Mario Kart 64 (Virtual Console)

It Was Worth 50 Dollars 10 Years Ago...Is it worth 10 Dollars Now?

Short and simply...Yes.

Mario Kart 64 was the second in the series, and it ushered in an era of 3D kart racers. One of which was the lovable classic of Diddy Kong Racing...but that a review for a later time.

The first new addition to the Mario Kart 64 franchise is the 4-player battle mode that the game presents. The simplistic design allows for easily enjoyable multi-player situations without convoluted rules and designs.

The game offers some in single-player action, with little unlockables, so it's understandable to only crack this out for its multiplayer. For Mario Kart 64 offers so much in the way of multiplayer that hard-core gamers and first-timers should be able to find something to love.

Graphics. With a great leap ahead in terms of visuals, the vibrant yet generic graphics do what they are supposed to. And the game looks even better on the Wii. Some places make the character looks a little spotty however.

Sound. Sound great on the Wii, but it really depends on your preference. The game doesn't raise the bar, but the music doesn't hinder the game. Some may enjoy the simple melodies and others may find them ear-bleeding. They aren't anything amazing, but they do what the were meant to.

Gameplay. The most addictive racing game at its birth, and its simplistic and fast controls push forward the genre. From here the real Kart series was born, and the varied range of items make the multiplayer and single player races random and fun.

Even if you aren't the best video game player, you still have a chance to trump your friends in Mario Kart 64 due to items. That was the main plot by nintendo. And they pulled it off near perfectly. With stronger items available to characters in lower rankings, no one gets left in the dust.

To play this game on your Wii you need a gamecube controller or a classic controller. With the classic controller the gameplay resembles the Super Mario Kart game for SNES. The play is almost as good, if not better than playing with the Nintendo 64 Controller.

Longevity. With 16 Tracks the Single player will last you a week or two. But the real gem in this game is the fantastic 4-player battles. The peril will be centers of parties and likely the multiplayer goodness that keeps your friends sticking to the classic controller.

2 player grand prix mode is also another extremely enjoyable multiplayer oppurtunity. However, 3 and 4 player racing isn't as rewarding. It tends to get lonely racing with only 4 players. And the single player time trials add even more in the way of longevity. According to the operations guide there is a way to save your ghost data, but i haven't figured it out yet.

All in All. 1000 points seems extremely generous with all the game you get. This may be the second best game on the virtual console so far, and it is so great for all it offers. I have this for Nintendo 64, but i couldn't resists buying it again. And i don't regret it. Don't resist, go ahead and buy this game, if you liked any Mario Kart racer. A cult classic? Hardly, anyone can enjoy this intuitive fantasy racers.