Mario Kart Wii peels out April 27

Nintendo preempting GTAIV by shipping next installment in popular racer two days earlier.

After Rockstar Games announced it was unleashing the retail behemoth that is Grand Theft Auto IV on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on April 29, most publishers have abandoned the surrounding week outright. Nintendo, however, is known for doing things a little bit differently. Today, the Wii maker revealed plans to take on Rockstar's goliath head-on with its own diminutive champion: Mario. The publisher will release the far more family-friendly Mario Kart Wii on Sunday, April 27, two days before GTAIV pulls out of the garage.

Unveiled during the 2007 E3 Media and Business Summit, Mario Kart Wii will build upon some of the more well-received features of 2005's Mario Kart DS. Twelve-player online racing takes top priority for most, and Mario Kart for the Wii will also let two players from the same console battle it out online together. The game will feature 32 courses total, with 16 being specially created for the Wii version and the remainder being updated courses seen in previous installments in the series.

Karters will be able to take to the track as more than a dozen Mushroom Kingdom denizens, as well as digital representations of themselves--or Oprah--via the game's Mii integration. As with other installments in the series, the game will include a variety of modes not devoted to competitive racing, including 10 different battle arenas. Mario Kart Wii will also be receiving its very own channel on the Wii Menu, which will allow gamers quick access to tournaments, worldwide leaderboards, and ghost data.

As previously noted, Nintendo will be offering a range of control schemes with Mario Kart Wii, and will also be packing in the Wii Remote encasement dubbed the Wii Wheel with the game. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

230 Comments

  • datguy99

    Posted Apr 14, 2008 2:17 pm GMT

    GTA is pretty good but to say screw dis game IS SO NOT GROOVY!

  • halosniper52

    Posted Apr 14, 2008 1:25 pm GMT

    screw this game GTA 4 life

  • xblane

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 11:02 pm GMT

    @ Royal_Fire: Wii Want More was an April fools hoax...

  • LittleDuck

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 12:52 am GMT

    Is it just me or is the shading in the latest photos a bit better? I can't wait until i get my Wii now. I'm waiting till after exams.

  • Royal_Fire

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 9:05 am GMT

    mario kart wii is going to be a BIG HIT!! i wonder what else do they have in mind after this?? well i heard about a thing called Wii Want More feature coming to the wii with special add-ons to game like the ps3. for more info go to my pro and you'll see.....

  • killerchurro

    Posted Mar 30, 2008 2:59 pm GMT

    I'll be playing this and GTAIV side by side. Let the awkwardness begin.

  • Shishio817

    Posted Mar 28, 2008 4:55 pm GMT

    I'll get this, but GTA IV is where all my time will be spent.

  • lfg18

    Posted Mar 27, 2008 11:38 am GMT

    Mario Kart games have always been great I just hope that they don't ruin the game making it easy for "casual" gamers. I don't want to make any funny move to throw items or to speed the car, I mean it's fun in wii sports or so but in games like these... remember what happen with Excite Truck?
    if casual gamers are not smart enough to coordinate two fingers why would we have to pay the consequences. Anyway I'll buy the game ja

  • Jag-T1000

    Posted Mar 26, 2008 7:42 pm GMT

    This game is going to be delayed for sure. April 27 is too good to be true! What they are going to do is delay it till July or August., maybe October! Smash brothers just came out, they have to milk that game for a couple more months then release another game. Nintendo knows this is TRUE because after Mario Kart they don't have another hit title!

  • Zarroc96

    Posted Mar 23, 2008 8:21 pm GMT

    Well, I didn't know that Mario Kart: Wii has it's own freakin channel when it comes out, that makes me want the game even moar!!!

  • AAwiidog

    Posted Mar 19, 2008 9:09 am GMT

    GTA IV won't be one bit as good as mario kart wii

  • MiiWiiNumber2

    Posted Mar 18, 2008 10:24 pm GMT

    i agree i dont think they will effect eachothers sales

  • Bf2_Elite

    Posted Mar 17, 2008 7:04 pm GMT

    this is like trying to compare apples and oranges. really, if you have a wii you will get mk, and if you have an xbox/ps3 you will get GTAIV. Both are must haves, but they are competing in different demographics.

  • EskimosAreReal

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 11:36 am GMT

    I'm getting GTA IV on PC anyways, even though it won't be until fall. I don't currently have any consoles, but me and my g/f plan on going 50/50 on a Wii and I really like the previous Mario Karts. This will be a first day purchase for me, if we can find a Wii by then...

  • dom1000

    Posted Mar 16, 2008 12:10 am GMT

    SMASH BROS +MARIO KART =Nintendo crusing the ps3/xbox alliance.
    I got all the console and a KILLER PC so i can play any agme on anything but i still prefer nintendo over some wash up Old game of running and shotting.

  • oli54321

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 6:08 pm GMT

    meh GTA>Mario Kart, I will just have to wait some months later and find it in a bargain bin

  • Vash67

    Posted Mar 15, 2008 2:09 pm GMT

    To taz412: I never said all 29+ year olds are only playing those games. Though I have to congratulate you on playing No More Heroes. It's a great game and I was really disappointed when I found out that it isn't selling as great as I'd hoped. There definitely will be no More Heroes 2, if you know what I mean. Anybody reading this who hasn't played it and doesn't mind a mature game should definitely try it.

  • skatrbub54

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 9:38 pm GMT

    gta is for stupid kids who wanna be gangsters. mario kart is where its at

  • elozl

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 9:21 pm GMT

    Really who cares about a lame game like GTAIV that forsure is no big scene.

