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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox video game
{{Infobox video game
| title = Smite
|image=File:Mario Kart Wii.png
| image = Logo for the Video game Smite.png
|caption=North American box art
| caption =
|developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|Nintendo EAD]]
| developer = [[Hi-Rez Studios]]
|publisher=[[Nintendo]]
| publisher = Hi-Rez Studios
|producer=[[Hideki Konno]]
| designer =
|director=Yasuyuki Oyagi
| writer =
|composer=Asuka Ota<br>[[Ryo Nagamatsu]]
| composer =
|series=''[[Mario Kart]]''
| series =
|platforms=[[Wii]]
| engine = [[Unreal Engine 3]]
|released={{Video game release|JP|April 10, 2008<ref>{{cite web|title=Mario Kart Wii |publisher=GameSpy |url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/driving/mariokart/similar.html?mode=versions |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919123847/http://www.gamespot.com/wii/driving/mariokart/similar.html?mode=versions |archivedate=2011-09-19 |df= }}</ref>|EU|April 11, 2008|AUS|April 24, 2008|NA|April 27, 2008}}
| released = '''Microsoft Windows'''<br/>{{Vgrelease|WW|March 25, 2014}}'''Xbox One'''<br/>{{Vgrelease|WW|August 19, 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vg247.com/2015/08/13/smite-makes-its-official-xbox-one-debut-next-week/|title=Smite makes its official Xbox One debut next week|work=[[VG247]]|first=Brenna|last=Hillier |date=August 13, 2015|accessdate=August 13, 2015}}</ref>}}'''PlayStation 4'''<br/>{{Vgrelease|WW|May 31, 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/05/27/smite-on-ps4-launches-may-31/|title=Smite on PS4 Launches May 31 – PlayStation.Blog|work=PlayStation.Blog}}</ref>}}'''macOS''' <br/> {{Vgrelease|WW|July 7, 2016}}
|genre=[[Racing video game|Racing]]
| genre = {{nowrap|[[Multiplayer online battle arena]]<ref name="HiRez">[http://www.hirezstudios.com/hirezwp/?cat=17 Smite | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc]. Hirezstudios.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.</ref>}}
|modes=[[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| modes = [[Multiplayer video game|Multiplayer]]<ref name="HiRez"/>
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]]<br>[[PlayStation 4]]<br>[[Xbox One]]<br>[[macOS]]
}}
}}


'''''Smite''''' is a [[free-to-play]], [[Third-person view|third-person]] [[multiplayer online battle arena]] (MOBA) [[video game]] developed and published by [[Hi-Rez Studios]] for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]], [[PlayStation 4]] and [[Xbox One]].<ref name="xbox">[http://www.hirezstudios.com/smite/latest-news/view/smite-blog/2014/08/12/smite-arriving-soon-on-the-xbox-one SMITE arriving soon on the Xbox One | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc]. Hirezstudios.com (August 12, 2014). Retrieved on August 15, 2014.</ref> In ''Smite'', players control a god, goddess, or other mythological figure and take part in team based combat, using abilities and tactics against other player-controlled gods and non-player-controlled minions. The game has multiple [[player versus player]] modes, many playable characters, and has a successful esports scene with multiple tournaments, including the annual [[Smite World Championship]] which has a US$1 million dollar prize pool.
{{nihongo|''''' Mario Kart Wii '''''|マリオカートWii|Mario Kāto Wī}} is a [[racing video game]] developed and published by [[Nintendo]] for the [[Wii]] [[video game console]]. It is the sixth installment in the ''[[Mario Kart]]'' series, and was released worldwide in April 2008.

Like its previous installments of games, ''Mario Kart Wii'' incorporates [[playable character]]s from the [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' series]], who participate in kart races on various [[race track]]s using specialized items to hinder opponents or gain advantages. The game features multiple [[single-player video game|single-player]] and [[multiplayer]] game modes. Online multiplayer via [[Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]] was available at launch, but was discontinued in May 2014, along with Wii and Nintendo DS games that supported online play.

''Mario Kart Wii'' takes advantage of the [[Wii Remote]]{{'}}s [[Motion controller|motion sensing]] to provide intuitive and conventional [[steering]] controls; each copy of the game is [[Product bundling|bundled]] with the [[Wii Remote#Wii Wheel|Wii Wheel]] accessory to augment this feature.


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
''Smite'' features many different game modes, with the largest being Conquest.<ref name="smitestuff">[http://smitestuff.com/statistics/#gameplay/game-modes Smite Stuff]. Smite Stuff. Retrieved on July 21, 2015.</ref> Players are formed into two teams, with five players to each team. All players begin at opposite sides of a map at their team's 'fountain'. Before the players enter the map, they are granted an amount of gold (usually 1,500) to buy starting items. These items grant special bonuses or abilities that enhance the player's god. There are three continuous 'lanes' running from one side of the map to the other. Each lane is defended by a 'Phoenix' which is accompanied by a pair of extra defensive towers. Phoenixes and towers deal a large amount of damage to any enemies that come too close. The goal of each game is to destroy the opposing team's Phoenixes and the Titan, a giant warrior who must be defeated to win the game. The players are accompanied by 'minions', small soldiers with a weak attack; these minions spawn at the Phoenixes every thirty seconds and run along their lane until they meet opposition and attack immediately. Minions will attack not only players and other minions but also towers, Phoenixes and the Titan; in fact, their presence is required for players to deal full damage to these objectives. Defensive positions will prioritize enemy minions over players, allowing players to attack a tower without receiving damage; however, towers will fire upon players if there are no minions nearby or the player attacks an enemy player under their tower. If a game is going badly for a certain team, they can decide to surrender after at least 10 minutes, though this requires a majority of the team (4 players to 1) to agree.
{{See also|Mario Kart#Gameplay|l1=Gameplay in the ''Mario Kart'' series}}


With every game, players have to choose a god to play as. Currently, players can choose between 92 gods and immortals from nine different [[Pantheon (religion)|pantheons]]: [[Celtic mythology|Celtic]], [[Chinese mythology|Chinese]], [[Ancient Egyptian religion|Egyptian]], [[Greek mythology|Greek]], [[Hinduism|Hindu]], [[Japanese mythology|Japanese]], [[Maya mythology|Mayan]], [[Norse mythology|Norse]], and [[Roman mythology|Roman]]. Each individual god is classified as one of the following classes: Assassin, Guardian, Hunter, Mage, and Warrior. Two players on the same team cannot choose the same god (with the exception of some Match of the Day variants, which rotate daily), although they are free to choose gods from the same or different pantheons.<ref name="smitewiki">[http://www.smitewiki.com/Smite_Wiki Smite Wiki]. Smite Wiki. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.</ref> The player controls the god in a [[Third-person view|third person]] perspective, which is a unique characteristic of this [[multiplayer online battle arena]] game, as other games of this genre are typically played from a [[top-down perspective]]. Each god has a basic attack, a passive trait, and four abilities with varying effects, such as [[Area of effect|area damage]], [[Crowd control (video gaming)|crowd control]], [[Status effect|buffs]] and many more. These abilities are acquired and upgraded when the player's god [[Experience level|levels up]] by gaining experience from being in range of minions when they are killed, taking down towers or phoenixes, and defeating enemy gods. The maximum level is 20, and each successive level is harder to reach. Gold, which is used to buy items that increase power, defense, and passive effects, potions, wards and abilities, is accumulated through standard periodic income, by slaying enemies (player and NPC alike), or by selling owned items.<ref name="smitewiki" />
[[File:Mario Kart Wii screenshot.jpg|thumb|left|Screenshot of ''Mario Kart Wii''. [[Yoshi]] is seen participating in a race on Mario Circuit, one of the game's available [[Kart circuit|course]]s, against other ''Mario'' characters.]]


