See exactly how Mario Kart works online

Nintendo has posted new information about the online portion of Mario Kart Wii. Check out these screens:

Players will initially be given three options - race with your friends, random players from the world, or strangers from your home area.

You'll then be assigned into an existing room or one will be created for you. If you join a group when matches are taking place, you'll view the race as a spectator.

The pre-match room lookslike the Forecast Channel, showing where in the world everyone is. There will belimited chat functionality, but players willhave the option to vote on track selection and on whether to play Battle Mode or Grand Prix.

Nintendo has revealed details on the Mario Kart Channel, which will let you check on Mario Kart data without having the disc in your system.You can see your statistics for each track and compare with otherplayers. You can race against the best players' Ghosts if you're a glutton for punishment, or take on Ghosts of rivals whose ranking is closer to yours.

All in all, it sounds exactly like what we expected and hoped for. Nintendo has promised to update its website regularly, so if it's anything like the Smash Bros. build-up, expect another wave of information tomorrow.

Courtesy of CVG.

Mar 6, 2008