Embargo is up on all Nintendo Media Summit content. Through a mess of WiiFit and Wiiware titles, Mario Kart Wii made a showing complete with online friend matches against Nintendo of Japan. We know Europe and Japan are having a blast with online right now, but US gamers have yet to have a go. IGN Nintendo team had a chance to put the US versions online mode through its paces.
…As far as online performance goes, Mario Kart Wii can boast a flawless 60 frames per second for single player online, and what appears to be a locked (or mostly locked) 30 frames per second for two player online. The single player affair is where the game really shines though, as the experience is extremely smooth, even going as far as to make people passing by ask whether what they were seeing was on or offline at all. We tried it not only at the summit itself, but also at the San Francisco and LA IGN offices, and the experience turned heads. It’s worth a mention that Mario Kart Wii uses the same predictive online system as the DS version, so you’ll see racers popping around at times or reacting late to what you’re seeing, but it’s a sacrifice to save the framerate, so as long as you’re expecting it (and understand that the game isn’t cheating you) it’s still very entertaining…
Be sure to click over to IGN to read their full impressions. This really does look to be a great addition to Wii’s online library (if there is one). Though the graphics aren’t a “huge” upgrade from Double Dash, 60fps is worth the sacrifice. Mario Kart Wii Launches in the US on April 27th.
What do you think? Will Mario Kart Wii’s online pwn?