The unofficial totals for last weeks US software sales shave arrived via VGchartz. Mario Kart Wii has clocked in at an amazing 1.2 million copies sold which puts world wide sales at 3.4 million. Quite an accomplishment for a “bridge” title with an average review score of 8.0. Unsurprisingly, Grand Theft Auto IV for the 360, and PS3 sold a staggering 3.6 million copies in its first week. Now that Mario Kart is out of the way, future game releases are unknown.

Join the staff and readers tonight at 9PM EDT for some online Brawl action and take a spin with our newest entry to Wifi nights, Mario Kart Wii! Be sure to login to the Infendo IRC, and forum to exchange your brand spankin’ new MK Friend codes. So turn up Episode 101, and kick back for some fun.

Just take it easy on Rainbow Road!

More than two decades of verification have solidified it as truth, but given the absurd quality of recent software, it seems worth reiteration; the best titles on Nintendo’s console have been first-party Nintendo games.

Whether pushing innovation with Wii Sports and Wii Fit or polishing the established with Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the Kyoto-based gaming juggernaut has shown an unflinching, relentless attention to detail on its own Wii titles.

Given Nintendo’s impressive Wii track record and the post-DS resurrection of interest in the franchise, the recently released Mario Kart Wii has been one of the most hotly anticipated Wii titles of the year. 2005’s Mario Kart DS reestablished Nintendo’s long-running racer as one of gaming’s premier franchises, so lofty expectations seem a natural application for any new Mario Kart title. Fans will be pleased to know Nintendo has, in most respects, gone above-and-beyond their ivory-coated suppositions for Mario Kart Wii.

But players should be forewarned; Mario Kart Wii often frustrates and disappoints almost as wholeheartedly as it thrills. Veteran kart aficionados, in particular, may be dispirited by Nintendo’s insistence on rewarding the tenderfoots and punishing the skilled.

(more…)

First announced at E3 2007, Mario Kart Wii has finally been released in the US to serve as one of Nintendo’s “bridge” titles. Software availability is expected to be depleted throughout Sunday, but finding a copy before the end of the day shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. So far, Europe, and Japan have had silky smooth online play, but it is uncertain if this massive wave of US racers will cause a worldwide lagfest. Either way we now finally have a reason to eject that Brawl disk.

So be sure and grab a copy and join us this Thursday for our newly combined Brawl/Kart night, and get ready for big daddy Jake to win’em all! See you online!

Got your copy yet?

—

Update: Staff Friend codes

David Cole: 1891-1559-9201

Jake Brandon: 4811-7342-4473

It’s not nearly the launch that Super Smash Bros. Brawl enjoyed, but Mario Kart Wii, at least in Japan, is enjoying brisk sales after a week on the market.

Media Create reports the kooky racing title pushed 594,000 units in Japan since its launch one week ago. It currently sits in the number one software sales spot overseas. Smash Bros Brawl, on the other hand, sold about 874,000 copies in one day, and 1.4 million in its first week.

Regardless, Nintendo has another first party IP hit on its hands. Kudos to them.

[GamesIndustry.biz]

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?

Mario Kart Wii hasn’t been out in Europe and Japan for a week and cheaters are already taking advantage of various glitches spread though out the online modes. One of the most common and annoying glitchs right now deals with time trial track times. All the player has to do is race through 1 lap, stop, and the “time” cut scene rolls, giving players unbelievable lap times. These of course get ranked to the top of the charts, allowing users to download their ghost data. Unlike snaking in Mario Kart DS, this glitch is just plain cheap.

Yet the unthinkable has happened. Nintendo actually stepped in within hours of this discovery to prevent knowledge of the glitch from spreading. Not only did Nintendo terminate all online cheating records/accounts, but they seem to have patched the online portion of the glitch. Great job Nintendo of Europe and Japan! You’re finally starting to live up to your online gaming commitment. Now do you think NOA could get around to repairing Brawl online? 

Where you one of the cheaters?

David Cole, associate editor at Infendo World Industries, is currently on vaca in Deutschland. But that hasn’t stopped him from geeking out over all things Nintendo and envying our European friends that can already purchase Mario Kart Wii.

(more…)

Before I started home from work today my bu-chou (head of planning) told me her father had bought her daughter a new Wii game and she wanted me to go up and see it before I went home (bu-chou and sha-chou (CEO)) live upstairs from the company office).

Not to get into the complex family dynamics of my employment situation, let’s just say I got to sit down and watch a 6th-grader take the Wii wheel for a spin, and then played one course myself. Obviously not enough play-time for a review, but I can definitely list some things I’m looking forward to, and somethings that I’m not. (more…)

Live in Boston? Like Mario Kart? Not sure you like it? Well, after it launches on April 27, there’s a little Mario Kart Driving School Tour hitting City Hall Plaza and Government Center on May 14 and 15, respectively. Both events start around 9 a.m. and last until the evening. More info at the Mario Kart Wii web site below. And sure, there are other stops along the way, but I’m *wicked* biased.

[Mario Kart Wii]

Iwata is back! This time interviewing Kenichiro Ashida (lead of Wii Wheel project), Hideki Konno (producer), and master, Shigeru Miyamoto (General Producer) for their most recent game, Mario Kart Wii. They jabber on about everything under the sun concerning the MKWii development process including Wii Wheel prototypes, online ranking, understanding Nintendo’s “bridge” titles, why MKWii has motorbikes, and so on. One interesting question brought up was the advantages of the Wii Wheel control scheme vs veteran Gamecube controls.

Konno: “… we came up with a way of addressing that. We provided an incentive for using the Wii Wheel. When you battle someone you don’t know, and in the rankings as well, a Wii Wheel icon appears to the right of your nickname on the screen.”

Miyamoto: “When someone using the GameCube controller gets passed by someone with the Wii Wheel icon, they’re really chagrined. But just like with the Mii Contest Channel for contests, where the number of parts for faces are limited, it’s more fun when there are restraints. When you can get a great time using the wheel, you’ve got a lot of bragging rights.”

Be sure to click over to Wii.com to check out the full interview. Japan and Europe get Mario Kart on April 10th and 11th while US gamers have to wait for April 27th (at least we have Brawl). Personally, I will be using the GC controller all the way. Don’t get me wrong, motion controls are neat and all, but steering with the remote has yet to be “nailed”.

What Mario Kart Wii control scheme will you be using? Wii Wheel, Remote with Nunchuk, Gamecube, or Classic pad?

The peeps over at GameTrailers are impressed with what they see but are slightly concerned with the more simplistic gameplay (read: no snaking). I say who gives; game looks and sounds awesome.

Guess what snakers? You’re out of luck when Mario Kart Wii hits shelves in April. Boo-hoo. Too bad so sad.

ONM UK, via Go Nintendo:

The second big difference (in Mario Kart Wii compared to the rest of the series) is the removal of snaking. Ever since the N64 game, practically every Mario Kart game has included the ability to get a speed boost by waggling the controls left and right as you powerslide. This has finally been scrapped, and now your speed boost is determined by how long you can hold the slide.

Some considered it a skill, I just considered it being an [Edited out by Infendo scrubbers]. Regardless, it’s been eliminated — that is until some hardcore nut finds a way to exploit the game in some new, more annoying way.

Some new Mario Kart Wii footage. Nice splits, Peach!

Nintendo announced the official US release date for Mario Kart Wii.  Start your (kart and cycle) engines on April 27th!  Let the countdown begin!! (45 days…)