With the exact release date of Mario Kart on the 3DS still undetermined, we can at least take solace in that fact that when it does launch, we'll be experiencing a somewhat refreshed franchise.
In an interview conducted by Nintendo Power magazine, 3DS producer Hideki Konno spoke about how Nintendo wants to introduce "new elements" to the game, although further details will have to wait until next month:
Now that Nintendogs + Cats is done, I've been able to spend more time and energy on Mario Kart development. We really want to bring a bunch of new elements into the game, and I'm really looking forward to the time that I can announce what those elements are. Perhaps we'll be able to talk in more detail at this year's E3 event.
Konno has previously stated that the development team will be looking into ways to balance out the power items in order to keep everyone in the race until the very end. Whatever new changes we'll see in the series, we can be fairly sure that items such as the crowd-dividing Blue Shell will probably retain its place in the franchise's arsenal of crazy weapons.
[source gonintendo.com]
Comments 96
That's great news! So it won't just be another Mario Kart then. I hope this turns out well.
less blue shells please. I don't mind if it stays in the game, but just make it a uncommon item to get.
Im not a huge fan of racing games but for some reason I always get and play through each Mario Kart. I'm not saying I am bad but some items (BLUE SHELL OF DEATH) does come to mind that make it impossible to do real and get Gold trophies or AAA ratings from happening.
YES! I cannot wait for this!
I'm a bit cynical about this. I doubt it will be much different. That doesn't mean I won't love it though.
If a series ever needed a refresh, it's MK. Why there isn't a no weapons option I'll never know.
Well, I'm sure whatever changes they implement will be for the better, and that I'll enjoy the 3DS version just as much as the other versions. Looking forward to its release!
@7
I second that. It seems like a very logical idea to do that since it worked so well in the Smash Bros. series. Then we could take the Blue Shell out if we so choose to. >:3
Keep the blue shell, just perhaps disable it from appearing in the last half of the last lap.
But above all else: never bring back that horrible snaking from the DS.
The blue shell? More like the Communist shell.
should be good looking forward to seeing the graphics im guessing nintendo will be pushing the 3ds power for there own games
This is looking like a really great game. I'm starting to actually want it... still not sure though. I enjoyed the DS game but it came bundled with my XL, I don't know if I'd pay 40$ for this one.
Bring back the non-winged Blue shell from the older games.
Blue shell can be used for a nice pop out effect here.
Yet one more reason to be looking foward to Nintendo's E3!
I read before that Konno is re-balancing the game so items don't seem so overpowered, but this is the first I've heard of new features.
I'd love to see new life breathed into the franchise. I love Mario Kart Wii with it's steering wheel use and online play, but I'm hoping for something a little more innovative and wow inducing this time around. The last time something truly innovative happened in the series was Double Dash, but those features probably made the game a little complicated for their casual targets.
I don't get the need to "keep everyone in the race until the very end" on a handheld system. I can understand it on the Wii, which is intended for gamers of differing ages and skill levels, but I don't see whole families sitting around with handhelds playing Mario Kart. If you want an even playing field, allow players to apply pre-race handicaps to certain players or create an online lobby system that sorts players according to skill.
"looking into ways to balance out the power items in order to keep everyone in the race until the very end"
Ugh. I've never liked any Mario Kart as much as the original, and as long as this is what they're going for I probably never will.
I hope theres a 1st person option for 3DS. the 3rd person in pilotwings is really dizzymaking and can only be turned off for the airplane, but 1st person is great for 3D
Get rid of the Lightning Cloud. That's all I care.
Blue shells are fine, they just come too often. I hope they fix that in Mario Kart 3DS.
@7, 8 & 20: Do you people even play Mario Kart? MK Wii gave you the option of turning of items, as well a selecting different presets. If fact all the Mario Spioffs now give you this option, including Brawl and Strikers.
I would however like the option of selecting different weapons, and disregarding others. Of course all this is only good for offline, since online has it own limited set of options.
Without the items Mario Kart is boring and pointless. Try it sometime.
@13: Agreed. The old Blue Spiney was much better.
