Shortcuts are present on almost every track, and figuring out not only where they're located but how to reach them requires you to thoroughly case the surroundings. You have to be quick and precise with your movements, and staying aboveground often requires you to tackle tricky turns, so there's a strong risk/reward element to contend with.Įxcellent track design ensures that each of these elements is integrated in interesting ways. As with the gliding segments, sometimes you want to be underwater, where coins, item boxes, and shortcuts are hidden, whereas other times you want to circumvent this detour. Once submerged, your kart moves more slowly, and exaggerated physics prop you on two wheels around turns. Just like some sections may force you to fly above the clouds, others thrust you into the briny deep. This feeling is further cemented by another new element: underwater driving. It's an enticing system that makes every lap around the track feel unique. Not only does every moment have you striving to hit the best line possible, but you have to decide the best possible route as well. Lakitu is nonplussed by his ghostly doppelganger.Ĭhoice is a huge factor in why Mario Kart 7 is so exciting. Maybe there are item boxes below or boost pads, so hanging in the air is ultimately hurting your chance at victory. But other times, you may want to land as quickly as possible. In some courses, tricky shortcuts are even available for those who have a daredevil's mentality. You can avoid the chaos happening below you if you stay safely in the clouds, and there are coins to collect as well. Once again, quick decision making is important. At first, this seems like a shallow gimmick, but after you experiment with what you're capable of once airborne, you realize just how much potential this new ability grants you. When you leap off a blue launchpad, your kart automatically sprouts magnificent wings until you touch back down. Do you go slightly out of your way for a couple of extra coins? Do you risk falling in a pit? It's a smart addition that makes you keep your eyes peeled for flashes of golden yellow, giving you even more to think about while you're navigating hairpin turns and avoiding deadly shells.Īlthough some of those those elements have appeared in previous games in some form or another, the hang glider is new. In a call back to Super Mario Kart, the more coins you're carrying, the faster your driver's top speed, which adds more strategy in how you handle turns. You gain access to new gear by collecting coins sprinkled liberally around each track, though the coins have more than one purpose. Whichever chassis, tires, and hang glider you choose affects your attributes, and it takes a bit of experimentation and inventiveness to decide which combination is best for you. Kart customization gives you an opportunity to tinker with parts before each race. There is still one strange quirk, though: Your time is no longer recorded so you won't know just how narrowly you won (or lost).Ī handful of new additions help separate Mario Kart 7 from its forebears. The rubber banding that previously snatched victory from you at the last second has been drastically toned down in Mario Kart 7, so you finally feel as if you're in control of your own destiny. Computer drivers are merciless in both their item usage and driving tactics, smartly taking tricky shortcuts or blocking your attempts to land shells on their noggins, which forces you to up your own skill if you're going to come out on top. If you found yourself breezing through the single-player activities in previous games, then you should be glad to find a ramped-up difficulty in Mario Kart 7. There are 32 tracks split evenly between new creations and returning favorites, with the retro versions revised to incorporate the new features introduced in this latest iteration. Grand Prix races in 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc difficulties are available from the beginning, and you unlock mirror variants if you prove your worth in the initial offering. The structure in Mario Kart 7 has remained unchanged from its many predecessors. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's
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