Mario Kart 7

Mario Kart 7 is a new Mario Kart game for the Nintendo 3DS and is the seventh installment in the platform games in the Mario Kart series (and the ninth installment in the whole series including the arcade installments). Ghost data is able to be exchanged and online gameplay is available in multiplayer mode in this game.

Gameplay
According to the trailers released at E3 2011, the game will undergo several radical changes to make it different from previous Mario Kart games. Players now have the option of collecting coins while racing. At specific points in the games, the karts will sprout either hang gliders and propellers, allowing for racing in the air and underwater. Mario Kart 7 will also have kart customization options, allowing players to make custom karts out of a set of pieces, but some of the pieces need to be unlocked first. Mario Kart 7 also introduces Retro Karts (Karts returning from other Mario Kart series). Several courses from past Mario Kart games will return in the Retro Cups, including Luigi's Mansion and Airship Fortress. Mario Kart 7 has the option to race in first person view, meaning that the players can see the track up close for the first time through the character's own eyes. Mario Kart 7, unlike Mario Kart Wii, will return to the traditional 8 characters per race. It is also compatible with Streetpass and Spotpass. Bikes, which were introduced in Mario Kart Wii will not return in this game but the player will be able to perform Tricks.

Starters

 * Mario
 * Luigi
 * Princess Peach
 * Yoshi
 * Donkey Kong
 * Bowser
 * Koopa Troopa
 * Toad

Unlockables

 * Red Lakitu
 * Rosalina
 * Princess Daisy
 * Wario
 * Metal Mario
 * Mii
 * Shy Guy
 * Wiggler
 * Queen Bee

Other

 * Grand Goombas
 * Tiki Goons
 * Screaming Pillars
 * Clampies
 * Cheep-Cheeps
 * Swoopers
 * Banzai Bills
 * Green Lakitu
 * Stingbies
 * Frogoons
 * Chomps
 * Penguins
 * Boos
 * Sidesteppers
 * Snowmen
 * Fishbones
 * Rocky Wrenches
 * Piranha Plants
 * Dinosaurs
 * Mega Wigglers
 * Music Thwomps
 * Miis
 * Piantas
 * Walking Trees
 * Shy Guys
 * Toads
 * Waluigi (cameo)

Items

 * Banana
 * Green Shell
 * Blooper
 * Triple Bananas
 * Triple Green Shell
 * Red Shell
 * Triple Red Shell
 * Spiny Shell
 * Mushroom
 * Triple Mushrooms
 * Star
 * Thunderbolt
 * Bullet Bill
 * Bob-omb
 * Coins
 * Fire Flower
 * Super Leaf
 * Lucky 7

Mushroom Cup

 * Toad Circuit
 * Daisy Hills
 * Cheep-Cheep Cape/ Cheep Cheep Lagoon*
 * Shy Guy Bazaar

Flower Cup

 * Wuhu Island Loop
 * Mario Circuit
 * Melody Motorway/ Music Park*
 * Alpine Pass/ Rock Rock Mountain*

Star Cup

 * Piranha Plant Pipeway/ Piranha Plant Slide*
 * Wario's Galleon/ Wario's Shipyard*
 * Koopa City/ Neo Bowser City*
 * Wuhu Mountain Loop/ Maka Wuhu*

Special Cup
Note: *American names for the courses
 * DK Jungle
 * Rosalina's Ice World
 * Bowser's Castle
 * Rainbow Road

Shell Cup

 * Luigi Raceway (From Mario Kart 64)
 * Luigi's Mansion (From Mario Kart DS)
 * Bowser Castle 1 (From Mario Kart: Super Circuit)
 * Mushroom Gorge (From Mario Kart Wii)

Banana Cup

 * Koopa Troopa Beach (From Mario Kart 64)
 * Mario Circuit 2 (From Super Mario Kart)
 * Coconut Mall (From Mario Kart Wii)
 * Waluigi Pinball (From Mario Kart DS)

Leaf Cup

 * Kalimari Desert (From Mario Kart 64)
 * DK Pass (From Mario Kart DS)
 * Daisy Cruiser (From Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)
 * Maple Treeway (From Mario Kart Wii)

Lightning Cup

 * Airship Fortress (From Mario Kart DS)
 * Koopa Cape (From Mario Kart Wii)
 * Dino Dino Jungle (From Mario Kart Double Dash)
 * Rainbow Road (From Super Mario Kart)

New

 * Standard Kart
 * Royal Ribbon/Birthday Girl*
 * Growlster/Bruiser*
 * Blue Seven
 * Bolt Buggy
 * Cact-X
 * Bullet Duck
 * Koopa Clown
 * Cloud 9
 * Bumble V
 * Tiny Tug
 * Soda Jet
 * Gherkin/Zucchini*
 * Gold Kart

Retro Karts

 * Egg 1
 * Barrel Train
 * B Dasher
 * Pipe-Framed

Wheels

 * Standard
 * Slick
 * Slim
 * Roller
 * Monster
 * Red Monster
 * Mushroom
 * Wood
 * Spongy
 * Gold

Gliders

 * Standard
 * Flower Glider
 * Peach Parasol
 * Super Glider
 * Swoop/Swooper*
 * Parafoil/Paraglider*
 * Ghastly Glider
 * Gold Glider

* means that this is the American name for the kart.

New Battle Arenas

 * Honey Bee House
 * Sherbet Rink
 * Wuhu Town

Retro Battle Arenas

 * Big Donut (From Mario Kart 64)
 * Palm Shore (From Mario Kart DS)
 * Battle Course 1 (From Mario Kart: Super Circuit)

Technical Features
Very few people have seen the demos, but those who have have said the 3D part of the game is amazing. Things such as flower petals and bats will fly at the player in this game, and the people that have played the demo have claimed that it is very cool. Another thing noticed that had never been done before was the competition the player's character's face had. When Mario and Luigi got close to each other, they would stare at each other competitively and keep an eye on each other. This was something new that never had been done before. So far, the game's frame rate is sixty frames per second, even in online matches, which is very decent.

Reception
The game is an outstanding success according to it's reviews. Mario Kart 7 has received worldwide critical acclaim. The first review, from Famitsu, gave the game a 37/40. They praised the Community feature, making the game more accessible and finding the opponents using StreetPass was also a positive feature. The reviewer states that it's accessible enough that even new players can enjoy it, and when you get into it, you really get into it. Computer and Video Games gave the game a 9.4/10 and Eurogamer gave it an 8/10. Nintendo World Report gave the game a 8.5, stating that it is more of the same and the gliding mechanics feel underutilized. It currently holds an 85/100 rating on Metacritic based on 60 critic reviews. The game is currently the top on Global Charts according to VGChartz as it has currently sold 2,115,873 copies worldwide under 15 days.

References in other media

 * Super Mario Bros.: Piranha Plant Pipeway is made in a Super Mario Bros. tileset-like way, but with it looking more modern.
 * Super Mario Bros. 2: Shy Guy Bazaar's appearance looks a lot like many locations in Super Mario Bros. 2 do and has Magic Carpets ridden by Shy Guys and vases looking the same as the ones Cobrats would come out of.
 * Donkey Kong Country Returns: DK Jungle is in appearance very similar to the Jungle world in Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Trailers
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