Nintendo releases first Mario Kart Wii tournament

by Ross Miller { May 1st 2008 at 8:55PM }

Nintendo has announced the launch of worldwide Mario Kart Wii Tournaments, which will be coming every few weeks. The first one, available now, is a competition for fastest time on Mario Circuit. "Look closely though," said the press release, "something may be different." (For whatever reason, we haven't been able to get online to see what difference there might be.)

Best times will be recorded and viewed on worldwide rankings. Future tournaments might also include collecting coins and Wii Wheel-specific challenges.

Need a Kart fix? Check out all our coverage of Mario Kart Wii!

Tags: mario, mario-kart, mario-kart-wii, nintendo, nintendo-wfc, tournaments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Fernando Rocker @ May 1st 2008 9:01PM

1:45 my time... according to the leaderboards, I'm the second place in USA.

But I'm to far way from Japan leaders... almost 20 seconds of difference.

=p

Jody Anthony (cookingrebels.com) @ May 1st 2008 10:30PM

awesome! 2:05 was the best i could do

D_Average @ May 1st 2008 11:18PM

How did you do that?? 2:00 is my best. Did you wait in the back for a Bullet Bill or somthing?

John McPoop @ May 1st 2008 11:33PM

@Fernando

I must say I am starting to warm up to this game a little more. When I first bought it I thought it sucked but the more I play it the more it grows on me. I never fully opened up to Brawl like I did Galaxy, Metroid & Zelda but I can say this game is actually pretty fun. I like GT:Prologue better in terms of a racing game and online lag free racing but it's apples to oranges. Mario Kart is a damn fun game.

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ May 2nd 2008 12:41AM

pics or it didn't happen

even though I believe you anyway

I am a machineee @ May 2nd 2008 2:09AM

What is your WFC name?

TheOverlord#2 can has Mario Karts?(MK:2578-3517-9859) @ May 2nd 2008 7:10AM

2:01's my best.
I don't know how to take 50 sceonds off! xP

Abra131 @ May 2nd 2008 4:38PM

I got 1:44 and I send it in ASAP.. I wonder why they dont give you like, the specific times you need to beat. Im going to go check out whats different... HMMMM

TheOverlord#2 can has Mario Karts?(MK:2578-3517-9859) @ May 2nd 2008 6:23PM

You go on Rankings, then click on Tournament rankings.

Sandra @ May 1st 2008 9:02PM

The changes are that the Chain Chomp travels backwards around the road followed by item boxes instead of just being chained down... and some of the Item boxes were removed... and the moving item boxes near the end of the course are stationary...

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ May 1st 2008 9:03PM

Ken Kutaragi won't share his friend code.. what gives?

Fernando Rocker @ May 1st 2008 9:08PM

My mistake... not second place... like 20th

=(

Joshua @ May 1st 2008 9:17PM

Aren't the graphics in this game really bad? I haven't played it, but from the screenshots, all the characters look to be made up of as few polygons as possible.

OTAM @ May 1st 2008 9:25PM

The graphics are pretty poor if you ask me. The game overall isnt nearly as good as any of the other ones to me. It doesnt have the same staying power as the other games.

It seems like it was thrown together over a weekend with a bunch of courses from other games. Makes me sad to see this game turn out this way when the DS one was so awesome.

SGT Grumbles @ May 1st 2008 9:36PM

You don't really notice it when you're actually playing. From the screen shots they do look pretty poor.

aReEeNeN @ May 1st 2008 9:41PM

I'll have to respectfully disagree about the staying power of this one. Personally, I see myself playing this game regularly for quite some time. I wasn't much of a Double Dash fan (don't even say it, Fernando :-P), but I've got to admit, as skeptical as I was initially with the Wii Wheel controls, they've sold me. While I know it'll take a lot more practice to become as precise as the analog controls, it's just pure fun with the wheel and it brings something new to the table.

Oh, and about the graphics, they do look sloppy. I don't expect Wii games to look phenomenal, all I ask is that it looks like they maximize the hardware's potential and I can't help but feel that they fell a bit short on this one.

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ May 1st 2008 10:21PM

The poly count is probably lower per character to maintain a steady framerate (since you have 12 seperate racers now, not just 8). And the stages have a lot going on, too.

That's my only guess as for why it looks less detailed than Double Dash...

