The news that Mario Kart Wii has hit the top of the UK sales chart is no surprise. MK is one of the few games that unites both core Nintendo fans and the new Wii demographic. I've been playing it over the last few days and erm, it's been fine. Multiplayer is as amusing as ever. But, to be honest I've been ever so slightly underwhelmed. And looking at the average review scores it looks like I'm not the only one. Hardcore games mag Edge gave it a 6/10 while 8/10 is common across the main gaming sites. Sure, 8/10 or the equivalent is clearly a solid score, but the Mario Kart brand - sorry - has historically reviewed higher. So what's happened? Has there been some kind of gamer backlash?
Look at the wheel peripheral included with the game. It's neat and cleverly designed, perfect for more casual gamers. But personally I've found it lacks the sensitivity and feeling of control that the old style pads had. Nintendo clearly realised this by offering numerous controller options - classic, gamecube etc - but have obviously designed the courses with the wheel in mind. The game just doesn't feel as challenging as older editions of the series.
Is Mario Kart Wii the first of the classic Nintendo franchises to be dumbed down for the new broader gaming audience? Or am I just suffering a grumpy old gamer moment? Answers on a SNES controller to the usual address...