The large areas between the lanes make up what is called the 'jungle', where computer-controlled monsters such as packs of [[Cyclops|cyclopes]] or [[Erinyes|furies]] (the latter alternately referred to as [[Harpy|harpies]]) periodically [[Spawning (video gaming)|spawn]] at specific locations distributed symmetrically across the map. Killing certain monsters in said jungle causes a 'buff' to drop on the ground, where it can be picked up by a player. This buff grants the player one of the following [[Status effect|buffs]] for a limited time, depending on which monster was killed: [[mana]] (mana regen & cooldown reduction bonus), damage (basic damage & power bonus), speed (movement speed bonus), attack speed (in-hand attack speed & power bonus), or protection reduction aura (negation of some of the protections of enemy players within 55 units). There are three special neutral monsters who spawn less frequently, the Fire Giant, Gold Fury, and Portal Demon. When killed, they grant the entire team who killed it a powerful damage buff for a medium length of time, set amount of Gold, and a portal from base to the map center respectively. There also exist monsters which do not offer a buff, only experience and gold.<ref name="announce">[http://www.mmorpg.com/newsroom.cfm/loadNews/20386 SMITE Announced – MMORPG.com News]. Mmorpg.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.</ref>
''Mario Kart Wii'' is a [[kart racing]] game featuring several [[single-player video game|single]] and [[multiplayer]] modes. The players each take control of one of many selectable [[List of Mario franchise characters|''Mario'' franchise characters]] and participate in races or battles using [[go-kart|kart]]s or [[motorcycle]]s on [[Kart circuit|course]]s thematically based on locations from the [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]]. During gameplay, the player views the action from a [[Virtual camera system#Third-person view|third-person perspective]] that tracks the player from behind his or her kart. The player can perform tricks while driving that produce speed boosts, such as mid-air [[stunt]]s, [[Drifting (motorsport)|drifting]], [[Drafting (aerodynamics)|slipstreaming]], and [[wheelie]]s (motorcycles only).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/11/more-mario-kart-wii-impressions |title=More Mario Kart Wii Impressions |author=[[Matt Casamassina|Casamassina, Matt]] |date=March 11, 2008 |accessdate=February 2, 2014 |publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>


===Matchmaking===
While driving, the player collects [[power-up]]s from [[Item (gaming)|item]] boxes placed in various points on the track. These power-ups allow the player to attack opponents, causing them to slow down or spin out of control; defend against such attacks; or gain boosts in speed. These include the series staple items, such as the [[Super Mario (series)#Mushroom|Mushroom]], [[Koopa Troopa|Koopa]] shell projectiles, the [[Super Mario (series)#Starman|Starman]], and [[banana peel]]s. There are also three new items: the Mega Mushroom, Thunder Cloud, and POW Block. The [[New Super Mario Bros.|Mega Mushroom]] temporarily grows the player to an enormous size and allows them to flatten opposing karts, the [[Mario Bros.|POW Block]] causes all racers ahead of the user to spin out and drop their items if used, and the Thunder Cloud gives the recipient a speed boost and off road capabilities, but the recipient has to get rid of it before the item shrinks him to a tiny size by colliding with other racers to pass the cloud onto them.
The matchmaking system uses a modified version of [[TrueSkill]] ranking system.<ref name="trueskill">[http://forum.hirezstudios.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=249&t=73024&p=925742#p925742 View topic – MatchMaking, How does it work?]. forum.hirezstudios.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.</ref> Around December 2013, there was a feature added that allowed players to choose between US and EU servers, but was later removed from the game due to issues with the matchmaking system. This feature was eventually re-added. Originally, most modes used to operate on queues with 3-minute match-making timers. Every three minutes, matches would be made from the group of people in queue at that time. In late 2014, that system was replaced with a more traditional non-timed queues one (a more popular format in many MOBAs) that look for an optimal match instead of just the best match ups at the present time. In this system, if it takes 5 minutes or more to match a player, the game will gradually lower its requirements until a match is found. The matchmaking system will also try to give the opposing team better solo players if there are teamed players together on a side.<ref name="match">[http://www.smitewiki.com/Matchmaking Matchmaking]. Smite Wiki (June 2, 2012). Retrieved on December 10, 2012.</ref>


In Ranked Leagues, players are matched by a variation of [[Elo rating system|Elo]], a system that rates players with a number that indicates how well the individual skill of that player is. The player will be matched with players that have a similar rating as them. The goal of this system is to have 2 individual teams that have a similar TOTAL Elo.
''Mario Kart Wii'' supports four different control schemes. The primary control scheme is the [[Wii Remote]] by itself, optionally used in conjunction with the plastic [[Wii Remote#Wii Wheel|Wii Wheel]] accessory, which uses the controller's [[Motion controller|motion sensing]] to simulate operating a [[steering wheel]]. The other supported control schemes are the Wii Remote with the [[Wii Remote#Nunchuk|Nunchuk]] attachment; the [[Wii Remote#Classic Controller|Classic Controller]]; and the [[Nintendo GameCube controller]].<ref name="drivers seat">{{cite web |title=Mario Kart Wii Puts Everyone in the Driver's Seat |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/04/28/mario-kart-wii-puts-everyone-in-the-drivers-seat |author=Bozon |date=April 28, 2008 |publisher=[[IGN]] |accessdate=February 2, 2014}}</ref>


==International expansion==
===Characters and vehicles===
On August 21, 2013, Hi-Rez Studios partnered themselves with [[Tencent]], an online media company that publishes video games in China.<ref name="partner1">[http://www.hirezstudios.com/smite/latest-news/view/smite-blog/2013/08/21/tencent-hirez Tencent and Hi-Rez Studios Announce Worldwide Cooperation and Publishing for SMITE | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc]. Hirezstudios.com (August 21, 2013). Retrieved on August 15, 2014.</ref> On June 5, 2014, Hi-Rez Studios announced they partnered with [[Level Up! Games]] to bring the game to the Latin American region.<ref name="partner2">[http://www.hirezstudios.com/smite/latest-news/view/smite-blog/2014/06/05/hi-rez-studios-and-level-up-partner-to-bring-smite-to-latin-america Hi-Rez Studios and Level Up partner to bring SMITE to Latin America | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc]. Hirezstudios.com (June 4, 2014). Retrieved on August 15, 2014.</ref> In October 2014, oceanic servers were added,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/27/smite-oceanic-servers-are-now-live-for-australian-and-new-zealand-players|title=Smite Oceanic Servers are Now Live For Australian and New Zealand Players|last=Pitcher|first=Jenna|date=October 26, 2014|website=IGN|language=en-US|access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref> and in August 2016, South east asia servers were added.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://twitter.com/smitegame/status/766533179305922560?lang=en|title=SMITE on Twitter|work=Twitter|access-date=May 16, 2017|language=en}}</ref> In October 2017, the chinese client was announced to be merged with the international client, with migration taking place late November.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sm.qq.com/webplat/info/news_version3/6369/6458/6459/6461/m4867/201710/645826.shtml|title=神之浩劫合服公告 - -神之浩劫-SMITE-官方网站-腾讯游戏-3D动作团队竞技|last=Tencent-TGideas|website=sm.qq.com|language=zh-CN|access-date=2017-10-29}}</ref>


