Very few people have called one a "better game" than the other because it's stupid to compare quality cross-genre.  Mario Kart is an arcade game.  Grand Theft Auto is a sandbox game.  Mario Kart should be compared in quality and features to other arcade games, and Grand Tehft Auto should be compared to the 6 3D GTA games before it which all play the same...

What this topic is about is which you have the most fun playing. 

I think both games are great in their respective classes. Where Mario Kart boils down to pure, unadulterated fun, especially with friends, on a plane GTA can't achieve, GTA brings the malicious joy and intensified rule of the sword in a incredibly immense world that only GTA can offer.

Now, I have only played MKWii and know that it is easily a 9+ game. From what I have seen/read on GTA4 I know I would enjoy it on a completely different solo level. I guess that will have to wait for the PC version.

BTW, Mario Kart players!!! Read my Sig and PM me, if you dare...

So what they're trying to tell us is that Mario Kart Wii is actually socialist propaganda? Hm, you think you know a franchise and then BAM! Communist.

Interesting read, thanks Naz. I'll be sure to give these titles a test drive (Get it? Test Drive? Mario Kart? Grand Theft Auto?  El oh El) later on, when I have the money. *sigh*

Oh don't get me wrong, I DEFINITELY have my share of bias trust me ;) But it's just the simple stuff from them that gets me. I mean how many reviewers have spoken out against MKWii? I mean as much as I want to deny rumors (take lair for example, every reviewer says something, PS3 fanboys attempt to defend, but too many reviewers support the opposite theory blah blah blah), They however are a shining beacon of hope. Almost every other reviewer says the opposite, GTA4 > MKwii. You'll also notice (not pointing fingers) that MANY pronounced "Nintendo Fanboys" always find themselves "Agreeing with Tycho", much like 360 owners generally agreed with Gamespot, much like PS3 owners always flock to IGN. I would prefer to go where I feel my games are being favored.

How about that one random comic strip with the guy going on a vacation and "ditching" the PSP? I mean seriously? You can make that un-biased? Any "professional" reviewer knows that every console is going to have great games floating around. I do NOT like the Nintendo Wii or the Xbox 360, but I understand that they both have fantastic games, even if I don't like them. For a professional reviewer, that comic strip seemed to only indicate 1 thing.

In general I can see the massive pro's and cons as far as video games from every company are concerned, but I've seen them pick apart a title for little to no reason, yet let all the typical Nintendo stuff slide. It's not a MASSIVE bias, but I definitely see it.

They liked Assassin's Creed and Crisis Core too, and they are practically obsessed with Valve and The Orange Box. Guess that makes them biased as well...

What they are is cynics and critics. They say what the media won't, and they call the media out on their bullshit.

Oh I think they're reasonably fair reviewers Naz, I just find them lacking on that quick to whip attitude when it comes to Nintendo games.

I watch Zero Punctuation, and he trashes almost EVERY game company, no pardons for Nintendo. Again he LOVES Valve, and we ALL will have our little forms of bias, but I won't say I don't feel the lean towards Nintendo from penny arcade. That one comic strip was plenty to make it obvious, then they're reviews in general show it as well. At least to me they do :P

Then it would make more sense to compare Mario Kart to the other 5 games in the series that play the same rather than other arcade games. This Mario Kart is one of the worst, only better than the GBA version. The tracks are the best in the Mario Kart series, the options for the battle mode are by far the worse and kill the game.

GTAIV I haven't played but I hear it's a huge improvement over the other titles. The kind you would expect with a real generational leap. Many of the ideas in the old GTA titles were good but weren't fully executed, this one is supposed to perfect those ideas. Probably why it's currently the highest rated game ever. 

They are just honest about their opinions...

I agree with both of those statements that the tracks are the best in the series, and that the battle mode is the worst in the series, but I never liked battle mode anyway. Since the tracks and racing are the best in the series, and that's all I've ever cared about in Mario Kart, Mario Kart Wii is the best game in the series to me. Well that and using the Wiimote (or wheel) to play is just ridiculously fun in multiplayer.

Of course they are, they just biased opinions is what I'm saying :P It's ok to obsess over valve, they release a game every how many years? Same with Assassins creed, it was a single title. I see them do it almost every time a Nintendo game is released (which is many a games). I find them to be good reviewers, I just DEFINITELY think they're biased towards Nintendo :P