Showing posts with label Waluigi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Waluigi. Show all posts

Monday, June 9, 2014

Mount Wario

History:

Years ago Wario had thoroughly explored the Shivering Mountains, and so, seeking to capitalize on recent trends in extreme sports, purchased some land on one of the Peaks, re-named it after himself, and created a ski resort. This naturally devolved into a full racetrack, even though there was no practical loop to be seen. Another proprietor may have failed, but Wario was persistent and threatening enough to push through his insane new track idea. He eventually handed operation of the track over to his pal, Waluigi, who fell on pretty hard times after his Pinball and Stadium projects fell apart with no real adventuring background to fall back on.

8:

Wario was an interesting choice to take over a track like this, especially since it owes so much to DK Pass and DK Summit, being a long sloping snowy mountain track. In particular it's a lot like DK Summit with its Winter Sport theme. But really it goes beyond that, being the only track in Mario Kart history that doesn't loop and one of only a handful of courses that are broken up into sections rather than laps (the others being both Wuhu Tracks, the 7 Rainbow Road and 8's remake of 64 Rainbow Road). Only Mount Wario, though, has different music playing for each section.

The first section is very typical to DK Pass, consisting of a helicopter jump (okay, not that part), but then a twisty wind down the peak of the mountain into a rocky valley. Next we have a large anti-gravity ice cave as well as a large Damn in section two. Finally, the last section primarily comprises a downhill ski slope that's a lot like the final section of DK Summit, but of course, that one had snowboarders. There are other sections such as a treacherous snow forest that allows for plenty of multiple paths along with both underwater and the Wario Dam processing plant, which makes for some really diverse racing. It's a definite Frosty Track, but gets its own section here for just how extensive and weird it is, as well as how much more it has in common with DK Tracks and Wuhu Tracks.

The Ghost here is Waluigi, who uses the Duke, in its only Time Trial appearance, with Monster Tires and the Wario Wing in 2:06.283. The Duke doesn't really add any special stats, but the traction of the Monster Tires is pretty helpful here. You may not actually get a better combo that preserves land and anti-gravity speed while retaining traction, but you can go another route, using a lightweight that has a higher base traction to begin with. Then add some wheels for pure speed that sacrifice a little traction in this slippery course.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Waluigi Pinball

History:

Waluigi always attempted to push the danger in new tracks. His massive Waluigi Pinball course treated Drivers as the balls in a Pinball Machine, based off a successful venture in Arcade games. Although dangerous, it has remained one of the more popular later tracks and Waluigi has gladly added it to his growing empire. It is both a testament to his ego and his continual push for technology ahead of the homelier values of most of the Mushroom Kingdom.

DS:

Waluigi Pinball is the longest course in DS, strangely inappropriate for the Flower Cup. It has plenty of turns although most of them are curved gently on a wide track, meaning that there is less of a need for precise handling than would appear. It has plenty of hazards though and it's generally not the greatest track for a Heavyweight who may be slow on the stick. Its length and metallic structure echo Double Dash's Wario Colosseum although its track structure is actually much less complex. The Ghost here is Waluigi driving the Gold Mantis in 2:23:288. Something like Mario's Shooting Star may do well here.

The course reappears in Mario Kart 7 where there is an increased number of jumps and some more added dangers, including a big Air Jump where the initial pinball boost used to be. Since Waluigi is not in the game, Wario takes over as the Staff Ghost. He goes 02:44.372 using the Standard Kart, Slick Wheels, and Swoop Glider. This smartly caters to Land Speed and drift at the expense of Off-Road, which is the key here, but a Kart more like the Growlster will play to his strengths better, although the Koopa Clown or Cloud 9 might be a better choice for handling. The Expert goes 02:27.574 with the badass combo of Growlster, Slim Wheels, and Ghastly Glider. It's a tough combo, but again, using Slick Wheels instead with a Kart that makes up for handling will prevail.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Wario Colosseum

History: 

The construction and use of Wario Colosseum in the Grand Prix has been controversial. In the days of Ancient Mushroom Kingdom, the Colosseum was the site of grand games surveyed over by the King, but in the centuries since its popularity it has feel into ruin and disrepair. Wario was able to use his cash and influence to outfit the Ruins to fit a contemporary sport - Kart Racing. Similar to his insistence on Stadium Tracks where he can sell more tickets for a bigger profit, his Colosseum was meant to house a great number of spectators. This has come as an ire to preservationists in the Kingdom who did not want to see their heralded ruins damaged. Wario also built a track so long and complex that it was decreed by the Grand Prix organizers to be set at two laps rather than three. This is the only track in Mario Kart History to be so adjusted, which Wario always viewed as a slight to his entrepreneurship. This track has not appeared again due to this handful of issues.

