Mario Kart Wii vs. ModNation Racers (PS3)

OK, first of all let's forget any kind of graphical comparison between the two games, because that's not the point of this discussion. This is a discussion about the pros and cons of each game, and which is overall the better kart game Just going by metascores they're rated about the same (MNR rates about .1 higher), however let's talk about the games themselves. They're both fun games with colorful visuals, but overall I feel that MNR is a much more ambitious game. In a lot of ways MKW was a step backwards from Double Dash. Double Dash had well balanced and competetive gameplay, even if some considered the two-character karts a bit gimmicky (they certainly weren't any more gimmicky than the bikes in MKW, IMO). Many (including myself) feel that MKW tries a bit too hard to level the playing field between the experienced players and the noobs, particularly in the distribution of power ups. The "anyone can win" philosophy seems to ultimately hurt how competetiely the game can be played.

Modnation Racers also has power ups, obviously, however I feel like the use of them is more balanced than in MKW, more like it was in MK games of the past. Since many of the power ups are actually secodn and third tier upgrades of other ones, you have to be more strategic about how you use them. It's not like you can be in last place, and suddenly reach 1st place just because you landed on a particular powerup. Overall, the racing is very solid, but the real place where MNR pulls ahead is the customization. I may have logged more time into the character / car creator in the game than I have the ame itself, because it's that enjoyable for me (I am one of those artsy right brained types). The track creator is also very robust too, and even though a lot of the user created tracks suck, the tool is powerful enough that some genuinely good ones are emerging from the chaff. And that's just the community aspect-- the online play for MNR is very solid. Mario Kart's online is good for a Wii game, but MNR edges it out. Online play is buttery smooth, it has voice chat and easy friend adding, and you can have two people go online from the same console in online split screen mode.

Overall they are both good games, but I feel like MNR had a much more ambitious vision for the kart genre than Mario Kart Wii, and I feel that the racing itself feels more polished and competetive in MNR. In terms of online gameplay and content, it's no contest.

mario kart online is better then MNR modnation racer feels heavy and is very unpolished. it doesnt even look that much better then mk wii in the first place.

itts a good start mnr but MKW is the better game

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

and the consumer, unlike the PS3 fanboy, knows it

Have to go with Mario Kart

I agree that ModNation Racers is more ambitious but in terms of overall gameplay I'd rather play Mario Kart.

custom content is great but over all i like the feel of mario kart . both are great games

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

and the consumer, unlike the PS3 fanboy, knows it

farnham

custom content is great but over all i like the feel of mario kart . both are great games

dontshackzmii

[QUOTE="farnham"]

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

and the consumer, unlike the PS3 fanboy, knows it

Timstuff

[QUOTE="dontshackzmii"]

custom content is great but over all i like the feel of mario kart . both are great games

farnham

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

farnham

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

[QUOTE="Timstuff"]

[QUOTE="farnham"]

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

and the consumer, unlike the PS3 fanboy, knows it

farnham

A lot of times good games don't sell well. Mario is very popular. And Nintendo still advertises MK Wii, how many years has it been? MNR came out recently and I don't see any ads. There are a number of factors, rather than it sold less because it sucks.

^ Most of those games you listed have "Wii" in the title. And Just Dance sold very well and is a piece of ****, let's be honest. You are comparing MNR to Wii specific games, and NDS games. All with huge install bases.

ModNation Racers was released?????:roll:

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

Timstuff

both are great but modnation has a lot more flaws than mario kart

[QUOTE="Timstuff"]

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

SaltyMeatballs

Both great games, but imo MNR is better... has so much more content..

Ive had more fun with Modnation Racers than mario kart.

[QUOTE="SaltyMeatballs"][QUOTE="Timstuff"]

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

Timstuff

[QUOTE="farnham"]

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

Buckledant

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

Timstuff

[QUOTE="farnham"]

[QUOTE="Timstuff"] That new brands have a harder time selling than the stable cash cows? I think that's something publishers have known for quite a while. Look at Brutal Legend. :(

SaltyMeatballs

A lot of times good games don't sell well. Mario is very popular. And Nintendo still advertises MK Wii, how many years has it been? MNR came out recently and I don't see any ads. There are a number of factors, rather than it sold less because it sucks.

^ Most of those games you listed have "Wii" in the title. And Just Dance sold very well and is a piece of ****, let's be honest. You are comparing MNR to Wii specific games, and NDS games. All with huge install bases.

