Mario Kart 7
Mario Kart 7 | |||||||||||||||
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United States box cover For alternate box art, see the game's gallery. | |||||||||||||||
Developer | Nintendo EAD Nintendo SPD Group No. 3 Retro Studios | ||||||||||||||
Publisher | Nintendo | ||||||||||||||
Platform(s) | Nintendo 3DS | ||||||||||||||
Release date | Retail: December 1, 2011 December 2, 2011 December 3, 2011 December 4, 2011 December 4, 2011[1] May 31, 2012 September 28, 2012 September 28, 2012 December 7, 2012 Nintendo eShop: October 4, 2012 October 4, 2012 October 18, 2012 October 18, 2012 November 1, 2012 | ||||||||||||||
Language(s) | English (United Kingdom) English (United States) French (France) French (Canada) German Spanish (Spain) Spanish (Latin America) Italian Dutch Portuguese (Portugal) Russian Japanese Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Korean | ||||||||||||||
Genre | Racing | ||||||||||||||
Rating(s) |
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Mode(s) | Single-player, local multiplayer (up to 8 players), online multiplayer | ||||||||||||||
Format | Nintendo 3DS: Game Card Digital download
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Input | Nintendo 3DS:
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Serial code(s) | CTR-AMKJ-JPN CTR-AMKP-EUR CTR-AMKE-USA CTR-AMKK-KOR CTR-AMKW-TWN CTR-AMKC-CHN |
Mario Kart 7 is a racing game developed by Nintendo EAD and Retro Studios for the Nintendo 3DS. It is the seventh console installment in the Mario Kart series (hence the game's title), and the second (the first being Super Mario 3D Land) installment in the Super Mario franchise overall (excluding crossover installments) to be localized to Dutch, Portuguese, and Russian. Additionally, it is the first Mario Kart game to be developed by more than one video game developer, namely Nintendo EAD and Retro Studios, and the second Mario Kart to have a different video game developer (not including the Mario Kart Arcade GP series), the first being Mario Kart: Super Circuit.
The main new feature of this installment is the hang gliding and underwater driving, which allows racers to glide through the air and race in underwater sections of the new and old tracks. Kart customization is also introduced instead of racing in pre-made karts like the previous titles. In the game, players can exchange Ghost data and play online in multiplayer mode. Players can also receive Ghost data via SpotPass and race against other player's Ghosts from around the world. Nintendo stated that the game brings "a bunch of new elements" to the Mario Kart series.
Mario Kart 7 was the first Super Mario game to use the Nintendo Network service, as it offered the ability to create custom communities, which would then become one of the features of the service; however, the service was terminated on April 8, 2024, making the game no longer playable online.[2][3] Once Nintendo introduced retail games that could be downloaded via the Nintendo eShop until its discontinuation on March 27, 2023, Mario Kart 7 was released in 2012 for the eShop, where it required 635.38 MB (5,083 blocks) to download.
Gameplay[edit]
Features[edit]
Mario Kart 7 features the standard gameplay present in preceding games in the series, with the gameplay style being very close to that of Mario Kart Wii. Players compete for gold trophies in the eight Grand Prix cups, four consisting of the new courses and four consisting of the retro courses, a returning feature from Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii. Along with Grand Prix, Time Trials, and Battle Modes also return. Time Trials have players race on tracks to set records, as well as race against their own or other racers' ghosts. Battle Mode features two different modes; Balloon Battle and Coin Runners, the latter returning from Mario Kart Wii. Players can set their own rules for Battle Mode, choosing CPU difficulty, which items will appear or team games. Online races and battles return, allowing up to 8 players to race or battle using the Nintendo Network online service. Players can also create custom communities, which can be accessed by other players via codes.
Mario Kart 7 also has some new features. Players can now use hang-gliders to navigate through the air and propellers to drive underwater. In addition, players now assemble their own karts, rather than select preset karts as in the previous games. It is possible to select the kart's body, wheels, and glider, although some parts need to be unlocked before they can be used, mainly through collecting coins during races. Mario Kart 7 returns to the traditional eight-driver race like in the previous installments, instead of the total of twelve as seen in Mario Kart Wii. It is also compatible with both SpotPass and StreetPass.
Coins make a prominent return 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 up to a maximum of ten slightly increases the player's top speed and, if enough are collected, will allow the player to unlock vehicle parts used for customization.
Similar to preceding games, an overall "game ranking" of ★, ★★, or ★★★ is shown next to the player's nationality flag if the player has earned the designated ratings in all cups and all classes. The overall ranking can also be seen while participating in a Grand Prix. The game shows the overall ranking at the results of the last course before the overall results of the last cup are shown.
Among other gameplay mechanics is the vehicle's behavior in the courses. Each element to assemble the vehicle has a function that grants an advantage on certain courses. In other words, speed and handling alter if the player is driving through land, underwater, or in the air. Gliders also provide speed and duration for the vehicle when airborne and can be controlled using the . Players can tilt the either up or down to fall quickly or gently, respectively. Additionally, when driving underwater, the kart's handling, speed, and drifting can considerably change compared to when driving on land.
This Mario Kart installment also introduces the option to race and battle in a first-person view. This function allows the player to watch the race and battle from the character's perspective and can race by the system. In first-person view, the player can also see the vehicle's steering wheel in front of the character with an emblem on it. The gyroscope, which gives the player the ability to steer the kart in first-person mode by tilting the , can be enabled or disabled by going to the Mario Kart Channel, going to the player's Mii icon on the bottom right, going to "Settings", and lastly selecting "Use" or "Don't Use" when going to "Gyro Sensor".
In a minor note, an extra track with beats is added to the course's music if the player gets ahead in first place at top speed (frontrunning). This track fades when the player slows down via braking, going off-road, or getting hit by an item. This happens only in 100cc, 150cc, and Mirror class.
Motorbikes, which made their first appearance in Mario Kart Wii, do not return in the game. On the other hand, Tricks return, now known as "jump actions", and are now the sole way of obtaining a boost, known as "Jump Boost", when the kart jumps because of a ramp or an element of the course. The jump action can also be performed on glider ramps to receive a speed boost when gliding starts. The map is viewed in the bottom screen, but unlike in Mario Kart DS, the map does not display course hazards and obstacles such as some items and obstacles in DS Airship Fortress. The map also shows a larger area surrounding the player. The Single Player version of VS mode from the other Mario Kart games and the mission mode from Mario Kart DS are also removed.
Controls[edit]
- /: Accelerate / Rocket Start (press and hold when the countdown shows 2 before the race starts)
- : Brake / Reverse / Drop from glider
- : Steer / Auto Drift
- : Hop / Manual Drift / Perform jump actions in midair.
- /: Use item
- : Switch map view
- : Pause / Resume
- : Display HOME Menu
- : First-Person View
- : Steer / Auto Drift (First-person view only)
- (except up): Third-Person View
Modes[edit]
Grand Prix[edit]
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 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 parts (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.
