If you don't have Mario Kart 7 for your 3DS, you clearly don't have a 3DS.
Features
.Mario Kart in 3D for the first time
.New gameplay features such as hang gliding, racing underwater, first person view, and customization
.1 lap in a few of the tracks (consisting of three sections)
.16 jaw dropping new tracks filled with shortcuts, ramps, and excitement
.16 retro courses, slightly redesigned to include new shortcuts and ramps
.Return of the mirror mode and Time Trial
.17 characters to play as (9 of them you need to unlock), including your Mii character
.Customization parts that you can unlock, and the type of wheel you use gains an advantage in certain races
.Trick System from Mario Kart Wii is back (!!!)
.New weapons such as the Tanooki Leaf, Fire Flower, and the Number 7 item
.The return of Coins (from Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart Circuit)
.Gameplay that caters to older Mario Kart fans and new Mario Kart fans
.Return of Battle Mode and Coin Runners
.Online Multiplayer and Local
.Streetpass
Mario Kart 7 includes some new items, departures from the series, and items that follow the concept of the older MK games. Some of the items from previous games such as the Fake Question block, Pow Block, and Boo are GONE (Lets face it, anyone could avoid the fake block, the Pow Block sucked, and while the Boo item was useful, it really didn't matter if you were in first place, and most of the time it only got you a green shell or a banana.)! There's no Mission Mode from Mario Kart DS, which is a shame, though this game already has plenty of replay value. The Blue Shell it is wingless like older games, and can attack anyone in its way like its predecessors. Coins are back, and they can be used to gain speed and unlock customization parts (which I'll get to later). New items that enter Mario Kart 7 are the fire flower (fire rapid fireballs), the Tanooki Leaf (used to whack any enemy behind you with a tail, and also back from Super mario 3D Land), and the Number 7 item. This item is rare and when you get it, you get to use seven different items at a time, which kicks ass. The Tanooki Leaf is my favorite because nothing else is as satisfying as seeing your opponent flip like crazy because you whacked him/her with the tail.
Lets get talking on the new features. You can now hang glide whenever you hit a blue speed ramp, allowing for strategy and new gameplay concepts. I should mention that Mario Kart 7's new features are similar to Diddy Kong Racing (Nintendo 64, 1997). Not only that, you can also now race underwater (careful, not EVERY place water's in), allowing for more ways to race. First Person mode is also included (along with motion control), and it works way better than you think it would. Be cautious though; you have to switch from slide pad controls to motion controls (vice versa), so pay attention! Customization is also included, and while it may sound like Nintendo included tedious part changes and color schemes, you actually instead can unlock new karts, wheels, and gliders via coins. The Trick System is back as well, though the motorcycles are nowhere to be seen.
So how are the controls? Really good. The controls have been tweaked to perfection. The comfortable slide pad is perfect for all those turns in the game, and it's very responsive as well. Although drifting is slightly more difficult to perform, that just makes it more fun to perform. I mentioned the motion control in first person mode, and you surprisingly rarely lose the 3D effect even while tilting the 3DS!
The gameplay is pure unadulterated fun. The memorable new tracks are AMAZING, and even change as you enter a new lap. You'll leap over a lake in the wonderful countryside of Daisy Hills, to driving ion a highway in Wuhu Island Loop from the Wii Sports games, to the waterslide paradise of Piranha Plant Slide, to the stormy seas of Wario's Galleon, and even to the Frozen Tundra of Rosalina's Ice World (or Lambeau Field). Each track is exciting and full of surprises. My personal favorite has to be the new Rainbow Road course. It's the best Rainbow Road ever, and you even don't have to drive on a rainbow! You can even go on THE MOON, around Saturn's Rings, and very high in the sky for a loop! The Donkey Kong Country Returns Jungle track is excellent, and I recall fond memories of playing the game on the Wii Christmas Morning in 2010. But when the statues screeched their faces scared the hell out of me! Seriously! It's also really fun to unlock car parts and characters (such as Metal Mario and Shy Guy). Although there's less characters than in MK Wii, that just makes it less annoying in general.
Shortcuts and ramps are plentiful as well. You'll miss most of them when you play them for the first time, but repeated plays can reveal these hidden shortcuts. For example, in Wuhu Mountain Loop, as I reached the castle, I noticed a muddy road that lead to water. I went there, and surely enough, I found a dirt path underwater with a few coins, leading me back up the trail ahead of the pack. Better yet, ANOTHER shortcut was straight ahead as I went through the middle of the castle to play myself further ahead. Another cool one was in Bowser's Castle. Right before the last thwomp, I noticed a small platform leading to the top of the spinning tunnel you go through. I jumped through it, gaining a boost and having a huge lead. These shortcuts and ramps are plentiful, so explore the tracks and find them!
