Super Smash Bros. Brawl is currently our favorite Wii game, but that may change later this month, thanks to Mario Kart Wii. Nintendo's latest racing game retains the series' basic premise, with Mario and his pals from the Mushroom Kingdom competing against each other in light-hearted go-kart racing. Everything you'd expect is here, including plenty of useful power-ups and both new and old stages. But there are some new additions, most notably 12 player online races and cool motion controls, that make this game stand out from its predecessors.

Although you can play the game various ways (Wii remote and nunchuck, GameCube or Classic controller), we're the most excited about using the Wii Wheel. Mario Kart Wii comes with a plastic wheel peripheral that you snap the remote into. This allows you to steer your karts and motorcycles as you would a real car, simulating the turns by tilting it left and right. All you need to keep in mind is the accelerator (the 2 button) and the B button on the opposite side of the wheel, which lets you use items.

Being that this is a Mario Kart game, there are a slew of familiar faces from the series, such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, Baby Mario, Yoshi and others. Nintendo also brought back 16 tracks from previous games, in addition to creating 16 new ones, and you can even race as your Mii characters.

Overall, the game plays exactly as expected, featuring smooth racing made better with the inclusion of weapons, including the red and green turtle shells, banana peels and the ability to transform into Bullet Bill and wreck havoc on your opponents. Matches run well, and we had no problem accessing items using the wheel. That's not to say we placed first every time. The courses pack numerous hazards like cows, moles and ramps that move in the opposite direction. With that said, it's very easy to propel yourself to first place. Conversely, it only takes one mistake to send you into last place.

The inclusion of bikes is a nice touch, since they handle a bit differently than the karts and each character has signature rides. We also dig the ability to earn a speed boost while zipping off ramps, achieved by shaking the remote.

Almost everything about this game seems sweet. Online play, however, remains a mystery. Nintendo claims that Mario Kart Wii supports up to 12 players via the WiFi connection, but given Super Smash Bros. Brawl's lag-filled matches, we're skeptical as to whether the company will get this game to work.

Otherwise, Mario Kart Wii is another must have game for the system and we can't wait to grab our Wii Wheels and let those turtle shells fly. Get ready to lose April 27.

Mario Kart Wii Game Guide