Mario Kart 7 is a 2011 kart racing video game created by Nintendo EAD and Retro Studios together. It was published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. In Mario Kart 7, players choose from 17 characters from the Mario series to race on tracks inspired by the Mario universe. Players use special items to help themselves or slow down opponents. In single-player mode, players can race against computer-controlled characters in 8 groups of races, each containing 4 tracks. These groups include 32 total tracks across three difficulty levels. Players can also race against a clock in a Time Trial mode.
New features in Mario Kart 7 include hang-gliding attachments for karts, which added aerial sections to tracks for the first time in the series. Other new features include the ability to drive underwater, a first-person driving view, gyro controls, and full customization of kart designs. The game supports both local and online multiplayer for up to eight players through Nintendo Network. Online play ended on April 8, 2024, when Nintendo Network was shut down.
Development of Mario Kart 7 started in early 2010 as a version of Mario Kart Wii for the Nintendo 3DS. Producer Hideki Konno said the game was made quickly because 3DS sales were low and few staff were working on it. Retro Studios helped create the retro tracks, which are tracks from earlier games in the series.
Mario Kart 7 received mostly good reviews from critics. It was praised for its new ideas, track designs, and gyro controls. The game won several awards and was a commercial success. It became the best-selling game on the Nintendo 3DS, with over 18.99 million copies sold worldwide.
Gameplay
Mario Kart 7 keeps the classic Mario Kart style of racing, where players compete in go-karts across 32 courses, including both new and old ones from the Mario series. Most courses are based on locations from the Mario games, but two new courses are set on Wuhu Island, a place from the Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort games. Players can use traditional button controls or the Nintendo 3DS gyroscope, which lets them view the race in first person and steer by tilting the system. The top screen of the 3DS shows the race, while the bottom screen displays a map of the course. During races, players can collect power-up items from item boxes placed on the track. These items help players or hinder opponents. Common items include Koopa Shells, Banana Peels, and Super Mushrooms. Three new items were added: the Fire Flower, which lets players shoot fireballs; the Super Leaf, which gives a tail to flip opponents and collect coins; and the Lucky Seven, which gives seven items at once. Coins are scattered on tracks, and collecting them increases the kart’s speed. Up to ten coins can be collected per race, but some may be lost if players hit hazards or go out of bounds. Pressing a button before jumping off ramps gives a speed boost, and hang gliders allow controlled gliding. Karts in Mario Kart 7 can now go underwater, and some tracks include underwater sections.
The game includes sixteen playable characters, such as Wiggler, Honey Queen, Lakitu, and Metal Mario, who are new to the series, plus Mii characters saved through the Nintendo 3DS Mii Maker, totaling seventeen playable characters. Characters are divided into three weight classes that affect how they drive. Players can also customize their karts’ bodies, tires, and hang gliders before races.
Mario Kart 7 has four single-player modes: Grand Prix, Time Trial, Balloon Battle, and Coin Runners. Some modes support multiplayer. In Grand Prix, players race against seven computer opponents in eight different cups, each with four tracks. Points are earned based on race finishing positions, and after four races, players may receive a trophy or star rank. In Time Trial, players race alone to complete a course as quickly as possible, using a Triple Mushroom for extra speed. Best times are saved as ghosts for future races. If SpotPass is enabled, players can download ghosts from others and race against up to seven ghosts at once. Balloon Battle and Coin Runners are battle modes where players collect items and attack opponents in six arenas to score points within two minutes. Players could race or battle online via Nintendo Network until its shutdown in April 2024, competing with up to seven others.
Development
Nintendo EAD started working on Mario Kart 7 in early 2010. The game was first planned as a version of Mario Kart Wii for the 3DS. During development, features like hang gliding and submersible karts, which had been planned for Mario Kart Wii, were added to the game. A new feature allowed players to customize their karts, which made the game more strategic and improved the multiplayer experience. The game was first announced at E3 2010 with the temporary name Mario Kart 3DS. It was shown again at E3 2011, where it was scheduled for a late 2011 release.
Producer Hideki Konno said completing Mario Kart 7 was an "act of emergency" because the Nintendo 3DS sold fewer units than expected. Since Nintendogs + Cats was planned to release first, Mario Kart 7 had lower priority, and only eight staff members began working on it. When development started, Konno realized there were not enough workers because other games, such as The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, were also being made. To finish the game in time for the 2011 Christmas season, Nintendo asked Retro Studios, which had just completed Donkey Kong Country Returns, to help develop the game. Retro began working on Mario Kart 7 in December 2010. The team focused on creating classic racing courses and remaking tracks from earlier Mario Kart games to learn about the development process and course design. One of the lead artists, Masaaki Ishikawa, was unsure if Retro Studios was in Japan. The Mario Kart 7 team felt nervous about Retro Studios’ involvement because they were used to Nintendo teams in Japan working alone on games.
When asked about the Kart customization feature, Konno explained that it was added to make the game more strategic. Players could choose their kart’s frame, kart, and glider. Konno wanted the game to be easy for new players to start playing right away. He compared the customization screen to a slot machine. Some online features, like creating communities and sharing friend codes, were originally planned for the Nintendo 3DS system software. However, time was limited, and these features were not included at first. They were later added through a system firmware update.
The game’s music was created by Kenta Nagata, who worked on earlier Mario Kart games like Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Double Dash, and by Satomi Terui, who composed music for Star Fox 64 3D.
After the game was released, it was found that three race tracks had glitches that let players skip parts of the track. These glitches were often used as cheats during online play. A patch was released in May 2012 to fix the issues.
Reception
Mario Kart 7 received mostly positive reviews. It has an 85 out of 100 rating on Metacritic based on 60 critic reviews and an 85.17% rating on GameRankings based on 45 reviews. The game became a commercial success, selling over 2.01 million copies in Japan during the first two months. IGN praised features such as new gyro controls, gliding mechanics, and multiplayer options, including community features and customizable racing rules. However, IGN noted the game had only 17 characters, fewer than the 25 in the previous version, Mario Kart Wii. IGN concluded that Mario Kart 7 is a well-polished game that fans of the genre should enjoy. Nintendo World Report said the game was not a major improvement for the series but still called it a "must-have" for 3DS owners due to its online features and gameplay.
GameSpot mentioned that returning Coins changed how players approach the game, and the glider mechanic, though initially simple, became more valuable with time. Edge praised how Nintendo combined mechanics to create a rewarding racing experience similar to Super Mario Kart, with natural 3D integration.
Some critics had concerns. James Stephanie Sterling of Destructoid said the game felt too traditional and called it "lethargic and mundane," adding that new features like the glider and underwater sections did not change the core experience. She said Mario Kart 7 was the least deserving of praise. Giant Bomb noted that enjoyment of the game depends on how much players like the series' usual style.
IGN gave Mario Kart 7 the Editors' Choice award. It was nominated for "Best 3DS Game" and "Best Driving Game" at GameTrailers' 2011 Game of the Year Awards but lost to Super Mario 3D Land and Forza Motorsport 4. Digital Spy named it "Best Game of 2011" in their readers' awards. Edge called it the best portable game of 2011. At the 15th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, it was nominated for "Racing Game of the Year" and "Handheld Game of the Year." Retrospectively, GamesRadar ranked Mario Kart 7 as the 12th best Nintendo 3DS game of all time.