History YMMV / MarioKartWii

* ComeForTheGameStayForTheMods: Compared to the other installments, ''Wii'' has a surprisingly sizable modding community, with online races being restored after the official servers shut down (this is also the case with ''DS'', but to put things in perspective, the entire replacement server for all of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was incentivized and initially developed for ''this'' game), several quality of life improvements, the return of the feather item, and an extensive number of tracks with enough polish to compete with the main game. CTGP, a distribution with over 200 additional tracks including some from later ''Mario Kart'' games and other racing games entirely, is relatively easy to install and gets serviced regularly. While Wiimmfi, an easy to use replacement server for the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is used by both original unaltered game and CTGP players who like to play online after the official servers' shutdown.

* ContestedSequel: This game has had this reputation since it came out, due to lacking certain elements from its prequels: the two driver system from ''Double Dash!!'', the Mission Mode from ''DS'' (although the Tournaments are its equivalent), and the additional Battle Modes from either of them with this game's iteration of the mode seen as lackluster in comparison. This debate has only intensified over the years thanks to the divisive nature of ''its'' sequels. Players who believe ''Wii'' is an EvenBetterSequel to its prequels praise for its sportlike gameplay, loose handling, introducing various control schemes including a realistic motion controlled wheel, the introduction of various new mechanics, unique new and great retro tracks, its large and varied roster and vehicle selection with many newcomers (alongside unique stats of each character and vehicle), enhancements to the gameplay such as adding tricks providing boosts and half pipe ramp (which did not return in the series until ''Tour''), introducing 12 player races, and ''massively'' improved online alongside extra features such as the Mario Kart Channel. The fact that it's one of the most modded games on the Wii, particularly the [[VideoGame/CTGPRevolution CTGP pack]] which adds a boatload of tracks and features, is often cited as proof of the game's staying power and vibrant community, which fans of the other entries have attempted to mimic but cannot fully attest to. Its detractors, on the other hand, criticize the game for many of the same reasons; each character and kart having unique stats only allows for a much smaller list of viable combinations compared to later entries, and the significant advantages bikes have over karts completely defies the name; Mario ''Kart'' Wii. Even the mechanical improvements don't hide the gameplay issues it has in the unbalance between karts and bikes and unintentional "Ultra Shortcuts" (something it's second-to ''Mario Kart 64'' and its similar issues). Regardless of your stance, there's not a lot of middle-ground for a conversation.

* NintendoHard: The game is especially infamous for this as the increase of Racers from eight to twelve on Tracks results in a crazy spike in difficulty compared to previous games, there are horror stories from people who get in dead last because of a Blue Shell, Pow Block etc.; and there's the utterly insane means of unlocking characters and karts, like getting first in every track on 150cc or completing 4.950 races.

* MemeticMutation: Get Mario Kart'd [[labelnote:Explanation]]The term originates from an [[https://youtu.be/_43cq3DalZw infamous video]] that had Daisy getting bombarded by multiple items, as well as getting bumped off the bridge of DK Mountain by other racers, resulting in her going from first place to dead last. The term arose due largely to the increase of racers from eight ''to twelve'' on tracks resulting in a further difficulty spike in difficulty and chaos compared to previous games. Though the meme and the mechanic itself of "Getting pelted by every item at once" [[FranchiseOriginalSin has its origins in]] ''YMMV/MarioKartDoubleDash'' due to it introducing a much more intelligent/harder AI, being very close in difficulty and chaoticness with still only 8 racers as each pilot and co-pilot being able to use a different item and Double Item Boxes make it virtually the same in terms of number of items able to be used.[[/labelnote]]

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Back when it was released, ''Mario Kart Wii'' was generally lauded for its many additions to the series in well implemented motion controls for steering coupled with the accompanying Wii Wheel accessory to make it feel even more immersive, a new bike vehicle class with a characteristic wheelie mechanic, expanding the number of racers from 8 to 12, tricks and half-pipes, a ''significantly'' improved and expanded online play compared to ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' with the Online Tournaments being seen as a nice, if smaller, online equivalent to the Mission Mode from said game. Its large, further expanded, character roster with various [[UnexpectedCharacter Unexpected Characters]] and almost its ''entire'' track selection was also seen as [[Awesome/VideoGameLevels excellent]]. Nowadays though, outside its dedicated fanbase that remembers and acknowledges all that, when speaking of the game the ''only'' thing that will be most often be talked about is the criticism directed at the games' bikes and characters being unbalanced -- which has always been acknowledged as a flaw of the game alongside restricting its Battle Mode to teams only, with its own BrokenBase between those who mind the ComplacentGamingSyndrome it caused and those who don't, but not the ''only'' thing worth talking about it -- while ignoring or forgetting all the objetive additions and online improvements the game brought. It's also fairly common to see people think that the bikes were the only thing the game added, while the game actually introduced much more than that.

