Miyamoto Unimpressed By Mario Kart 7's Customization Options

The Wooster

King Snap
Jul 15, 2008
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Miyamoto Unimpressed By Mario Kart 7's Customization Options


Legendary developer Shirgeru Miyamoto doesn't think Mario Kart 7's kart customization options add much to the core experience.

According to an interview with Famitsu, helpfully translated by the wise sages over at 1Up, Miyamoto was initially very much against the new features, which allow players to unlock new parts for their karts.

"I was actually pretty well against some of the customization features of the game, though. It can be fun to win money for racing and use it to buy parts and such, but I didn't think that had much to do with the core fun of the series," he said.

He eventually relented when it became apparent that the features would be added "on top of a solid control and gameplay foundation."

Mario Kart 7 is being co-developed with Metroid Prime developers Retro Studios. It's the third Mario Kart game not to be developed entirely in-house by Nintendo. While Retro Studios has made some fairly brave design decisions in the past, the aforementioned Metroid Prime being the most obvious example, they're playing it straight with Mario Kart 7.

"Sometimes people yelled at me to look at things more closely," Miyamoto noted "but like I said, the core of Mario Kart is pretty solid by this point and I think it's safe to have it evolve in a pretty staid and traditional manner. The basic message here is 'Mario Kart's been powered up for the Nintendo 3DS,' and I think the online upgrades in particular are pretty neat. A lot of time was spent on how to get all the individual components working together -- Wi-Fi and Street Pass, local and Internet play."

Mario Kart 7 will be released on December 2nd for the 3DS.

Source: 1Up [http://www.1up.com/news/miyamoto-talks-mario-kart-7]


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Phlakes

Elite Member
Mar 25, 2010
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See, Miyamoto knows his shit. I'm sure it'll add a bit of fun but it'll definitely feel unnecessary.
 

Not-here-anymore

In brightest day...
Nov 18, 2009
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"on top of a solid control and gameplay foundation."

Did he not play Mario Kart Wii with the remote then? It was great with the gamecube controller, but not so much otherwise...
 

Waaghpowa

Needs more Dakka
Apr 13, 2010
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Mario Kart really is at the point where you couldn't improve on much. It's nice to see that he's being honest about it rather than trying to pawn it off as the next greatest innovation of the series/genre.
 

MetroidNut

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Sep 2, 2009
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So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
 

-Dragmire-

King over my mind
Mar 29, 2011
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J03bot said:
"on top of a solid control and gameplay foundation."

Did he not play Mario Kart Wii with the remote then? It was great with the gamecube controller, but not so much otherwise...
That's why they gave a special symbol to people using the remote, otherwise no one would use it.

OT: I think I'm done with the Mario Kart series, I've played it since the snes but it's lost it's shine with me.

The only racing game I'd ever look forward to now is a Rock N' Roll Racing remake.
 

TitanAtlas

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Oct 14, 2010
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So if this kind of stuff keeps happening, does that mean one day there will be a super smash kart brothers, with future dlc in-coming?

Also... i agree with Miya to da moto!!
 
Apr 28, 2008
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MetroidNut said:
So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
Fuck Metroid, we need more Pikmen!
 

Shia-Neko-Chan

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Apr 23, 2008
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Of course customization doesn't add anything to the gaming experience - it never has!

I'll never understand the strange trend these days that demands all games have choices or customization. They don't make a game more fun at all. I'd rather have development teams spend more time on making fun gameplay (and story if the game has any focus on it) than choices and customization, really.
 

Covarr

PS Thanks
May 29, 2009
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Retro Studios, eh? So it's prolly safe to assume that this game will have a better assortment of items that Mario Kart Wii, tighter controls, interesting new maps (one based on Galaxy, maybe?), and hopefully a properly-executed battle mode without any stupid gimmicks.

This is Retro Studios, the masters of tweaking a game so that all the fine details are as polished beyond our expectations. Even if it has nothing significantly new to offer, every aspect of it will be as refined as possible. This brings me great joy, as I was hoping for a break from the float-fests that were the handling in Double Dash and Wii.

