Why is Mario Kart Wii so cheap?

[GrandAmChandler]

I can rock out every single version of Mario Kart there has been and 1st place gold in every cup, including 150cc. But in Mario Kart Wii, the A.I. seems a lot cheaper. Oh you are doing well? Well here is three items that NEVER come up for you, (Blue Shell, Lightning Bolt, Blue Shell). What is with this version? Even on 50cc this seems to happen.

EXPLAIN TO ME BEFORE I THROW MY WII THROUGH THE WALL.

Okay I'm done.

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GAWD DAMMIT YOSHI YOU TAGGED ME WITH THAT FREAKIN' CLOUD.

......done.

-GAC-

[kupomogli]

I received a Blue Shell on Mario Kart DS while in second place just passing first place on the last lap. I didn't come in first place because of that bs.

I've always thought of Mario Kart as a fun game but the newer games penalize you for being good. While in first place you won't ever get even a single mushroom. You'll get nothing but bombs which don't help a bit if you're a decent ways ahead or banana peels. It's cheap, but staying in second place right behind first, purposefully, is the best tactic in order to come in first.

[Trebuken]

Mario Kart Wii isn't that difficult. It is frustrating as heck at times.

It seems to try to keep everyone together. You can't get to far ahead and if your not totally brain dead, not too far behind either.

It keeps players of all skill levels competing, which is cool, but there are very few rewards for being skilled.

On of the few games I can play with family and not win ALL the time.

[c0ldb33r]

I would love the game if it had an option to turn off the bullshit.

[joshnickerson]

I dunno, I've felt all the Mario Kart titles suffer from "rubber-band" AI.

Still love 'em though, though I enjoy the time trial portions more than the actual grand prix.

[Leo_A]

Yep, they all suffer from this to a certain extent.

And how often would 1st place get something like the lightning bolt in the original? Mario Kart Wii isn't unique in how 1st place is treated.

[frogofdeath]

Mario Kart Wii is alright. Was really into it when it first hit shelves, then picked it up a couple months later, but haven't touched it since. The game is not nearly as refined as earlier versions.

I do agree to the cheapness of more recent Mario Karts. The blue shell isn't a bad idea in concept, but ever since it began flying, it began to stink out loud. There's also the fact that it does always seem to appear when the single player is in first. Blue shells should be extremely rare, whether you are in first or dead last.

[wingzrow]

Rubber band physics. The better you do the worst you do. That's why you stay in last place untill the last round.

[TonyTheTiger]

Yep, they all suffer from this to a certain extent.

And how often would 1st place get something like the lightning bolt in the original? Mario Kart Wii isn't unique in how 1st place is treated.

It kind of is unique in the sense that the more recent games have turned the dial up to 11. Mario Kart 64 usually reserved the lightning bolts and blue shells for last place but it was pretty common to pull up a red shell or even three red shells in first place which helped defend your position. Now not only are there even more catch-up items like Bullet Bill (which I don't think is a bad item), but being in first pretty much guarantees you'll just get nothing but bananas.

So even if there's technically no change beyond just some random number generator tweaks, Chandler is right that the A.I. "feels" different since the game seems to outright punish you for being in the lead now. Sometimes I actually find it easier to win if I stay in second and only blow past the leader in the home stretch. I never had to do that in the earlier games because there were enough tools to defend yourself. Ever since Double Dash, being in first basically turns you into a big red target for the universe to screw over. I honestly haven't really enjoyed a Mario Kart game to the same extent as 64 because of that.

[GrandAmChandler]

I get the rubber-band AI, but the problem is this iteration of the series has taken it to an extreme! I totally agree that you can stay in 2nd and then just blow by the leader during the last lap to win. Not a problem. The issue lies in where the game requires you to perfect laps and races by coming in first almost the entire time, and basing your rating off of your lap times. Well this just does not happen for me because of all the blue shells, lightning bolts, etc. I can BARELY get a 1-star rating on the 50cc cups. It's possible to get all 60pts for the cup, and still only get an "A" rating.

For those who haven't played, the rating system goes like this:

E -> D -> C -> B -> A -> 1 star -> 2 stars -> 3 stars

I have never gotten above 1 star on any cup, on any class because of this. I am all ears if someone knows a better strategy to get the 2 & 3 star ratings. Of course to unlock all the characters, you need these high star ratings.

[snes_collector]

Yeah, I really hate the AI too. I haven't even played Mario Kart Wii, but I could not really play the DS version at all in high difficulty because of it.

I don't own very many Mario Sports games, but I noticed a similar effect in Mario Superstars Baseball. Too cheap for its own good.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Star Rankings in Mario Kart Wii track a few important things...

For a full 3 star ranking you need to have the following:

No stalled starts on any race.

Stay in the full lead at all times of a multi-race circuit, if anybody overtakes you the maximum you can get is a 2 star. So if you fall into 2nd place during a race you might as well quit.

Do not go off the designated track at all. No short-cutting across the grass, etc.

Do not hit any walls or obstacles at all. Bump into a NPC car on the highway track, a thwomp or a pipe and the highest star ranking you can get is a 2 star.