A notable change featured in the game is the point system given to the racers after a race in Grand Prix mode. It is similar to Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Mario Kart DS, but racers who finish a race in fourth place or lower get an extra point. Also, 4th place is not a losing place, similar to Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, and Mario Kart Wii (which has 12 racers). Below is a chart of the point spread comparison between these seven games:
Point spread comparisons (Grand Prix) | ||||||||||||
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1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | |
Super Mario Kart Mario Kart 64 Mario Kart: Super Circuit |
9 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — |
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Mario Kart DS |
10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — |
Mario Kart Wii | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Mario Kart 7 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
A grove-green cell signifies victory results (great clapping, characters cheering) and the best after-race music. A yellow-lime-green cell signifies moderate results (mild clapping, moderate character reaction) and the same music in Wi-Fi as the winner (different in Mario Kart DS GP). A normal-colored cell signifies losing results and losing music. In Super Mario Kart, and Mario Kart Super Circuit, 5th or worse forces the player to retry the race. If the racer fares this poorly four times, the Grand Prix must be started over. In Mario Kart 64, 5th or worse forces the player to retry the race, but without the restrictions on how many times the player can retry a race. Starting with Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the Grand Prix normally continues. |
Time Trials[edit]
Time Trials allow the player to complete all the laps of a race course in the fastest time possible. Mario Kart 7 saves the player's records, and a Ghost for the combo that they used. Through a Nintendo Network connection, the player can exchange his or her Ghosts with other players, compare their records, and even compete with their Ghosts. Up to seven Ghosts can be raced against at the same time, making it an 8-player race.
VS[edit]
In Versus Mode, players can customize the races by selecting personally the order of the racecourses and changing other settings, such as setting the computer difficulty, the requirements to win the races, and the engine class of the player's and computer players' karts. Unlike in Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, this mode is no longer available in single-player mode. In Download Play, the players that do not have the Mario Kart 7 game card in their handhelds play as Shy Guy, like in Mario Kart DS, and are unable to customize their kart.
Point Spread | ||||||||
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Number of Players | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th |
2 players | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
3 players | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
4 players | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
5 players | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
6 players | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
7 players | 9 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
8 players | 10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Battle[edit]
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. There are three new courses, and the remaining three are from the previous installments in the series. This version of Battle can be played with any vehicle like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, as opposed to Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, in which players could only use the Standard Kart or the Standard Bike.
Balloon Battle[edit]
Racers compete by popping their opponents' balloons to gain points in a time limit of two minutes. All 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 point. Players who lose all of their balloons will have half of their points deducted. Up to three points can be taken away, and the player re-spawns with three balloons.
Coin Runners[edit]
In Coin Runners (Coin Battle in the British English version), racers collect the Coins scattered in the battle course within the time limit of two minutes. The racer that has the most Coins at the end wins. Racers can use the items to hit their opponents and make them drop a maximum of three coins that they have collected. Unlike in Mario Kart Wii, only up to ten coins can be held at once. Coins collected in this mode do not count toward the coin total to unlock kart parts.
Online multiplayer[edit]
With the Nintendo 3DS's online capabilities, players could look for other users for online play, local, or global range. Players could choose a worldwide competition to race against other users who 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 had the Mario Kart Channel that showed updates of online activity automatically through the SpotPass and StreetPass modes. With StreetPass, the users can exchange their Miis, Ghost Data from Time Trials, players' names, and information about communities, while the user would only receive Ghost Data from other users and community recommendations via SpotPass.
VR[edit]
When players take part in online races or battles, points are added to or removed from their VR (short for VS Rating) based on their finishing position. The main purpose of VR is to determine the skill of players, to match them with players of a similar skill level. Players start with 1000 VR (rather than 5000 VR, as in Mario Kart Wii). Online play in Communities does not use the VR system. Also, a player's VR counts for both races and battles, as opposed to Mario Kart Wii with races affecting VR, and battles affecting BR (Battle Rating).
Names in other languages[edit]
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
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Dutch | RP / Racepunten[?] | Race Points | |
French | PC / Points course[?] | Race Points | |
German | RP / Rennpunkte[?] | Race Points | |
Italian | PC / Punti Corsa[?] | Race Points | |
Portuguese | PO / Pontos Obtidos[?] | Earned Points | |
Russian | ИР / Игровой Рейтинг[?] IR / Igrovoy Reyting |
Play Rating | |
Spanish | PC / Puntos de carreras[?] | Race Points |
Characters[edit]
Mario Kart 7 includes seventeen total drivers (eight starting drivers and nine unlockable drivers). New playable characters to the Mario Kart series in this game include Metal Mario, Wiggler, Honey Queen, and Lakitu (with a red shell as opposed to the Lakitu referee which wears a green shell), with Lakitu and Honey Queen also making their overall playable debuts. Additionally, this marks the first Mario Kart game where Shy Guy is a normal selectable driver, after only being available in Mario Kart DS to players who were playing in Download Play without a game card; in addition to being playable in single player, multicolored Shy Guys retain this previous role in download multiplayer. Also, this is the first installment in the series for a handheld console where Koopa Troopa, Rosalina, and Mii are playable, after previously being playable in at least one home console installment. The player's Mii never appears as a CPU driver, but Miis the player has obtained via StreetPass for this game's Mario Kart Channel can occasionally appear as a CPU driver during the standard Grand Prix mode.
Each driver is categorized into any of five weight classes: Feather being the lightest, followed by Light, Medium, Cruiser, and finally Heavy. There are also three kart frame sizes that generally correspond with the five weight classes, with the exception of Metal Mario due to his medium size and high density. All characters in any given weight class share the same statistic boosts, both displayed and internal.
Each character has two "rival" characters who have superior capability compared to other CPU racers; if one of the rivals is not unlocked, a default character is used as a third, "backup" rival. Wario is the only character without any "backup" rivals; both of his rivals, Luigi and Mario, are default characters.
All of the starting characters are the same as in Super Mario Kart, but with Donkey Kong in place of Donkey Kong Jr..
Drivers[edit]
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Background characters[edit]
These characters appear in the background of certain stages and do not affect the racers in any way.
Hazards and obstacles[edit]
These characters and features serve as hazards on tracks and can directly affect racers if hit.
