Other bones of contention: fake item blocks can no longer be used as a shield when held, and if I'm gonna be item spammed, at least let me keep my frigging items! I'm looking at YOU, blue shell and POW block!
Although, it's nice that the POW block is glitched; if you tap 'up' on the d-pad when the POW block hits, you don't lose speed. You'll still lose your items *shakes fist* but at least you won't come to a screeching halt over a pit or something.
It's not a glitch, that's how it supposed to be. You can also dodge the POW block completely by doing three timed jumps. That way you don't even lose your items.
There are no glitches in Mario Kart Wii, it just develops random features.
What gets me is that you can dodge the POW by jumping, but if you're mid air off a jump when it hits, you still get taken out.
Umm no you don't. If you're high up in the air the POW block has no effect. If you're talking about a "mini-jump" performed by pressing B then no, the POW block can't be avoided that way.
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
The thing that killed me is one time I was very very far ahead, doing really great in 150cc, and then I got hit by a shell, which made me fall into a pit, and about two seconds after recovering I was hit by a blue shell, then a red shell, and then ANOTHER red shell. I went from 1st place to 12th in the last 20 seconds of the race. What a drag. (actually I'm not sure exactly in what order those shells came, and how many there were, but everything else is true)
Oh, and the Wii wheel is totally useless. Just use the GameCube controller.
Edit: Oh and my friend code is
1203-9925-5096
Joined: 10/27/2004
Posts: 1978
Location: Making an escape
I haven't played the game myself, but I have made an interesting observation.
Everywhere I go - here, message boards, web comics, blogs, etc. - everyone complains about how stupid the item situation is. They all talk about being barraged with items just seconds before the finish line. Certainly this isn't just a small problem.
A hundred years from now, they will gaze upon my work and marvel at my skills but never know my name. And that will be good enough for me.
It's also not a problem limited to this game. Double Dash and Mario Kart DS both suffer from this to a comparable degree. I only briefly touched Super Circuit, so I can't say whether or not it bears the same affliction, but recent Mario Karts have made me invent new words, I can tell you that much.
I admit, it has been a while, but I don't remember the problem being anywhere near as prevalent in MK:DS as in MK:Wii. Not saying that it didn't happen, though >_>
I think the main reason it's such a problem in Mario Kart Wii is because they increased the total racers to 12 instead of 8. For example, in Mario Kart 64, only like the last 2 racers could even get blue shells, as compared to the last 4 or 5 racers in Mario Kart Wii. It's the same with lightening also.
My race percentage where I get points is 79% while my first place percentage is 40%. I'd be curious as to what some other people have. You can find out by going to your licence setting and then records.
I like how you can see others records for time trails, and race the world champion's ghost. :)
I will post up my license ID later if anyone wants to add/race me.
Doesn't that strategy where you save something like a red shell and stay in second place on purpose work anymore?
Then if a blue shell appears in like the second lap, dodge it, allow somebody to pass by and stay in second place again.
If it appears in the final lap you get the luxus of being in first place and carrying a red shell.
Not sure if this works though, as I haven't played this game yet. :p
Joined: 3/11/2004
Posts: 1058
Location: Reykjavík, Ísland
No, because even if you had the skills to do this, every three seconds or so, someone uses a lightning, making you lose your items :(
However, I will now say that playing online is great fun. The blue shells seem to be less of a problem there. It would be nice to be able to chat with other players, but I guess Nintendo doesn't want you to hear not good words. The friends system is a complete failure though. Also, you really need a wired adapter for your Wii because according to my experience, the wireless thing is totally unreliable and full of suck.
Ehh... the AI isnt that bad. If you practice at time trials and are able to unlock mii outfit b the single player is pretty easy (though getting 3 stars in everything is still a bit difficult / time consuming). Once you can complete races without falling off the track / bumping walls the single player won't be any problem at all.
Really if it wasnt for the blue shell winning would be very easy. Lightning / POW affect everyone so getting hit by them while in first doesnt harm you relatively. Stars/big mushrooms/bullets rarely reach the front and is more of a hazard for the people in the middle.
While in 1st you are mostly only targeted by 2nd and 3rd and they just get shells and the occasional mushroom. Meanwhile every item you get but the fake box is draggable and capable of defending against shells.
1st place would be very easy to defend if it wasnt for blue shells.
This signature is much better than its previous version.
In case you haven't noticed, the higher your rank is, the longer the effect of the lightning last. If you're 11th, it won't slow you down much at all. If you're 2nd or 1st, the others will gain on you significantly.