==Reception==
''Mario Kart Wii'' features twenty-four [[player character|playable characters]] from the ''Mario'' series, which was the largest roster of any ''Mario Kart'' game until the release of ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' in 2014.<ref name="best mario kart ever">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/02/which-is-the-best-mario-kart-ever |title=Which is the Best Mario Kart Ever? |date=December 2, 2011 |publisher=[[IGN]] |author=Rigg, Jonathon |accessdate=February 2, 2014}}</ref> The game features characters who have appeared in previous installments, including [[Mario]], [[Luigi]], [[Princess Peach]], [[Yoshi]], [[Toad (Nintendo)|Toad]], [[Donkey Kong (character)|Donkey Kong]], and [[Bowser (character)|Bowser]], in addition to characters such as [[Rosalina (character)|Rosalina]] and Dry Bowser who are playable for the first time. Unlike Mario Kart DS, where characters can drive a kart exclusive to that character and the standard go-kart, each character is assigned to one of three different weight classes, which affects the selection of vehicles the character can drive. [[Mii]] characters saved in the console's [[Wii Menu#Mii Channel|Mii Channel]] are also playable.<ref name="drivers seat"/> Thirty-six vehicles, which includes both karts and motorcycles, are available in ''Mario Kart Wii'', each of which has different properties that affect how the vehicle handles while driving. Half the characters and vehicles are initially unavailable to the player; certain objectives must be completed in order to [[Unlockable (gaming)|unlock]] each one.
{{Video game reviews
|GR = (PC) 88%<ref name=GRPC>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/627558-smite/index.html |title=Smite reviews |accessdate=March 26, 2014}}</ref><br>(XONE) 80%<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/xboxone/827532-smite/index.html|title=SMITE|publisher=}}</ref>
|MC = (PC) 83/100<ref name=MCPC>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/smite |title=Smite reviews |accessdate=March 26, 2014}}</ref><br>(XONE) 80/100<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/smite|title=SMITE|work=Metacritic}}</ref>


|GSpot= 8/10<ref name=GSpot>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/smite-review/1900-6415709/ |publisher=Gamespot |title=I'm smitten. |last=Hicks |first=Tyler |accessdate=March 25, 2014}}</ref>
===Tracks===
|IGN = 8.5/10<ref name=IGN>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/01/smite-review |title=ALMIGHTY BATTLE |publisher=IGN |last=Jackson |first=Leah B. |accessdate=March 25, 2014}}</ref>
The tracks in ''Mario Kart Wii'' are based thematically on locations seen in the ''Mario'' series,{{Original research inline|date=May 2015}} such as [[Bowser (character)|Bowser]]{{'}}s Castle. Each of the eight cups features four different tracks for a total of 32 unique tracks, 16 of which are new to the series, while 16 other are several tracks ported from previous installments.<ref name="prima">{{cite book|title=Mario Kart (Wii): Prima Official Game Guide|last=Hodgson|first=David|publisher=[[Prima Games]]|year=2008}}</ref> The cups (groups of tracks) are the Mushroom, Flower, Star, Special, Shell, Banana, Leaf, and Lightning Cups. The Shell, Banana, Leaf, and Lightning Cups each contain retro tracks, updated versions of tracks originally found in the five previous ''Mario Kart'' installments. In addition there are ten [[arena]] courses available for Battle mode, which includes five original courses and five retro courses.<ref name="battle mode"/>
}}


''Smite'' received generally favorable reviews from critics.<ref name="GSpot"/><ref name="IGN"/><ref name="MCPC"/><ref name="GRPC"/> The game currently holds a score of 83 out of 100 on [[Metacritic]]<ref name="MCPC"/> and 87.62% on [[GameRankings]],<ref name="GRPC"/> based on a dozen reviews by all major video game critics.
===Game modes===
[[File:Wii-Wheel.jpg|thumb|right|150px|''Mario Kart Wii'' is [[product bundling|bundled]] with the [[Wii Remote#Wii Wheel|Wii Wheel]] accessory.]]


===Depiction of Hindu gods===
''Mario Kart Wii'' features multiple game modes: [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]], [[Time attack|Time Trial]]s, Versus, and Battle. All modes support [[single-player video game|single-player]] gameplay; Versus and Battle support [[Multiplayer video game#Single-system|local multiplayer]] for up to four players, with or without [[Artificial intelligence (video games)|computer-controlled players]]. In Grand Prix, the player participates in four three-lap races from one of the eight selectable cups against eleven opponents. The player is awarded points at the end of each race based on their ranking. The total number of points collected determines the player's overall rank. Versus mode is similar to Grand Prix, but the presented courses and items may be configurable. In Time Trials, the player must quickly complete the race in the fastest time possible— there are no opponents or items except for three Mushrooms given at the start of each race. The player can compete against a [[ghost (video gaming)|ghost]] character, which mimics a player's movements from an earlier race. Ghost data can be [[Saved game|saved]] in the Wii console memory.
In June 2012, some [[Hindu]] leaders became upset at the inclusion of several Hindu gods in ''Smite'' and the fact that they are player-controlled. The deities that were in question were [[Kali]], [[Agni]], and [[Vamana]], and there was particular opposition to how Kali was dressed. Rajan Zed, the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, released a statement urging Hi-Rez to remove these gods from the game, claiming their presence is trivialized and in other words, offensive to the devoted. Since players control the gods, this is seen as offensive to the faithful.<ref name="conver1">[http://www.rtsguru.com/game/451/article/3378/Hindu-Leaders-Unhappy-With-Smite-Hi-Rez-Responds.html Hindu Leaders Unhappy With Smite, Hi-Rez Responds]. rtsguru.com (June 27, 2012)</ref>


In response Todd Harris, CEO of Hi-Rez, had this to say:<ref name="conver1" />
''Mario Kart Wii''{{'}}s Battle mode is similar to that seen in previous installments in which players drive around an enclosed arena and attack each other using items. The players are divided into two teams, red and blue, and teammates cannot harm each other with their items. There are two variants of Battle mode available: Balloon Battle and Coin Runners. In Balloon Battle, each player has balloons attached to his or her kart. A player gains a point each time they pop or steal a balloon belonging to an opposing team player, but loses a point each time they lose all balloons. In Coin Runners, the players collect coins scattered throughout the arena and attack opposing team members to make them drop coins. The team that has accumulated the most points or coins total when the three-minute [[Time limit (video gaming)|time limit]] expires wins.<ref name="battle mode">{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/03/14/mario-kart-wiis-battle-mode |title=Mario Kart Wii's Battle Mode |author=[[Matt Casamassina|Casamassina, Matt]] |date=March 14, 2008 |accessdate=February 2, 2014 |publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
{{quote|''Smite'' includes deities inspired from a diverse and ever expanding set of pantheons including Greek, Chinese, Egyptian, and Norse. Hinduism, being one of the world's oldest, largest and most diverse traditions, also provides inspiration toward deities in our game. In fact, given Hinduism's concept of a single truth with multiple physical manifestations one could validly interpret ALL the gods within ''Smite'' to be Hindu. And all gods outside of ''Smite'' as well. Ponder that for a minute. Anyway, going forward ''Smite'' will include even more deities, not fewer.}}