It's really really hard, but with lots and lots of practice it's do-able.

[Flashback2012]

And here I thought by cheap you meant in price. I was thinking to myself before I read anything "Where in the hell is this game cheap?!" Of course, after reading the post, I understood the frame of reference. :drinking:

I'm really surprised Nintendo hasn't introduced the Player's Choice line for the Wii yet. The Kinect and Move have officially stolen it's thunder, it's time to rejuvenate things and move more product.

Semi off-topic, I found the arcade machine Mario Kart GP2 in a Chuck E Cheese of all places. I had my 9-month Goddaughter and her sister with me and had both of them sitting in my lap as I tried to play the game. Even with an infant and a 4-yr old in my lap, I was still able to come in first. ROFL

Back on topic, I haven't played much of the Wii version. My cousin has it and isn't as fond of it as he is the older games in the series. The original is still my favorite. I absolutely abhor the N64 version and didn't get into the GBA, DS, or GC versions much.

[GrandAmChandler]

Stay in the full lead at all times of a multi-race circuit, if anybody overtakes you the maximum you can get is a 2 star. So if you fall into 2nd place during a race you might as well quit.




So basically it's all luck to get a three-star, because of the rubber-band A.I.

[rkotm]

I thought the title of the thread was about the game being cheap in stores. We know Nintendo wouldnt let that happen ;). On the subject, i hate being in first and towards the end (any class) a blue or red shell shits on my day and i wind up in 4th.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

So basically it's all luck to get a three-star, because of the rubber-band A.I.

Luck and repetition.

You need to outpace the pack to the point where a blue shell won't allow anybody to overtake you which is hard enough in and of itself.

Constant boosting and all allowable on-track speed bonuses will need to be taken advantage of, and if you're taking a turn and the computer uses a pow block, hard break to a dead stop to avoid hitting a wall or going off-track.

I haven't played Mario Kart Wii since hackers started using exploits online, so I can't remember - but I think I only have 3 stars on one circuit and that was frustrating as all hell to achieve.

[kupomogli]

Speaking of rankings, here's a picture I took a long time ago when I used to play the DS game. No three star, but atleast it's two star on 150cc.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b334/kupomogli/89c1cbf4.jpg

Also. If you know how to snake well you have no problem staying in first to get a three star. I only would snake when playing online. It was only when I'd get in a match with another person who did it. If no one else was snaking I'd play fairly. I just would rather lose because I lost, not vecause someone was using a flaw in the system to win.

*edit*

On my PS3 guess photobucket isn't going to paste properly. I'll repost the image when I'm not on a garbage internet. PS3 internet sucks.

[Leo_A]

Ever since gold stopped being enough to win at Mario Kart, I've just settled for opening up the tracks and whatever extras I could rather than pulling my hair out trying to accomplish more than just coming in 1st on each cup.


and if you're taking a turn and the computer uses a pow block, hard break to a dead stop to avoid hitting a wall or going off-track.

Why would you do that? Hitting up on the d-pad on the GameCube pad when someone uses a POW block basically allows you to just keep going unhindered. Just steer towards the apex of a turn so you won't be hitting the barrier on the outside or running off-track for the 1 second or so that you won't be able to steer after the 3rd time the block is used (Assuming you hit up on the d-pad at the appropriate time so you aren't spun out).

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Why would you do that? Hitting up on the d-pad on the GameCube pad when someone uses a POW block basically allows you to just keep going unhindered. Just steer towards the apex of a turn so you won't be hitting the barrier on the outside or running off-track for the 1 second or so that you won't be able to steer after the 3rd time the block is used (Assuming you hit up on the d-pad at the appropriate time so you aren't spun out).

Sorry if I was unclear - I meant if you happen to take the effect of a Pow block hit the breaks instead of sliding into an obstacle, wall, ledge or the edge of legal track (if they happen to be in your out of control trajectory).

If you can avoid it with a jump (wiimote flick on the third pow drop) or a wheelie (or the D-pad trick, which I've never personally used since I play with the Wii Wheel) you're fine and your 3 star status is safe.

[Richter Belmount]

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs20/f/2007/267/9/6/Slowtaku_Finds_a_Secret_by_Kool_AIDS.jpg

[Tempest]

I was just bitching about this very same thing last month. The AI seems very cheap, I've noticed that they seem to wait to use lightning bolts and shells until you're jumping over a hole, which of course makes you fall right down into it. Also I've been blue shelled THREE times in one lap, which should never happen. The AI also seems to 'gang up' on you so you'll get hit by a blue shell, then immediately either red shelled or bolted, etc. I don't like games that punish you for being good, and MKW seems to do just that.

I did eventually get gold in all the 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc races, but the mirror races are insane. They're like ultra cheap 150cc races. I got gold in the first one and gave up out of pure frustration.

Tempest

[Polygon]

To me there has always been rubber band AI in the Mario Kart series. However, on the Wii it is far more cheap than any version before. I can get first, that's not hard. But a lot of the time you're getting hit with crap and drop back to 8th. Then you have to work your way back to 1st which isn't too hard. If you're trying to 3 stars then you're screwed.