I was just reading IGN's Mario Kart Wii Preview, and I've got to say I'm completely disappointed by what I've seen. The game looks WORSE than Double Dash (which didn't exactly push the GameCube's power to its limit either), it seems to move slower, and it's completely tailored to a casual audience. I'm not sure what to think about this...I always thought that Mario Kart was a decent franchise that Nintendo really wanted to capitalize on by maintaining good quality. Well, I guess my decision to make the 360 my core system in a few years is set in stone. Nintendo, what the crap is wrong with you?

It just seems to me like Nintendo is totally butchering what they have. Brawl could have been twice as good in its new areas if they'd actually try to cater to a hardcore audience, with solid online leaderboards and stat tracking. But no...it'll discourage younger players and the grandmas who don't ever play online. Now Mario Kart Wii is showing some shoddy production values, even for the Wii. I thought Super Mario Galaxy was an indication of where Nintendo was going, but it seems to have been their ace in the hole, and now they're just resting on their laurels.

And unlucky for us fans who are disappointed by this turn of events, Mario Kart Wii will sell like mad regardless. I'm not saying it'll be the worst game ever, but don't expect a 9.0+ average. That's all I'm saying.