Despite the response from Hi-Rez, in early July 2012, the Hindu leader who spoke out against the game had not given up on his quest to rid ''Smite'' of Hindu deities, and since his initial statement he has gained new backers from other faiths that have come together in support of his stance that the game's content is offensive. Rajin Zed was joined by Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer and Buddhist Jikai' Phil Bryan in condemning the game's content as offensive.<ref name="conver2">[http://www.rtsguru.com/game/451/article/3419/Controversy-Over-Hindu-Gods-in-Smite-Not-Over.html Controversy Over Hindu Gods in Smite Not Over]. rtsguru.com (July 2, 2012).</ref> These leaders have labelled the old Kali model as being depicted in a "pornographic style" which appeared to be their main concern.<ref name="kalip">[http://www.cinemablend.com/games/SMITE-Offends-Hindus-Catholics-Jews-With-Porno-Style-Depiction-Kali-44645.html SMITE Offends Hindus, Catholics, Jews, With Porno-Style Depiction Of Kali]. Cinemablend.com (July 14, 2012). Retrieved on December 10, 2012.</ref> The Kali character went under a major art and gameplay overhaul in December 2013, which included more concealing armour. Despite the protests, Hi-Rez has continued to expand the Hindu Pantheon roster, with its most recent addition being [[Ganesha]].
''Mario Kart Wii'' supported [[Online game|online play]] via [[Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection]] until its discontinuation on May 20, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/02/the-day-the-mario-kart-died-nintendos-killswitch-and-the-future-of-online-consoles/ |title=The day the Mario Kart died: Nintendo’s kill switch and the future of online consoles |author=Orland, Kyle |date=February 27, 2014 |accessdate=May 20, 2014 |publisher=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref> Versus and Battle modes were available and supported up to twelve participants, and up to two players could connect and play from the same Wii console. Players could compete against random players from within the same region or from any continent, or could compete only against players registered as friends. At the end of each race or match, each player's VR (versus rating) or BR (battle rating) would change based on their final ranking. ''Mario Kart Wii'' featured the "Mario Kart Channel", which was available as an optionally selectable channel on the [[Wii Menu]], that presented current regional or worldwide rankings for Time Trials, and the option of sending or receiving ghost data via [[WiiConnect24]] (it is no longer supported and does not function as of June 28, 2013). Mario Kart Channel also offered worldwide tournaments from Nintendo, which were modified courses that sometimes had special objectives. There were two tournaments hosted each month.<ref name = "mario kart wii detailed">{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/mario-kart-wii-detailed |title=Mario Kart Wii Detailed |date=February 6, 2008 |author=Sato, Yoshi |publisher=[[1UP.com]] |accessdate=February 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="tournaments">{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/news/nintendo-announces-worldwide-mario-kart |title=Nintendo Announces Worldwide Mario Kart Tournaments |date=May 2, 2008 |accessdate=February 2, 2014 |author=Watts, Steve |publisher=[[1UP.com]]}}</ref>


==Professional competition==
==Development==
In mid 2014 Hi-Rez Studios implemented a system by which players could join professional leagues in teams of 5. Players first played in online competitions, then progressed to offline competitions. Next, the teams were ranked according to how well they did within these competitions, and finally, the top teams were invited to compete in the [[Smite World Championship]]. From January 9–11, 2015 Hi-Rez Studios hosted the first [[Smite World Championship]].<ref name="self-pub-champ">{{cite web|url=http://www.hirezstudios.com/smite/promo/archived/smite-world-championship-2015| title=SMITE World Championships 2015 |website=Hirez Studios|publisher=Hirez Studios|accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/smite-world-championship-2015-grand-finals-in-review/|title=Smite World Championship 2015: Grand Finals in review|first=Chris |last=Thursten|date=January 11, 2015|website=[[PC Gamer]]|accessdate=May 18, 2015}}</ref> Teams from North America, South America, Europe, and China traveled to [[Atlanta, Georgia]] for the tournament.<ref name="self-pub-champ" /> The $2.6 million prize pool for the tournament was at the time the third-highest in [[eSports]], behind the third and [[The International 2014|fourth]] iterations of ''[[Dota 2]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[The International (Dota 2)|The International]], and just slightly ahead of the [[League of Legends World Championship|''League of Legends'' World Championships]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Top 100 Largest Overall Prize Pools|url=http://www.esportsearnings.com/tournaments|website=E-Sports Earnings|accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref> One of the North American teams, COGnitive Prime, took home the first place prize with a little over $1.3 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=SWC Results|url=http://www.hirezstudios.com/smite/latest-news/view/smite-blog/2015/01/15/smite-world-championship-season-1-results|website=Hirez Studios|publisher=Hi-Rez Studios}}</ref>
''Mario Kart Wii'' was officially announced at [[History of the Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3 2007]]; the online features and the first footage of the game were shown at the Expo.<ref name="ignEThree">{{cite web|url= http://wii.ign.com/articles/803/803351p1.html| title=E3 2007: Not Your Father's Mario Kart|accessdate=2007-08-03|date=2007-07-18|publisher=IGN}}</ref> During Nintendo of America CEO [[Reggie Fils-Aime]]'s presentation, he unveiled the game via a trailer that showed some of the new characters and tracks. The trailer also displayed that the game would include up to twelve simultaneous racers. Additional details of the game were later released in conjunction with the Nintendo Fall 2007 Conference held in October 2007, where it was revealed that it would include bikes and the Wii Wheel. New gameplay footage from the game was also shown, and the release date was revealed to be set for spring 2008.<ref name="fall2007conference">{{cite web|url= http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/826/826130p1.html| title=Nintendo Conference 2007 Fall|accessdate=2008-04-17|date=2007-10-11|publisher=IGN}}</ref>


In July 2015, Stew Chisam, president of Hi-Rez Studios, announced that after discussing the prizing structure of ''Smite'' eSports with team owners, players, and members of other eSports communities, Hi-Rez would be placing a cap on the prize pool for the ''Smite'' World Championships at $1 million. This decision was based to pay out more money to more players throughout the year instead of paying the bulk of earned prize money at a single event.<ref>{{cite web|title=Smite World Championship prize pool capped at $1 million|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/smite-world-championship-prize-pool-capped-at-1-million/|accessdate=November 2, 2015}}</ref>
Producer [[Hideki Konno]] wanted to include certain online features for ''[[Mario Kart DS]]'', but they were left out due to time constraints. These features would, however, be implemented in ''Mario Kart Wii''. The developers wanted to avoid races becoming more deserted as they progressed, thus altering the online matchmaking to allow players to join a race once it is finished for participation in the next one.<ref name="iwataasks">{{cite web|url= http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/mariokart/vol1_page4.jsp| title=Iwata asks: Mario Kart Wii|accessdate=2009-02-01|year=2008|publisher=Wii.com}}</ref> Konno had been proposing ideas involving [[Bicycle motocross|BMX]] since ''Double Dash!!'', but they were rejected. In ''Mario Kart Wii'', the developers were able to incorporate bikes.<ref name="iwataasks"/> The game was called "''Mario Kart X''" internally for a while, before receiving its final name of "''Mario Kart Wii''."<ref name="iwataasks"/> General producer and Mario creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]'s inputs were limited to new aspects of play such as the Wii Wheel and battles over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.<ref name="iwataasks"/> The designers tested roughly 30 different prototypes with different shapes, colors and weights based on real-life go-karts, before deciding on the final Wii Wheel design.<ref name="iwataasks"/>


