History YMMV / MarioKart7

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received and seen as some of the most innovative ideas in the entire franchise whose impact is still felt in the most recent entries alongside small but significant touches such as the addition of the Frontrunning first place beats to the music. However, when the EvenBetterSequel ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' (and its UpdatedRerelease ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'') were released afterwards, which, alongside ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' [[ContestedSequel to a lesser extent]], came around with larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8'' and ''8 Deluxe'', anti-gravity alongside a more varied Battle Mode in the latter, ''Mario Kart 7'', began to feel barebones in comparison due to just how much more content ''8'' added to the series. There's also the fact that the Switch has more power under the hood, so characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the pass' content).

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Both of the following characters are seen as this for supposedly [[ReplacementScrappy taking Waluigi's spot]].

* ContestedSequel: This game is probably the most contested out of any entry in the series. While the gliding, underwater driving, and kart customization, alongside small touches such as the addition of the Frontrunning first place beats to the music were all welcome well received additions, and general consensus is that the game is a worthy successor to its predecessors, the removal of fan favorites like Waluigi and Toadette in favor of characters like Honey Bee Queen and Metal Mario, as well as a lack of a single-player versus mode like in ''DS'' and ''Wii'', are decisions fans continue to question.
* ComplacentGamingSyndrome: [[ReplacementScrappy Metal Mario]] plus [[VideoGame/MarioKartDS B-Dasher]] plus [[GameBreaker Red Monster tires]] and Paraglider equals the fastest vehicle in the game, and is commonly seen online as well.

* ReplacementScrappy: Three of the four newly-introduced characters (Honey Queen, Wiggler, and Lakitu) are typically seen as out-of-nowhere (though Lakitu has some precedent in being the referee ever since the first game and therefore some players not minding him and actually welcoming the idea of him being PromotedToPlayable) additions that took spots from regulars and/or fan-favorites, such as Waluigi, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr. and Dry Bones.

* ReplacementScrappy: Three of the four newly-introduced characters (Honey Queen, Wiggler, and Lakitu) are typically seen as out-of-nowhere (though Lakitu has some precedent in being the referee ever since the first game and therefore some players not minding him and actually welcoming the idea of him being PromotedToPlayable) additions that took spots from regulars and/or fan-favorites, such as Waluigi, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr. and Dry Bones. The remaining character, Shy Guy, usually manages to escape this not only due to being an iconic character in his own right who's been showcased in various other spin-off titles, but also because he already has a playable basis in the series, as he was playable in ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' -- the very same game in which Dry Bones first joined the races -- as a download play-only racer before his proper debut here.

** Some consider the Honey Queen's inclusion to be too ridiculous, due to being shrunk down to fit into a cart as well as not being important to ''Galaxy'''s story, only appearing in a small handful of missions, to warrant an inclusion. Others like the idea of a heavy-set female being playable, thinking that the Mario franchise's female characters are too [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure idealized]]. Nonetheless, it's very telling that she was the only character introduced in ''7'' to not return in ''Tour'' or ''8'' (including the Booster Course Pass DLC in ''Deluxe'').

** Some consider the Honey Queen's inclusion to be too ridiculous, due to being shrunk down to fit into a cart as well as not being important to ''Galaxy'''s story, only appearing in a small handful of missions, to warrant an inclusion. Others like the idea of a heavy-set female being playable, thinking that the Mario franchise's female characters are too [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure idealized]]. Nonetheless, it's very telling that she was the only character introduced in ''7'' to not return in ''8'' (including the Booster Course Pass DLC in ''Deluxe'').

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Both seen as [[ReplacementScrappy taking Waluigi's spot]].
** Metal Mario. Japanese fans, ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' players love him and [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome regularly play as him online]], while [[AmericansHateTingle a significant amount of Western fans]] see him as a Mario PaletteSwap. The fact he's a Heavyweight racer with the smaller size of a Middleweight and little in the way of notable disadvantages hasn't helped matters, nor has his return in [[VideoGame/MarioTennis several]] [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 subsequent]] [[VideoGame/MarioSportsSuperstars games]] and the introduction of [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 Pink Gold Peach]] as a female counterpart out of nowhere and [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2 Gold Mario]] appearing as an alternate costume for him, being mostly seen as PaletteSwap and lacking the liked precedent Metal Mario has.
** The Honey Queen. Some consider her inclusion to be ridiculous, due to being shrunk down to fit into a cart as well as not being important to ''Galaxy'''s story, only appearing in a small handful of missions, to warrant an inclusion. Others like the idea of a heavy-set female being playable, thinking that the Mario franchise's female characters are too [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure idealized]]. Nonetheless, it's very telling that she was the only character introduced in ''7'' to not return in ''8'' (including the Booster Course Pass DLC in ''Deluxe'').