[QUOTE="farnham"][QUOTE="dontshackzmii"]

custom content is great but over all i like the feel of mario kart . both are great games

Timstuff

[QUOTE="bowser3"]

Ive had more fun with Modnation Racers than mario kart.

farnham

[QUOTE="Buckledant"]

[QUOTE="farnham"]

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

farnham

Mod Nation Racers is vastly superior.hexashadow13

[QUOTE="Buckledant"]

[QUOTE="farnham"]

Mod Nation Racers got outsold from MKWii in its launch month despite MKWii being out for about 2 years

i guess that says everything

contrary to PS3 fanboy beliefs

MKWii>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>MNR

farnham

This is supposed to be a discussion about what we like, not the general public.

[QUOTE="farnham"]

[QUOTE="Buckledant"] While I haven't played Modnation Racers, do we really need the sales argument here? Not everyone has the same opinion.

Krigen89

[QUOTE="farnham"]

[QUOTE="Buckledant"] While I haven't played Modnation Racers, do we really need the sales argument here? Not everyone has the same opinion.

Krigen89

well mario is the better game,its more fun and MNR lacks the most important part....racing it could have all the create/play/share it wont but it wont save it from the most important part.

[QUOTE="Timstuff"][QUOTE="farnham"]
no one is one of the best selling games this gen

the other one is a low selling budget game that no one will care about in 10 yearsfarnham

yeah but ever thought how would MK be received/sell if it didnt have those familiar characters from Nintendo franchises?? or else if there was no MARIO in the title....

As i said MK is a great game, but MNR improved on every gameplay aspect along better online & also the additional creation/customisation of karts/tracks & mods..

[QUOTE="Timstuff"]

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

farnham

[QUOTE="Krigen89"]

[QUOTE="farnham"] sales represent what people like so yes.

Mario1331

well mario is the better game,its more fun and MNR lacks the most important part....racing it could have all the create/play/share it wont but it wont save it from the most important part.

Seriously MK fans, just stop the nonsense of saying MNR lacks in gameplay/racing... They just feel different when it comes to racing.. MK's racing mechanics are nothing extraordinary... Both games offer solid gameplay..

[QUOTE="farnham"][QUOTE="Timstuff"]

As the old SW saying goes, "you can't play sales."

Timstuff

[QUOTE="Mario1331"]

[QUOTE="Krigen89"]No, not at all. ales represent what people bought because they thought they'd like it. Or what families by for their kids/nephews. Or familiar brand names. If you asked any of my uncles/aunts "hey it's a kid's birthday, should I buy him MNR or MKW? They're both kart games!" of course they're gonna go with Mario for the wow factor... yet they know nothing about both games.

Malta_1980

well mario is the better game,its more fun and MNR lacks the most important part....racing it could have all the create/play/share it wont but it wont save it from the most important part.

Seriously MK fans, just stop the nonsense of saying MNR lacks in gameplay/racing... They just feel different when it comes to racing.. MK's racing mechanics are nothing extraordinary... Both games offer solid gameplay..

Anyone who says Mario Kart Wii is unbalanced in anyway, is just bad at it. Get better. Theres already a whole thread discussing how MKWii isn't unbalanced in the Wii board if you're interested to read as to why it isn't. As for the two games, I like Mario Kart more than Mod Nation Racers. Though MNR is more ambitious, I find Mario Kart Wii more fun.

[QUOTE="Krigen89"]

[QUOTE="farnham"] sales represent what people like so yes.

Mario1331

well mario is the better game,its more fun and MNR lacks the most important part....racing it could have all the create/play/share it wont but it wont save it from the most important part.

Haven't played MNR, but I was disappointed in MK Wii. I actually enjoyed MKDS a lot more. They took out snaking in the Wii version which made it a lot more boring for me.

[QUOTE="bowser3"]

Ive had more fun with Modnation Racers than mario kart.

farnham

So just because im a playstation fan and I like the Killzone Series, means i have never played Mario Kart Wii? Well dont mind me, ill just stick to my opinion....:roll:

[QUOTE="Mario1331"]

[QUOTE="Krigen89"]No, not at all. ales represent what people bought because they thought they'd like it. Or what families by for their kids/nephews. Or familiar brand names. If you asked any of my uncles/aunts "hey it's a kid's birthday, should I buy him MNR or MKW? They're both kart games!" of course they're gonna go with Mario for the wow factor... yet they know nothing about both games.

mrmusicman247

well mario is the better game,its more fun and MNR lacks the most important part....racing it could have all the create/play/share it wont but it wont save it from the most important part.