In January 2016, the [[Smite World Championship 2016|''Smite'' World Championship]] was held, returning to Atlanta, with the total prize of $1 million awarded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/the-2016-smite-world-championship-starts-tomorrow-here-1751399374|title=The 2016 Smite World Championship Starts Tomorrow. Here's What To Expect.|first=Mike |last=Fahey|website=[[Kotaku]]|date=January 6, 2016|accessdate=January 7, 2016}}</ref>
===Music===
The music in this game was composed and arranged by Asuka Ohta and [[Ryo Nagamatsu]]; who both used new interpretations of the familiar melodies from earlier games and also new material. The official soundtrack was released in December 2011, as part of the Platinum Rewards for [[Club Nintendo]] members in Japan with forty-three songs from the game itself.<ref name="soundtrack">{{cite web|url= http://vgmdb.net/album/29638| title=Mario Kart Wii Soundtrack|accessdate=2011-11-23|year=2011|publisher=club.nintendo.jp/}}</ref> The speaker on the Wii Remote is frequently used during gameplay, as [[sound effects]] like crashes and warning signals are emitting from it. During the extensive testing of the different Wii Wheel [[prototypes]], the developers decided to have the voice actors playing the game during recording sessions.<ref name="iwataasks"/>


'''''Smite'' World Championship winner by year'''
==Reception==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
{{Video game reviews
|title =
|state = plain
|Edge = 6/10<ref>{{cite web | title=Review: Mario Kart Wii - EDGE magazine | publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]] | url=http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/mario-kart-wii-review |accessdate=2008-04-11}}</ref>
|EuroG = 8/10<ref>{{cite web | title=Mario Kart Wii Review | publisher=[[Eurogamer]] | url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=95123 |accessdate=2008-03-20}}</ref>
|Fam = 37/40<ref>{{cite web | title=Famitsu Mario Kart Wii Review | publisher=[[Famitsu]] | url=http://gonintendo.com/?p=39351 | accessdate=2008-04-02}}</ref>
|GT = 8.4/10<ref name="GameTrailersReview" />
|GSpot = 8.5/10<ref name="GameSpotReview">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/wii/driving/mariokart/review.html|title= GameSpot Mario Kart Wii Review|accessdate=2008-04-26|publisher=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref>
|GSpy = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="GSpyReview">{{cite web|url=http://uk.wii.gamespy.com/wii/mario-kart-wii/870096p1.html|title= Mario Kart Wii review at GameSpy|accessdate=2008-04-29|publisher=[[GameSpy]]}}</ref>
|IGN = 8.5/10<ref name="ignreview"/>
|GI = 8.5/10
|NWR = 7.5/10<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/15901/mario-kart-wii-wii|title= Mario Kart Wii |publisher= Nintendo World Report |accessdate= 2008-06-15}}</ref>
|ONM = 94%
|NP = 9/10<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 14, 2008|magazine=[[Nintendo Power]]|publisher=Future US|postscript=<!--None-->|title= Mario Kart Wii}}</ref>
|GR = 82.07%<ref>{{cite web | title=Mario Kart Wii Reviews | publisher=[[GameRankings]] | url=http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/942008.asp |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
|MC = 82/100<ref>{{cite web | title=Mario Kart Wii (wii: 2008): Reviews| publisher=[[Metacritic]] | url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/mariokartwii?q=mario%20kart%20wii |accessdate=2008-12-06}}</ref>
}}
''Mario Kart Wii'' was well-received, earning praise for its online capability and the large number of tracks, characters and karts. Joe Sinicki of Blast Magazine comments: "While it still does suffer from some of the problems of the older games, ''Mario Kart Wii'' takes the simple and accessible formula set by its predecessors and tweaks it enough to make it feel fresh and fun, creating one of the most entertaining and rewarding gaming experiences in quite some time."<ref>{{cite web | title=Mario Kart Wii - Blast, The Online Magazine | publisher=B Media Ventures | url=http://blastmagazine.com/2008/05/mario-kart-wii/ |accessdate=2008-05-01 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080503005517/http://blastmagazine.com/2008/05/mario-kart-wii/ |archivedate = May 3, 2008}}</ref> ''[[Official Nintendo Magazine]]'' UK commented that the [[Wii Remote#Wii Wheel|Wii Wheel]] worked very effectively and loved the different multiplayer modes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.uk/NOE/en_GB/games/wii/mario_kart_wii_7387.html |title=Mario Kart Wii - Nintendo UK product information page |publisher=[[Nintendo]]}}</ref> [[GameSpot]] producer Lark Anderson praised the game for being easy to jump into for players of any skill level and stated that motorcycles provide a great alternative to go-karts,<ref name="GameSpotReview"/> and [[IGN]] commented that "Nintendo has delivered one of the best console Karts in years."<ref name="ignreview">{{cite web | title=Mario Kart Wii Review - wii.ign.com | publisher=IGN | url=http://wii.ign.com/articles/868/868012p1.html |accessdate=2008-04-20}}</ref> ''[[Plugged In]]'' stated that the racing is easy to do and that "the Grand Prix Cup events and several team battle modes keep things interesting" while [[Classic Game Room]] praised the game for its high production value and great replay value. They also liked that the online play was a major strength of the game.


| style="text-align:center" | '''Season'''
''[[Nintendo Gamer|NGamer]]'', however, claimed that the tracks are too big for local multiplayer matches. Also, [[IGN]] criticized the [[Dynamic game difficulty balancing|rubber band AI]] in the 150cc races of the Grand Prix<ref name="ignreview" /> and ''[[Nintendo Gamer|NGamer UK]]'' was disappointed that Battle mode can now only be played in teams; no free-for-all option is offered which removes the 'last man standing' element of previous ''Mario Kart'' Battle modes. Reviewers such as [[GameTrailers]] and IGN also commented that it is easy to fall from first place to last by being continuously attacked by several weapons, many of which are unavoidable, leading to a certain amount of luck in racing. This makes it more accessible for beginners, but can be extremely discouraging for skilled players.<ref name="GameTrailersReview">{{cite web|url=http://www.gametrailers.com/reviews/immr0b/mario-kart-wii-review|title=GameTrailers Mario Kart Wii Review|accessdate=2008-04-25|publisher=[[GameTrailers]]}}</ref><ref name="ignreview" /> [[GameSpot]] also noted that "nostalgia doesn't save most of the classic courses from being boring."<ref name="GameSpotReview" />
| style="text-align:center" style="text-align:center; background:gold;" | '''Champion'''

| style="text-align:center" style="text-align:center; background:silver;" | '''Runner up'''
In 2010, ''Mario Kart Wii'' was included as one of the titles in the book ''[[1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die|last=Mott |first=Tony |authorlink= |year=2010 |publisher=[[Quintessence Editions Ltd.]]|location=London |isbn=978-1-74173-076-0 |page=776}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center" style="text-align:center; background:DarkGoldenrod;" | '''Third place'''

