I have been a big fan of the Mario Kart games since the original title on SNES. I spent many days playing Mario Kart: Double Dash with my brother in very bitter matches. And Mario Kart DS was the very first game I ever played online. So when I got my 3DS, Mario Kart 7 was an easy choice.

But being the seventh (not counting the two arcade Mario Karts) title in the series leaves a bit of a problem. The series can be a little stale to some. While it features 16 new tracks, 16 retro tracks, and different ways to upgrade your go-kart; all that just isn’t enough to spice up the formula.

Granted I actually do enjoy the new tracks a lot, and I was thankful to see my old favorites reappear in the plentiful retro courses. Also for the first time since the original game, I actually enjoyed the battle mode. I also liked how they improved on the online play since Mario Kart DS. Everything runs rather smooth, and they making waiting for a match a little easier. I also liked how they show you the location of all other players in a match on the giant globe before the race starts.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Mario Kart 7 is a great game. But honestly, I felt as thrilled about this new game as I did with Mario Kart Wii. I will keep playing the series, but a major overhaul should