Let’s be real for a second. If you grew up playing Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS, you probably remember that sinking feeling when you realized your favorite purple-clad trickster was missing. No Waluigi. In his place? A giant bee and a caterpillar. Honestly, looking back at the 2011 release, the Mario Kart 7 characters lineup remains one of the strangest, most experimental rosters in Nintendo’s history. It was a weird time. The 3DS was struggling early on, and Nintendo needed a hit, which led to some of the most "wait, who?" additions the series has ever seen.
The Mystery of the Missing Waluigi
People are still salty about this. To this day, fans bring up the fact that Waluigi Pinball is one of the best tracks in the game, yet Waluigi himself is nowhere to be found. Why? The common consensus among experts and developers at the time, including reports from sites like Nintendo World Report, points toward a rushed development cycle.
Nintendo was panicking because the 3DS wasn't selling well. They pushed the game out for the holiday season, and reportedly, some characters had to be cut. Since Waluigi hadn’t appeared in a "mainline" Mario platformer, he was deemed expendable. It’s kinda ironic considering he’s now a staple in almost every other entry. Instead of the fan-favorite lanky guy, we got Metal Mario.
Metal Mario was basically a "clone" character. He didn't require a brand-new model from scratch—he just used Mario's skeleton with a shiny texture. It was a time-saver. Plain and simple.
The Newcomers Nobody Expected
If you weren't there for the launch, you might not realize how baffling the new additions were. We got four brand-new racers:
- Metal Mario: The heavy-hitting, shiny version of our favorite plumber.
- Lakitu: Usually the guy holding the starting lights, but here he’s behind the wheel (specifically a Red Shell Lakitu).
- Wiggler: A giant caterpillar that actually turns red and gets angry when you get hit.
- Honey Queen: The massive bee from Super Mario Galaxy.
Wiggler and Honey Queen were the real head-scratchers. Seeing a massive bee that usually takes up half the screen in Galaxy squeezed into a tiny kart was... something. Most players didn't even know who Honey Queen was. She only appeared in a few levels of the Galaxy games, yet she made the cut over Waluigi or Bowser Jr. It’s one of those "Nintendo logic" moments we just have to accept.
Unlocking the Full Roster
You don’t start with everyone. Far from it. When you first boot up the game, you only have eight racers: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, Donkey Kong, Toad, and Koopa Troopa. To get the rest of the Mario Kart 7 characters, you have to grind through the 150cc Grand Prix.
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How to Unlock Them:
- Daisy: Win the Mushroom Cup at 150cc.
- Wario: Win the Flower Cup at 150cc.
- Rosalina: Win the Star Cup at 150cc.
- Metal Mario: Win the Special Cup at 150cc.
- Shy Guy: Win the Shell Cup at 150cc.
- Honey Queen: Win the Banana Cup at 150cc.
- Wiggler: Win the Leaf Cup at 150cc.
- Lakitu: Win the Lightning Cup at 150cc.
- Mii: Just finish every cup on any difficulty. Easy.
Stats Matter More Than You Think
Choosing a character isn't just about who looks the coolest in a tuxedo or a bee costume. Weight classes are everything in this game. Unlike later entries where every character has hyper-specific stats, MK7 divides them into distinct tiers that dictate how you handle the road.
The Featherweights (Toad, Koopa, Lakitu, Shy Guy) are your acceleration kings. If you get hit by a Red Shell every five seconds, you want these guys. They get back up to speed almost instantly. But, if a Heavyweight bumps into you? You’re flying off the track.
The Heavyweights (Bowser, Wario, Honey Queen, Metal Mario) are the tanks. They have the highest top speed in the game. On long, straight tracks like Daisy Hills or Wuhu Loop, they are nearly impossible to catch once they get going. Their handling is garbage, though. You’ll be fighting the circle pad just to make a sharp turn without hitting a wall.
The Mid-range (Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Daisy) are the "safe" picks. They don't excel at anything, but they don't suck at anything either. They’re great for learning the tracks before you commit to a high-speed Heavyweight build.
Hidden Stats and the Competitive Edge
Here’s what the game doesn’t tell you: there are hidden stats. Serious Time Trialers have found that characters like Metal Mario and Honey Queen actually have a slight edge in "Off-Road" and "Weight" that isn't fully reflected in the bars you see on screen.
Also, the Mii is a wildcard. Your Mii’s weight class actually depends on the height and build you gave them in the Mii Maker app. A tiny, thin Mii will act like a Featherweight, while a tall, bulky one will drive like Bowser. It’s a neat touch that most people completely overlook.
The Actionable Strategy for Winning
If you’re looking to dominate online (or just beat those brutal 150cc CPU racers), don’t just pick Mario.
Go for Metal Mario or Wario paired with the B Dasher and Slick Wheels. This is the "speed" meta. It’s harder to control, but in a game where coins increase your top speed, being a Heavyweight with 10 coins makes you a literal rocket.
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If you find yourself falling off the track a lot, switch to Shy Guy with the Egg 1 kart. The handling is so sharp you can practically take corners at 90-degree angles without losing your drift.
Next Steps for Your MK7 Journey:
- Check your Mii: Go to the Mii Maker and ensure your personal avatar is "Heavy" if you want those top-speed stats without playing as a giant bee.
- Master the Drift: Start your drift before the turn. MK7 rewards early drifts with a blue spark (Mini-Turbo) and a red spark (Super Mini-Turbo) much faster than previous games.
- Collect 10 Coins: Always. It doesn't just unlock parts; it increases your maximum speed. A racer with 0 coins is significantly slower than one with 10.
At the end of the day, the Mario Kart 7 characters roster is a snapshot of a weird transitional period for Nintendo. It gave us the first taste of "clones" and some truly bizarre deep-cut NPCs, while teaching us that even without Waluigi, the racing is still top-tier.