It’s been almost 10 whole years since the release of Nintendo’s massively-popular “Mario Kart Wii”, which originally released across the globe on April 10, 2008. Throughout those 10 years, we’ve witnessed both the birth and death of an entire community, with a handful of that community still finding themselves active even to this day. Recently however, we’ve seen a massive spike in interest in the game, and that can largely be credited to YouTuber MrBean350000vr.
Some of you might remember the recent discovery of an unused and somewhat deleted Mission Mode within “Mario Kart Wii”, akin to that of the Nintendo DS version of the game. I’d been tuned in quite closely to the discovery, especially with the overall volume of the find. The discovery of a forgotten and abandoned game mode structured similarly to the handheld version I loved so much? Sign me right up. In the initial discovery however, it wasn’t much more than just that, a discovery. With nothing more than a barely functioning menu system, it’s an absolute wonder that MrBean35000vr was able to get much further.
In an update to the YouTube channel that went live August 19, we’re given our first major update to the progress made. What was initially a textless, functionless menu with some mysterious buttons is now largely a playable experience, give or take a few expected flaws. It’s not perfect, far from it, but it’s a little more than exciting to witness what could have been thrown on top of my enormous time spent in the “Mario Kart Wii” universe.
Let’s quickly breakdown what we’re seeing in this video; for one, we’re given our first look at what could have been the “Mario Kart Wii” equivalent to the “Mario Kart DS” mission mode. The mode was largely comprised of a series of tasks aimed at both teaching you various in-game mechanics and challenging the players. Through a series of trials and ‘boss battles’, the mode added a new layer of fun to the game that simply couldn’t be achieved in the regular races. The Wii version largely encompassed that same style, and it’s very much a mystery as to why it was cut from the finished product.
So what are your thoughts on the mode? Would you have been interested in a mission mode within “Mario Kart Wii”? I for one would have loved to drop a portion of my life into it, and cant wait to see what further developments MrBean35000vr can bring forward.