** Rainbow Road is widely considered by many to be ''the'' best incarnation of the Rainbow Road tracks, due to its 3 sectioned layout (instead of the typical 3 lap layout) giving it a sense of grandiose scale unseen in past versions, on top of the added variety offered by the moon and planets, the gorgeous visuals and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic its beautiful music that changes depending on which section you're in]]. Unsurprisingly, it tends to be one of the tracks most picked by players in online and has reappeared in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'', and ''[[VideoGame/MarioKart8 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', likely due to its popularity.
** [[BandLand Music Park/Melody Motorway]] is an insanely creative track in which you jump on drums, drift on piano keys and try to avoid giant music notes, all to an [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic upbeat and incredibly catchy track]]. Returns in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8''.
** DK Jungle is a massive love letter to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'' and is filled to the brim with elements from that game, including an entire section where you drive through the golden temple. It returns in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8''.

* ContestedSequel: While the gliding, underwater driving, and kart customization, alongside small touches such as the addition of the Frontrunning first place beats to the music were all welcome well received additions, and general consensus is that the game is a worthy successor to its predecessors, the snubs of fan favorites like Waluigi and Toadette in favor of characters like Honey Bee Queen and Metal Mario, as well as a lack of a single-player versus mode like in ''DS'' and ''Wii'', are decisions fans continue to question.
* ComplacentGamingSyndrome: [[ReplacementScrappy Metal Mario]] plus [[VideoGame/MarioKartDS B-Dasher]] plus [[GameBreaker Red Monster tires]] and Paraglider equals the fastest vehicle in the game, and commonly seen online as well.

* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: The frontrunning beats (named Go-Go Track by the developers) that play when going in first place. Especially satisfying if the player hears it after clawing their way back from last place in the space of a single lap.
* ReplacementScrappy: Three of the four characters in the bottom row (Honey Queen, Wiggler, and Lakitu) are typically seen as out-of-nowhere (though Lakitu has some precedent in being the referee ever since the first game and therefore some players not minding him and actually welcoming the idea of him being PromotedToPlayable) additions that took spots from regulars and/or fan-favorites, such as Waluigi, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr. and Dry Bones. The remaining character, Shy Guy, usually manages to escape this not only due to being an iconic character in his own right who's been showcased in various other spin-off titles, but also because he already has a playable basis in the series, as he was playable in ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' -- the very same game in which Dry Bones first joined the races -- as a download play-only racer before his proper debut here.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received and seen as some of the most innovative ideas in the entire franchise whose impact is still felt in the most recent entries alongside small but significant touches such as the addition of the Frontrunning first place beats to the music. However, when the EvenBetterSequel ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' (and its UpdatedRerelease ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'') were released afterwards, which, alongside ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' [[ContestedSequel to a lesser extent]], came around with larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8'' and ''8 Deluxe'', anti-gravity alongside a more varied Battle Mode in the latter, it can be difficult to go back to ''Mario Kart 7'', which now feels barebones in comparison. There's also the fact that in the Switch and smart phones, as they have more power under the hood, characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the pass' content).

** For the first time since his introduction into the ''Mario Kart'' series, [[EnsembleDarkhorse Waluigi]] isn't a playable character. While other removals also garnered negative reception, Waluigi having become a staple of the roster by this point resulted in a more noticeable outcry.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: An odd example. Despite Waluigi not being playable within the game proper, his course from ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'', Waluigi Pinball, does make an appearance, and he does make a cameo in the stage, which makes his exclusion all the more questionable. It was ultimately a result of poor timing, with his development and testing taking far longer than expected to the point that the rest of the game was ready to go without him, so it got shipped. The no post-release patch support besides bug fixes didn't help matters.

* FridgeBrilliance: Why was Wiggler PromotedToPlayable in this game? Remember who the final boss of ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' was? That's right, none other than ''Wiggler''.

