The Best Nintendo Game Every Year 1983 - 2024

17. 2008 - Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart Wii Donkey Kong
Nintendo

It’s not surprising that when looking into which Mario Kart games frequently top the franchise in terms of fan favourites, the Wii edition is a regular #1 spot. After all, it sold like hot cakes with even better hot cakes inside of them.

And this is despite the fact that Mario Kart Wii is an infamously broken game, with speedrunners beating tracks in literal seconds by reversing and leaping over the finish line, and the game turning Funky Kong into a superstar by virtue of him being blatantly faster than every other racer. 

But in a sense, that’s what made the game so fun. It had something for everyone - from the diehard competitive racers with Gamecube or Pro controllers to your parents who wanted to try out the surprisingly enjoyable Wii Wheel. Mario Kart Wii appealed to the console’s mix of demographics with chaotic casual race and, for the first time ever, online play.

Each sequel is a must-have for its respective Nintendo system, but rarely has an instalment defined a console like Mario Kart Wii did.

 
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Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many gaming quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite