Mario Kart 7

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Template:Infobox Mario Kart 7 is a racing game for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the ninth installment of the Mario Kart series overall, the seventh in the main series (hence the game's title), and the third on a handheld console. The game was released on December 1, 2011 in Japan, December 2 in Europe, December 3 in Australia, and December 4 in North America. In the game, players will be able to exchange Ghost Data and play online in multiplayer mode.[1] Nintendo stated that the game brings "a bunch of new elements" to the Mario Kart series.[2]

Gameplay

Features

One of the innovations in Mario Kart 7 is the race in first-person views. By pressing the +Control Pad up, the player can activate the view and then tilt the Nintendo 3DS to steer.

In this new installment of the Mario Kart series, Coins will make a prominent return. Coins have not been featured in this way in the last Mario Kart games since Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Coins are to be found along a race track, and can be underwater, on the road, or in the air. Collecting coins on different tracks will allow the player to unlock vehicle parts used for customization. The option to select classic Mario Kart tracks is also available again in this game. Mario Kart 7 also has some new features. Players can now use air gliders, which can be useful for navigating through the air and also use propellers to drive underwater. In addition, players may now assemble their own karts, rather than select pre-set karts as in older Mario Kart games. It is possible to select the body of the kart, the wheels, and other additional accessories such as the glider, although some parts need to be unlocked before they can be used. When the player is selecting a character and changing things to their kart the selection theme is played.[3] Mario Kart 7 marks the return of the traditional 8 characters per race, as opposed to the total of 12 as seen in the previous installment. It is also be compatible with both SpotPass and StreetPass.[4]

Among other gameplay's innovations is the vehicle's behavior in the courses. Each element to assemble the vehicle will have a function that will grant advantage on certain courses: for example, the type of wheel selected may work well in concrete road, soil or rough terrain that a course may have. Gliders also provide speed and duration for the vehicle when airborne and can be controlled using only the Circle Pad. Additionally, driving underwater, the kart's handling, speed and drifting can considerably change compared to when driving on land. Mario Kart 7 also introduces the option to race in first-person view, where the player will watch the race from the character's seat, instead of the usual overview of the track from his/her back in the other six installments. In this view, the player can also see the vehicle's steering wheel in front of the character.

Motorbikes, which made their first appearance in Mario Kart Wii, do not return in the game. However, Tricks, which were also introduced in Mario Kart Wii, come back to be part of Mario Kart 7's gameplay and can be used with Gliders for more speed. Mission Mode and the Single Player version of VS mode are also absent from this game.[5]

Controls

  • Circle Pad: Steer/Auto Drift
  • A Button/Y Button: Accelerate
  • X Button/L Button: Use Item
  • R Button: Hop/Manual Drift/Perform tricks in midair.
  • +Control Pad up: Toggle first person view
  • B Button: Brake/Reverse

Modes

Grand Prix

The game's main option mode.

As usual in the Mario Kart series, Mario Kart 7 has the Grand Prix, where a single player has to compete against computer-controlled opponents in order to obtain the trophies of the eight cups in the game. The Grand Prix has three engine classes, 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. The higher the engine class, the harder the races will be against the opponents. In this mode, by beating the first cups available, the user unlocks the other cups as well as new elements such as the kart's part (by collecting coins in each race) or a new playable character. By completing all the engine classes available at the start, the player unlocks the Mirror class.

Time Trial

The mode Time Trial allows the player to complete all the laps of a racecourse in the fastest time possible. Mario Kart 7 saves the player's records and the ghost that is the character and vehicle used in the race. Through the Nintendo's Wi-fi Connection, the player can exchange his/her ghost to other players, compare their records and even compete with their ghosts. Up to 7 ghosts can be raced against at the same time, making it an 8-player race.

VS

In Versus, players can customize the races selecting personally the order of the racecourses and change other settings, such as setting the computer difficulty, the requirements to win the races, and the engine class of the player's car and the computer's cars. This mode is not available in Single Player mode. In Download Play, the players that don't have the game Mario Kart 7 in their handhelds play as Shy Guy, like in Mario Kart DS, and are unable to customize their kart.[6]

Battle

In Battle Mode, the player can select one of the two types of battles available in Mario Kart 7 and one of the six battle courses that appear in this mode. 3 of the six battle courses are new, and the remaining 3 battle courses are from previous installments in the series.