P.S. Thanks
 

War Penguin

Serious Whimsy
Jun 13, 2009
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Irridium said:
MetroidNut said:
So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
Fuck Metroid, we need more Pikmen!
FUCK! YES!!! After seven years, I'm still waiting for my Pikmin 3 for the Wii! Get it done, Nintendo!
DVS BSTrD said:
Mario Go Kart about the schadenfreude, not da monies
I think all Nintendo competitive multiplayer games are about the schadenfreude. That's what makes us buy 'em. :D

OT: I sorta saw this coming. I mean really, when has needless customization made a game better? It could be a nice addition, but still useless overall.
 

chaosyoshimage

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Apr 1, 2011
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Um, didn't Retro Studios make like one stage (The DK one) and that's about it? I fail to see how this is taking them away from doing something else. Heck, I'm pretty sure they've said that they're working on a major (And requested) Nintendo IP right now. What it is is anyone's guess, but I hope it isn't Metroid, they did 3 great games in that series and I'd like to see them tackle something else. I would love to see their take on Star Fox. As for Pikmin, I have the first one on Wii and couldn't get into it...
 

Swifteye

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Apr 15, 2010
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Shia-Neko-Chan said:
Of course customization doesn't add anything to the gaming experience - it never has!

I'll never understand the strange trend these days that demands all games have choices or customization. They don't make a game more fun at all. I'd rather have development teams spend more time on making fun gameplay (and story if the game has any focus on it) than choices and customization, really.
That all depends on your idea of customization. If it's just being able to change your name or something really simple like that then fine. That's pretty low reaching. However the personal touch you can put into a game goes a long ways into making it really fun. From making your own levels in little big planet. From having your own adventures in fallout. to being a smuggler in privateer these experiences do make the gameplay entertaining.
For a game like mario kart it would be a rather pointless upgrade but I would say buying mario kart at this point is rather pointless as well. I mean it's not like anyone that wants this game doesn't have a mario kart game to begin with. And if they are as solid as miyamoto says they are then what's the point in just making another one that doesn't add anything?
 

DanDeFool

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Aug 19, 2009
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Grey Carter said:
Legendary developer Shirgeru Miyamoto doesn't think Mario Kart 7's kart customization options add much to the core experience.
I think you meant to say, "Mario Kart 7's kart kustomization koptions kadd kuch ko khe kore kxperience."

...

This is just what goes on in my head.
 

Revnak_v1legacy

Fixed by "Monday"
Mar 28, 2010
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MetroidNut said:
So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
Hey, Intelligent Systems is pretty cool too! They're the guys that make the Fire Emblem and Paper Mario games! Those guys are important too, right guys!... Right... Right?...
 

Covarr

PS Thanks
May 29, 2009
1,559
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Revnak said:
MetroidNut said:
So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
Hey, Intelligent Systems is pretty cool too! They're the guys that make the Fire Emblem and Paper Mario games! Those guys are important too, right guys!... Right... Right?...
They still owe us an apology after Super Paper Mario. :mad:

P.S. Thanks
 

Revnak_v1legacy

Fixed by "Monday"
Mar 28, 2010
1,979
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Covarr said:
Revnak said:
MetroidNut said:
So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
Hey, Intelligent Systems is pretty cool too! They're the guys that make the Fire Emblem and Paper Mario games! Those guys are important too, right guys!... Right... Right?...
They still owe us an apology after Super Paper Mario. :mad:

P.S. Thanks
Hey, at least the story was good, and the darkest yet. I almost think that Paper Mario 3d will have to have Mario kill a kitten or something to top Super Paper Mario's darkness. Seriously, that is the darkest Nintendo game ever.
 

mjc0961

YOU'RE a pie chart.
Nov 30, 2009
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Irridium said:
MetroidNut said:
So, uh, Nintendo? Would it be okay with you if, after December 2nd, you put your most talented and creative second-party studio to work on something...demanding of talent and creativity?

I hear there's this thing called "Metroid" that needs to be resuscitated...
Fuck Metroid, we need more Pikmen!
Agreed. Especially with the Fuck Metroid part. The "we need more Pikmin" part is good too. I'd still like to see Pikmin 2 get the New Play Control treatment for North America. Every other region got a copy of that, but not North America.

Maybe I should to be smart like Project Rainfall and go buy Square Enix games to show my support for Nintendo. Then we'll get Pikmin 2 New Play Control lickety split!
 

SelectivelyEvil13

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Jul 28, 2010
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I don't know, it would be pretty cool to have something to strive towards that you could see as not only a personalization, but a reward. I don't like Halo, but when I played Reach and I unlocked little unique additions to customize my Spartan for the campaign, it felt really cool. Mind you, the last Mario Kart game I played was Double Dash, but how much is there to the game where a little addition like kart customization would totally wreak it? If done well, customization and some incentive to keep playing for money would be a nice way to keep coming back to the game. I quit Double Dash pretty quickly because it was a racing game with no real story or anything else beyond subjecting myself to frustrating and nigh-impossible-for-my-capabilities harder difficulties.