• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Mario Kart 7 |OT| Rosalina is Fat, BBW Lovers Unite!

OK, here are some more impressions on the 3DS wheel.

The most important part of the design for me are the bits that stick out at the bottom, the "horns" as I will call them. These "horns" actually give the last three fingers (other than your index finger and thumb) on each hand something to hold on to, and prevent the corners of the device sticking into your palms. It totally removes the palm pain, as well as the possibility of getting pins and needles - at least in my situation.

The shoulder triggers are a nice bonus, and have almost as much movement as the standard triggers - definitely no more movement than the standard as they simply press the standard triggers. They are hinged towards the middle of the unit which means they feel more responsive towards where your fingers are. They have a different feel and size, which can take a small amount of getting used to.

The circumference of the unit is good. All in all the wheel a couple of cm less wide compared to the Wii wheel. The thickness of the grip itself is slightly fatter than the Wii wheel. The curve of the grip is rounded on the back side of the wheel, and flat on the front.

You put the 3DS into the wheel shoulder buttons first, and there is some soft rubber to make the unit fit perfectly just above the "horns". All in all, it's excellent. Everything you would expect from an officially licences peripheral, and up to Hori's high standards.

One last thought: I think this makes the game feels more like a home console game rather than a handheld, which is a nice side effect.

Here's a comparison photo 3DS wheel vs. Wii wheel:

6541081173_c257f5aea3_z.jpg

Thank you for the impression gingerbeardman; you have me sorely tempted to get this! :)

May I ask however if you have used it to play any other games than MK7? If so, how is the comfort and suitability of the grip for those games? Also, does it make use of the d-pad more comfortable than if the 3DS is 'naked'? :)
 

TeegsD

Member
Added the 150 and Mirror all items communities as well as the balloon battle one. Hope to see you all on the track one of these days. I race under my name, Tiago. Looking to add some more people on the 3DS so I put my code in email tags for anyone. Lemme know if you added me so I can add you back.

Quote to see
 
I really sucks when they give it to you when you're in 7th or something. Grrrrrr

seriously. how the hell is that gonna help me? most people are already very familiar with the courses so you cant really make them fall or whatever

i remember in MKDS or another MK game where if you hit a boost, it would wipe the ink off the screen. it sucks that isnt the case here anymore
 
goddamnit

seriously, every race im like between the first 3 and then in the last lap everyone fucks me up with shells and whatever. Fuck :(
 

Koodo

Banned
i remember in MKDS or another MK game where if you hit a boost, it would wipe the ink off the screen. it sucks that isnt the case here anymore
That still happens here. Mushrooms and orange stripes on the road (boosts) will wipe off the ink. The blue stripes are just launch pads for the kite, those won't do anything.
 

«þ»

Member
What CC is Worldwide?

It varies depending on the VR/skill level of yourself and the group you're playing with.

If the group you are playing with has a high VR you will play a mix of 150cc and Mirror. Lower skill levels you will typically play 100cc I believe.
 
D

Deleted member 1235

Unconfirmed Member
anyone else have issues with this online now? Mine was flawless, now I can't even join games for the last 2 days. just LONG ass times even using the mariokart channel and 'communications error has occured' usually after watching half a live race waiting to join.
 

Gospel

Parmesan et Romano
I thought it was just my connection or something. i'd swear i've been staring at the "please wait..." screen longer than i've been playing the game.
 

Ysiadmihi

Banned
Finally got in a game but jesus christ almighty they have to fix the goddamned netcode in this game. The reason the item spam is particularly bad in MK7 is because the game doesn't update opponent position fast enough so item boxes that are taken remain on the track. It really makes me want to go back to MK Wii at times.
 
D

Deleted member 1235

Unconfirmed Member
the problems have been going on a couple of days, I don't know if they have overloaded servers or what, but it was perfect at launch and then all of a sudden doesn't work.

I suspect the game handles droppers/rage quitters badly as well. Quite often I get connection errors just after a course is selected, which make me think LITTLE BITCHES that don't like the selection bail out. deduct some VR for that shit, I swear grrrr.
 
That still happens here. Mushrooms and orange stripes on the road (boosts) will wipe off the ink. The blue stripes are just launch pads for the kite, those won't do anything.

really? i dont think ive noticed that. maybe its online lag or something but i dont remember orange stripes wiping the ink off

i also find it funny the ink stays when youre under water


anyone else have issues with this online now? Mine was flawless, now I can't even join games for the last 2 days. just LONG ass times even using the mariokart channel and 'communications error has occured' usually after watching half a live race waiting to join.

yeah ive been having connection problems too. takes a long time to connect to a game and sometimes im waiting upto 10 minutes from the end of a race to the next one
 
really? i dont think ive noticed that. maybe its online lag or something but i dont remember orange stripes wiping the ink off

Yeah, the orange stripes (even the ones on jumps) definitely get rid of the ink.

For all that everyone says about this, I have played Worldwide loads and never once played Wuhu Mountain Loop on it.

With the glut of people online it's easier to find groups where the track isn't spammed, but it's sadly still pretty common.
 

tzare

Member
goddamnit

seriously, every race im like between the first 3 and then in the last lap everyone fucks me up with shells and whatever. Fuck :(

it is a bit frustrating if you ask me. Too many overpowered items. But i guess that was expected after DS and Wii games.