The Hang Gliding and Underwater Sections work great as well, adding branching paths and new strategies. The Hang Glider is fantastic, having you catch huge air as you fly in the distance. I loved using it in the Wuhu tracks, and as well in Bowser's Castle, where i allows you to reach two shortcuts! Aiming it at the right spot allows for a small boost and gives you a shortcut, which is sweet. The Underwater sections of the game are also excellent. Jumping of a ramp allows a burst of speed in midair instead of when you land on the ground, and now you won't be afraid to enter the water ever again!
The 3D effect is good but not great. There isn't that big of a difference in depth with the 3D slide in use, but I could see items clearer in the distance, and the pop up 3D is there. Although the depth isn't big, the courses look great in 3D, so that's good.
You might expect Nintendo to simply rehash the retro courses from the Snes, N64, GBA, Gamecube, DS, and Wii without making any big changes, but you would be WRONG! That's right, the retro courses have some redesigns that make them a little different then the respective consoles they first appeared on, which will surprise longtime fans like me. The even add the hang glider and underwater racing to these courses, another huge plus! You can now drive underwater in Koopa Troopa Beach (YES!), and I noticed that the waterfall shortcut was placed differently then it was before. Kalimari Desert has three new shortcuts (one of them being a ramp near the end, and sorry, no train track shortcut this time), The Daisy Cruiser shortcut is now underwater, Koopa Cape replaces lightning bolts in the tunnels with Cheep Cheeps (as well as being underwater), DK Pass is fogged up (and yes the secret box is still there), and there's even a new ramp shortcut in the lava of Bowser Castle 1 (GBA). I also noticed that the mall from Mario Kart Wii took away a car in the final stretch, making it easier to pass the other two cars. But get this, Nintendo got smart and added the SNES RAINBOW ROAD AS THE FINAL RETRO TRACK! And that just rocks! The thwomps are back, unlike in Super Circuit, and when they hit the ground, you can do tricks off them. All things considered, the retro tracks changes are a welcome surprise to those who played them before. The Mirror Mode extends the replay value to a new peak as well. Considering I've said previously, this makes Time Trial all that fun to play.
As well as the normal modes, you also get the Balloon battle and Coin runners, and both are more fun as they've ever been. Three new courses (a Bee hive, a skating Rink, and Wuhu Town) and three retro courses (DS Island, GBA Battle #1, and N64 Big Donut) have been added This time however, the Balloon Battle instead requires you to pop the most balloons to win. Nonetheless, it's fun as hell, and sniping an enemy with a shell is great. The coin runners game is back, and it's also great fun. I love exploring the battle tracks and when you or another racer gets attacked and loses their coins, it's a frenzy you can't miss! The multiplayer aspect is amazing, and these modes prove it.
The Graphics are excellent and are (of course) some of the best the 3DS has to offer. The characters look cool, the new tracks are beautiful and the detail is second to none for a 3DS. The Retro courses also have a makeover, and with added 3D, it looks even better. When you're gliding in the air, seeing the background in the distance reveals the polish and effort Nintendo has put into this game. The music is also the best in the series since Mario Kart 64, and I loved the main menu theme. Each song is memorable and catchy, so use the earphones! My personal favorite has to be the new Bowser's Castle track, it's ominously low key and feels like a close cousin of Rammstein.
I do have a few complaints. Holding the A button down cramped my thumb after a while, and while it's not a big deal, it still is there. The map doesn't include enemies on it like it did in Mario Kart DS, which will confuse some players. I also hate that the red Shell can follow you no matter how high in the air you can possibly get, which is unreal. Finally, where's the options screen? Seriously, Nintendo? Oh well, these flaws are minor and really if they ruin the fun for you, you're stupid. I could complain about the amount of Blue Shells, Green Shells, Red Shells, "unbalanced" items, cool shortcut glitches removed from the retro tracks, and the fact that the AI is kept close at 150 CC, but that's what makes Mario Kart Mario Kart.
If you don't have Mario Kart 7 for your 3DS, you clearly don't have a 3DS. It's 16 tracks are jam packed with excitement, shortcuts, and loads of surprises. The single player and multiplayer modes are filled with replay value that will have you playing up to the wee hours of morning. Personally, I played for hours upon hours each day, loving every minute of it, and I never got the least bit bored or frustrated. The races are wild as ever, and older MK audiences will embrace the amount of retro joy this game has. No 3DS racing game can come close to this, and this makes Mario Kart DS look like crap! If you pick up Mario Kart 7, be warned, you can never put it back down.
3DS Playtime: 23:46 (as of now)
Gameplay: 10/10: Amazing. Excellent Controls, 32 Excellent Courses, Excellent Items, Excellent Shortcuts, Excellent Everything
Graphics: 9.5/10: The 3D is good but not great, but it gets the job done. The tracks look beautiful especially with 3D and a framerate of 60 fps.
Sound: 10/10: Fantastic music and sound effects. The best since Mario Kart 64
Value: 10/10: The single player mode, multiplayer, and tons of hidden secrets will keep you coming back, and back, and back, and back, and back...
Final Score: 9.7/10 (A)