The Casual Gamer’s Column: Mario Kart

So as The Boar welcomes in a new year, the games section bravely welcomes a new and, admittedly, rather inexperienced gamer.

If you, like me, gave up gaming some time between Tetris and Nintendogs, then you may not believe that the games section is for you. I will confess, as I stared blankly at my little brother’s collection of games, I wondered why I had decided to do this at all. At nearly 20 years of age, was it too late for me to enter the alien world of gaming? There was only one way to find out. I dove in, a complete gaming novice, and this is what I found…

Game selection seemed vital, so I took my time. I was intimidated by every realistic looking man holding a gun, I’ve never understood Pokemon, and I can’t even watch a game of football, never mind play FIFA. I was worrying that I’d never find a game I could manage. Then I saw him. He didn’t have a gun. He wasn’t fighting aliens. He didn’t require me to steal cars and kill prostitutes. He was just an Italian plumber. I knew he was the man for me.

My first gaming experience was Mario Kart Wii. I chose to play as Princess Peach, a fun and sassy lady. I selected my vehicle, a motorcycle, and was ready to race. My first race went well. Boxes full of shells and banana skins with which to attack others, and gold mushrooms which make you travel faster (apparently) helped me stay in contention, and I entered the final lap in first place.

I couldn’t believe it as I approached the finish line, having been in the lead throughout the lap. Could I really win on my first try? No. I drove into a cow, annoyingly standing in the middle of the road and got stuck behind it. Meanwhile, eight other racers passed me. I finished in the not unrespectable position of ninth. This really set the tone for my whole tournament. Whether it was falling off a pesky mushroom, or getting hit by lightning, I could never hold my lead.

Now, I will admit to being competitive, perhaps even stubborn, but something uncommon happened. I felt no desire to throw my toys out of the pram over losing to computer programmed mushrooms, dinosaurs and babies, among others. I only wanted to play more. And not because I had a score to settle. The slate was wiped clean and I raced again, because it was fun.

I didn’t get much better, every new racecourse presented new challenges. I learnt to be content simply with not coming last. But I learnt tricks. I learnt the fastest ways around and which characters to look out for. I learnt to avoid bovine road blocks, and the other racers armed with lightning clouds. I learnt that I am actually a better driver when another player has blinded me with squid ink. (I‘m not entirely sure I want to think about what this says for my driving.)

My little brother arriving home from school threw a spanner in the works. When I was playing on my own and losing, I could use the “you’re not supposed to be able to beat the computer” excuse, but his insistence on winning every race bothered me more than a little. Still, it allowed me to see how this game could be a social experience, disproving my view that gaming is a solitary activity. Playing on his account also allowed me to try new racecourses and characters (you unlock them by winning, so naturally I hadn’t tried them.)

I found it interesting that, while I noticed a difference playing with my brother, I hadn’t found single player a lonely experience, and would happily play alone or with someone else (though maybe not him) again.

Finally, something I loved about this game was that I didn’t find it a daunting task which required a commitment I simply couldn’t make. Aside from unlocking new characters, there is no end. You do not have to complete one part of the story to access the next. You can simply play another race, and each is different. This means that you could play for hours, or just for one race. For this reason, Mario Kart may just be the perfect game for the casual gamer. There is no obligation to continue playing, nor a point at which the game is complete, and you must stop.

I must admit, I was cynical, but I really enjoyed losing my gaming virginity. I loved Mario and now feel much more confident going forward in the gaming world. Maybe next time I’ll try a game which arms me with guns rather than turtle shells… [divider_top]

Are you a casual gamer at Warwick Uni looking to vent? Email games@theboar.org or tweet us @BoarGames