Not all games can look so good as portal and HL2

They don't suck.  They are clean and crisp, but they obviously aren't pushing the Wii hardware like Brawl and Galaxy.  This is most likely due to the technical limitations of the Wii.  If they want 12 player online multiplayer they can't be pushing the system graphically or there will be extreme lag. I suppose I really don't care much because it's Mario Kart and it doesn't need good graphics to be fun.  

I could't care less.

HL2 hasn't been the graphical standard since 2004.

The new graphics standard is Crysis, perfect 10. The best any console this generation can hope for now is a 7 in graphics. I wish the 360 and PS3 held off about a year so they could be directx 10 ready.

As usual, Nintendo's art direction is fantastic, and their tracks have something no other racing game has: personality.

@capslock

They dont need Direct X 10. The ps3 doesnt even use direct X and look at uncharted.

The only thing holding them back is memory.

Uncharted looks nowhere near in the same neighborhood as Crysis. One of the most impressive looking things is how the world reacts when you mess with it. Walking past leaves make them move depending on how and where you touch it, or that truck driving through the building, seeing each individual piece break, and it does so in a unique way depending on how you drive into it. 

However, the animation in Uncharted looks amazing.  Is that the Euphoria engine? 

Also, Uncharted has something Crysis is sadly lacking in all its glory: style.  

Since my 360 bricked for the 3rd time last week, I'm thinking about maybe trading it in for a PS3 after Christmas. 

Who remembers how bad the graphics in Nights were early in development? Look now and you cannot recognise it with the graphics dramically improved. Mario Kart is still in early stages of development and won't be out until atleast March - May 2008 so watch it to be dramatically improved, this is Nintendo we are talking about.

I guess Nintendo saw how the Motocycle mini game in Mario Party 8 worked (it was actually the most fun). The controls were great though it was designed with simulation controls so it handled like a real bike but i hope Mario Kart keeps the arcade style controls.

Here's hoping for the return of two things:

1. The ability to jump via the original Mario Kart for SNES.

2. The feather. That was a sweet item and made for some killer shortcuts.

I can't wait for this game! It looks so fun, though those Baby Mario karts look really retarded.

My favorite MK was MK64 (though I haven't played MKDS) and they say this one is going to be more like MK64 than DD, which will be awesome. The 12 player online will make this game all the better.

I don't think it's a technical limitation.  I just think they aren't focusing heavily on the graphics.  I mean, it's Mario Kart.  When has Nintendo ever focused on the graphics in Mario Kart?