At the end of the day Mario Kart is still Mario Kart. A few new tracks or power-ups don't make one version stand out from the other. The 3D spices it up a little. But they need to add a new mode. Something awesome.
Awesome, this is good news.
less characters and no blue shells? :3
Kart customization please!
@7&8: Mario Kart without items? That'll be boring and dull
Oh no! :
( Please don't do what you did in Mario Kart Wii :( In Mario Kart Wii you Made it impossible to win since if your in first for more than five seconds then a bombardment of red and blue shells until eventually your in twelthObviously i don't mean i actually come last, but i hated Mario Kart Wii thanks to it's stopping anyone from winning by a fair distance feel.
I have never had a problem with the blue shell. You can avoid it by just using Mushroom Boost right as its about to hit you.
Mario Kart is a game about chaos at its very core. It's not supposed to be a straightforward match of calculated skills; probably the only crucial skill is being able to deal with whatever mayhem occurs. I wouldn't have it any other way, and this call for less items puzzles me.
it's funny that i agree with you in #32, warioswoods, considering i disagree with you in #9. i love snaking, it's definitely a skill, and if you want to put the time and effort into learning how to pull it off successfully, more power to you. also, avoiding blue shells isn't hard if you know what to do — either boost or brake, both work well for me :3
Just bring back free-for-all stock based Balloon Battles with good arenas instead of the team-based timed nonsense in over-gimmicked arenas in MK Wii as well as multiplayer Grand Prix (another thing they messed up in MK Wii) and I should be happy.
A new item that outright disqualifies the person in first place from the race. Appears commonly in 8th place, doubly so on the final lap. Never appears if a human player is not in first place.
Therefore, already 20% more balanced than MKWii
I agree with Burning Spear, folks should have the options for handicaps, or just simply, setting the rubber-banding to what they feel comfortable with. I don't think that's too much to ask as this is the only way folks who don't mind the rubber-banding and the folks that don't want any items (and everyone in between) will be happy with their ideal match.
Thoughts on something unique in a new game of a series are always very welcome. This really could be one hell of an exiting E3 this year.
The one obvious thing would be to at least use StreetPass to exchange Time Trial records. And that would be a feature i´d really like to see.
Other than that i kindly wait for a pleasant surprise.
PS: I liked snaking very much too. It´s just that it doesn´t fit so well into the Mario Kart series. It could better be used in an other fun racer i think.
I´d like to see a release for wii as well and the ability to race people on both platforms. An icon could show if user was playing on Wii or the 3DS (and Café) just like today when the wiiwheel icon shows anybody racing with the wiiwheel.
...Just release it already! I was hoping to be playing this through the summer. T_T
I hope they keep bikes.
And put in hovercraft or something.
Things I want:
Just karts. NO BIKES
A 3rd lap Blue shell disabler
More Items
All karts available for all characters
More new tracks than old
More new karts than old
BETTER BALLOON BATTLES this is a minigame that can be very fun If Nintendo pulls it off right. In my opinion it was better in ds than wii, but niether were perfect.
Another minigame (on top of Vs., Time trials, Balloon battles, and coin battles, and multiplayer.)
And finaly, for Nintendo to release it already!
Let's just hope that they make the 3D look sweet in this game!
I just wish the items required skill to use instead of to avoid. Because when you get hit by a red shell or a blue shell, you're like, "damn, the computer just hit me." Not "damn, another human just hit me." I find it much more satisfactory to win a race by a well-aimed green shell than a computer-controlled blue shell. (and re @tbd: if you have to brake to dodge a blue shell at the finish line, then you'll still lose.)
The latest MK's come down to being games of random chance with a marginal amount of skill needed. They're chaotic fun, yeah, but the formula really needs to be balanced out.
Also snaking, plz no.
The game takes much more than a "marginal" amount of skill. Mediocre players have next to zero chance of winning a 150-cc race.
I'm excited about this, but I might not have the cash considering i;m getting Kid Icarus, Starfox 64, LoZ:OoT, and the new mario game
Just make "insert minor change" and "insert gameplay change" and I'll be happy....
