If you’ve read my previous articles, you know that I like to appreciate video games as if they are art. I think it’s appropriate to shine the first spotlight on my favorite video game of all time. You have probably heard of the hit 2008 release: “Mario Kart Wii.” If you haven’t, well, it’s about time you grabbed that steering wheel.

“Mario Kart Wii”, although not the first of its kind, has proven to be the best in its own series. The truth is, this game is not only enjoyable to people of all ages, but it is also a revolutionary contribution to the video game industry as a whole.

First of all, this game is exceptionally entertaining. If you’ve played the game, I’m sure you remember spending hours racing with your friends and family and destroying each other’s relationships with an optimal blue shell or the dreaded lightning bolt.

Anyone can easily pick this game up and enjoy it for what it has to offer, without even being particularly good at it. If you don’t believe me, you can always ask my mother. Believe it or not, my mom is the reason why “Mario Kart Wii” is my favorite. She spent hours unlocking the characters and races using my license… and she still claims I am not her favorite child.

Even though you will notice that the CPU algorithm has a dangerously heavy bias towards human players and practically beats them to death with cruelty, the game is still very inviting. In fact, a lot of players claim that is the fun part.

When compared to the ridiculously simple “Mario Kart 8,” their view of the Wii version makes complete sense. This is similar to how gamers prefer “Super Smash Bros. Melee” over the rest of the installments of the franchise. I can confidently say that “Mario Kart Wii” is the “Melee” of the “Mario Kart” series.

“Mario Kart Wii” also offers a decently-sized roster of characters, all uniquely organized by weight and stat-classes. Most casual players will use whatever vehicle-character combination they prefer, while the professionals can be seen primarily with Funky Kong-Flame Runner, Luigi/Daisy-Mach Bike or Toad-Quacker/Magikruiser.

Additionally, the game includes a selection of the best tracks from previous games, as well as many great originals. My personal favorites, both for the level design and the soundtrack of the course, are Mushroom Gorge, Toad’s Factory, Daisy’s Circuit, Moonview Highway, Wario’s Gold Mine and the killer Rainbow Road.

“Mario Kart Wii” has been one of the leading video games for speedrunners to really test their limits. The most noticeable thing about this racing experience is the surplus of glitches, specifically known as “ultra shortcuts,” available for a player to take advantage of. Basically, they allow a player to increase speed, swiftly maneuver or even completely skip entire portions of the race course, allowing them to finish in record times. Two courses with the most iconic ultra shortcuts are Coconut Mall and Grumble Volcano. The former can be completed in roughly 40 seconds, while the latter in only 15 seconds.

Through years of experimentation, optimization, and tool-based analysis, speedrunners have obtained various track records. The modern tool-assisted speedruns (TAS) present ways to match the best possible time using computer-generated movement that is frame-perfect. Human world records for “Super Mario 64” and “Super Mario Bros.” have exceeded the speed of some TAS throughout history, and it’s not surprising for it to happen in this game as well.

The bottom line is that “Mario Kart Wii” has revolutionized the experience of a party game. Many racing games have been inspired to include elements that are similar to “Mario Kart.” This game has shaped the lives of many of us students, as we were children when the game was released. “Mario Kart Wii” introduced, and made perfect use of, the motion control system that made the Wii so unique.

Without a game like this, I always wonder where I would be and how I could have ended up as a person.