Btw, what do i have to do to earn 3 star ratings? seems random, i can get 40 points + 40 coins and still get only two :/
 

Sinthetic

Member
Just had a race on Loop, I was looking at the bottom screen. Picture this, SEVEN people, all trying to hit the shortcut and failing. Funniest fucking thing I've seen playing the game.
 
Is it better than Mario Kart Wii? Because that's only thing that's holding me back from buying this. I was really disappointed with the Wii version, but I love the rest of the Mario Karts
 

Gintoki

Member
Is it better than Mario Kart Wii? Because that's only thing that's holding me back from buying this. I was really disappointed with the Wii version, but I love the rest of the Mario Karts

I didn't mind the Wii version, just hated the bike addition. MK7 tracks are one of the best right after MK64.
 
It's way, way better than Mario Kart Wii. Not just the tracks, but the physics, the speed, the item distribution (which is still iffy but much improved), the trick bonuses you can get for almost everything, the coins, the art style, the lack of bikes, the AI, pretty much everything is better with the possible exception of the controls. Contorting your fingers around the 3DS can be painful after a while.

Game is a lot prettier than I expected. And so smooth.

It's probably been brought up before in this thread, but several of the backgrounds in the new tracks are incredible. Shy Guy Bazaar and Koopopolis in particular are just amazing. If you get the chance, go to time trial mode and just gawk at the scenery.
 

Ysiadmihi

Banned
It's not better than MK Wii, but it's still pretty good. The removal of bikes and the addition of coins (which increase your speed but get dropped when you get hit) makes items worse than ever, so just be warned.
 

Boken

Banned
Addition of coins is now a negative. I've seen it all.

The smaller field of players makes items less worse. Makes the racing less chaotic too.
 

Ysiadmihi

Banned
Addition of coins is now a negative. I've seen it all.

It shouldn't have been, but it is. Items now reduce your top speed in addition to bringing you to a dead stop thanks to coins.

Boken said:
The smaller field of players makes items less worse. Makes the racing less chaotic too.

It doesn't. Power stars show up too frequently, the tanuki tail is flat out stupid and the fire flower is the most spammy item in the entire series. And now, without the wider tracks of MK Wii (or the smaller profile of the bikes), dodging items is incredibly difficult. There are times where someone behind you will activate a power star and you have no choice but to get hit.

Bikes should have remained as the riskier but faster option for people who wanted them.
 
Not only do I agree with Boken, I think the reintroduction of coins and the return to eight-person races are the two best changes. Yes, items take away coins, but every single item can be avoided, and skilled players will have no problem keeping their coin count high.

Bikes should have remained as the riskier but faster option for people who wanted them.

One of the great things about Mario Kart 7 is that everybody online isn't playing as a Funky Kong or a Rosalina on a bike. I agree with Miyamoto about not wanting (much) customization, but the bikes were just broken.
 

Javier

Member
I wonder what they will do to the 3DS tracks when they're included as Retro tracks in later games. Will gliding and underwater driving stay as a main feature or will they remake them entirely to remove those features?
 

Ysiadmihi

Banned
Not only do I agree with Boken, I think the reintroduction of coins and the return to eight-person races are the two best changes. Yes, items take away coins, but every single item can be avoided, and skilled players will have no problem keeping their coin count high.

How do you avoid a lightning strike (especially over pits that are all over the place now because of gliding)? Or get out of the way of someone using a power star behind you when there is no room to shift left or right on some of these small tracks?

SecretMoblin said:
One of the great things about Mario Kart 7 is that everybody online isn't playing as a Funky Kong or a Rosalina on a bike. I agree with Miyamoto about not wanting (much) customization, but the bikes were just broken.

I agree that bikes were most definitely better than karts in MK Wii, but they should have been tweaked instead of removed. Nintendo just wanted everyone to stay together in a pack this time, and the reduced importance of top speed, removal of bikes and almost unbearable item spam is part of it.
 
I wonder what they will do to the 3DS tracks when they're included as Retro tracks in later games. Will gliding and underwater driving stay as a main feature or will they remake them entirely to remove those features?

The more I play, the more I dislike the underwater sections. The physics just aren't fun, drifting is a pain, and the water effects make seeing your surroundings difficult. Wario Shipyard is just not very fun to play, frankly. And even though I didn't like Koopa Cape on the Wii, the tunnel section near the end was way, way better.

On the other hand, the glider sections are sublime.
 
How do you avoid a lightning strike (especially over pits that are all over the place now because of gliding)? Or get out of the way of someone using a power star behind you when there is no room to shift left or right on some of these small tracks?
Keep a star and use it at the right time; I do that a lot, and it was a common technique on the Wii. And with the tanooki tail and the overabundance of stars in this game, nobody should put themselves in such a tight position on the track. The tracks are narrower, but they aren't minuscule.



I agree that bikes were most definitely better than karts in MK Wii, but they should have been tweaked instead of removed. Nintendo just wanted everyone to stay together in a pack this time, and the reduced importance of top speed and almost unbearable item spam is part of it.

I see good players running away with wins much more frequently in MK7, so I disagree with the idea that the game forces clustering more than MKWii did. There are fewer blue shells and many, many more opportunities for a good player to stay ahead of the pack. Also, because of the lower screen, it's easy to see what items are coming your way.

And there's a simple explanation for why top speed has reduced importance: coins. Why is it a bad thing that top speed is now affected more by your racing skills than a kart combination?
 
Top Bottom