Balloon Battle

Racers compete each other by popping the opponent’s balloons to gain points in a time limit. All the racers start with three balloons and must use the items from the Item Boxes to take away a balloon from their opponents. Hitting a rival is worth a score. If the racer has a balloon remaining and is hit, a point will be taken out and will be momentarily out of the battle to respawn with three balloons again and continue to play.

Coin Battle

In Coin Battle (Coin Runners in North America), racers collect the Coins spread in the battle course within the time limit. The racer that has the most Coins at the end wins. Racers can use the items to hit the opponents and let drop the Coins they've taken.

Online Mode

With the Nintendo 3DS's online capabilities, players can look for other users for online play, local or global range. Players can choose a worldwide competition to race against other users that are connected, race with friends that were met via StreetPass or play in communities formed by users with customized rules for the races. Just like in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7 has the Mario Kart Channel, that shows updates of online activity automatically through the Spotpass and Streetpass. With the StreetPass, the user can exchange their Miis, ghost data from Time Trials, players' names and information of communities, while the SpotPass, the user only will receive ghost datas from other users and information of the communities.

Characters

Mario Kart 7 includes 17 total drivers (8 starting drivers and 9 unlockable drivers).[7] The following is the order of what weight classes go by in order from lightest to heaviest: Feather, Light, Medium, Cruiser, and Heavy.

Starting Drivers

Unlockable Drivers

Unlocking Criteria

Criterion[8]
Daisy Win 150cc Mushroom Cup
Wario Win 150cc Flower Cup
Rosalina Win 150cc Star Cup
Metal Mario Win 150cc Special Cup
Shy Guy Win 150cc Shell Cup
Honey Queen Win 150cc Banana Cup
Wiggler Win 150cc Leaf Cup
Lakitu Win 150cc Lightning Cup
Mii Win all cups on any cc.

Character Bonuses

Just as in Mario Kart Wii, each character gets their own specific stat boost that accounts for kart customization, based on their weight class. The units are out of 6.[9]

Character Bonuses
Character Speed Acceleration Weight Handling Off-Road
Toad, Koopa Troopa, Lakitu, Shy Guy 3 4 2.25 3 4
Peach, Daisy, Yoshi 3.25 3.5 2.75 3 3.75
Mario, Luigi, Mii 3.5 3 3.25 2.75 3.75
Donkey Kong, Rosalina, Wiggler 3.75 2.5 3.75 2.5 3.75
Bowser, Wario, Metal Mario, Honey Queen 4 2 4.25 2.5 3.5

Other

Items

Many classic items will make a return in Mario Kart 7. However the Thunder Cloud, POW Block, and Mega Mushroom, introduced in Mario Kart Wii are absent from the game. Instead, it features three new items – the Fire Flower, the Super Leaf, and the Lucky 7.[13] The Fake Item Box, from previous installments is also absent along with Boo. Similar to its predecessors, players receive items by driving trough an Item Box found on courses. When players drive through an Item Box, the Item Roulette will select an item. In Mario Kart 7, Coins can be found on the track. Players can collect the coins by driving through them. Picking up a coin increases a player's top speed. If players collect ten coins, their kart is at maximum speed. Players lose coins if they get hit by an item. Collecting a certain amount of coins on various tracks unlocks vehicle parts to select them in the vehicle's customization menu.

Items found on the track

Items received from Item Boxes

Courses

Mario Kart 7 introduces 32 courses that include sixteen new courses and sixteen Retro courses. It also features three new battle stages, and three Retro ones.[18] Only the Mushroom Cup and Shell Cup, as well as the battle courses are available from the start, but upon unlocking them they are available for all game modes, and not just for that specific Engine Class, unlike past installments. Mario Kart 7 makes a feature of some race courses where players complete the track in sections. These courses are Wuhu Island Loop, Wuhu Mountain Loop and Rainbow Road. Instead of a single finish line, these courses have three lines that divide the tracks in three sections and the banners over them indicate the player that a lap has been completed showing stars rather than the Mario Kart logo. The following charts show the European English names of the tracks with their North American variants in italics.