Characters and elements | ||
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Character/element | Location | Description |
Banzai Bill |
DS Airship Fortress | Banzai Bills are fired from a cannon near the starting straightaway of the track. They fly along the straight path in different positions based on where they were fired. They disappear once they hit the road where the starting line is located. |
Barrel |
Wario Shipyard DK Jungle |
Barrels are scattered around the track and can be broken by players. Once broken, a Banana, a Mushroom, a Green Shell, or a Super Star may fly out. In Time Trials, the barrels cannot be broken. |
Big Wiggler |
Wii Maple Treeway | Two Big Wigglers walk around the top of the tree section of the track. Racers simple bounce off of them rather than wiping out. |
Board |
Piranha Plant Slide | Boards can be broken by players by racing into them. There are two board shapes; Goomba shaped boards and bush shaped boards. Two bush shaped boards are located in off-road sections near the end of the track. |
Boulder |
Rock Rock Mountain Maka Wuhu |
Boulders fall from mountain tops and roll down the track, flipping over any racer that hits them. They are destroyed upon hitting walls. |
Bouncing Note |
Music Park | Bouncing Notes jump at regular intervals near the end of the track. Players can do jump actions off the ground when the Bouncing Notes land. However, players can also be flattened if a Bouncing Note lands on them. During the final lap, their bouncing is faster. |
Bumper |
DS Waluigi Pinball | Bumpers are located on the pinball table section of the track and will bump racers back when they collide with them. Pinballs will also ricochet off of bumpers. |
Car |
Wuhu Loop Wii Coconut Mall |
Cars travel across the road of the entire track, causing players to flip over if hit. In Coconut Mall, cars are located in the parking lot and drive back and forth along the area. |
Cheep Cheep |
Cheep Cheep Lagoon Wii Koopa Cape |
Cheep Cheeps swim in various water sections of the track, lightly bouncing back racers who hit them. |
Chomp |
Rainbow Road | Chomps appear on the moon segment of the track, rolling around in circles. Two Chomps also roll off of the craters on the surface, causing them to jump off of them and float in the air for a short time. Colliding with one will flip a racer over. |
Clampy |
Cheep Cheep Lagoon GCN Daisy Cruiser |
Clampys appear in the first underwater segment of the track, opening and closing their mouths at regular intervals. Coins and Item Boxes can appear in an open Clampy, but if a racer is caught when a Clampy is closing its mouth, they will spin out. |
Crate |
DS Airship Fortress | Crates are scattered inside the airship of the track and act identically to Barrels. A Banana, a Mushroom, a Green Shell, or a Star may fly out when broken, but will stop a racer in the process. Crates cannot be broken in Time Trial mode. |
Cutting torch |
DS Airship Fortress | Cutting torches appear within the airship of the track, moving back and forth along the track. Racers will spin out if they drive through the fire. |
Drain pipe |
Piranha Plant Slide | The water from these Warp Pipes can cancel out the glide of any player that drives under it. The Warp Pipes themselves serve as an obstruction. |
Fish Bone |
Wario Shipyard | Fish Bones appear near the track's beginning and swim through the first tunnel. Hitting one will simply bounce a racer back. |
Flipper |
DS Waluigi Pinball | Flippers appear at the pinball table section of the track, specifically at the bottom of the table. They hit any pinball back across the table and will hit racers if they get too close. |
Flying Shy Guy |
Shy Guy Bazaar | Shy Guys fly about on carpets at the gliding section of the track. They will block any racer who collides with them. |
Frogoon |
DK Jungle | Frogoons hop across the track in the jungle section before the giant temple. Colliding with one will cause the racer to spin out. |
Goomba |
Mario Circuit Piranha Plant Slide Wii Mushroom Gorge Wii Koopa Cape |
Goombas appear on various tracks. They act in the same way they did in past installments, slowly waddling back and forth on certain parts of the track. If the player uses a Shell to destroy the Goomba, a Mushroom will spawn in its place. |
Hot-air balloon |
Daisy Hills | Hot-air balloons float in the air. Touching them will cause the racer to bounce off them. |
Icicle |
Rosalina's Ice World | Icicles behave in an identical way to crates and barrels, slowing the player's vehicle speed upon impact. Items do not fly out of icicles when they break and icicles cannot be broken in Time Trial mode. |
Jar |
Shy Guy Bazaar | Jars function identically to Barrels and Crates, stopping racers and letting a Banana, a Mushroom, a Green Shell, or a Star as they break. Some jars also move around the area and do not release items if hit, instead releasing a pit of snakes for aesthetic effect. Jars cannot be broken in Time Trial mode. |
Lava Bubble |
GBA Bowser Castle 1 | Lava Bubbles jump out of the lava between the ramps near the end of the track, causing players who hit them to spin out. |
Mountain Goat |
Daisy Hills | Mountain Goats roam around the mountainous areas of the track, wiping out racers who collide with them. |
Nossie |
GCN Dino Dino Jungle | The dinosaur appears near the track's center, occupying the bridge section after the cave and the ground below the bridge. The dinosaur's feet stomp the lower section, flattening racers in a similar manner to a Thwomp. The dinosaur's head does not spin a racer out, rather blocks their path. |
Oil slick |
SNES Mario Circuit 2 | Oil slicks appear on various parts of the track, causing racers to spin out if they race over them. |
Penguin |
Rosalina's Ice World Sherbet Rink |
Penguins appear around the icy pond section of Rosalina's Ice World, on both the land and in the water. In both instances, players will simply bounce off of them if they collide with them. On Sherbet Rink, Penguins roam around the track as a whole. |
Pinball |
DS Waluigi Pinball | Pinballs roll across various sections of the track, causing racers to flip over when hit. On the pinball table, pinballs can be hit by flippers and bounce of the bumpers scattered across the table. |
Pipe |
Toad Circuit SNES Mario Circuit 2 |
Pipes appear as stationary obstacles and are usually scattered on off road sections. Players will come to a complete stop if they collide with them. |
Piranha Plant |
Music Park Piranha Plant Slide |
Piranha Plants will attempt to bite any racer that drives near them. In Music Park, they appear on either sides of the track and occasionally swap positions. In Piranha Plant Slide, they are completely stationary and will turn back and forth regularly to attack racers. |
Puddle |
Neo Bowser City | Puddles appear at the end of the track and function identically to oil slicks. They can be avoided by jumping over them. |
Rocky Wrench |
DS Airship Fortress GBA Battle Course 1 |
Rocky Wrenches pop out of the ground and will flip over racers who hit them. Players can also do jump actions off of their manhole covers when they peek out from the ground. |
Screaming Pillar |
DK Jungle | Screaming Pillars are completely stationary obstacles and will stop a racer if they collide with them. They occasionally let out screams that will push racers back if they are in range. |
Sidestepper |
Cheep Cheep Lagoon N64 Koopa Beach DS Palm Shore |
Sidesteppers move back and forth along parts of the track, causing any racer who hits them to spin out. |
Snowball |
DS DK Pass | Snowballs appear on DK Pass and function identically to Boulders or Pinballs. They roll down the mountain and fall off the track, flipping over racers who collide with them. |
Snowman |
DS DK Pass | Snowmen appear at the end of the track and function in the same way as they did in past installments, causing racers who hit them to flip over. |
Stingby |
Honeybee Hive | Several Stingbies fly around the battle stage, spinning out racers who hit them. |
Super Thwomp |
SNES Rainbow Road | Super Thwomps appear throughout the track, wiping out racers who hit them. When they hit the ground, they cause ripples in the track, which make the kart jump, allowing the driver to perform a jump action. |
Swoop |
Rock Rock Mountain | Swoops appear in the cave section of the track, slowing racers down if they hit them. |
Thwomp |
Bowser's Castle GBA Bowser Castle 1 |
Thwomps act identically as they did in past installments, stopping racers who hit them and flattening them if they fall on them. |
Tiki Goon |
DK Jungle | Tiki Goons move back and forth along the track, pausing at the track's edges before moving the other way. Colliding with one will cause the player to spin out. |
Train |
N64 Kalimari Desert | Two trains follow an oval track around the center of the race track. Players will flip over if they hit the train or their carriages. |
Walking Tree |
DS Luigi's Mansion | Walking Trees walk around set paths at the end of the track. They function just like normal trees and will stop a racer completely when hit. |
Water Geyser |
GCN Dino Dino Jungle | Water Geysers appear in both the cave section and near the end of the track, erupting at regular intervals. Racers are flipped over if they hit an erupting geyser. Players can do jump actions off of geyser spouts if they are inactive. |
Vehicle parts[edit]
Mario Kart 7 introduces the option to personalize the player's vehicle before getting to the race. The player can select the body, the tires, 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, a new set of tires, or a new glider to use. It is possible to acquire a maximum of ten coins in a race. As the user chooses the parts, the stats may vary according to the parts' combination, and the vehicle will work better in particular situations.
There are 17 kart bodies, 10 tires, and 7 gliders for a grand total of 1,190 kart combinations. Of the parts, the Standard Kart, Pipe Frame, and Super Glider have their colors vary depending on their drivers. The Birthday Girl and Peach Parasol also vary in color for the female characters, though Peach's pink versions are shared with the male and gender-indeterminate characters. The Birthday Girl also cannot be used by CPU-played male or indeterminate characters, while the "gold" parts cannot be used by CPU players in general aside from Miis obtained via StreetPass from this game's Mario Kart Channel, if they are equipped.
