[ # ] How to Win at Mario Kart Wii

/* Posted May 5th, 2008 at 4:02pm */
/* Filed under Nintendo, Video Games, Wii */

Mario Kart Wii Peach Bike

With the introduction of bikes in Mario Kart Wii, it seems that Nintendo developers have introduced a bit of imbalance into the game. Looking at the majority of fastest time track record holders, you’ll notice that the players who used bikes outnumbered those who used karts. The bikes are certainly more nimble and have minimal turn radii, though the biggest advantage of using bikes is the ability to pop wheelies versus the turbo on karts). So there you have it, folks. Although there may not be any character that has an overall advantage to the other characters in a game, it is believed that bikes result in faster record times than karts. So if you want to win, choose bikes.

If you’ve got time and want to further your game, check out videos of all current world record time holders for each track. I mean don’t just check them out, study them! Follow even remotely what these guys do and you’ll get a competitive edge over your friends. If you’re really hardcore, memorize all the tracks so nothing will catch you off guard.

Update: The Best Controller to Use
Not only can the vehicle you choose to race with affect your chances of winning, the controller you choose to drive with can apparently make you better or worse as well. With so many controller inputs allowed by Mario Kart Wii, including the remote by itself, the remote and nunchuk, the Wii Wheel, the classic controller, and the Gamecube controller, you should take careful time to review and test each method to maximize your familiarity and find out which works best for you. Or if you’re lazy like us, you can just check out joystiq’s careful scientific review of the best controller to use. The quick verdict? Stick with the Gamecube controller for karts and the remote and nunchuk for bikes. And stay away from the remote if you’re not using a Wii Wheel. Check out the time trials for each controller below:

	Kart		Bike
	Best Time	Best Lap	Best Time	Best Lap
GCN Controller	1.29.169	29.14	1.31.405	29.69
Classic Controller	1.30.093	29.343	1.31.889	29.874
Wii Remote	1.35.31	30.659	1.36.774	30.932
Wii Wheel	1.32.799	29.706	1.34.247	31.060
Nunchuk	1.30.070	29.499	1.30.481	29.398