Anyone else have Mario Kart for the Wii?

Now this is coming from someone who hasn't owned a video game system since the original 1980s Nintendo entertianment system..... but we are proud owners of a Wii :)

Anyway, does Mario Kart have good single-player options?  that is, I am not good at racing games, will I get beaten by the CPU every time?  DH wins every time so I don't normally play video games against him any more.  Also, is it a game that has long-lasting potential?  I've only played the previous mario karts a wee bit at parties, etc but some of the older ones seemed just like plain racing games....

Does this one take advantage of the Wii mote other than you can buy racing wheels (well I know it comes with one but for multi-player games its an added expense?

We own most of the games I wanted and now there isn't much out there I'm interested in... we have mario glaxay, paper mario, mario party and several others that are good games, but there isn't really a game out there I'm dying to get.  I'm not sure about SSBB either... Sigh.  There is so much hype over Mario Kart and SSBB that I want to get them, but I'm afraid that I'll lose interest quite fast.

It doesn't come out until April 27 here in the US, so we still have a bit of a wait.

It's going to be a long couple of weeks here.  DH is quite excited for this one (it's one of the few video games that I'll actually play with him)!

 There is an "easy" mode which is fairly simple to win.  I've done most of it now and if I can, anybody can LOL.  There are also time trials which mean you're only racing against the clock.

As for longevity...I doubt I'll play it when I've beaten it/unlocked everything, but that will likely take some time to do.

You don't *need* the wheel to play it.  You can play with only the mote or the mote + nunchuk, which actually might be my favourite way to play it.  Particularly with the motorcycles, I am finding that to be the easiest option.  

It is just a racing game, but you find things on the track to throw at other players and there's a lot to unlock, so it does have an element of challenge beyond just taking first place. 

Benedict

 and there's a lot to unlock, so it does have an element of challenge beyond just taking first place. 

That was kind of what I was looking for.... is there anything to do other than win.  I never win, lol, so I need something to occupy me!

That's kind of why I'm glad super smash bros has a single player mode, and you can build your own boards, etc.  I am not coordinated enough to execute some of the crazy moves, so I'm just not good at games like that, but at least there is more to it with the Wii version.  We haven't boughten it yet, but after papers are done and finals are over in a week or two we are borrowing it from a friend to evaluate

we even have a few virtual console games that are fun, but I always try it once or twice first then hand the controller to DH to beat the level for me!  LOL  I know it's a sad way to play video games, but I enjoy them I just have no skill hahahaha

After the astonishing display of self restraint DH first showed on buying this game, he has now been on it most of yesterday afternoon and virtually ALL of today.  I think I'm going to need a chisel if I want a turn..... 

LOL Chuffy....DH and I have spent the WHOLE day playing.  The rule is we each get ONE Grand Prix race before we hand off the mote to the other .  Racing each other is fun, but most of the completion comes from filling out your own "card" so we've been doing that.  All day.  LOL. 

Circuit City here had a pretty good sale, so once their sllloooowww shipping makes it happen, I will be the proud owner of Mario Kart AND Super smash bros brawl!  We borrowed SSBB so I know what to expect, but haven't played Mario kart yet (no one will let us borrow it since they are playing too much!)

 Once it comes, we will have to exchange codes to race everyone!  Yay!