** Metal Mario. Japanese fans, ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' players love him and [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome regularly play as him online]], while [[AmericansHateTingle a significant amount of Western fans]] see him as a Mario PaletteSwap. The fact he's a Heavyweight racer with the smaller size of a Middleweight and little in the way of notable disadvantages hasn't helped matters, nor has his return in [[VideoGame/MarioTennis several]] [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 subsequent]] [[VideoGame/MarioSportsSuperstars games]] and the introduction of [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 Pink Gold Peach]] as a female counterpart.

** The Honey Queen. Some consider her inclusion to be ridiculous, due to being shrunk down to fit into a cart as well as not being important to ''Galaxy'''s story, only appearing in a small handful of missions, to warrant an inclusion. Others like the idea of a heavy-set female being playable, thinking that the Mario franchise's female characters are too [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure idealized]].

** The Honey Queen. Some consider her inclusion to be ridiculous, due to being shrunk down to fit into a cart as well as not being that important to ''Galaxy'''s story to warrant an inclusion. Others like the idea of a heavy-set female being playable, thinking that the Mario franchise's female characters are too [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure idealized]].

* ReplacementScrappy: Three of the four characters in the bottom row (Honey Queen, Wiggler, and Lakitu) are typically seen as out-of-nowhere additions that took spots from regulars and/or fan-favorites, such as Waluigi, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr. and Dry Bones. The remaining character, Shy Guy, usually manages to escape this not only due to being an iconic character in his own right who's been showcased in various other spin-off titles, but also because he already has a playable basis in the series, as he was playable in ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'' -- the very same game in which Dry Bones first joined the races -- as a download play-only racer before his proper debut here.

** [[BandLand Music Park/Melody Motorway]] is an insanely creative track in which you jump on drums, drift on piano keys and try to avoid giant music notes, all to an [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic upbeat and incredibly catchy track]]. Returns in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8''

** [[BandLand Music Park/Melody Motorway]] is an insanely creative track in which you jump on drums, drift on piano keys and try to avoid giant music notes, all to an [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic upbeat and incredibly catchy track]].
** DK Jungle is a massive love letter to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns'' and is filled to the brim with elements from that game, including an entire section where you drive through the golden temple.

** Metal Mario. Japanese fans and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' players love him and [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome regularly play as him online]], while [[AmericansHateTingle a significant amount of Western fans]] see him as a Mario PaletteSwap. The fact he's a Heavyweight racer with the smaller size of a Middleweight and little in the way of notable disadvantages hasn't helped matters, nor has his return in [[VideoGame/MarioTennis several]] [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 subsequent]] [[VideoGame/MarioSportsSuperstars games]] and the introduction of [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 Pink Gold Peach]] as a female counterpart.

** [[AwesomeButImpractical The Lucky 7 item]]. After you pick up this rare power-up from an Item Box, seven items start circling around the player's kart (much like Triple Shells do). The problem with this item is, because of its rareness, it's unexpected and therefore '''a liability''' in the middle of a heated race. You can only use the spinning item you want when it's directly lined up in front of you. Spamming all items at once is frowned upon by other players, ''but what other choice do you have?'' If another player drifts into you, they are very likely to steal away your Star, Mushroom, Blooper, or set off the Bob-omb by accident blowing you both up.

** Rainbow Road is widely considered by many to be ''the'' best incarnation of the Rainbow Road tracks, due to its 3 sectioned layout (instead of the typical 3 lap layout) giving it a sense of grandiose scale unseen in past versions, on top of the added variety offered by the moon and planets, the gorgeous visuals and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic its beautiful music that changes depending on which section you're in]]. Unsurprisingly, it tends to be one of the tracks most picked by players in online and has reappeared in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'', and ''[[VideoGame/MarioKart8 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', likely due to its popularity.

* ContestedSequel: While the gliding, underwater driving, and kart customization were all welcome additions, and general consensus is that the game is a worthy successor to its predecessors, the snubs of fan favorites like Waluigi and Toadette in favor of characters like Honey Bee Queen and Metal Mario, as well as a lack of a single-player versus mode like in ''DS'' and ''Wii'', are decisions fans continue to question.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received and seen as some of the most innovative ideas in the entire franchise, but afterwards ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' ([[ContestedSequel to a lesser extent]]) came around with larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8'' and ''8 Deluxe'', anti-gravity alongside a more varied Battle Mode in the latter. All this meaning that it can be difficult to go back to ''Mario Kart 7'', which now feels barebones by comparison. There's also the fact that in the Switch and smart phones, as they have more power under the hood, characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the pass' content).