  • KeemDaDream22

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 3:22 pm GMT

    In the words of Peter Griffin"Freakin' Sweet".

  • taz412

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 1:04 pm GMT

    Vash67... "That may be the case, Marth6781, but are most of those 29+ year olds playing anything besides Wii Sports and Brain Age?"

    Some of us are. I'm 44... and on my Wii, I'm currently playing SSBB (just finished No More Heroes on bitter mode). On my DS, I'm playing Advance Wars: Days Of Ruin.

  • gamer6464

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 10:02 am GMT

    hurrah!

  • R3DN1N3

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 9:39 am GMT

    OH FO SHO ! ! ! ! ! ! GT who?! It's all about MARIO KART!

  • Foppe_

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 9:04 am GMT

    That means that since I´m in Europe, i will get time enough to play mario kart Wii before they release GTAIV.

  • ROTO_DQ

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 2:54 am GMT

    this two games face to different customers and different consoles,so i think its a win-win war

  • -Squirrel-

    Posted Mar 14, 2008 1:12 am GMT

    Already have my reserve for Mario Kart in my wallet; I'm almost as excited for this as I was for Smash Bros. I'm not huge on online and prefer a room full of friends, but I'll definitely try it out. Mario Kart can certainly take on GTA, especially with a 2-day head start. I'll end up getting both I'm sure, but Mario Kart just is too much fun to wait for. No Wii owner will pass this up, but I know several people that have got tired of GTA after San Andreas.

  • V-Nine

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 9:56 pm GMT

    ....No such thing as running a race without wanting to do the other drivers harm......even from 1st place.....

  • EnigmaticBeauty

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 9:04 pm GMT

    .....I'll get both

  • fauljosh

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 8:01 pm GMT

    Sweet. I love me some Kart. But honestly this game can't compete with GTAIV. There is NO way any gamer is going to buy this instead of GTA if they've already decided to buy GTA. I , for one, have no plans to buy GTA. I've never been a huge fan of the series. I'm not one for pointless violence.

  • teknicz

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 7:32 pm GMT

    Vash, try not to be the representative for us older gamers. You're way off.

  • Vash67

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 6:54 pm GMT

    That may be the case, Marth6781, but are most of those 29+ year olds playing anything besides Wii Sports and Brain Age?

  • mcbride69

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 6:39 pm GMT

    Bit late i found this out ages ago!

  • InfinityMugen

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 6:19 pm GMT

    Whoever says Wii has no games clearly needs to get their head examined.

  • S_Pac_316

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 6:17 pm GMT

    Wow, a month after Smash Brawl was released...but I don't know, Nintendo might delay it...

  • Marth6781

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 6:05 pm GMT

    Umm, vash the average wii owners age is 29, ps3/360 are MUCH lower.

  • LaN3y

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 5:43 pm GMT

    remember brawl aint been released in europe yet

  • gary_safc

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 5:33 pm GMT

    Great i cant wait for mario kart wii, its too bad that nintendo didnt get a licence for the gta series then we could have both but o well mario kart is going to be great anyways .

  • Leick3

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 4:51 pm GMT

    this is the first nintendo game ever that ive actually been excited about the online features. this game is going to be awesome

  • Crocodile3

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 4:18 pm GMT

    This is the game I brought my Wii for!!!!
    I cannot wait...
    The big question for me is whether using the Wii wheel will be as competitive as using the pad???
    Only time and practice will tell.
    How cool would it be if they introduced a guest character like the soul caliber series. Sonic anyone????

  • Vash67

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 4:16 pm GMT

    But the question is, Is Mario Kart Wii really going to cut into GTA4 at all? You have a game that has never been on a Nintendo console (GTA for the GBA is so bad, it doesn't count) versus a game that has only been on a Nintendo console. You have an M rated game versus an E rated game. You have 360 and PS3 owners which as a whole are older, more dedicated gamers versus Wii owners who are younger and/or not as big gamers. Frankly Nintendo has little to lose in this match so they are just flexing they are just calling Rockstar out. Sadly, they are calling RS out from their yard while RS is in their own.

  • shamarke

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 4:07 pm GMT

  • HALCONAZUL

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 3:53 pm GMT

    this is a win-win situation isnt it

  • santiagochile

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 3:15 pm GMT

    I can't even find 4 people on Smash Brothers online, how am I going to play with 12 people?? Nintendo has done a great job with the Wii, but their online really sucks! Let's get Brawl's online fixed soon! MoHH2's online pawns SMBB's!

  • JohnDW

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 3:12 pm GMT

    @everyonewhodoesn'tknow

    Its coming out April 11th in Europe and the 10th in Japan!

    We got the news ages ago

  • rexCo

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 2:09 pm GMT

    I'm excited for the Tournaments/Leaderboards channel, that'll be where it's at. I hope they do something similar for an F-Zero installment on Wii.

  • 02sfraser

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 1:54 pm GMT

    good news for everyone. but what about us in the EU we never get news...

  • berlindex

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 1:47 pm GMT

    AWSOME! IF you live in the U.S.... What about lil old Europe? I would like some info on that!

  • ocdog45

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 1:34 pm GMT

    nintendo are a bunch of hater t ohave that release date. wonder who would really win for the week.

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 12:57 pm GMT

    sweet, really can't wait, always loved mario kart games

  • NefariusEdicius

    Posted Mar 13, 2008 12:34 pm GMT

    Too good to be true. The game wont be available on that date. A development delay or yet-another limited production of the game/wheel will delay it till May or June easily. Just my prediction, I'd love to be wrong tho...

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