New Courses

File:ToadMK7New.jpg
Toad in the Shy Guy Bazaar course.
Mushroom Cup Flower Cup Star Cup[19] Special Cup[20]
Toad Circuit Wuhu Island Loop
Wuhu Loop
Piranha Plant Pipeway[19]
Piranha Plant Slide
DK Jungle
Daisy Hills Mario Circuit Wario's Galleon[19]
Wario Shipyard
Rosalina's Ice World
Cheep Cheep Cape
Cheep Cheep Lagoon
Melody Motorway
Music Park
Koopa City[19]
Neo Bowser City
Bowser's Castle
Shy Guy Bazaar Alpine Pass
Rock Rock Mountain
Wuhu Mountain Loop[19]
Maka Wuhu
Rainbow Road

Retro Courses

Luigi on Kalimari Desert.
Shell Cup Banana Cup[21] Leaf Cup Lightning Cup[22]
N64 Luigi Raceway N64 Koopa Beach N64 Kalimari Desert Wii Koopa Cape
GBA Bowser Castle 1 SNES Mario Circuit 2 DS DK Pass GCN Dino Dino Jungle
Wii Mushroom Gorge Wii Coconut Mall GCN Daisy Cruiser DS Airship Fortress
DS Luigi's Mansion DS Waluigi Pinball Wii Maple Treeway SNES Rainbow Road

Battle Courses

New Courses Retro Courses
Honeybee House / Honeybee Hive [23]
N64 Big Donut[18]
Sherbet Rink [18]
GBA Battle Course 1[18]
Wuhu Town [18]
DS Palm Shore[18]

Kart Customization

File:BoltBuggyScreenshot.jpg
The Kart customization menu allows the player to build his or her own kart; choosing the body, the wheels, and the glider. Here, Bowser selects the Bolt Buggy, the Monster wheels, and the Parafoil glider.

Mario Kart 7 introduces the option to personalize the player's vehicle before getting to the race. The player can select the body, the wheels, and the glider to build the desired kart. By collecting many Coins from the races in Grand Prix mode, the player can unlock a new body, wheel, or glider to use. It is possible to acquire ten coins in a race. As the user chooses the parts, the stats may vary, regarding to the parts' combination and that the vehicle works better in particular situations. The resulting type of vehicle can be described in this way in general:

  • A speedy Kart = great speed, moderate weight, humble acceleration, and poor off-road and handling.
  • A robust Kart = low speed, off-road, great acceleration and handling, in contrast with a very low weight.
  • A heavyweight Kart + great speed = off-road and weight, but very poor acceleration and handling.
  • A lightweight Kart + mild speed = low weight, good off-road and handling, and great acceleration.
Karts Wheels Gliders

Standard Kart*
Bolt Buggy
Royal Ribbon** / Birthday Girl

Standard
Monster
Roller

Super Glider*

Unlockable Karts Unlockable Wheels Unlockable Gliders

B Dasher
Barrel Train
Blue Seven
Bumble V
Cact-X
Cloud 9
Egg 1
Gherkin / Zucchini
Gold Kart / Gold Standard
Growlster / Bruiser
Koopa Clown
Pipe Frame*
Soda Jet
Tiny Tug

Gold Tires[24][25]
Mushroom
Red Monster
Slick
Slim
Sponge
Wood

Flower Glider
Ghastly Glider / Beast Glider
Gold Glider[26]
Parafoil / Paraglider
Peach Parasol**
Swoop / Swooper

*Changes color, depending on the character.
**Changes color, only when used by female characters.

Unlocking Criteria

To unlock a part requires certain total of coins collected from every race in Grand Prix. Once the player has reached that amount, a random kart part will be unlocked. The only exception to this rule are the gold parts, and the Ghastly Glider, which each must be unlocked with this criteria:

  • The Ghastly Glider can be unlocked by collecting 5000 coins.
  • The Gold Glider can be unlocked by making 100 StreetPass connections, or by collecting 10000 coins.
  • The Gold Tires are unlocked by obtaining a minimum of one star ranking in all cups of every engine class, or by collecting 15000 coins.
  • The Gold Kart can be unlocked by obtaining 10000VR, or by collecting 20000 coins.
  • The Gold Steering Wheel can be unlocked by racing 100 races using gyro-controls for 80% of the time.

