Mario Kart Wii- A Second Look

I've been playing Mario Kart Wii with the gamecube controller now, and let me say this; it's not as bad as I said. I can control it much better and I've learned that each kart and bike is good in its own way. I like the bikes. I've found that I can do tricks on the gamecube controller. It's actually fun to play. Now, on the other hand, a lot of the game is pure luck. As long as you can navigate the course and use items, you have a good chance of winning. I miss the snaking of Mario Kart DS. That took a lot of skill, and I could catch up without items. Wait. Maybe I'm reviewing this from too hardcore a standpoint. I played this my Dad tonight and he was doing horribly. He got in last place most of the time, but every time a race was over, he laughed. How could he laugh at how badly he did? He wasn't laughing at his failure. He was just having fun playing. He even liked the Wii Wheel. Why? He didn't care about how effective it was. He liked how it felt like he was driving. This is casual gaming. It's having fun, no matter if the screen says win or lose. I think that games have become too serious, and we are complaining about unfairness. But maybe it's that unfairness that makes the game accessible. This is a good game. Not for tournaments, or even single player. This game is good to play with your friends and family, so you can laugh at each other and yourselves; so you can bond.