Jhongerkong @ May 2nd 2008 12:25AM

Seeing that Bowser screen made me cringe after just beating Mario Galaxy.

Wheres the flowing hair?

UltimateQ @ May 2nd 2008 1:13AM

its not about graphics, its about A+ gameplay. The last time I cared about graphics was around 1997, when it all became meaningless, and 3d graphics became trivial.

samfish @ May 2nd 2008 8:49AM

Everything about this one feels rushed, which is especially evident in the graphics. It just has an over all cold, sterile feeling, as the Kotaku review said.
I think they rushed it out to try and blunt GTAIV somewhat, but I wish they'd have just sat on it until November instead.

That said, it's still a lot of fun...it just lacks the liveliness of previous games.

Joshua @ May 2nd 2008 8:59AM

So I get rated down for being the first one to note the poor graphics, but others that agree with me get rated up?

Well, anyway, at least I know I'm not going crazy. I really thought I was the only one who thought the graphics were bad. >.>

baby sea tuna @ May 2nd 2008 9:29AM

Nah, that was the first thing I thought when I saw that picture too. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and incurred the wrath of the blind faithful.

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ May 2nd 2008 10:24AM

Yeah, not understanding the downrating. You're not blatantly bashing the graphics, just asking a question.

I agree the graphics are sub-par, particularly when compared to Brawl character models. But hey, I'm a dozen or so replies in!

"I am invincible!"

Mr Khan @ May 2nd 2008 2:49PM

"I am invincible"

Saying that must be jinxed. Boris Grishenko got frozen by Liquid Nitrogen when he said that, and you got down-voted

Gewurztraminer says: R.O.B. is the last Cylon! @ May 2nd 2008 3:51PM

indeed =D

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ May 3rd 2008 4:07AM

I'm voting you two up just to counter the downvoters. :V

Seriously, Josh's post wasn't inflammatory towards the Wii, or its version of Mario Kart.

And Gewurztraminer (whose name I had to copy and paste)? Well, his name and avatar are just too awesome to be downvoted.

Alex @ May 1st 2008 9:25PM

Hmmm, I'll have to enter even though I'm not very good at Mario Kart yet, this seems fun.

Bigfoot @ May 1st 2008 9:43PM

I want to know what people are doing to get 1:3x:000 times.

T @ May 2nd 2008 8:13AM

It's likely a combination of luck and some REALLY good items.

Keep racing over and over again until you get some happy median of mushrooms.

Of course, there's likely also cheaters. But that's any game, and Nitnendo has made it known they're clearing off times that are "impossible"

My best time is like 1:5x:00, if I could actually upload it to find out what that ranks is another story. Stupid WiFi getting hammered.

jcd @ May 1st 2008 10:10PM

mkw = meh

heckthor @ May 1st 2008 10:56PM

MKW= yeah!

TheHuntIsOn @ May 2nd 2008 4:35AM

lol pwned

Dan Bugglin @ May 1st 2008 10:26PM

I went to upload my time (which was abysmal) and it timed out while trying to upload... and I lost it. >:(

That would really suck if it happened to someone with a good time. No option to retry to transmit, just dumped back to the main menu. That's the one thing about WFC that needs to change.. games need to be more flexible with dealing with networking errors.

Scott @ May 1st 2008 10:57PM

*Niko walks up to kart with Mario driving*

**Shoots Mario in head**

*Takes car to pick up Princess Peach*

*Offers Peach 70 coins*

**Peach increases health of Niko**

*Niko shoots Peach afterward and takes back coins*

lvl99ultrathug @ May 2nd 2008 12:08AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHj0FGJ9JSE

Scott @ May 2nd 2008 12:18AM

ROFL

Luigi: "Do you accept d'ah coins?"

Jeep @ May 1st 2008 11:48PM

Hum, this is maybe because I'm not playing on a big HDTV or something, but I have no complains about the game graphics. I think they're great. Of course, they're not next-gen or whatever, but I think they still look pretty great.

Jhongerkong @ May 2nd 2008 12:26AM

My time was so incomprehensibly fast that Nintendos servers couldnt record it after simultaneously breaking under the win.

Mariolegend @ May 2nd 2008 12:57AM

How in the hell can you get 1:40:xxx ?!!?!? Do you need to open up new cars or bikes that can go faster? Isn't just your regular bike fast enough? I only did 2:00 but can't never really break that time.