Double Dash:

There is a lot to this course. It's similar in theme to Wario Stadium in that it has many twists and turns and curves and is also extremely long. It could actually be interpreted as a three-dimensional version of that course. There are many straightaways, boost pads and a wide collection of 90° turns. It's a jumbled mess and a difficult track to come back on if you fall behind. Someone maneuverable is vital but it is also a pain to lose a close photo finish on that final straightaway.


There are also Secret Staff Ghosts on every track in Double Dash. For Wario Colosseum the Staff Ghost is Wario with Waluigi in tow cruising around in the Wario Car. They finish with a time of 2:21:106.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Waluigi

History:

Waluigi is one of the more vile humans in the Mushroom Kingdom. He abhors adventuring and so for many years while other graduates of the Mushroom Plumbing College like Wario and the Mario Bros. were out in the wilds unclogging the many Giant Warp Pipes throughout the land, Waluigi engaged many other pursuits. He founded a Motor Oil Company as well as an independent construction firm. Throughout the 90s he dabbled in Nazism until he met Princess Daisy, who he became obsessed with. His unrequited love of the Princess has both salvaged Waluigi's soul and separated him from his partner, Wario, who is obsessed with his own greed. It has also fueled much of his rage towards his nemesis and current Daisy beau Luigi. Since then he has still avoided adventures, but excelled in many Mushroom Sports Competitions 

I've looked into his eyes...he's pure evil.
Waluigi is much more rational than his only real friend in the Mushroom Kingdom, Wario. He was always fiercely independent and isn't motivated by greed or jealousy. Instead he gets his drive from lust, ambition and a distinct pleasure from causing harm in others. He's one to laugh at misery and exploit it using his own cunning mind. In addition to his Motor Oil Company he attemped and failed at the Waluigi Grand Prix, although the remnants remain on many courses throughout the Kingdom. Finally he has pioneered Waluigi Pinball, which began as a small string of Arcades and has now blossomed into enormous, dangerous Amusement Parks.

Double Dash:

Waluigi first appeared as a playable racer in Double Dash where he pairs with Wario. Double Dash placed emphasis on different Karts more than Characters, the Drivers only determined what Weight Class they could use and what Special Items became available. Individual Karts determined Racing Stats, and each Character has his or her own signature Vehicle.

Waluigi drives the Waluigi Racer, which he cannot use with his default partner, Wario because while Waluigi is a Middleweight, Wario is Heavy. The Waluigi Racer is a Kart of some extremes in some cases. It's on the faster end of Middle Karts, only slower than Luigi's Green Fire and also has the best Offroad Speed by far of any Middle Kart, in fact, it has the best in the game at 37 mph. Its turn speed isn't great among Middle Karts but pretty decent overall and it's smack int he middle of Acceleration (13th) and Weight (9th). All in all this seems great so far, but it also has the worst shocks in the game, making it the single bounciest Kart and most likely to lose speed on big hills. Therefore it's a great choice for maybe something generally flat but with lots of Offroad portions like Sherbert Land, Yoshi Circuit or Dino Dino Jungle.

The Wario/Waluigi partnership is the only Heavy/Middle partnership in the game, otherwise their Special Items are identical. Waluigi uses the Bob-omb, which is a better defensive than offensive weapon. When thrown behind it can be devastating for those on your tail, although be sure to be careful of it going off right behind you from a Red Shell or what not.The only problem is that it won't stay on the Track for long, exploding pretty soon after you drop it, so if you're very far ahead it's basically useless. When thrown ahead it is awful dangerous. There is a slim chance that you won't be involved in the explosion but it's difficult.

There are Secret Staff Ghosts to unlock in Time Trials here. Waluigi's personal course is Waluigi Stadium where he partners with Wario in the Wario Car at 1:59:658. For the later Wario Colosseum he rides behind his partner in the same Ride, this time pulling in at 2:21:106.

DS:

Only Waluigi and Daisy appear only in Double Dash, DS and Wii. Waluigi is still a Medium Weight Driver here, although by adding 2 to the weight of each Vehicle he is a bit heavier than Mario or Luigi. DS gave each Character three distinct Karts, each with specialized stats. Eventually every Character can use any Kart, with the only morphing stat being Weight. Generally Waluigi is one of the heavier Middleweights. Of the Three Karts initially available, there is basically a Standard, one with poorer stats but a better Item Rating and one with better stats but a poorer Item Rating. Here are Waluigi's Vehicles:


Waluigi generally has very good vehicles. The Zipper is clearly the precursor to the Bikes in Wii. None of his Rides have subpar stats. at worst his handling and drift are average with above average acceleration and pretty good speed. Waluigi also has a pair of Staff Ghosts in Time Trials. On his own Waluigi Pinball he goes 2:23:288 in the Gold Mantis. He also appears on the Retro Choco Island 2 from SMK. He uses the Zipper in 1:01:620. He's probably here as a reference to his Stadium Tracks as the Choco Islands are full of dirt.

