Mario Kart 7

Genre: Kart Racing

Players: 1-4 Competitive (Local Wireless), 2-8 Competitive (Online) StreetPass Supported

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Review:

Mario Kart 7 is a Kart Racer released on Nintendo 3DS in 2011. As with the rest of the series, this game has Mario and his cast of friends racing on various colorful courses, both new and old.

As I write this in 2022, this game has of course been succeeded by its sequel, Mario Kart 8, which features absolutely phenomenal high-definition visuals. Mario Kart 7 isn’t nearly as impressive, but it still looks quite nice, with detailed, colorful 3D visuals, imaginative courses, and smooth framerates all around, backed by the usually high quality energetic music that we’ve come to expect from this series.

Mario Kart 7 introduced multiple new elements to this series that continued on in Mario Kart 8 – hang gliders, underwater racing, customizable karts, and power-ups like the fire flower all were introduced to the series here. There were also some other features more specific to this entry in the series, like an optional gyroscopic motion-controlled first-person perspective and online communities. However, I think it’s fair to say that many players were a tad underwhelmed at the lack of originality in this game – without any impressive new technology (gyroscope and stereoscopic 3D notwithstanding) or any major new gameplay element like Double Dash’s two-character karts or Mario Kart Wii’s motorbikes, Mario Kart 7 felt like a decidedly safe entry in the series.

That’s not to say it was bad, though. Quite the contrary, Mario Kart 7’s gameplay still shines as an excellent take on the series’ formula, both deep yet accessible, with superb controls and some creative new courses. Speaking of courses, those are going to be one of the bigger selling points of this game even if you already have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch – courses like Shy Guy Bazaar and Wuhu Loop are not in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and while it’s possible they may be added later via Expansion Pass DLC, it’s unlikely that all of Mario Kart 7’s tracks (16 new courses, 16 remade “classic” courses, and 6 battle arenas) will make the transition over, meaning there will still be some unique content that remains in this game.

Mario Kart 7 also still has a healthy online player base too, over a decade after the game’s launch, meaning that you’ll have others to play against even if you don’t have friends near you with a Nintendo 3DS. I did notice a few odd issues online, namely racers who seemed impervious to attacks (and not just because they dropped a banana peel at the right moment). However, these quirks aside, racing online still made for a fun and frantic competition, even in 2022.

You probably don’t need me to sell you on Mario Kart 7. If you have a Nintendo 3DS, odds are good that by now you’ve already snagged a copy of this game. Still, for what it’s worth, I’ll say that Mario Kart 7’s popularity is well-earned. This is a must-have game on Nintendo 3DS, even if you have the superior Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch – both games are outstanding and offer enough unique content to be worthwhile.

tl;dr – Mario Kart 7 is a Kart Racer featuring Mario and his colorful cast of friends in a relatively safe entry in this series, though still one of the best ones in the genre. Even if you have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch, consider this game a must-have if you own a Nintendo 3DS.

Grade: A

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