nukoda.com

Ok, this article is REALLY about the wheel.

After a long wait made harder by all the drool worthy news trickling out from the UK, Mario Kart Wii has hit the shores of North America with great fanfare. I’ve been a fan of the series since the SNES and always look forward to picking up each release as soon as it’s out (Yep, I own them all… even the portable versions). With this in mind I headed out late Saturday night for the midnight launch at the local game mega-national big box store. The lines were short all things considered, and I had my own copy in my hands and paid for at 12:15 Sunday morning. Yes, I care about the game enough to spend the better part of a Saturday night waiting in line for a game. I need me some MK!

When Reggie Fils-Amie first stood on the stage E3 to announce Mario Kart Wii for the first time, all of the buzz seemed centered on the new peripheral that would ship along side (and be bundled with), the Wii Wheel. It was also this peripheral that scared me the most about Mario Kart Wii. If the Wii Wheel didn’t live up to it’s expectations, people all over the net would be using it as more fuel for the “Wii is doomed!!!” fire.

It was with a bittersweet and apprehensive feeling in my belly that I popped the game into my Wii, sat down, popped my Wiimote into the Wii Wheel, and tried this hunk of plastic on for the first time. Truthfully I have to say that it rocked!

If you’ve played racers on the Wii before you’re probably familiar with how unintuitive it is to steer your car by tipping the Wiimote left and right. Without fail you’ll be making a big turn and you somehow turn the Wiimote past the 180 degree mark and it barfs. Excite Truck was the first game I played with this control method and while it worked, it wasn’t pretty. The addition of the Wii Wheel to this control scheme takes something foreign and twitchy and turns it into something familiar and fun. I was worried that the lack of feedback when turning the wheel would leave me wanting more, but I’m happy to say that was not the case. I quickly jumped into my first race and managed to place first during my first run (behold my LEET 50cc skills!). The wheel was sensitive enough without being jerky, but responsive enough when you needed to make a quick turn. Nintendo created something that is both functional and accessible for anyone but is also useable enough to be useable.

OK, I can hear you all muttering to yourselves that the Wheel isn’t THE best way to play MK, and to that I would say that you are right on the money. I’m much better when I play with the mote-chuck combo, as are most people that I talk to. The thing is Nintendo is trying to use Mario Kart as a bridge game. A game that will hopefully pull over some of the casual crowd and have them check out other gaming experiences on their motion sensitive party console. Personally, I think this wheel will go a long way to help MK’s chances at selling to this crowd and also encouraging them to try other games. My in-laws, friends, and heck even my two year old son was having fun playing this game with the wheel. Of course my son was turning in circles and hopping in one spot, but the point is he WAS having fun.. we were just getting nauseous watching the screen.

I think that the smiles on everyone’s face showed me that my 4 second lead in the time trials doesn’t mean a thing. Fun has won out again. I’m really beginning to think that the success of the Wii wasn’t a fluke. Nintendo has a master plan. If nothing else they are showing us all that they really do know a thing or two about how people like to play games.

Watch for my full review of this game coming soon.