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Additionally, the player can unlock a Gold Steering Wheel by racing in 100 races using gyro-controls in at least 80% of them.
Unlocking random parts[edit]
Players can unlock random parts by collecting the following coin values:
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Drivers' and vehicle parts' statistics[edit]
- For the in-game tables from which these values were derived and for the tables to translate those values into the actual statistics used by the game, see Mario Kart 7 in-game statistics.
Statistics shown in the vehicle customization screen[edit]
In contrast with Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, which directly added the characters' and vehicles' physical parameters to obtain their final values, the game introduces the Points which are conferred by characters and vehicle parts. In each statistics, the points given by the character, body, tires, and glider are summed to obtain a final value called Level (Lv) which is then used by a table to convert the level into various related physical parameters used by the game. The Level of five statistics is displayed in the vehicle customization screen:
- Speed: The top speed of the kart on land.
- Acceleration: The rate of speed increase when holding the acceleration button.
- Weight: The weight of the kart. Karts with higher weight knock away vehicles with lower weight.
- Handling: The turning ability of the kart on land. A higher stat means vehicles turn sharper.
- Off-Road: The grasp of the kart. Karts with higher Off-Road slip less on certain terrain and are faster, to the point of being able to charge Mini-Turbos. Not to be confused with handling.
Said Level is represented through bars by adding two points to the sum of points, then dividing the result by four, resulting in values ranging from 0.75 to 5.5. As an example, the process through which the statistics of a certain combination of character and vehicle parts are calculated and displayed is shown below:
Element | Points conferred | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Speed | Acceleration | Weight | Handling | Off-Road | |
Bowser |
4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Bolt Buggy |
7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Monster Tires |
7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 15 |
Paraglider |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Final Values | Speed | Acceleration | Weight | Handling | Off-Road |
Level | 4 + 7 + 7 + 0 = 18 |
0 + 1 + 0 + 1 = 2 |
8 + 3 + 8 + 0 = 19 |
0 + 2 + 0 + 0 = 2 |
0 + 3 + 15 + 0 = 18 |
Value shown in the vehicle customization screen | (18 + 2) / 4 = 20 / 4 = 5 |
(2 + 2) / 4 = 4 / 4 = 1 |
(19 + 2) / 4 = 21 / 4 = 5.25 |
(2 + 2) / 4 = 4 / 4 = 1 |
(18 + 2) / 4 = 20 / 4 = 5 |
Internal statistics[edit]
The following table shows the statistics of the various drivers and kart parts. In addition to the statistics shown in the vehicle customization screen, there are the following statistics:
- Water Speed: The top speed of the kart while driving underwater.
- Air Speed: The top speed of the kart while gliding.
- Water Handling: The turning ability of the kart while driving underwater.
- Air Handling: The turning ability of the kart while gliding.
- Mini-Turbo: The length of the kart's mini-turbo speed boosts.
- Stability: How much the tires stick to the ground and how much the kart tends to tilt sideways when turning and drifting.
- Drift: How much the kart slips when a drift begins.
The following table reports the statistics in points.
Items[edit]
- For the probability of obtaining each item when an Item Box is opened in the various modes, see Mario Kart 7 item probability distributions.
Many classic items make a return in Mario Kart 7. The game introduces three new items – the Fire Flower, the Super Leaf, and the Lucky Seven (the last two of which do not return in Mario Kart 8). The Thunder Cloud, POW Block, and Mega Mushroom from Mario Kart Wii are absent from the game. The Fake Item Box from Mario Kart 64, Double Dash!!, DS, and Wii is also absent, along with Boo from Super Mario Kart, 64, Super Circuit, and DS. Similar to its predecessors, players receive items by driving through an Item Box found on courses. When players drive through an Item Box, the Item Roulette will select an item. In addition to Item Boxes, 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 and cannot gain additional coins. Players lose coins if they get hit by an item or fall in a pit. Collecting a certain amount of coins unlocks vehicle parts to select them in the vehicle's customization menu. Also, unlike in its predecessor, the item warning sound will only play if a Spiny Shell or a Bullet Bill is approaching.
One prominent change to the classic items is that the Spiny Shell now has been redesigned into a wingless form, similar to the one found in Mario Kart 64 and having a new sound effect. Its overall behavior is also changed as well; the shell now flies lower to the ground and is able to hit other racers on its path. In addition, the explosion is noticeably less powerful compared to previous installments.
Items found on tracks[edit]
Image | Name | Description |
---|---|---|
Item Box | Item Boxes give players items. | |
Coin | Players receive a small boost and an increase to their top speed. A maximum of 10 can be carried at one time. |
Items received from Item Boxes[edit]
Image | Name | Description |
---|---|---|
Banana | Players that run over Bananas spin out. | |
Triple Bananas | Gives the player three Bananas that trail behind the kart. They can then be dropped or thrown one by one. | |
Green Shell | Travels in a straight line and bounces off walls. Knocks over the player it hits. | |
Triple Green Shells | Three Green Shells that protect the player from incoming attacks by rotating around its kart. They can then be thrown one by one. | |
Red Shell | Chases after the closest player in front of the player and knocks it over. Throwing it backwards will make it travel in a straight line, like a Green Shell. | |
Triple Red Shells | Three Red Shells that protect the player from incoming attacks by rotating around its kart. They can then be thrown one by one. CPU players can't get this item in Grand Prix and Battle modes, unless the item settings are set to Shells Only. | |
Spiny Shell | Chases after the player in the lead, then explodes on it. It will also knock over anything that is on its path. | |
Bob-omb | After being thrown or dropped, it explodes after a moment or when a player comes too close, knocking over anything in its blast radius. It will also chase after players that comes by. | |
Mushroom | Gives the player a speed boost. | |
Triple Mushrooms | Same effect as the Mushroom. It can be used three times. | |
Golden Mushroom | Same effect as the Mushroom. It can be used at will, but only for a moment after the first use. | |
Bullet Bill | Transforms the player into a Bullet Bill, which rockets down the entire track at high speeds on auto-pilot for a time that is determined by the player's current position. The Bullet Bill is invincible and can knock over items, course hazards and other players, which makes them lose any item in their possession. | |
Blooper | Sprays ink on all the players ahead of the user and reduces their visibility. The ink will go away after a moment or when the player receives a boost from a Mushroom or a Boost Pad. | |
Lightning | Causes all players, except the user, to drop their item, shrink, and have their kart's top speed reduced for a moment, the effect being longer for the players that are leading the race. They can also get squashed by normal-sized players. | |
Super Star | The player obtains total invincibility for a moment and is able to knock over everything in its path including items, course obstacles, and other players, making them lose their current item. In addition, the player receives a speed boost and the ability to drive off-road without losing any speed. | |
Fire Flower New Item |
Allows the player to throw fireballs that bounces off walls and cause other players to spin out of control on impact. Up to three fireballs are allowed at a time per player, throwing a fourth one will make the oldest one disappear. If ten fireballs are used, this item wears off immediately. | |
Super Leaf New Item |
Gives the player's kart a tail that can be used to deflect items, knock over opponents and collect coins. The tail will disappear after a moment or if the player is hurt. | |
Lucky Seven New Item |
Surrounds the player with seven items that rotates around its kart. The player receives a Mushroom, Banana, Green Shell, Red Shell, Blooper, Bob-omb, and a Star. CPU players can't get this item, unless only one type of item is chosen in Battle Mode. |
Courses[edit]
Like Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7 features 32 courses that includes 16 new courses and 16 retro courses, which consists of one course from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, two courses from Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, three from Mario Kart 64, and four from Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii. 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. A new feature of Mario Kart 7 is that three of the new courses – Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and Rainbow Road – have three sections each, with each section counting as one lap. The following charts show the American English names of the tracks, with the British English names in italics. Like in Mario Kart DS, the retro tracks' width have been shortened, except the DS retro courses, which have been widened.