| style="text-align:center" style="text-align:center;" | '''Most valuable player'''
===Sales===
|-
''Mario Kart Wii'' had a successful launch and sold 300,000 copies on the launch day in Japan alone, compared to ''Mario Kart DS'' which sold 160,000 copies on its first day and ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'' which sold 180,000 on its first day.<ref name="launchdayjapan">{{cite web | title=Mario Kart Wii Sold 300,000 Copies? | publisher=Kotaku | url=http://kotaku.com/379769/mario-kart-wii-sold-300000-copies |accessdate=2008-04-15}}</ref> In the week ending May 4, 2008, ''Mario Kart Wii'' had sold over a million copies in Japan alone, less than a month since its release in the region.<ref name="mcApr28-May4">{{cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/388562/aint-no-stopping-mario-kart-wii-in-japan |publisher=Kotaku |title=Ain't No Stopping Mario Kart Wii In Japan |author=Michael McWhertor |date=2008-05-08 |accessdate=2008-05-08}}</ref> In the UK, ''Mario Kart Wii'' was the best-selling video game in the week ending April 12, 2008, having "the eighth biggest opening sales week in UK software history," according to [[Chart-Track]]/[[Video game content rating system#UK Interactive Entertainment Association|ELSPA]].<ref name="UKcharts">{{cite web|url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/30188/UK-CHARTS-Mario-Kart-smashes-records-at-it-hits-No1|title=UK CHARTS: Mario Kart Wii smashes records as it hits No.1|publisher=|accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="BritishCharts">{{cite web | title=British Sales Charts | publisher=Kotaku | url=http://kotaku.com/379767/british-sales-charts |accessdate=2008-04-15}}</ref> The game dwarfed all other five ''Mario'' Wii games released up until then for the Wii combined when comparing first week sales.<ref name="UKcharts"/> In the United States, ''Mario Kart Wii'' was the second-best-selling video game in April 2008, selling 1.12 million copies, according to the [[NPD Group]]; putting it behind the [[Xbox 360]] version of ''[[Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' and ahead of the [[PlayStation 3]] version, both released in the same week.<ref name="AprilNPD">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6191066.html |author=Brendan Sinclair |title=NPD: US game revs spike on 2.85M GTAIVs |date=2008-05-15 |publisher=[[GameSpot]] |accessdate=2008-05-24}}</ref> It ranked the fourth-best-selling game of December 2008 in the United States, selling in excess of 979,000 copies.<ref name="gamedaily">{{cite web|title=NPD: Nintendo Drives '08 Industry Sales Past $21 Billion |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/npd-nintendo-drives-08-industry-sales-past-21-billion-/?biz=1 |publisher=[[GameDaily]] |accessdate=2009-01-15 |date=2009-01-15 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117013042/http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/npd-nintendo-drives-08-industry-sales-past-21-billion-/?biz=1 |archivedate=2009-01-17 |df= }}</ref> According to the NPD Group, [[GfK]] Chart-Track, and [[Enterbrain]], the game has sold 2.409 million copies in the United States, 687,000 in the United Kingdom, and 1.601 million in Japan, respectively, for a total of 4.697 million copies sold by August 1, 2008.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Leading Market Research Firms Join Forces to Provide First Multi-Continent View Of Video Game Software Sales |url=http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_080821.html |date=2008-08-21 |accessdate=2008-08-23 |publisher=[[NPD Group]], [[GfK]] [[Chart-Track]], [[Enterbrain]]}}</ref> As of March 2009, Nintendo has sold 15.4 million copies of ''Mario Kart Wii'' worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2009/090508e.pdf#page=6|title=Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ended March 2009| publisher=[[Nintendo]]|date=2009-05-08|format=PDF|accessdate=2009-05-08|page=6}}</ref> As of January 4, 2009, it has sold 2,133,000 copies in Japan.<ref name="mediacreate">{{cite web |title=Dissidia Wins Final Week of the Year in Japan; Nintendo Takes Six of Top Ten |url=http://chartget.com/2009/01/media-create-sales-1229-0104-software.html |publisher=Chart Get|accessdate=2009-01-09 |date=2009-01-07}}</ref> It is also the fourth-best-selling game of Japan in 2008.<ref name="famitsu2008">{{cite web |title=JAPANESE 2008 MARKET REPORT |url=http://www.mcvuk.com/interviews/403/JAPANESE-2008-MARKET-REPORT |publisher=[[Market for Home Computing and Video Games|MCVUK]] |accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> According to the NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track, and Enterbrain, the game has sold 856,000 copies in the United States, 394,000 in the United Kingdom, and 218,000 in Japan, respectively, for a total of 1.468 million copies sold in the third quarter of 2008 (July–September).<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_081110a.html |title=Third Quarter 2008 Sales Results From Top Global Video Games Software Markets Released |date=2008-11-10 |publisher=[[NPD Group]], [[GfK]] [[Chart-Track]], [[Enterbrain]] |accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> It was the second-best-selling game of 2008 in the [[United States]], selling in excess of 5 million copies.<ref name="gamedaily"/> In France, it sold 4.8 million units, which is more than it sold in Japan (3.7 million). <ref>{{cite web|title=Wii U: Nintendo finally presses the mushroom|url=https://www.gamekult.com/actualite/wii-u-nintendo-appuie-enfin-sur-le-champignon-136353.html}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center" | Season 0 (Launch Tournament)

| style="text-align:center" | [[Team SoloMid]]
With 37.02 million copies sold worldwide as of September 30, 2017, the game is the best-selling ''Mario'' game for the Wii console, [[List of best-selling Wii video games|second-best-selling game for Wii]] and is the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling]] racing video game of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/wii.html|title=IR Information : Financial Data - Top Selling Title Sales Units - Wii Software|publisher=|accessdate=8 November 2017}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center" | [[Team Dignitas]]

| style="text-align:center" | [[COGnitive Gaming]]
===Awards===
| style="text-align:center" | Gamehunter (Solo lane; Team SoloMid)
The game won multiple Wii-specific awards from IGN in its 2008 video game awards, including Best Racing Game<ref name="ignracing">{{cite web |title=IGN Wii: Best Racing Game 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/6.html |publisher=IGN.com |accessdate=2008-12-19 |date=2008-12-18}}</ref> and Best Online Multiplayer Game.<ref name="ignonline">{{cite web|title=IGN Wii: Best Online Multiplayer Game 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/19.html |publisher=IGN.com |accessdate=2008-12-19 |date=2008-12-18 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040859/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/19.html |archivedate=2008-12-22 |df= }}</ref> IGN also nominated it for Best Family Game for the Wii.<ref name="ignfamily">{{cite web|title=IGN Wii: Best Family Game 2008 |url=http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/17.html |publisher=IGN.com |accessdate=2008-12-19 |date=2008-12-18 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222040849/http://bestof.ign.com/2008/wii/17.html |archivedate=2008-12-22 |df= }}</ref> The game was ranked ninth in ''[[Nintendo Power]]''{{'}}s "Best of the Decade."<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Best of the Decade |journal=Nintendo Power |issue=252 |date=March 2010 }}</ref> It also won the award for "Favorite Video Game" at the [[2010 Kids' Choice Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2010 Kids' Choice Awards Episode Recap |url=http://www.tv.com/kids-choice-awards/2010-kids-choice-awards/episode/1326303/recap.html?tag=content_wrap;episode_recap |publisher=TV.com |accessdate=2011-09-20 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Guinness World Records]] has awarded ''Mario Kart Wii'' with a record for being the best-selling racing video game of all time.<ref name="guinness_racing">{{cite web|title=Best selling racing video game|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-6000/best-selling-first-person-shooter-video-game/|work=[[Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition|Guinness World Records Gamers Edition 2011]]|publisher=[[Guinness World Records]]|accessdate=17 April 2012|date=1 Oct 2010}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center" | Season 1
| style="text-align:center" | [[COGnitive Gaming|COGnitive Prime]]
| style="text-align:center" | [[Titan eSports | Titan]]
| style="text-align:center" | [[COGnitive Gaming|COGnitive Red]]
| style="text-align:center" | MLCSt3alth (Mid lane; COGnitive Prime)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | Season 2
| style="text-align:center" | [[Epsilon eSports]]
| style="text-align:center" | [[Enemy (esports) | Enemy]]
| style="text-align:center" | [[Cloud9 (esports) | Cloud9]]/Paradigm
| style="text-align:center" | Yammyn (Mid lane; Epsilon eSports)
|-
| style="text-align:center" | Season 3
| style="text-align:center" | [[NRG Esports]]
| style="text-align:center" | Obey Alliance
| style="text-align:center" | Team Eager/[[Luminosity Gaming]]
| style="text-align:center" | emilitoo (Hunter; NRG Esports)
|}


