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Mario Kart Wii details

From Nintendo Power.

US magazine Nintendo Power has revealed new details about the upcoming Mario Kart game for Nintendo Wii, most notably that it will feature 16 new tracks and as-yet undisclosed new weapons.

Mario Kart Wii - announced at E3 this year - sees the famed racing series make the transition to Wii, gaining a motion-sensor steering system based on holding the Wiimote with its buttons facing upward, a bit like Excite Truck, motorbikes and online racing.

As previously revealed, online games will support up to 12 players. Nintendo Power's preview adds that they will be able to pound one another with traditional power-ups like Koopa shells and lightning bolts, and fire themselves ahead with mushrooms.

It also states that the stunts possible (e.g. a motorbike wheelie) will have some sort of practical pay-off, although there's no further detail, and that the 16 new courses will be joined by some spiced-up old ones.

Other gameplay details were scant, and there wasn't any word on the steering wheel attachment due to be bundled with the game when it launches next year.

Even so, there isn't all that long to go, with Nintendo recently suggesting that Europe can expect to swing its arms at it as early as Q2 2008.