New courses[edit]
Mushroom Cup |
Flower Cup |
Star Cup |
Special Cup |
---|---|---|---|
Toad Circuit |
Wuhu Loop Wuhu Island Loop |
Piranha Plant Slide Piranha Plant Pipeway |
DK Jungle |
Daisy Hills |
Mario Circuit |
Wario Shipyard Wario's Galleon |
Rosalina's Ice World |
Cheep Cheep Lagoon Cheep Cheep Cape |
Music Park Melody Motorway |
Neo Bowser City Koopa City |
Bowser's Castle |
Shy Guy Bazaar |
Rock Rock Mountain Alpine Pass |
Maka Wuhu Wuhu Mountain Loop |
Rainbow Road |
Retro courses[edit]
Battle stages[edit]
There are a total of six battle stages: three new stages and three retro ones. Similar to games prior to Mario Kart Wii, the three new battle stages all have the same music, albeit with different arrangements between stages, while the three retro stages use the Mario Kart Wii arrangement of their respective music, which was previously used in that game's version of GBA Battle Course 3, N64 Skyscraper, and DS Twilight House respectively.
New Stages | Retro Stages | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Honeybee Hive Honeybee House |
GBA Battle Course 1 | |||||||||||
Sherbet Rink |
N64 Big Donut | |||||||||||
Wuhu Town |
DS Palm Shore |
Ghosts[edit]
Just like in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 7 has Normal Staff Ghosts and Expert Staff Ghosts, which appear in the Time Trials game mode. The Normal Staff Ghosts are available at the start, but when the player gets a time higher than the Normal Staff Ghost of a track, the Expert Staff Ghost of the same track will be unlocked.
Normal Staff Ghosts[edit]
Course | Staff Name | Time | Character | Vehicle Combination | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Body | Tires | Glider | ||||
Toad Circuit | Nin★KATIE | 01:35.135 | Toad | Standard | Standard | Super Glider |
Daisy Hills | Nin★Terui♪ | 02:06.351 | Daisy | Birthday Girl | Roller | Peach Parasol |
Cheep Cheep Lagoon | Nin★Gonta♪ | 01:53.758 | Peach | Birthday Girl | Roller | Peach Parasol |
Shy Guy Bazaar | Ret★TEAGUE | 02:31.167 | Shy Guy | Standard | Roller | Super Glider |
Wuhu Loop | Ret★Bryan | 01:44.287 | Peach | Standard | Sponge | Peach Parasol |
Mario Circuit | Nin★MIKI★ | 02:25.001 | Mario | Standard | Standard | Super Glider |
Music Park | Nin★wtnbt | 02:19.336 | Rosalina | Birthday Girl | Roller | Super Glider |
Rock Rock Mountain | Nin★Morimo | 02:35.105 | Wiggler | Standard | Red Monster | Super Glider |
Piranha Plant Slide | Nin★tBando | 02:20.186 | Lakitu | Standard | Monster | Super Glider |
Wario Shipyard | Nin★Miyamo | 02:26.268 | Wario | Bolt Buggy | Monster | Super Glider |
Neo Bowser City | Ret★Chuck | 02:11.032 | Metal Mario | Standard | Standard | Super Glider |
Maka Wuhu | Ret★Reed | 01:50.607 | Yoshi | Bumble V | Sponge | Paraglider |
DK Jungle | Ret★Derek | 02:24.040 | Donkey Kong | Bolt Buggy | Red Monster | Super Glider |
Rosalina's Ice World | Ret★RLingo | 02:25.784 | Rosalina | Standard | Sponge | Paraglider |
Bowser's Castle | Ret★Matt M | 02:34.815 | Bowser | Standard | Monster | Super Glider |
Rainbow Road | Nin★Takamu | 02:10.090 | Honey Queen | Birthday Girl | Slim | Peach Parasol |
N64 Luigi Raceway | Nin★McCoy | 02:04.317 | Luigi | Standard | Slick | Super Glider |
GBA Bowser Castle 1 | Nin★Hayata | 01:31.030 | Bowser | Pipe Frame | Standard | Beast Glider |
Wii Mushroom Gorge | Nin★Kataok | 02:02.292 | Toad | Cloud 9 | Mushroom | Paraglider |
DS Luigi's Mansion | Nin★Konno | 02:09.982 | Luigi | Zucchini | Slim | Super Glider |
N64 Koopa Beach | Ret★Amanda | 01:54.274 | Koopa Troopa | Pipe Frame | Standard | Super Glider |
SNES Mario Circuit 2 | Nin★ITRO-S | 01:28.106 | Mario | Pipe Frame | Standard | Super Glider |
Wii Coconut Mall | Ret★Thomas | 02:30.117 | Honey Queen | Standard | Slim | Super Glider |
DS Waluigi Pinball | Ret★Bill | 02:44.372 | Wario | Standard | Slick | Swooper |
N64 Kalimari Desert | Nin★Nishim | 02:01.932 | Shy Guy | Cact-X | Wood | Swooper |
DS DK Pass | Ret★Sean | 02:35.045 | Donkey Kong | Barrel Train | Wood | Super Glider |
GCN Daisy Cruiser | Nin★Dai8 | 01:49.564 | Daisy | Pipe Frame | Sponge | Peach Parasol |
Wii Maple Treeway | Nin★Asakaw | 02:53.560 | Wiggler | Standard | Wood | Super Glider |
Wii Koopa Cape | Ret★Quinn | 02:49.046 | Koopa Troopa | Standard | Monster | Super Glider |
GCN Dino Dino Jungle | Nin★iwaco | 02:29.837 | Yoshi | Egg 1 | Roller | Paraglider |
DS Airship Fortress | Nin★OBSHNN | 02:23.323 | Metal Mario | Zucchini | Slick | Super Glider |
SNES Rainbow Road | Nin★YABUKI | 01:34.459 | Lakitu | Pipe Frame | Slim | Super Glider |
Expert Staff Ghosts[edit]
Course | Staff Name | Time | Character | Vehicle Combination | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Body | Tires | Glider | ||||
Toad Circuit | Nin★ishi | 01:26.632 | Toad | Standard | Monster | Super Glider |
Daisy Hills | Nin★SASAKI | 01:51.111 | Daisy | Birthday Girl | Sponge | Super Glider |
Cheep Cheep Lagoon | Nin★Tkdr | 01:42.011 | Peach | Tiny Tug | Roller | Peach Parasol |
Shy Guy Bazaar | Ret★RWO | 02:14.714 | Shy Guy | Pipe Frame | Monster | Paraglider |
Wuhu Loop | Nin★nkm | 01:32.854 | Peach | Pipe Frame | Slick | Peach Parasol |
Mario Circuit | Nin★raba | 02:10.018 | Mario | B Dasher | Slick | Super Glider |
Music Park | Nin★Masa | 02:07.511 | Rosalina | Soda Jet | Roller | Paraglider |
Rock Rock Mountain | Nin★Hiroma | 02:19.149 | Wiggler | Standard | Mushroom | Flower Glider |
Piranha Plant Slide | Nin★JIKU | 02:06.540 | Lakitu | Cloud 9 | Sponge | Paraglider |
Wario Shipyard | Nin★syun1 | 02:12.313 | Wario | Bruiser | Slim | Beast Glider |
Neo Bowser City | Ret★Matt M | 01:58.996 | Metal Mario | Blue Seven | Monster | Paraglider |
Maka Wuhu | Nin★Chucky | 01:39.361 | Yoshi | Standard | Monster | Super Glider |
DK Jungle | Ret★Dupree | 02:10.777 | Donkey Kong | Standard | Wood | Swooper |
Rosalina's Ice World | Ret★Dax | 02:13.091 | Rosalina | Zucchini | Red Monster | Super Glider |
Bowser's Castle | Ret★Tom | 02:15.244 | Bowser | Bruiser | Red Monster | Beast Glider |
Rainbow Road | Nin★Asakur | 01:52.077 | Honey Queen | Bumble V | Standard | Flower Glider |
N64 Luigi Raceway | Nin★miyakw | 01:52.206 | Luigi | Pipe Frame | Slick | Paraglider |
GBA Bowser Castle 1 | Nin★hokwai | 01:22.221 | Bowser | Koopa Clown | Roller | Super Glider |
Wii Mushroom Gorge | Ret★Jay | 01:50.526 | Toad | Pipe Frame | Monster | Super Glider |
DS Luigi's Mansion | Ret★Vince | 01:58.539 | Luigi | Egg 1 | Monster | Paraglider |
N64 Koopa Beach | Nin★ueda | 01:42.909 | Koopa Troopa | Soda Jet | Sponge | Paraglider |