Wii:

It's only a matter of time really.
In Wii Waluigi makes the upgrade to a Large Size Racer. Wii took its three different Size Classes and gave each Six Bikes and Six Karts to choose from, each with varying stats. In addition to this, each Character adds his or her own Bonuses to each Stat, making an incredible array of possible combinations. Waluigi is again a decent choice. His +6 Acceleration and +5 Drift are both at the Top among Large Racers and he adds a +3 Offroad as well. All of this makes him a good choice for those seeking Offroad Shortcuts or courses with tricky turns. Both is high acceleration and ability to use bigger vehicles also make him a nice choice for beginners. Here are Waluigi's Specific Stats, the maximum in any Category is 80:


Waluigi is most associated with the Offroader, it having comparable stats to the Wario Bike. It's also the Kart that best takes advantage of Waluigi's Stat Bonuses, likewise with the Wario Bike. These two Vehicles don't act much like typical Heavy Rides and since Waluigi doesn't really have typical Heavy Bonuses, he makes them work. It's also interesting that the default colour scheme on many of the Heavy Vehicles is Waluig's blue and gold, such as the Phantom and the Spear.

Waluigi only has one Staff Ghosts in this game. He drives on the Retro Waluigi Stadium with the Standard Bike L in 02:32.882. The Expert version, once unlocked, uses the very heavy Piranha Prowler in 02:12.367.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Stadium Tracks

History:

The first Wario Stadium opened up in 1995 in the Mushroom Kingdom. Wario used the dirt track for all kinds of extreme sports and then adapted it to Kart Racing, designing the course himself. In typical fashion it's huge, long and twisted. He later changed it once again for another Grand Prix Competition. When Wario met Waluigi they soon saw eye to eye on numerous endeavours, and Waluigi also started building Stadiums, mostly with Wario's money. Thus Wario was the backer for many of Waluigi's projects until he started making some coin of his own through his Sports Appearances and his Waluigi Pinball enterprise. Despite neither hailing from the Mushroom Kingdom all their Stadiums are located there, the local government sees their presence as intrusions, but the populace that actually gets a chance to watch races in a large venue for once instead of sitting on a fence rail has been very supportive. This has further lined Wario and Waluigi's pockets.

64:

This is another trend that started with MK64. Though there had been plenty of Dirt Tracks before, and the Choco Tracks are their forerunner, no other Tracks are in confined Stadiums like this. This is what we're narrowing down to. Even though Wario Colosseum may be the natural extension (and from there Waluigi Pinball and Wario's Gold Mine), we're talking about limited, dirt-road, confined courses. Wario Stadium 64 is an incredibly long course full of huge jumps, tight turns and some deadly drops that set you back rather than require Lakitu's Help. There are also some very wide portions here which allow for perfect drifting. This is one course that may favour a heavyweight you can drift well and not bounce all over the place, like DK or Wario himself. Each Stadium Track appears in a different cup, this one opens up the Star Cup.

Double Dash:

Waluigi carried on the spirit in Double Dash. The Track itself is simpler and much less lengthy but still has the requisite number of jumps, twists and tough angles. There are Boost Pads for the first time along with a deceptive straightaway filled with giant wooden moving Piranha Plants and Spinning Firebars. The course shows its greater simplicity by closing out the Flower Cup this edition. It's also one of the only Sunset Tracks. Waluigi drives the Wario Car with Wario in the backseat for the Secret Staff Ghost. He goes a 1:59:658, noticeably shorter than the first Wario Stadium.

This course came back in Wii and it's the only Stadium Track to appear in that game. There are some notable additions, including Dash Panels in the Piranha Plant half-pipe and a reverse order of the Plants appearing. Waluigi Stadium is actually distinct from the Wario Stadiums in that its edges slope up to the sidewalls, allowing for some perfect boost turning and tricks (a likely reason it was included in Wii). The Normal Ghost here is Waluigi in the Standard Bike L at 02:32.882, the Expert uses the Piranha Prowler in 02:12.367.

DS:

A different Wario Stadium appears in DS, joining Mario Circuit, Luigi Circuit, Bowser's Castle and Sherbert Land as the only different signature tracks to appear in different games. This time it contains a much simpler in layout despite its appearance in the Special Cup.The DS Special Cup also included Peach Gardens, though, so it's not out of the ordinary that it's not that crazy of a course. It's not an egregiously long course but does feature a bit more mud than other Stadium Tracks, though Waluigi Stadium had a good amount, just not directly on the Kart Path. Thus there's actually some nasty Offroad here for the first time, though it can't really be used for Shortcuts. There are also Boost Panels and Firebars reminiscent of Waluigi Stadium. The walls are steep though, which makes for some tougher turns. Every Stadium Track has some overloop and the same goes for this one. Wario, using the Brute clocks in as the Staff Ghost in h 2:14:868. I think you can get away with Speed and Handling, pick Luigi's Poltergust 4000 or Waluigi's Gold Mantis.