* [[Awesome/VideoGameLevels Awesome Video Game Levels]]: Nearly every new course in this game has grown a solid following, with standouts including Mushroom Gorge, Toad's Factory, Coconut Mall, DK Summit, the entire Star Cup (Daisy Circuit, Koopa Cape, Maple Treeway, and Grumble Volcano), Moonview Highway, and Bowser's Castle. The fan-favorite courses are part of the reason the game remains beloved, and due to their popularity, some have returned in ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour''. The biggest testament to their enduring popularity is that thanks to the Booster Course Pass, ''8 Deluxe'' features eleven out of the sixteen original courses introduced in ''Wii''[[labelnote:Note]]With only Luigi Circuit, Toad's Factory, Mario Circuit, Dry Dry Ruins, and Bowser's Castle being absent.[[/labelnote]], the most out of any non-mobile ''Mario Kart'' title.

* [[Awesome/VideoGameLevels Awesome Video Game Levels]]: Nearly every new course in this game has grown a solid following, with standouts including Mushroom Gorge, Toad's Factory, Coconut Mall, DK Summit, the entire Star Cup (Daisy Circuit, Koopa Cape, Maple Treeway, and Grumble Volcano), Moonview Highway, and Bowser's Castle. The fan-favorite courses are part of the reason the game remains beloved, and due to their popularity, some have returned in ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' (which added several more thanks to the Booster Course Pass DLC for ''Deluxe'') and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour''.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: Back when it was released, ''Mario Kart Wii'' was generally lauded for its many additions to the series in well implemented motion controls for steering coupled with the accompanying Wii Wheel accessory to make it feel even more immersive, a new bike vehicle class with a characteristic wheelie mechanic, expanding the number of racers from 8 to 12, tricks and half-pipes, a ''significantly'' improved and expanded online play compared to ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' with the Online Tournaments being seen as a nice, if smaller, online equivalent to the Mission Mode from said game. Its large, further expanded, character roster with various [[UnexpectedCharacter Unexpected Characters]] and almost its ''entire'' track selection was also seen as [[Awesome/VideoGameLevels excellent]]. Nowadays though, outside its dedicated fanbase that remembers and acknowledges all that, when speaking of the game the ''only'' thing that will be most often be talked about is the criticism directed at the games' bikes and characters being unbalanced --which has always been acknowledged as a flaw of the game alongside restricting its Battle Mode to teams only, with its own BrokenBase between those who mind the ComplacentGamingSyndrome it caused and those who don't, but not the ''only'' thing worth talking about it--, while ignoring or forgetting all the objetive additions and online improvements the game brought. It's also fairly common to see people think that the bikes were the only thing the game added, while the game actually introduced much more than that.

* ContestedSequel: This game has had this reputation since it came out, due to lacking certain elements from its prequels: the two driver system from ''Double Dash!!'', the Mission Mode from ''DS'' (although the Tournaments are its equivalent), and the additional Battle Modes from either of them with this game's iteration of the mode seen as lackluster in comparison. This debate has only intensified over the years thanks to the divisive nature of ''its'' sequels. Players who believe ''Wii'' is an EvenBetterSequel to its prequels praise for its sportlike gameplay, loose handling, introducing various control schemes including a realistic motion controlled wheel, the introduction of various new mechanics, unique new and great retro tracks, its large and varied roster and vehicle selection with many newcomers (alongside unique stats of each character and vehicle), enhancements to the gameplay such as adding tricks providing boosts and half pipe ramp (which did not return in the series until ''Tour''), introducing 12 player races, and ''massively'' improved online alongside extra features such as the Mario Kart Channel. The fact that it's one of the most modded games on the Wii, particularly the [[VideoGame/CTGPRevolution CTGP pack]] which adds a boatload of tracks and features, is often cited as proof of the game's staying power and vibrant community, which fans of the other entries have attempted to mimic but cannot fully attest to. Its detractors, on the other hand, criticize the game for many of the same reasons; each character and kart having unique stats only allows for a much smaller list of viable combinations compared to later entries, and the significant advantages bikes have over karts completely defies the name; Mario ''Kart'' Wii. Even the mechanical improvements don't hide the gameplay issues it has in the unbalance between karts and bikes and unintentional "Ultra Shortcuts" (something it's second-to ''Mario Kart 64'' and it's similar issues). Regardless of your stance, there's not a lot of middle-ground for a conversation.

** The wobbly net bridge at the end of Maple Treeway, thanks to Nathaniel Bandy's "[[https://youtu.be/lFQTXePUY-A Top 10 Hardest Mario Kart Wii Tracks]]", has earned itself the nickname of the "Jack-Off Bridge". Whilst Bandy [[OldShame regrets making the joke]], the nickname still ended up being widely used among the ''Mario Kart Wii'' fandom.

* [[Awesome/VideoGameLevels Awesome Video Game Levels]]: With the exception of Luigi Circuit, Mario Circuit, and Moo Moo Meadows; every new course in this game has grown a solid following, with standouts including Mushroom Gorge, Toad's Factory, Coconut Mall, DK Summit, the entire Star Cup (Daisy Circuit, Koopa Cape, Maple Treeway, and Grumble Volcano), Moonview Highway, and Bowser's Castle. The fan-favorite courses are part of the reason the game remains beloved, and due to their popularity, some have returned in ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' (which added several more thanks to the Booster Course Pass DLC for ''Deluxe'') and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour''.
* BaseBreakingCharacter: Either you love Funky Kong for being a LargeHam or hate him for being annoying, or you just love or hate him because [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome he's one of two viable characters]]. The same applies for Daisy.

