaim MK64 to be one of the very best in the series; while conversely, others say it's the worst of all Mario Karts. Mario Kart 64 is now available through the Wii's Virtual Console for $10, and its addition is likely to spark more of that same debate. However, no matter what your original feelings were on the game during its heyday, the inexorable truth is that Mario Kart 64 simply doesn't hold up all that well in 2007.
No matter how fond your dorm room memories might be of playing Mario Kart 64 back in '97, odds are that you won't have nearly as much fun playing it now, ten years later.
For Mario Kart fans, MK64 marks the introductory point for many of the mechanics and concepts that are now staples of the series. Apart from being Wario's kart-racing debut, weapons such as blue shells and fake item boxes originated in this game. Mario Kart 64 also significantly lengthened the tracks over its Super Nintendo Entertainment System forebear, which was either a blessing or a curse, depending on your mindset. In some ways, it made the single-player game too easy, though some of the fault also lies with the opponent artificial intelligence, which isn't very aggressive and is pretty easy to bowl over. The only thing that really makes the game challenging at all is the kart handling, which is arguably the worst in any MK game. Powersliding is an exercise in frustration if you're used to the less exaggerated slides of games like Mario Kart DS and even the original Super Mario Kart. That's not to say that it can't be gotten used to, but it takes more effort to adjust to than it probably ought.
The main draw of MK64 was its four-player multiplayer. Whether in battle mode or split-screen racing, for its time, the multiplayer offered a great deal of fun, because there wasn't really anything else quite like it during that initial run of N64 games. The multiplayer still stacks up favorably compared with some of the other games available on the Virtual Console, but it's hard to play if you've been spending any time with more recent Mario Kart games. The battle-mode stages are especially difficult to enjoy. The stages are just too big and empty, making it difficult to find your opponents. Four-player racing is still reasonably fun, however.
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