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received and seen as some of the most innovative ideas in the entire franchise, but after ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', ''8 Deluxe'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' ([[ContestedSequel to a lesser extent]]) came around with larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8'' and ''8 Deluxe'', anti-gravity alongside a more varied Battle Mode in the latter. All this meaning that it can be difficult to go back to ''Mario Kart 7'', which now feels barebones by comparison. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the pass' content). And this is also not getting into the fact that the Switch and smart phones, as they have more power under the hood, characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received, but after ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', ''8 Deluxe'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' ([[ContestedSequel to a lesser extent]]) came around with larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8'' and ''8 Deluxe'', anti-gravity alongside a more varied Battle Mode in the latter. All this meaning that it can be difficult to go back to ''Mario Kart 7'', which now feels barebones by comparison. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the pass' content). And this is also not getting into the fact that the Switch and smart phones, as they have more power under the hood, characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS.

* AlasPoorScrappy: Though he was already making progress in [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap moving out of the scrappy heap]], Waluigi was still a contentious character when this game released. Despite that, there was much criticism for his absence here, especially given the newcomers who made it in are considered underwhelming and/or downright strange picks.
* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** Metal Mario. Japanese fans and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' players love him and [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome regularly play as him online]], while [[AmericansHateTingle most Western fans]] see him as a Mario PaletteSwap that [[ReplacementScrappy took Waluigi's spot]]. The fact he's a Heavyweight racer with the smaller size of a Middleweight and little in the way of notable disadvantages hasn't helped matters, nor has his return in [[VideoGame/MarioTennis several]] [[VideoGame/MarioKart8 subsequent]] [[VideoGame/MarioSportsSuperstars games]].

** Rainbow Road is widely considered by many to be ''the'' best incarnation of the Rainbow Road stages, due to its 3 sectioned layout (instead of the typical 3 lap layout) giving it a sense of grandiose scale unseen in past versions, on top of the added variety offered by the moon and planets, the gorgeous visuals and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic its beautiful music]]. Unsurprisingly, it tends to be one of the tracks most picked by players in online and has reappeared in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'', and ''[[VideoGame/MarioKart8 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', likely due to its popularity.
* ContestedSequel: While the gliding, underwater driving, and kart customization were all welcome additions, the snubs of fan favorites like Waluigi and Toadette in favor of characters like Honey Bee Queen and Metal Mario, as well as a lack of a single-player versus mode like in ''DS'' and ''Wii'', are decisions fans continue to question.

* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound: The fanfares that play when going up in places, but especially the one that plays in first place. Especially satisfying if the player hears it after clawing their way back from last place in the space of a single lap.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received, but after ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', ''8 Deluxe'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' came around with anti-gravity, larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8 Deluxe'', a more varied Battle Mode. All this meaning that it can be difficult to go back to ''Mario Kart 7'', which now feels barebones by comparison. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the former passes content). And this is also not getting into the fact that the Switch and smart phones, as they have more power under the hood, characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: An odd example. Despite Waluigi not being playable within the game proper, his course from ''VideoGame/MarioKartDS'', Waluigi Pinball, does make an appearance, and he does make a cameo in the stage, which makes his exclusion all the more questionable. It was ultimately a result of poor timing, with his development and testing taking far longer than expected to the point that the rest of the game was ready to go without him, so it got shipped. The spotty post-release patch support didn't help matters.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The introduction of gliding, underwater, and kart customization were generally well-received, but after ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'', ''8 Deluxe'' and ''VideoGame/MarioKartTour'' came around with anti-gravity, larger rosters, more courses, and in the case of ''8 Deluxe'', a more varied Battle Mode, it can be difficult to go back to ''Mario Kart 7'', which feels barebones by comparison. It also doesn't help that many of the courses in ''7'', classic remakes or otherwise, were remade in ''[=8 Deluxe's=]'' Booster Course Pass, as well as a part of ''Tour'' (which even provided the basis for the former passes content). And this is also not getting into the fact that the Switch and Phones run and look better than the 3DS, meaning characters and courses look ''far'' better than on the 3DS.