SNES Mario Circuit 2 | Nin★==Kony | 01:17.777 | Mario | B Dasher | Slick | Super Glider |
Wii Coconut Mall | Ret★RyanP | 02:14.167 | Honey Queen | Koopa Clown | Sponge | Paraglider |
DS Waluigi Pinball | Nin★Nshhr | 02:27.574 | Wario | Bruiser | Slim | Beast Glider |
N64 Kalimari Desert | Nin★KOZ★ | 01:48.707 | Shy Guy | Bolt Buggy | Red Monster | Beast Glider |
DS DK Pass | Nin★MaTU | 02:16.534 | Donkey Kong | Bolt Buggy | Red Monster | Paraglider |
GCN Daisy Cruiser | Ret★Carlos | 01:43.341 | Daisy | Tiny Tug | Sponge | Peach Parasol |
Wii Maple Treeway | Ret★Bill | 02:34.877 | Wiggler | Egg 1 | Sponge | Flower Glider |
Wii Koopa Cape | Ret★Shane | 02:28.585 | Koopa Troopa | Cact-X | Standard | Flower Glider |
GCN Dino Dino Jungle | Ret★Will | 02:14.430 | Yoshi | Egg 1 | Monster | Paraglider |
DS Airship Fortress | Ret★Shane | 02:07.704 | Metal Mario | Standard | Monster | Super Glider |
SNES Rainbow Road | Nin★SRIWtm | 01:21.994 | Lakitu | Cloud 9 | Roller | Paraglider |
Differences in multiplayer modes[edit]
When playing in multiplayer mode, both locally and online, there are several changes made to the tracks, most likely to retain a stable connection.
- One of the two Mountain Goats has been removed from Daisy Hills.
- There is only one Sidestepper in Cheep Cheep Lagoon, as opposed to two.
- In the bazaar section of Shy Guy Bazaar, one jar has been removed. Also in the gliding section, there are fewer Shy Guys on flying carpets.
- In Wuhu Loop, the first group of cars consists of only two cars instead of three. The last group of cars near the finish line were removed entirely. Also, the wind turbines near the lighthouse have no rotor blades.
- In Mario Circuit, the coin placement in the castle area is different. Also, one of the two Goombas is absent.
- In Music Park, the second of three Bouncing Notes has been removed.
- Piranha Plant Slide has no Item Boxes flowing with the water. Also in the section before the finish line, the Goomba and the boards resembling it were removed.
- The Fish Bones in the tunnel in Wario Shipyard are absent as well as the Sidesteppers before the gliding section.
- One Tiki Goon and one Frogoon were taken out of DK Jungle, reducing their number to two and one respectively.
- There are no penguins in the underwater section of Rosalina's Ice World.
- One of the two Thwomps in Bowser's Castle is absent.
- The two ceiling lights in the second room of DS Luigi's Mansion were removed.
- In N64 Koopa Beach, three of the six Sidesteppers are absent: Two underwater and one before the finish line.
- In DS Waluigi Pinball, there is only one metal ball rolling around in the open area before the finish line.
- N64 Kalimari Desert has only one train on its rails as opposed to two.
- DS DK Pass does not have any snowballs in the part that goes uphill. Also most of the snowmen are absent.
- There are no Cheep Cheeps in the underwater section of GCN Daisy Cruiser.
- One of the two Wigglers in Wii Maple Treeway is removed.
- Wii Koopa Cape has no moving Item Boxes in the area where the water flows with the track. Also, there are no Cheep Cheeps in the underwater area.
- There are fewer Rocky Wrenches in DS Airship Fortress.
Regional differences[edit]
- The Mainland China release was published by iQue. It is one of the last two games published by the company, the other being Super Mario 3D Land.
- The flag of Taiwan (ROC) was removed in the China release. Any Taiwanese locations were also hidden.[4]
- The China release is the only Super Mario game, as well as the last Nintendo game officially released in China (PRC), to support global online multiplayer, as the next PRC release that supports online multiplayer is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, published by Tencent, operates completely separately from the global release and offers no interactions between the two versions.
- Mario Kart 7 has more track name differences between the American English and British English versions than any other Mario Kart game, with a total of eight racetracks and one battle course.
Update history[edit]
Mario Kart 7 is the first Nintendo 3DS game to use the system's ability to patch games, spurred by significant shortcut exploits found on certain courses. Updating is free, with the data being categorized as 3DS Add-On Content; the patches can be deleted at any time and have no effect in offline play, but are mandatory to play online. An SD Card is required to download the patches, however.
- Version 1.1 of May 15, 2012 (43 SD Card blocks)
Resolved shortcut exploits for Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and GBA Bowser Castle 1 when playing online. Does not affect offline play; the exploits remain in Single Player and Local Multiplayer, and Ghosts that used these exploits are unaffected. Starting on May 15, 2012, all players must download and install this update to access Online Multiplayer.
- Version 1.2 of December 13, 2022 (46 SD Card blocks)
This update patches a vulnerability in the game's network code which enables hackers to take full, remote control of a user's (unmodified) Nintendo 3DS system during online multiplayer sessions,[5] with one possible use case being using it to reset the user's VR.[6] Starting on December 13, 2022, all players (excluding the iQue version) must download and install this update to access Online Multiplayer.
This update is not available for the Mainland China (iQue) version as the iQue 3DSXL lacks the Nintendo eShop to distribute the update. After December 13, 2022, the iQue version still has access to Online Multiplayer, but can no longer play together with other versions.[7]
Nintendo eShop description[edit]
- NA Version
A New Dimension of Kart Racing! 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.
- EU Version
Mario Kart 7 brings Mushroom Kingdom racing fun into glorious 3D - and that's just the beginning, as new courses, strategic new abilities and cutomisable karts bring the racing excitement to new heights. Up to 8 players can enjoy local wireless races or race together online.
Reception[edit]
Critical reception[edit]
The game has received generally positive reviews. As of December 12, 2013, Metacritic has an average score of 85, including 64 positive reviews, and 9 mixed.[8] GameRankings has an average score of 85.17% based on 50 reviews.[9] Critics generally praise the new glider and underwater mechanic that the game adds, but often cite how similarly it feels to past entries of the Mario Kart series.
