So I picked up my copy of Mario Kart for the Wii earlier today. It's a good game and I think those who want something a bit challenging but nothing too difficult will really like this game. The graphics look really good, I haven't noticed any pixelation, but then again I've been a bit too busy racing to notice too much, so maybe I'm just missing it. Another good thing about the game is the ability to unlock items, maybe this was in the previous ones and I never got around to unlocking them. But there are definite unlockable items which enhances the gameplay.
This version has online features that allow you to connect with friends and pay against them. However, I should not need to enter in a 'friend code' in order to play against somebody... this is just wrong... I should be able to browse a channel or startup a 'quick match' to go up against somebody, but this is Nintendo..
However, there are a couple of things that do irritate me about the game. First off if you're in first place you are more likely to get hit by 2 or 3 items, one right after the other. This is just annoying, while it hasn't cost me any race yet, it's just poor implementation. Additionally for items there seems to be an exorbitant ratio of banana peels and green shells. While this doesn't detract from the game play, it just seems like in ordinate amount of the same item.
Overall it's a good game. Nothing dirty, since it's nintendo, and it's good for a quick round and something fun to play. It's also good if you want to have a tournament. Check it out and see if it's right for you.