Seriously though, I wouldn't care if the game stayed the same, mario kart 3D would be amazing even if was just a port of the wii game.
Yeah, I keep getting BSoDs.
(Blue Shells of Death)
in all seriousness, maybe add a stunt mode?
@pix: not if the shell takes out the people who'd been riding your tail, haha :3 my husband and i bust out MKDS and play head-to-head all the time, the blue shell is so much fun during vs. play IMO.
i know a lot of people have issues with it, though — i'd be fine with them giving us the option to turn certain items off and on, no problems there. i just wouldn't want to see them take it out entirely is all :3
I hope they keep the bikes in. At first I thought: Bikes in my Mario kart!?!
But soon I realized they where awesome. In fact I like theme more then the karts!
i hope that they let in third party charac- no im just kidding! i am so getting this game though
OH HELLZ YES
please just no 3rd party characters D:
bout time!!!
No snaking please! It is tedious.
As long as drafting is here to stay, I'm good.
I agree with @45. Items just keep everyone involved for the whole race, rather than the good players flying out in front off the bat and the lesser players whimpering quietly to themselves the rest of the race as the distance between them grows larger and larger. The way it is, people can actually play together and have fun.
I think with the items, as long as there's a choice then everyone is happy. If you don't like it, turn it off and don't worry about!
@bulbasaurusrex #34 you're dead on about needing to bring back quality stock-based balloon battles. I haven't enjoyed any MK battles anywhere close to as much as the balloon battles in MK64
For the bomb battle and Item battle in Double Dash me and my Bro loved the GCN course. please bring that course back D:
oh no, were not going back to collecting coins while racing again, are we? facepalm =P
Nintendo, this is easy: just do it like you did it with Brawl. Let the player turn on/off whatever individual items they want.
With their track record, all I see them doing is adding a triple blue shell item.
They should at least make the AI less difficult or make better difficulty settings and i also think they should let us pick how many AI or human racers we want to go against
Haha, just noticed from the screenshots that one of the tracks is set on Wuhu island. Neat!
They should include a pitcrew!
monster trucks. you saw it here first.
If all of you are complaining about getting "bombarded" improve your skills then.
Dont like the sound of that, basically balance out means if your artichoke they will still keep you in the race. Blue shells should be taken away and it should be like a pure racer where if your in front on skill you cannot be taken down by the person in last position like bullet bill or the blue shell.
"If all of you are complaining about getting "bombarded" improve your skills then."
How are you supposed to win if you get hit by blue shell 2-4 times in a race? Was it even possible to dodge it in MKWii? In the DS version you could stop it with a bomb but I never got a bomb while on the 1st-3rd place.
THE TRIPLE BLUE SHELL! hahah
@69 It is possible actually.
@70 That would be scary if there were three blue shells as an item.....
I think they should mix in a few tracks based on other Nintendo franchises. Imagina a Hyrule-based track. How awesome would that be?
Luck is a big part of Mario Kart, it always will be.
If you want a pure skill racer, F-Zero is your game. (or would be if they'd make another one)
@7: Because it kind of kills the purpose of it being a Mascot Racer...have you played Sonic and SEGA All Stars Racing without items online? No fun whatsoever...it feels like playing Gran Turismo.
make it like smash brothers: a list of items which you can choose or remove.
i hate, HATE that blue shell. i didnt play much the wii game because of this item.
C'est vraiment un item de marde !
Is it unrealistic to wish for 32 new tracks combined with 16 retro ones to have 12 cups? ...Actually screw just 16 retro tracks, I want every Mario Kart track included in this one including a cup made up just Rainbow Roads!
I agree with the previous comments regarding the 'rubber band' setup; the new version should allow players to turn on/off this play scheme, but it shouldn't be the only way to play. Also, Mario Kart 3DS should implement a user created feature, similar to Modnation Racers, where users can create their own levels.
No snaking, no blue shells, bring back skill to win! Plz n THX! Xd
i assume nintendo will use optional motion control, so could we have something like a 3ds wheel?
EDIT: @79 good idea, but i very much doubt it would happen
New feature? Boy, I hope it's 3D support!