GameXplain has given the game's Multiplayer 4.5 stars out of 5, and Single-Player a 3.5 out of 5.[10] Audrey Drake of IGN gave the game a 9.0/10. She criticized the character roster for being small and the potential of the Spiny Shell "screwing up" the race, but she praised the innovation and the polish the game provides.[11][12] Griffin McElroy of Joystiq gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. He praised the game for being well-polished with only a few flaws, noting the Spiny Shell as "unavoidable race-ruining bullshit".[13] Adam Biessener of Gameinformer gave it an 8.5/10. He praised the first person view, the new tracks, and the new glider and underwater features while criticizing the Battle Mode, and online modes "being a distraction rather than a destination".[14] 1up gave it a B- grade. Tom McShea of Gamespot gave it an 8/10. He remarked that the game has "been the same as previous entries of the series, but the innovations have kept it fresh", while criticizing the online structure and lack of mission mode.[15] Justin Towell on Gamesradar gave it a perfect 10/10. He praised the fanservice and how "anyone can pick up and enjoy" the game.[16] However, Jim Sterling of Destructoid rated the game a 5.0/10, criticizing how this game is "practically the same as any other game in the Mario Kart series", criticizing the slow speed of the vehicles, the unpredictable item system, and the underwater and gliding's minimal impacts. They ended their review with, "Mario Kart is in need of a severe shake up. This stagnant, crawling, and indolent effort is not it".[17]
Reviews | |||
---|---|---|---|
Release | Reviewer, Publication | Score | Comment |
Nintendo 3DS | Audrey Drake, IGN | 9/10 | "Overall [Mario Kart 7 is] a well-polished experience that fans of the kart-racing genre - or of the Mushroom Kingdom - should not hesitate to pick up." |
Nintendo 3DS | Marc Camron, EGM | 9/10 | "Mario and pals return to get their race on. Featuring great graphics, amazing tracks and some hilarious new power-ups, the game shows that the series is a long way away from running its course." |
Nintendo 3DS | Neal Ronaghan, Nintendo World Report | 8.5/10 | "Mario Kart 7 isn’t a huge leap forward for the series. Instead, it’s another damn fine iteration in a proven series. You’ll still be upset when you’re “Mario Karted” by a blue shell followed up by a red shell and a bomb, but the winning online play and gameplay polish make Mario Kart 7 a must-have for all 3DS owners." |
Nintendo 3DS | Griffin McElroy, Joystiq | 4.5/5 | "Mario Kart 7 is an exquisitely polished game with few flaws." |
Nintendo 3DS | Adam Biessener, Game Informer |
8/10 | "Mario Kart 7 isn’t 100 percent golden, nor is it going to make believers out of anyone who wrote off the series years ago. Taken on the whole, though, this is one of the best entries in the series. As a fan, I’m thoroughly pleased." |
Nintendo 3DS | Justin Towell, GamesRadar | 5/5 | "Mario Kart 7 is THE game the 3DS has been in dire need of. Sadly, it raises the bar so high for almost everything else, most 3DS games don't even look like they belong on the same system. Get it now." |
Nintendo 3DS | Jim Sterling, Destructoid | 5/10 | "Mario Kart 7 is as derivative as a game can get, and while we pour scorn on so many other games for rehashing themselves, something tells me this will get a free pass from many critics and gamers. That strikes me as ironic since Mario Kart 7 is the one game I'd hold up as the least deserving of any kind of leniency. It being an unadventurous and predictable retread, however, is only half of Mario Kart 7's problem. The other half is the fact that it's a lethargic and mundane game, easily outpaced by games that could be considered knock-offs of the formula Nintendo itself perfected." |
Aggregators | |||
Compiler | Platform / Score | ||
Metacritic | 85 | ||
GameRankings | 85.17% |
Sales[edit]
The game sold over 420,000 units in its first 4 days in Japan.[18] As of March 31, 2021, Mario Kart 7 is the best selling game for the Nintendo 3DS, having sold 18.94 million copies worldwide.[19] As of June 30, 2022, it had sold 18.97 million copies worldwide.[20]
Staff[edit]
- Main article: List of Mario Kart 7 staff
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development developed Mario Kart 7, with Retro Studios as Co-Developers and Artists. Retro Studios was also responsible for contributing to the Donkey Kong series attributes in the game, mainly the DK Jungle track. The music composition is credited to Kenta Nagata and Satomi Terui. Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata were the game's general and executive producers respectively.
Glitches[edit]
- Main article: List of Mario Kart 7 glitches
Some of the most well known glitches are found in Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and GBA Bowser Castle 1. If executed correctly, they allow the driver to skip sections of the track. On May 15, 2012, an update was released that made these glitches unusable in Online Multiplayer.
Pre-release and unused content[edit]
- Main article: List of Mario Kart 7 pre-release and unused content
The 7 in the original logo featured a different design than the final logo. Original demos featured many elements from Mario Kart Wii, such as menu music, Dash Panel textures and a winged Spiny Shell. Several tracks shown in early trailers lacked details shown in the final version, such as the lack of Wigglers in Wii Maple Treeway and the lack of ramps in Wuhu Loop, Mario Circuit, and Rock Rock Mountain.
An early version of Mario Circuit, with missing ramps.
An early version of N64 Kalimari Desert, featuring more cacti than the final version.
Gallery[edit]
- For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Mario Kart 7.
Mario gliding in his Standard Kart
Luigi gliding in his Standard Kart
Peach gliding in her Birthday Girl
Donkey Kong driving his Bolt Buggy with a Spiny Shell
Media[edit]
- Main article: List of Mario Kart 7 media
Mario Kart 7 - The game's main theme | File info 0:30 |
Neo Bowser City | File info 0:30 |
Wi-Fi menu - The first variation of the Wi-Fi menu music | File info 0:30 |
Credits | File info 0:30 |
References to other games[edit]
- Super Mario Bros.: The Fire Flower appears for the first time as a usable item that throws fireballs. The layout of the course Piranha Plant Slide greatly resembles the tile sprites from this game.
- Super Mario Bros. 2: The Shy Guy Bazaar course makes references to the elements from this game such as the addition of magic carpets (being ridden by Shy Guys) and jars in their original colors.
- Super Mario Bros. 3: The Super Leaf appears as an item, and the Angry Sun appears on a blanket in Shy Guy Bazaar.
- Super Mario Kart: The Pipe Frame returns from this game, however it uses the dual exhaust design from Mario Kart 64 instead of the single exhaust from Super Mario Kart. Mario Circuit 2 and Rainbow Road return as retro courses. Collecting coins also returns from this game.
- Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3: A small portion of Wario Shipyard's music is an arrangement of this game's main theme.
- Donkey Kong Country: DK Jungle's music is a rearrangement of the Jungle Hijinxs theme from this game.
- Mario Kart 64: Some musical pieces are arrangements from this game such as the main title screen, the results screen and Rainbow Road. A segment of the theme for the course Toad's Turnpike can be heard in the newer course, Neo Bowser City. Chomps appear in Rainbow Road similar to how they appear in Rainbow Road from that game. Luigi Raceway, Koopa Troopa Beach, and Kalimari Desert return as retro courses, plus Big Donut returns as a playable battle course.
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit: Bowser Castle 1 returns as a retro course, plus Battle Course 1 returns as a playable battle arena.
- Super Mario Sunshine: The possible Toad artwork can be seen on Toad Circuit on the Mario Kart banner near the starting line.