* ComeForTheGameStayForTheMods: Compared to the other installments, ''Wii'' has a surprisingly sizable modding community, with online races being restored after the official servers shut down (this is also the case with ''DS'', but to put things in perspective, the entire replacement server for all of the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection was incentivized and initially developed for ''this'' game), several quality of life improvements, the return of the feather item, and an extensive number of tracks with enough polish to compete with the main game. CTGP, a distribution with over 200 additional tracks, is relatively easy to install and gets serviced regularly. While Wiimmfi, an easy to use replacement server for the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is used by both original unaltered game and CTGP players who like to play online after the official servers' shutdown.

** The wobbly net bridge at the end of Maple Treeway, thanks to Nathaniel Bandy's "[[https://youtu.be/lFQTXePUY-A Top 10 Hardest Mario Kart Wii Tracks]]", has earned itself the nickname of the "Jack-Off Bridge". Whilst Bandy [[CreatorBacklash regrets making the joke]], the nickname still ended up being widely used among the ''Mario Kart Wii'' fandom.

*** For off-road, Toadette is unstoppable on the Magikruiser... or any lightweight bike.

** Ultra Shortcuts, which let you skip tracks up to ''Mario Kart 64'' levels. There are a number of these, with the Grumble Volcano one being the most well-known (as well as easiest), [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmJ_LT8bUj0 but there are a lot of them]].
** It was possible (and still is, thanks to unofficial servers) to have the heavy male Mii t-pose by wearing outfit A and riding either the Wario Bike, Shooting Star, or Phantom.

** Battle Mode is limited to teams only after not being such since ''64''.
** The caged green Thwomp in ''VideoGame/MarioKart64'''s Bowser's Castle was quite the EnsembleDarkhorse, and the castle's lighting makes him look just creepy. But in this game's version of the track, he was replaced by a normal Thwomp, due to lighting changes[[note]]In truth, he's not actually green. He only looks that way because of the yellow lighting in the room. He uses the same assets as the other Thwomps.[[/note]].

** In terms of vehicles in general, inside drifting bikes like the aforementioned Flame Runner and Mach Bikes are the most commonly seen online, due to their sharp drifting and ability to pop wheelies.

* MemeticMutation: Get Mario Kart'd [[labelnote:Explanation]]The term originates from an [[https://youtu.be/_43cq3DalZw infamous video]] that had Daisy getting bombarded by multiple items, as well as getting bumped off the bridge of DK Mountain by other racers, resulting in her going from first place to dead last. The term arose due largely to the increase of racers from eight ''to twelve'' on tracks resulting in a further difficulty spike in difficulty and chaos compared to previous games. Though the meme and the mechanic itself of "Getting pelted by every item at once" [[FranchiseOriginalSin has its origins in]] ''YMMV/MarioKartDoubleDash'' due to it introducing a much more intelligent/harder AI, being very close in difficulty and chaoticness with still only 8 racers.[[/labelnote]]

* MemeticMutation: Get Mario Kart'd [[labelnote:Explanation]]The term originates from an [[https://youtu.be/_43cq3DalZw infamous video]] that had Daisy getting bombarded by multiple items, as well as getting bumped off the bridge of DK Mountain by other racers, resulting in her going from first place to dead last. The term arose due largely to the increase of racers from eight ''to twelve'' on tracks resulting in a further difficulty spike in difficulty and chaos compared to previous games. Though the meme and the mechanic itself of "Getting pelted by every item at once" [[FranchiseOriginalSin has its origins in]] YMMV/MarioKartDoubleDash due to it introducing a much more intelligent/harder AI, being very close in difficulty and chaoticness with still only 8 racers.[[/labelnote]]

* MemeticMutation: Get Mario Kart'd [[labelnote:Explanation]]The term originates from an [[https://youtu.be/_43cq3DalZw infamous video]] that had Daisy getting bombarded by multiple items, as well as getting bumped off the bridge of DK Mountain by other racers, resulting in her going from first place to dead last. The term arose due largely to the increase of racers from eight '''to twelve''' on tracks resulting in a ''crazy spike'' in difficulty and chaos compared to previous games.[[/labelnote]]

* [[Awesome/VideoGameLevels Awesome Video Game Levels]]: With the exception of Luigi Circuit, Mario Circuit, and Moo Moo Meadows; every new course in this game has grown a solid following, with standouts including Mushroom Gorge, Toad's Factory, Coconut Mall, DK Summit, the entire Star Cup (Daisy Circuit, Koopa Cape, Maple Treeway, and Grumble Volcano), Moonview Highway, and Bowser's Castle. The fan-favorite courses are part of the reason the game remains beloved, and due to their popularity, some have returned in ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' (which added several more thanks to the Booster Course Pass DLC) and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour''.