If there's one thing I like that Nintendo has done with the blue shell since MKDD is that they made it dodge-able in "some" way-- it has to have at least ONE way to escape it. Yeah, I know, I know, it's a SUPREMELY overpowered item overall, but... that's it's purpose, it's a major equilizer designed to turn the tides of a race. I do agree that it comes quite frequent but, there are some really good racers that get incredibly too far ahead sometimes and need to be slowed with about 3 (Seriously!! Some are THAT GOOD). As for the main trick to dodge the blue shell in MKWii, you need a mushroom or a star, period. Best strategy, hang out in the middle of the pack a bit, using whatever items and skills to climb the ladder in the race but not too high so you can get either a mushroom or star, and try to get into first. THIS is the hardest part, because you need to hone your skills enough to where you can keep your item AND get into first without relying on getting newer, ineffective, items toward winning the race. Sure, you're taking a risk, but it's all about the win by any means necessary, and when ol' blue shell comes a knockin', that will be your weapon against it, perhaps at that needed moment to cross the finish line on the last lap. Other tips are get to 1st, but don't try so hard to stay in 1st all the way through unless you're good enough to put alot of space between yourself and 2nd-- that way, when the blue shell comes to collect it's debt, you get a good chance to slide into first, preferrably by the last lap. There's alot of luck involved, but there's actually smart things you can do to turn that luck in your favor... THAT is what it means to play MK with ALL of the items, but I digress. I feel the same complaints as many of you here, but it still never stopped me from mastering the game... I'm just sayin'...
New Elements...you mean like, BALANCED GAME-PLAY !!!! What a concept.
I like the items. It's really satisfying when you win a race by a hair through a perfect blend of maneuvering and item manipulation. For instance, I think in MKDS you can see when someone gets a blue shell. Say you're ahead by a few feet. Brake for a second so that your two biggest threats overcome you. The two of them are most likely gonna be head to head, so when one gets blasted the other also gets affected. When you drive through the fading explosion onto the finish line that's one of the best feelings in video games.
@86
Exactly, that's a perfect example of why I love the game as it is.
@warioswoods
I love the chaos of Mario Kart, but the Super Smash series has managed its chaos better, I think, because it gives the player options. If I want to play a game with all Bombs and Banana peels in Brawl, then I just turn off the items I don't want. I don't see why such an idea wouldn't work in Mario Kart. Then everyone could be happy.
Its obviously going to be monster trucks... also, i've never played a mario kart game so i don't know what you can and can't do, but can you throw stuff like bananas in front of you? because i saw that in a gameplay video.
@thesignpainter: you can throw certain items in front of you — just hold up on the d-pad as you release them onto the track :3
thanks.
I CAN'T WAIT! I sure hope this game takes advantage of the 3DS's gyroscope so you can use the console as a wheel!
Another welcomed feature would be to setup your own cups and rules for private online play. Lets say, all 16 retro tracks. Also add reverse and mirror reversed tracks.
i think mario kart 3d should have new missions new places new characters and new game modes. but i wouldnt mind if it was the same mario kart ds
They should make creating and sharing your own tracks as an upcoming feature. If they come out with that, I totally called it.
I just hope its like the DS one and not the horrible Wii one.
What do you mean no exact release date? June 2nd. Thats what Gamestop told me (they printed me out a list of upcomming games for the 3DS when i picked it up), same as Zelda Oot3D, Animal Crossing, Starfox, Paper Mario and others.
Sweet, thanks next month!
Oh my, I lost all hope in MK since MK:DD!!. This new incarnation wont be anything better it seems.
Looks great, either way. The graphics already look so amazing.
Ditch the blooper-goop and the rain-cloud from MKWii. Those are stupid and serve no point except to annoy gamers. Less common blue shells won't hurt either.
Also please don't botch up the battle modes. It needs to be 1-on-1 free-for-all combat just like SNES, GC. and N64 modes. Don't botch it up by forcing players to fill their balloons (DS) or play on teams (Wii). I still pull out 64 and GC version strictly for their awesome battle modes.
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