I'm sure this admission will surprise no one, but I've been playing a lot of Mario Kart 7 lately. How much is "a lot"? Well, I've played it for over 23 hours so far. That may not sound like a lot to some of you, but it's rare for me to play a game for that amount of time these days.
Anyway, all of that racing has produced a rather annoying side effect: I can't get the game's soundtrack out of my head! The worst offender: The song that plays while racing on the Coconut Mall course.
It isn't unusual for this jangly, piano-driven tune to be stuck in my head for hours at a time. Thankfully, I like the song about as much as I like the course (it's one of my all-time favorites), so there's no need to worry about my sanity. Yet.
That's not the only Mario Kart 7 track that has perked my ears, mind you. I'm also quite fond of the tunes that accompany the Daisy Hills, Music Park and Rainbow Road courses. (Listen to the last one by playing the following video.)
As much as I like all of the above-mentioned themes, I think they're a bit subdued when compared to the series' most classic tunes, don't you think?
Also, what do all of you think about Mario Kart 7's soundtrack in general? How do you think it compares to its predecessors? Finally, which songs are your favorites?
See also: Previous Mario Kart 7 posts
I hate you for posting that Coconut mall theme *jumps out of window*
ReplyDeleteHa! Why, Random J? Do you have the track ... or love it? Or is it just that it gets stuck in your head, too??
ReplyDeleteHm...I'm going to have to pay more attention next time I race. The Daisy Hills theme is beautiful, though!
ReplyDeleteYou're talking about paying attention to whether or not the new songs/tunes are more subdued than the originals/classics, right, Justin?
ReplyDeleteAs for the Daisy Hills theme: Yeah, it's a good one. I really like the new Rainbow Road one, too. It's so epic and futuristic :)
I can't seem to call any more of them to mind...not even Coconut Mall...even though I've raced it a million times in the Wii version...maybe it's because all I hear when I play is my on screaming...
ReplyDeleteI hear ya RE: the screaming, Justin! Actually, in my case, I usually can't hear the music because all sorts of four-letter words are spewing out of my mouth (especially when I'm racing on line).
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of that, by the way, how are you finding Mario Kart 7 at this point? As frustrating as Mario Kart Wii? More so? Less so?
The Daisy Hills course is surprisingly beautiful, I have to say. It's the only one of the new tracks whose theme I can hum, though. The Wuhu Island tracks get a little tiresome, just because I am not such a fan of the Wii Spots theme song.
ReplyDeleteI'd say MK7 is overall less challenging/frustrating that Mario Kart Wii, but I also feel like it's a better constructed game, overall. Is that a contradiction?
Hey there, Drew! Yes, I agree that the Daisy Hills theme is nice. Even then, though, I couldn't hum it for you if you asked me. I think that's my main point with the "new" tunes in MK7 -- they just aren't very memorable, in my opinion, even if most of them are well written and/or well composed.
ReplyDeleteAs for MK7 being less challenging but better constructed than MKWii: I'm not sure I agree! Well, in one way I do -- as much as the computer AI frustrates me (as it always does) at the 150cc level, I seem to get pelted much less than usual by blue shells in MK7 than I was in MKWii.
As for MK7 being "better constructed" than MKWii, though, I'm not sure what you mean. Are you talking about the new tracks -- that they are more impressive than MKWii's new tracks? Or are you talking about some other aspect of the game?
Honestly, I like both of the games fairly equally -- and I consider both to be among my favorite MK games released thus far. (The only other one that enters the picture for me is the original, although I understand a lot of that has to do with nostalgia.)
Interestingly enough, playing MK7 makes me want to go back and play MKWii again. I really enjoying using the steering wheel attachment to play that game, and I really liked some of its new tracks (like Coconut Mall and Moo Moo Meadows, for instance). Also, I liked the inclusion of bikes and characters like Toadette :)
Oh, it's FAR LESS frustrating. I actually really enjoy it. There are only a few things about it that regularly cause me to get all nasty-sarcastic on it...like when CPUs MAGICALLY deflect red shells even though they're not carrying weapons. WTF?!
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, Bryan...I'll agree with you about missing Toadette. Grargh. I think it is a huge step backwards when games in a series REMOVE characters in later iterations...it makes no sense! I figured there were 8 more characters to unlock when I unlocked mirror mode...but NO.
ReplyDeleteI love the new characters, and racing with the Honey Queen is hysterical because of her ridiculous noises, but I miss Waluigi, Toadette, Birdo, King Boo...and all the other characters that made this game great in the past.
It's got a great soundtrack overall, but I think there are a few tracks, like the two WuHu courses. Also, I personally wish they could have brought the N64 Rainbow Road to the 3DS. Oddly enough, 7 really makes me want to play the Wii version.
ReplyDeleteCharacterwise, I feel like some of the standards should have been used instead of the new ones (Shy Guy, Honey Queen). I feel like one of the Baby characters could've been used. Ah well. I also thought it was an odd choice to make Wario an unlockable character instead of Koopa Troopa.
Justin: You know, I'm pretty sure I've had the same thing happen to me (CPU characters deflecting red shells when they don't seem to be carrying any items)! Argh!!!
ReplyDeleteAs for MK7 having fewer available racers than MKWii: Yes, I agree here. I actually really like the new racers, but I liked the ones that were introduced in MKWii, too. Why can't we have it all?
Oh, well, first world Mario Kart problems, I guess :P
Hey there, Kevin! Yeah, Mario Kart definitely is one of those series where Nintendo's designers/developers can't please everyone. That said, they make some funny decisions sometimes, especially in regards to the characters and courses they decide to include in the latest iteration -- and remove from past ones.
ReplyDeleteHA! Yes.
ReplyDelete