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.smitegame.com/}}
{{Wikipedia books|Mario franchise video games|Mario video games}}

*[http://www.mariokart.com/wii/launch Official website]
{{Professional Smite competition}}
{{Mario racing games}}
{{JGA GOTY}}
{{eSports}}


[[Category:2008 video games]]
[[Category:2014 video games]]
[[Category:Mario Kart games]]
[[Category:Action video games]]
[[Category:Cooperative video games]]
[[Category:ESports games]]
[[Category:Nintendo games]]
[[Category:Free-to-play video games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer online battle arena games]]
[[Category:Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer video games]]
[[Category:Wii-only games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 4 games]]
[[Category:Wii Wi-Fi games]]
[[Category:PlayStation 4 Pro enhanced games]]
[[Category:Wii games]]
[[Category:Smite| ]]
[[Category:Wii Wheel games]]
[[Category:Unreal Engine games]]
[[Category:Mario racing games]]
[[Category:Video games based on Egyptian mythology]]
[[Category:Video games developed in Japan]]
[[Category:Video games based on Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Video games based on Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Split-screen multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Video games based on Japanese mythology]]
[[Category:Video games based on Norse mythology]]
[[Category:Video games based on multiple mythologies]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games set in antiquity]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Xbox One games]]

Revision as of 10:43, 31 December 2017

Smite
Developer(s)Hi-Rez Studios
Publisher(s)Hi-Rez Studios
EngineUnreal Engine 3
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
macOS
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
  • WW: March 25, 2014
Xbox One
  • WW: August 19, 2015[1]
PlayStation 4
  • WW: May 31, 2016[2]
macOS
  • WW: July 7, 2016
Genre(s)Multiplayer online battle arena[3]
Mode(s)Multiplayer[3]

Smite is a free-to-play, third-person multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Hi-Rez Studios for Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.[4] In Smite, players control a god, goddess, or other mythological figure and take part in team based combat, using abilities and tactics against other player-controlled gods and non-player-controlled minions. The game has multiple player versus player modes, many playable characters, and has a successful esports scene with multiple tournaments, including the annual Smite World Championship which has a US$1 million dollar prize pool.

Gameplay

Smite features many different game modes, with the largest being Conquest.[5] Players are formed into two teams, with five players to each team. All players begin at opposite sides of a map at their team's 'fountain'. Before the players enter the map, they are granted an amount of gold (usually 1,500) to buy starting items. These items grant special bonuses or abilities that enhance the player's god. There are three continuous 'lanes' running from one side of the map to the other. Each lane is defended by a 'Phoenix' which is accompanied by a pair of extra defensive towers. Phoenixes and towers deal a large amount of damage to any enemies that come too close. The goal of each game is to destroy the opposing team's Phoenixes and the Titan, a giant warrior who must be defeated to win the game. The players are accompanied by 'minions', small soldiers with a weak attack; these minions spawn at the Phoenixes every thirty seconds and run along their lane until they meet opposition and attack immediately. Minions will attack not only players and other minions but also towers, Phoenixes and the Titan; in fact, their presence is required for players to deal full damage to these objectives. Defensive positions will prioritize enemy minions over players, allowing players to attack a tower without receiving damage; however, towers will fire upon players if there are no minions nearby or the player attacks an enemy player under their tower. If a game is going badly for a certain team, they can decide to surrender after at least 10 minutes, though this requires a majority of the team (4 players to 1) to agree.

With every game, players have to choose a god to play as. Currently, players can choose between 92 gods and immortals from nine different pantheons: Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Hindu, Japanese, Mayan, Norse, and Roman. Each individual god is classified as one of the following classes: Assassin, Guardian, Hunter, Mage, and Warrior. Two players on the same team cannot choose the same god (with the exception of some Match of the Day variants, which rotate daily), although they are free to choose gods from the same or different pantheons.[6] The player controls the god in a third person perspective, which is a unique characteristic of this multiplayer online battle arena game, as other games of this genre are typically played from a top-down perspective. Each god has a basic attack, a passive trait, and four abilities with varying effects, such as area damage, crowd control, buffs and many more. These abilities are acquired and upgraded when the player's god levels up by gaining experience from being in range of minions when they are killed, taking down towers or phoenixes, and defeating enemy gods. The maximum level is 20, and each successive level is harder to reach. Gold, which is used to buy items that increase power, defense, and passive effects, potions, wards and abilities, is accumulated through standard periodic income, by slaying enemies (player and NPC alike), or by selling owned items.[6]

The large areas between the lanes make up what is called the 'jungle', where computer-controlled monsters such as packs of cyclopes or furies (the latter alternately referred to as harpies) periodically spawn at specific locations distributed symmetrically across the map. Killing certain monsters in said jungle causes a 'buff' to drop on the ground, where it can be picked up by a player. This buff grants the player one of the following buffs for a limited time, depending on which monster was killed: mana (mana regen & cooldown reduction bonus), damage (basic damage & power bonus), speed (movement speed bonus), attack speed (in-hand attack speed & power bonus), or protection reduction aura (negation of some of the protections of enemy players within 55 units). There are three special neutral monsters who spawn less frequently, the Fire Giant, Gold Fury, and Portal Demon. When killed, they grant the entire team who killed it a powerful damage buff for a medium length of time, set amount of Gold, and a portal from base to the map center respectively. There also exist monsters which do not offer a buff, only experience and gold.[7]

Matchmaking

The matchmaking system uses a modified version of TrueSkill ranking system.[8] Around December 2013, there was a feature added that allowed players to choose between US and EU servers, but was later removed from the game due to issues with the matchmaking system. This feature was eventually re-added. Originally, most modes used to operate on queues with 3-minute match-making timers. Every three minutes, matches would be made from the group of people in queue at that time. In late 2014, that system was replaced with a more traditional non-timed queues one (a more popular format in many MOBAs) that look for an optimal match instead of just the best match ups at the present time. In this system, if it takes 5 minutes or more to match a player, the game will gradually lower its requirements until a match is found. The matchmaking system will also try to give the opposing team better solo players if there are teamed players together on a side.[9]

In Ranked Leagues, players are matched by a variation of Elo, a system that rates players with a number that indicates how well the individual skill of that player is. The player will be matched with players that have a similar rating as them. The goal of this system is to have 2 individual teams that have a similar TOTAL Elo.

