Whereas previous racing efforts on the 3DS such as Ridge Racer 3D had a tunnel vision approach to the depth perception offered by the three-dimensional display, Mario Kart 7 takes a more organic approach offering natural perception of depth. Everything seems larger, wider, and deeper with the 3D slider up at full. Mario Kart 7, alongside Super Mario 3D Land are the most compelling arguments for the benefits of 3D gameplay to date. The music – while a serious step up from Mario Kart Wii – is still largely average, though the new Rainbow Road theme will never fail to “wow” you.

Now for the problems. Firstly, why were features removed? Mario Kart DS’s Mission Mode was one of the best additions in the franchise to date. Novices were challenged with new techniques, and pros were pushed to the limit. This feature was dropped from Mario Kart Wii to increase casual appeal. Also dropped was the ability to race a single track with CPU players. It’s Grand Prix, Time Trial, or nothing in single player. Battle Mode makes a surprising comeback from it’s total broken state in Mario Kart Wii. Balloon pops are still cumulative (no “Sudden Death”), and matches are still timed which results in the occasional tie (something Mario Kart should never end in), but team mode can be shut off, and item types can be modified (shells only, mushrooms only, power items only, etc). It never gets close to Mario Kart 64′s purity, but it’s once again fun.

Standard Multiplayer Mode is about the best it’s ever been. Download play is un-gimped, and local play is as pure and fun as it’s ever been, but online truly shines here. Nintendo has finally figured it out. After each race, you are assigned a VR rating that logs your skill for intelligent match making. You spend a heck of a lot less time racing professional snakers in South Korea if you lack the skill to compete. You can also choose to rematch after a loss. The most innovative option is the communities. You can now create a custom race type, and then share that with friends or strangers. The only problem is that they didn’t go far enough. Why not the ability to turn on/off any item individually? With options like this, Mario Kart could reach Smash Bros. levels of customization going forward.

Mario Kart 7 is like going home to an old friend after having a massive falling out, and just hugging upon arrival. You’ll tell the same old stories, but feel the same ole’ warmth. Everything feels the way it should, but Mario Kart 7 also shows that this old horse has plenty of ways to evolve going into the future. While the customization options only allow a taste of the tweak-ability we could experience going forward (Wii U), there’s plenty to make this the best Mario Kart since Mario Kart 64. That’s high praise from someone who still hosts occasional MK64 house parties. For sure, this is a 3DS system seller.

GrE Grade: A-

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