Review: Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo 3DS

Everyone’s favourite plumber is back in Nintendo’s sure-fire success Mario Kart 7.

Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo 3DS allows you to enjoy the thrills and spills of the racetrack in full 3D (or not, if you choose to move the slider down!).   Not only can you race on the ground but Mario Kart 7 has racetracks in air and under water too.

Choose your character, then choose your vehicle and customise it to your own design then you can choose whether to play as a single player, or online against opponents from anywhere in the world by creating or joining a community recommended by Spotpass.  You can also play against up to 7 friends who also have the game on their 3DS using only one game card.

As well as the original characters you now have several new ones to choose from and a total of 32 courses to choose from, sixteen retro and sixteen brand new ones created for Mario Kart 7.  Drive solo or as part of a team – there are so many things to choose from – how will you ever make up your mind?!

The graphics are very good, wonderfully clear and the game is as fun to play as the original.  Of course, having the option of linking up with other players – and not just those in the same room – gives it an added bonus and an even higher fun factor.  The children were very impressed that I came first in the only race I participated in.  I didn’t tell them that nobody was as surprised as I was, instead possibly creating the impression that I knew what I was doing.

To mark the launch of Mario Kart 7, Nintendo are launching a mission to find Britain’s Fastest Family in August.  Two members of a family with at least ten years between them can register as their family’s team and enter at the Regional Heats at their nearest participating HMV.  The fastest team from each region will get through to the Grand Final in October and will race for the chance to win  a Honda Jazz Si family car and a limited edition Mario Kart trophy.  Get practising for your chance to be a Mario Kart winner!

(We received a copy of Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo 3DS (rrp. £29.99) for the purpose of this review.)