International expansion

On August 21, 2013, Hi-Rez Studios partnered themselves with Tencent, an online media company that publishes video games in China.[10] On June 5, 2014, Hi-Rez Studios announced they partnered with Level Up! Games to bring the game to the Latin American region.[11] In October 2014, oceanic servers were added,[12] and in August 2016, South east asia servers were added.[13] In October 2017, the chinese client was announced to be merged with the international client, with migration taking place late November.[14]

Reception

Smite received generally favorable reviews from critics.[19][20][17][15] The game currently holds a score of 83 out of 100 on Metacritic[17] and 87.62% on GameRankings,[15] based on a dozen reviews by all major video game critics.

Depiction of Hindu gods

In June 2012, some Hindu leaders became upset at the inclusion of several Hindu gods in Smite and the fact that they are player-controlled. The deities that were in question were Kali, Agni, and Vamana, and there was particular opposition to how Kali was dressed. Rajan Zed, the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, released a statement urging Hi-Rez to remove these gods from the game, claiming their presence is trivialized and in other words, offensive to the devoted. Since players control the gods, this is seen as offensive to the faithful.[21]

In response Todd Harris, CEO of Hi-Rez, had this to say:[21]

Smite includes deities inspired from a diverse and ever expanding set of pantheons including Greek, Chinese, Egyptian, and Norse. Hinduism, being one of the world's oldest, largest and most diverse traditions, also provides inspiration toward deities in our game. In fact, given Hinduism's concept of a single truth with multiple physical manifestations one could validly interpret ALL the gods within Smite to be Hindu. And all gods outside of Smite as well. Ponder that for a minute. Anyway, going forward Smite will include even more deities, not fewer.

Despite the response from Hi-Rez, in early July 2012, the Hindu leader who spoke out against the game had not given up on his quest to rid Smite of Hindu deities, and since his initial statement he has gained new backers from other faiths that have come together in support of his stance that the game's content is offensive. Rajin Zed was joined by Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer and Buddhist Jikai' Phil Bryan in condemning the game's content as offensive.[22] These leaders have labelled the old Kali model as being depicted in a "pornographic style" which appeared to be their main concern.[23] The Kali character went under a major art and gameplay overhaul in December 2013, which included more concealing armour. Despite the protests, Hi-Rez has continued to expand the Hindu Pantheon roster, with its most recent addition being Ganesha.

Professional competition

In mid 2014 Hi-Rez Studios implemented a system by which players could join professional leagues in teams of 5. Players first played in online competitions, then progressed to offline competitions. Next, the teams were ranked according to how well they did within these competitions, and finally, the top teams were invited to compete in the Smite World Championship. From January 9–11, 2015 Hi-Rez Studios hosted the first Smite World Championship.[24][25] Teams from North America, South America, Europe, and China traveled to Atlanta, Georgia for the tournament.[24] The $2.6 million prize pool for the tournament was at the time the third-highest in eSports, behind the third and fourth iterations of Dota 2's The International, and just slightly ahead of the League of Legends World Championships.[26] One of the North American teams, COGnitive Prime, took home the first place prize with a little over $1.3 million.[27]

In July 2015, Stew Chisam, president of Hi-Rez Studios, announced that after discussing the prizing structure of Smite eSports with team owners, players, and members of other eSports communities, Hi-Rez would be placing a cap on the prize pool for the Smite World Championships at $1 million. This decision was based to pay out more money to more players throughout the year instead of paying the bulk of earned prize money at a single event.[28]

In January 2016, the Smite World Championship was held, returning to Atlanta, with the total prize of $1 million awarded.[29]

Smite World Championship winner by year

Season Champion Runner up Third place Most valuable player
Season 0 (Launch Tournament) Team SoloMid Team Dignitas COGnitive Gaming Gamehunter (Solo lane; Team SoloMid)
Season 1 COGnitive Prime Titan COGnitive Red MLCSt3alth (Mid lane; COGnitive Prime)
Season 2 Epsilon eSports Enemy Cloud9/Paradigm Yammyn (Mid lane; Epsilon eSports)
Season 3 NRG Esports Obey Alliance Team Eager/Luminosity Gaming emilitoo (Hunter; NRG Esports)

References

  1. ^ Hillier, Brenna (August 13, 2015). "Smite makes its official Xbox One debut next week". VG247. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  2. ^ "Smite on PS4 Launches May 31 – PlayStation.Blog". PlayStation.Blog.
  3. ^ a b Smite | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. Hirezstudios.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.
  4. ^ SMITE arriving soon on the Xbox One | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. Hirezstudios.com (August 12, 2014). Retrieved on August 15, 2014.
  5. ^ Smite Stuff. Smite Stuff. Retrieved on July 21, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Smite Wiki. Smite Wiki. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.
  7. ^ SMITE Announced – MMORPG.com News. Mmorpg.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.
  8. ^ View topic – MatchMaking, How does it work?. forum.hirezstudios.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2012.
  9. ^ Matchmaking. Smite Wiki (June 2, 2012). Retrieved on December 10, 2012.
  10. ^ Tencent and Hi-Rez Studios Announce Worldwide Cooperation and Publishing for SMITE | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. Hirezstudios.com (August 21, 2013). Retrieved on August 15, 2014.
  11. ^ Hi-Rez Studios and Level Up partner to bring SMITE to Latin America | Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. Hirezstudios.com (June 4, 2014). Retrieved on August 15, 2014.
  12. ^ Pitcher, Jenna (October 26, 2014). "Smite Oceanic Servers are Now Live For Australian and New Zealand Players". IGN. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  13. ^ "SMITE on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  14. ^ Tencent-TGideas. "神之浩劫合服公告 - -神之浩劫-SMITE-官方网站-腾讯游戏-3D动作团队竞技". sm.qq.com (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved October 29, 2017.
  15. ^ a b c "Smite reviews". Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  16. ^ "SMITE".
  17. ^ a b c "Smite reviews". Retrieved March 26, 2014.
  18. ^ "SMITE". Metacritic.
  19. ^ a b Hicks, Tyler. "I'm smitten". Gamespot. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  20. ^ a b Jackson, Leah B. "ALMIGHTY BATTLE". IGN. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  21. ^ a b Hindu Leaders Unhappy With Smite, Hi-Rez Responds. rtsguru.com (June 27, 2012)
  22. ^ Controversy Over Hindu Gods in Smite Not Over. rtsguru.com (July 2, 2012).
  23. ^ SMITE Offends Hindus, Catholics, Jews, With Porno-Style Depiction Of Kali. Cinemablend.com (July 14, 2012). Retrieved on December 10, 2012.
  24. ^ a b "SMITE World Championships 2015". Hirez Studios. Hirez Studios. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  25. ^ Thursten, Chris (January 11, 2015). "Smite World Championship 2015: Grand Finals in review". PC Gamer. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  26. ^ "Top 100 Largest Overall Prize Pools". E-Sports Earnings. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  27. ^ "SWC Results". Hirez Studios. Hi-Rez Studios.
  28. ^ "Smite World Championship prize pool capped at $1 million". Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  29. ^ Fahey, Mike (January 6, 2016). "The 2016 Smite World Championship Starts Tomorrow. Here's What To Expect". Kotaku. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
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