Name: Mario Kart Wii
Platform: Nintendo Wii
Release Dates: Japan: April 10th | Europe: April 11th | Australia: April 24th | America: April 27th

Thats right Friendcodes.com, get ready to start your engines because the next installment to Nintendo's most popular racer is almost here and from what we've heard, it is set to raise the bar for not only the Mario Kart series, but the entire racing genre. Mario and all his room mates will appear in all their glory, as well as all your favorite items and many new levels, including some familiar ones from older installments graphically enhanced for the new title. One of the major updates to the franchise is the amount of karts that play at one time, which has gone from 8 to 12. Also returning is the famous Battle Mode and the Mission Mode which debuted in Mario Kart DS. Another new addition to the franchise is the ability to utilize the Mii Channel, allowing you to put your Mii's behind the wheel to go up against Mario and company.

Bundled with the game is the Wii Wheel, a shell that houses the Wii Remote for a more intermediate gameplay style. Those who are not yet old enough to drive do not fear, for you can also use the Nunchuck and Wii Remote combination, as well as the Wii Classic and Gamecube controllers. Something that came as a shock to some and a right to celebrate for many was the removal of the traditional drifting boost, which in term makes snaking near impossible to do. Instead, boosts are determined by how long the drift is held instead of just tapping the joystick. But what came as the biggest surprise was the online option. As well as the 12-player Versus Mode, you can also play 8-player battle mode over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Not only that, but the game disc comes preloaded with a Wii Channel that allows you to check online records of other players and even download and compete with their Ghost Data.

This title is shaping up to be a step forward for the Wii. It seems that Nintendo have not quite rejected the hardcore gamers. Let's just hope everything above is presented in perfect form.