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: Part of the Bowser's Castle and Rainbow Road themes are based on their respective themes originating from this game. Some voice clips are reused. Also, the Barrel Train returns from this game. Daisy Cruiser and Dino Dino Jungle return as retro courses, and finally, the 3-2-1 starting countdown returns with a new design.
- Mario Kart Arcade GP: The way that coins give the kart a small boost upon being collected originated from this game.
- Mario Kart DS: The Egg 1 and B Dasher return from this game as kart parts. Luigi's Mansion, Waluigi Pinball, DK Pass, and Airship Fortress return as retro courses, plus Palm Shore returns as a playable battle arena. During multiplayer with someone who doesn't have the game, Shy Guy becomes their automatic character like in this game. A portion of the Figure-8 Circuit and Mario Circuit theme from this game can be heard on the title screen.
- New Super Mario Bros.: The playable Lakitu's artwork in Mario Kart 7 is a color swapped version of Lakitu's artwork from this game. Koopa Troopa's artwork is also reused from the game.
- Super Mario Galaxy: The Comet Observatory, some domes, the Starshroom and the starting planet of Gateway Galaxy appear in the background in the course Rosalina's Ice World. Rosalina and Honey Queen both originate from this game.
- Mario Kart Wii: Most of the gameplay in Mario Kart 7 is based off of this game. The music used on SNES Mario Circuit 2, N64 Luigi Raceway, GBA Battle Course 1 and the first part of the Award Ceremony is from the said installment as well. Minecarts from Wario's Gold Mine can be seen on Wario Shipyard. Tricks return from this game. The menu selection music is based on said music from this game. The roster and map sprites also return from this game. Some voice clips are reused. Mushroom Gorge, Coconut Mall, Maple Treeway, and Koopa Cape return as retro courses.
- Mario Super Sluggers: Some of Wiggler's voice clips, as well as its artwork, are taken from this game.
- Donkey Kong Country Returns: DK Jungle is based on and includes elements from this game.
- Super Mario 3D Land: The new look for the Super Leaf introduced in this game is shown as one of the newest items for the Mario Kart series and used as the logo for the Leaf Cup. Also, the bush and Goomba Boards reappear in Piranha Plant Slide.
References in later games[edit]
- Mario Kart Arcade GP DX: Gameplay elements such as the glider and underwater racing return in this game.
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: Donkey Kong plays this game during his idle animation. Also, he is confirmed as playing as himself.
- Mario Golf: World Tour: The countdown timer and the signal light returns in Speed Golf to signal the start of the first hole. Various voice clips of Rosalina are recycled.
- Mario Kart 8: The Wii U follow-up includes various elements from this game. DK Jungle, Music Park, and Piranha Plant Slide return as this game's retro tracks. The glider and underwater racing mechanics return. Customization returns as well. Some vehicle bodies, tires, and gliders from Mario Kart 7 return also. Neo Bowser City returns as a downloadable retro course.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: The Koopa Clown kart body returns. Wuhu Town returns as a retro battle course. Lunar Colony has a moon section with low gravity just like Rainbow Road. Toad Circuit, Rock Rock Mountain, Rosalina's Ice World, and Rainbow Road return as downloadable courses in the Booster Course Pass.
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: Various voice clips of Rosalina are recycled in these games.
- Nintendo 3DS version: Rainbow Road appears as a stage in this game. The Rainbow Road theme music can play on the aforementioned stage, along with an arrangement of Rainbow Road themes from handheld Mario Kart games. In addition, various trophies reference content from this game.
- Wii U version: The Rainbow Road theme, an arrangement of Rainbow Road themes from handheld Mario Kart games, and an arrangement of this game's circuit theme appear as music tracks for the Mario Circuit stage. Various trophies reference content from this game.
- Mario Kart Tour: All of the game's race courses return in this game except for Wuhu Loop, Music Park, Maka Wuhu, and DK Jungle. All of this game's classic courses also return in this game. Many of Mario Kart 7's music is also included in the game, including the local and online multiplayer menu music. Honey Queen's emblem appears on a badge. The Birthday Girl, Cloud 9, Zucchini, Blue Seven, Bolt Buggy, Bumble V, Bruiser, Soda Jet, Koopa Clown, and Gold Standard return as kart parts, along with various tires that are no longer separate pieces. The Super Glider, Parachute, Parafoil, Peach Parasol, Flower Glider, Gold Glider, and Swooper return as gliders.
Names in other languages[edit]
Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Japanese | マリオカート7[?] Mario Kāto Sebun |
Mario Kart 7 | |
Chinese (simplified) | 马力欧卡丁车7[?] Mǎlìōu Kǎdīngchē Qī |
Mario Kart 7 | |
Chinese (traditional) | 瑪利歐賽車7[?] Mǎlìōu Sàichē Qī |
Mario Racing 7 | |
Korean | 마리오 카트 7[?] Mario Kateu Sebeun |
Mario Kart 7 |
Trivia[edit]
- The new courses use the current Mario Kart logo on their starting banners, while retro courses still use the classic logo.
- When unlocking a new kart part, if the player goes to the Mario Kart Channel to change parts, no jingle sound will play and the gift icon will not be there. However, it will still appear when going into the Grand Prix or Time Trials.
- This is the first Mario Kart game that does not have its corresponding year of release on the title screen.
- The Circle Pad can be used to manually rotate the trophy in the Grand Prix results screen, as well as move the camera in both ending screens.
References[edit]
- ^ Mario Kart 7. Official Website (in Spanish).
- ^ @NintendoAmerica (October 4, 2023). As of early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.. Twitter. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- ^ @NintendoAmerica (January 23, 2024). Update: as of 4/8, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.. Twitter. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1152588845570908160
- ^ PabloMK7, Rambo6Glaz, and Fishguy6564 (December 22, 2022). ENLBufferPwn (CVE-2022-47949). GitHub. Retrieved December 25, 2022. (Archived December 25, 2022, 02:58:08 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Fishguy6564 (February 13, 2022). https://twitter.com/fishguy6564/status/1492742285590736896. Twitter. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ https://twitter.com/chinesenintendo/status/1743566077932544485
- ^ Metacritic score of Mario Kart 7 Metacritic. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
- ^ GameRankings score of Mario Kart 7 GameRankings. Retrieved December 12, 2013.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWuxbTmdVQA
- ^ Drake, Audrey (Nov 29, 2011) Mario Kart 7 Review IGN. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16D9OXFzRJc&feature=channel_video_title
- ^ McElroy, Griffin (November 29th 2011) Mario Kart 7 review: An exercise in fun/frustration Joystiq. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ Biessener, Adam (November 29, 2011) Solid Tweaks, Cool Tracks, Same Design GameInformer. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ Mario Kart 7 review Gamespot. (broken link)
- ^ Towelle, Justin (July 2, 2012) Mario Kart 7 review GamesRadar. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ Sterling, Jim (November 29, 2011) Review: Mario Kart 7 Destructoid. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ http://www.vgchartz.com/game/45691/mario-kart-7/Japan/
- ^ IR Information : Financial Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units - Nintendo 3DS Software. Nintendo. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
- ^ Nintendo (August 3, 2022) Top Selling Title Sales Unites. Nintendo Japan. Retrieved May 12, 2022. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022 via Wayback Machine.
External links[edit]
- Launch trailer
- Official Japanese website
- Official American website
- Official Mexican website
- Official European website
- Official Oceanian website
- Official Korean website
- Official Chinese (Hong Kong) website
- Official Chinese (Taiwan) website
- Official Chinese (China) website
- American English manual
- American English e-manual