Mario Kart 7: Review Round-Up

A round-up of top reviews for Nintendo's irresistible 3DS kart racer.

Miyomoto!) What's more is that similarly to Super Mario 3D Land, the racer is receiving much praise for its innovative and unobtrusive use of the consoles 3D capabilities. EDGE have proclaimed that €œAs in Super Mario 3D Land, the use of 3D is at once easier on the eye and more effective than in the system€™s early releases. Before too long you forget it€™s there, only jolted out of your focus on the relentless pace and the ever-changing landscapes by the occasional tell-tale flutter of foreground cherry blossom petals or layers of lens flare.€ Here€™s a look at some of the reviews that are currently online. Games Radar (10/10) €œMario 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.€ C&VG (9.4) €œMario Kart 7 is the best in the series so far, and it carries itself like it is too. Throughout, there is a sense of triumphant, exhilarating culmination that rings out loud like the doom-siren of an incoming red shell.€ EDGE Magazine (9/10) €œAs a package €“ with its wealth of courses, characters and customisation options, its time trials and online modes €“ this surely beats it. Nintendo may have taken its time producing the game €“ when doesn€™t it? €“ but never has the wait for a new Mario Kart been so worth it.€ IGN (9.0) €œMario Kart 7 marks yet another return to Nintendo€™s kart-racing franchise. Though the character roster should have been larger, and a cheap blue shell can still screw up an otherwise perfect race, MK7 still offers enough innovation to keep this old formula feeling fresh. With memorable new tracks, well implemented gyro controls, the triumphant return of coins and a handful of new modes, Mario Kart 7 is full of win.€ VideoGamer.com (9/10) €œIt's not brave, it's not innovative, but neither should it be casually dismissed as 'more of the same'. That winning formula has been prodded and poked and buffed until it gleams, leaving us with a game that is, at the very least, the finest Mario Kart since the original.€ Joystiq (4.5/5) €œWhat is surprising is that it actually provides the first cohesive online experience available on the platform. It's ambitious, which isn't usually a term one could apply to Nintendo's online strategy. It's also functional, which is equally rare.€ GamePro (4/5) €œAt this point, I think everyone's opinion on Mario Kart is pretty much set, and I don't think Mario Kart 7 will change anyone's mind one way or another. It is the quintessential Nintendo party game, and a recommended purchase if you happen to have a friend or two with a 3DS€ Eurogamer (8/10) €œThe glider, rebalanced power-ups and exuberant new tracks filled with short cuts and secrets ensure that the light-hearted side to the series is maintained. The additions that are here may look significant, but in reality they are sympathetic, while the subtractions from recent games move the game back to its glory days.€ GameSpot (8/10) €œThe retro tracks stand proudly next to the new so that no matter which you're on, you're engulfed in the experience. Seeing almost 20 years of tracks on display is a testament to how outstanding design stands the test of time. It doesn't matter if you're cruising down the newest iteration of Rainbow Road or the original from Super Mario Kart: the racing is fast, frantic, and always fun.€ Giant Bomb (3/5) €œDespite the game's slavish adherence to the Mario Kart formula, Mario Kart 7 has moments where it shines simply by executing that formula really well. Still, other than your personal history with Mario Kart, your enjoyment of Mario Kart 7 will likely hinge on your continued appreciation of that formula, and friends to enjoy it with, more than anything else.€ Destructoid (5/10) €œNintendo has truly played it safe with Mario Kart 7, but it's done so to such a degree that the game could be accused of cowardice. Something bolder needed to arrive, something that shook up a very tired style of game. Nintendo shockingly chose not to take that brave step this time around.€ ________________ Mario Kart 7 is released on the 2nd Of December in the U.K Mario Kart 7 Preview

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Cult horror enthusiast and obsessive videogame fanatic. Stephen considers Jaws to be the single greatest film of all-time and is still pining over the demise of Sega's Dreamcast. As well regularly writing articles for WhatCulture, Stephen also contributes reviews and features to Ginx TV.