Is there something I'm missing?

- g -

I am a machineee @ May 2nd 2008 2:16AM

I did 1:55 with King Boo, I kept trying for better and with different characters but I could never do better. Maybe people can click the Items to stop on Mushrooms?!

Sumudu @ May 2nd 2008 3:48AM

I managed ~1:50 (in a kart, with the wheel), but I would have done slightly better if I hadn't been hit by a red shell near the end.

The only trick I've found is to shoot the goomba's with shells, which releases mushrooms onto the track.

I'll have to try it with a bike later, but I'm really no good at drifting with the fast bikes yet.

TheHuntIsOn @ May 2nd 2008 4:38AM

I was pretty chuffed seeing this. I didn't read up on Mario Kart Wii before I bought it and this was a really nice surprise. Good to see Nintendo embracing online, yea it's at a late stage but this is the smoothest online game they've given us yet. Love these tournaments, hope they keep them up.

Only just found the mega detailed stats page last night too. WHOOPS.

By far my fave Mario Kart game. Content wise it's a monstaaaa

Hot$auce_Magik @ May 2nd 2008 9:10AM

I'm waging a war inside myself between Double Dash and This one. I feel like Double dash had more solid gameplay with there being less of a rubber band AI.

Wii's rubber band AI is HORRIBLE. Its my only gripe. and Although the wii wheel is less percise, its deninitely more fun.

liwii @ May 2nd 2008 8:43AM

A bunch of us have been posting our best times over here. Right now the best time posted is 1:44.184. http://forums.mapwii.com/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=1880

Mr Khan @ May 2nd 2008 9:09AM

Eh, i missed it because Verizon put me on their secret blacklist for heavy downloaders and refused to provide me with service beyond "Website found, waiting for reply..."

A little manuevering got it back, but too late

YoshiiRox @ May 2nd 2008 1:03PM

My best time is 1:42, it took me an hour. It took luck, and pray to what ever god you wish for a gold mushroom at the start. My best time without it is 1:44.

LAWL @ May 2nd 2008 1:34PM

WHY WASNT SUPER SMASH BROTHERS BRAWL LIKE THESE???

Damn was nintendo trying to "play safe" by doing these smash online crap,so the next version they can say" now with kewl online",or just mean?
Anyway,that was really stupid,sales would have boosted a lot if the game had a good online,hint hint halo3 didnt outsol and wont keep selling if it wasnt for online.

lawl Mario Kart.

MD @ May 3rd 2008 10:55AM

"Thrown together in a weekend"??? Seriously?

I mean I've heard of exaggeration, but that's being too cruel to a pretty fun game.

They put a lot of work into the multiplayer, which is important, and its evident in the good online and the little things like letting 2 people play online on one wii console.

And some of those new courses are just extravagant and have good amounts of creativity.

Explain to me how you throw together the Wii's first excellent online mode in one weekend.

Sir Fidlious Wong (Zeon Defense Force) @ May 2nd 2008 12:02AM

I really hate (read: enjoy) to do this to you buy two players going online off the same console isn't exactly new. Hell, halo 2 did it. It's not that big a feature.

Of course when your only frame of reference is Nintendo, I guess I could see how it's new and exciting. The Mario Kart channel is something to get hyped about. Going online with two players only begs these two questions.

1. Why is the framerate so choppy when doing this?

2. Why can't four do this?

Simply offering up a "well, it's the best on Wii online" isn't sufficient. It's supposed to be better than the best on Wii.

MD @ May 4th 2008 6:43PM

No worries, you haven't "done" anything to me, I never said going online with 2 people was new or that it was really that important, nor was I trying to compare it to other consoles. I just wanted to say that Nintendo was taking a step in the right direction with this, and it is good that they are actually working on online modes with subsequent games that come out. If you look at my comment, you'll see it says "it's the LITTLE things like letting 2 people play online with one console".

On a side note, I haven't gotten to try out the 2 people playing online thing yet so I dont know how laggy it is or if it is like that for everyone, but if I am playing with three other people, I think i'd rather play offline. 2 people is fun online because you're sort of "working together against the world". But again, its not that important.

P.S. How can a game's online mode be better than the best on the wii if it *is* the best online mode on the Wii?

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