Stat Boosts

Each part affects each kart's stats differently. The following is a list of the stat boosts that are applied, and the units are out of 6.[9]

Kart Part Bonuses
Kart Bodies
Body Speed Acceleration Weight Handling Off-Road
Standard Kart 0 0 0 0 0
B Dasher +0.5 -0.5 0 +0.25 -0.25
Barrel Train +0.25 0 +0.25 -0.5 0
Blue Seven +0.5 -0.5 +0.25 -0.25 0
Bolt Buggy +0.25 -0.5 +0.25 -0.25 +0.25
Bumble V 0 +0.5 -0.25 -0.5 +0.25
Cact-X -0.25 -0.25 0 +0.25 +0.25
Cloud 9 -0.5 +0.25 -0.25 +0.5 0
Egg 1 -0.25 +0.5 -0.25 0 0
Gherkin +0.5 -0.25 0 -0.25 0
Gold Kart +0.5 -0.25 +0.25 0 -0.5
Growlster +0.5 -0.25 +0.25 -0.5 0
Koopa Clown 0 -0.25 0 +0.5 -0.25
Pipe Frame -0.25 +0.25 -0.25 0 +0.25
Royal Ribbon -0.5 +0.5 -0.25 +0.5 -0.25
Soda Jet +0.25 +0.25 -0.25 0 -0.25
Tiny Tug -0.5 0 +0.25 0 +0.25
Kart Wheels
Wheel Speed Acceleration Weight Handling Off-Road
Standard 0 0 0 0 0
Gold Tires +1 -0.5 +0.5 -1.25 -2.5
Monster +0.75 -0.75 +1 -1.25 +1.25
Mushroom +0.25 -0.25 -0.5 +1.25 -1.25
Red Monster +0.75 -0.5 +0.75 -1.25 +1.25
Roller -0.75 +0.75 -1 +2 -1.25
Slick +1 -0.25 +0.25 -1.25 -2.5
Slim -0.25 +0.25 -0.25 +1.25 -1.25
Sponge -0.25 +0.5 -0.75 0 0
Wood -0.5 +0.5 -0.5 +1.25 0
Kart Gliders
Glider Speed Acceleration Weight Handling Off-Road
Super Glider 0 0 0 0 0
Flower Glider 0 +0.25 -0.25 0 0
Ghastly Glider 0 0 0 0 0
Gold Glider 0 0 0 0 0
Parafoil 0 +0.25 -0.25 0 0
Peach Parasol 0 +0.25 -0.25 0 0
Swoop 0 +0.25 -0.25 0 0

Nintendo eShop Descriptions

The newest installment of the fan-favorite Mario Kart™ franchise brings Mushroom Kingdom racing fun into glorious 3D. For the first time, drivers explore new competitive kart possibilities such as soaring through the skies or plunging into the depths of the sea. New courses, strategic new abilities and customizable karts bring the racing excitement to new heights!

Gallery

Template:Morepic

Beta Elements

Main article: Mario Kart 7/Beta elements

Glitches

Main article: Mario Kart 7/Glitches

Staff

Main article: Mario Kart 7/Staff

References to Other Games

Reception

GameXplain has given the game's Multiplayer 4.5 stars out of 5, and Single-Player a 3.5 out of 5.[28][29]. IGN gave this game a 9.0/10[30][31]. Gametrailers gave this game a 8.8/10[32].Joystiq gave this 4.5 stars out of 5[33].Gameinformer gave this an 8.50/10[34]. 1up gave this a B- grade[35]. Gamesradar gave this a perfect 10/10[36]. However, Destructoid gave this a 5.0/10[37]. Gamespot gave this game a 8/10. [38].

