Mario Kart Wii: Racing. Publisher/developer: Nintendo. (For Wii. $49.99. ESRB rating: E for everyone.)
Haven't we driven down this road before? There's definitely deja vu with the latest Mario Kart, a familiar game making the leap to the Nintendo Wii. Every winged blue shell reminds me of a freak accident Luigi and I had in '03.
And it should. After five Mario Karts over 15 years, you're probably asking whether the sixth Mario Kart is better. Well, not by much. Nintendo manages to capture our desire for the simpler things from our gaming childhood - Mario, Link and Samus - and entice us to relive them periodically. Our enthusiasm for all things Mario even ensnares new gamers, who want a piece of our retro bliss.
Mario Kart and other Nintendo franchises are like your grandma's chicken soup: It warms your soul. And as much as you try to re-create its magic, it never comes out the same.
But without the memories, and after spending a few hundred dollars for various versions of the same game for each Nintendo console, is Mario Kart Wii worth it? Yes. A new wheel accessory and added online play through Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, or WFC service, give new value to the franchise.
As you grip the plastic wheel (a separate, steering-wheel-shaped game controller in which you can mount the Wii remote, or Wiimote), your couch transmogrifies into a speedy go-kart. The illusion is broken, however, when other control methods are used, such as the game pad, the Wiimote alone or with the attached nunchuk controller. With those in hand, you might as well dust off your copy of Game Cube's Mario Kart: Double Dash. The wheel feels natural and requires real-world engagement and focus. If the wheel is held carelessly, the kart will handle poorly and send you into a ditch. Oversteer and the Wiimote's motion sensors get confused.
Playing online with Mario Kart is a brilliant, if expected, feature, allowing you to compete with other human go-karters worldwide instead of sterile AI-controlled opponents in single-player mode. WFC loads quickly and plays smoothly, making it a better option for playing with friends. No more sharing and racing on a divided screen in multiplayer; online players have their own full-screen view of the racecourse. Through WFC's Mario Kart Channel, you can check your global ranking, participate in tournaments and download ghosts, which are recordings of a driver's performance.
What's frustrating about Mario Kart Wii - and the Mario Kart series - is the lack of new game play, because what Nintendo passes off as innovation is basically an elaboration of previous versions, folding in motorcycles, Wiimote-flicking stunts and new power-ups.
And Mario Kart Wii has a Double Dash port feel. Even though it introduces 16 wildly new tracks, the other 16 are recycled tracks from the franchise's history, and their sparse design reflects their need of a face-lift.
Also, being the most skilled racer doesn't ensure victory. Winning is based heavily on luck because of the unbalanced, random power-ups that are picked up along the tracks. Your lead can be shafted by a straggling, but conniving, opponent who picks up a Bullet Bill power-up, which rockets you through the track while bowling over others. And Hail Marys of kart spinning and explosive items hitting you before the finish line can throw you into a raging fit of frustration.
Despite repurposing a game for 15 years, Nintendo manages to excite us with the new Mario Kart. Embrace the Wii wheel, and you might reach top gear.
New releases
For the week of May 4-10 (partial list):
-- Boom Blox for Nintendo Wii
-- Iron Man for PC
E-mail Christopher T. Fong at cfong@sfchronicle.com.