As of December 10, 2011, Metacritic has an average score of 85%, including 41 positive reviews, and 6 mixed.[39]. Gamerankings has an average score of 84.03% based on 32 reviews.[40]. This game has sold over 420,000 units in its first 4 days in Japan.[41]

Media

Names in Other Languages

Template:Foreignname

Trivia

  • The banners at the start/finish lines of new courses use the new Mario Kart logo. Retro courses still use the old Mario Kart logo.[14]
  • This is the second installment in the Mario series overall (excluding crossover installments) to be translated to Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian (the first was Super Mario 3D Land).
    • Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land are marketed by Nintendo as the first Mario games to be released in these languages.[42][43][44]
  • If the player is in first place when racing in 100cc, 150cc or Mirror, a drum beat is added to the music. The drum goes away if the player enters second, is hit by an item or when the player stops.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Mario Kart 3DS: What we know so far
  2. ^ Mario Kart 3DS will bring a bunch of new elements into the game
  3. ^ Gamescom 2011 - Mario Kart 7 - Over 7 Minutes exclusive footage マリオカート - YouTube
  4. ^ Press release
  5. ^ http://www.gamexplain.com/article-633-1322553607-mario-kart-7-review.html
  6. ^ http://mariokart7.nintendo.com/multiplayer/
  7. ^ http://mariokart7.nintendo.com/characters/
  8. ^ http://www.gamexplain.com/article-629-1321996131-mario-kart-7-unlockables-characters-and-car-parts.html
  9. ^ a b http://www.mariokartwii.com/4224652-post1.html
  10. ^ Mario Kart 3D Nintendo 3DS gameplay video
  11. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/3ds/amkj/course/starcup.html
  12. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6CAq9TFDV8
  13. ^ マリオカート7 : アイテム (Japanese)
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Mario Kart 3DS on the Showfloor" defined multiple times with different content
  15. ^ [NC2011] Mario Kart 7 Interview - YouTube
  16. ^ E3 2010: Mario Kart 3DS gameplay preview
  17. ^ Mario Kart 7 Track 3 (Donkey Kong Country Track) (E3 2011) 3DS - YouTube
  18. ^ a b c d e f マリオカート7 : コース (Japanese)
  19. ^ a b c d e http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKvOqhmzGWg
  20. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/3ds/amkj/course/index.html
  21. ^ Mario Kart 7 - tracks, karts, items and more
  22. ^ http://www.nintendo.co.jp/3ds/amkj/course/index.html
  23. ^ http://gamesites.nintendo.com.au/mario-kart-7/course/index.php
  24. ^ http://www.mariowiki.com/File:Mii_mk7.jpg
  25. ^ http://www.mariokartwii.com/f66/big-secret-getting-1-star-all-cups-85432.html#post4220927
  26. ^ http://www.kano-bi.com/3ds/mk7100.jpg
  27. ^ Mario Kart 7 Nintendo 3DS gameplay video (French)
  28. ^ http://www.gamexplain.com/article-633-1322553607-mario-kart-7-review.html
  29. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWuxbTmdVQA
  30. ^ http://ds.ign.com/articles/121/1213485p1.html
  31. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16D9OXFzRJc&feature=channel_video_title
  32. ^ http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-mario-kart-7/724422
  33. ^ http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/mario-kart-7-review/
  34. ^ http://www.gameinformer.com/games/mario_kart_7/b/3ds/archive/2011/11/29/review.aspx
  35. ^ http://www.1up.com/reviews/mario-kart-7-3ds?pager.offset=0
  36. ^ http://www.gamesradar.com/mario-kart-7-review/?page=1
  37. ^ http://www.destructoid.com/review-mario-kart-7-216484.phtml
  38. ^ http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-7/reviews/mario-kart-7-review-6346887?tag=games%3Bgame_title%3B1
  39. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/mario-kart-7
  40. ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/3ds/997822-mario-kart-7/index.html
  41. ^ http://www.next-gen.biz/news/mario-kart-7-enjoys-biggest-3ds-launch-week-japan
  42. ^ Nintendo of the Netherlands - Geef Bowser een zwieper - de Tanooki power-up is terug
  43. ^ Nintendo of Portugal - SUPER MARIO 3D LAND e Mario Kart 7 chegam à Nintendo 3DS em português!
  44. ^ Nintendo of Russia - Узнайте больше о новых гонках, в которых смогут принять участие поклонники игры Mario Kart 7 для Nintendo 3DS.

External Links

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