Early Vehicles

This is a sub-page of Mario Kart Wii.

To do: Document the rest of the vehicles. Make a a subpage on here for the vehicle shadows, as pretty much every vehicle has an early shadow.

The directory /Race/Kart/ contains all of the vehicle files in the game. There are many variants of the karts with an "_2" at the end of the filename, which go unused. Given that the final version of the game uses different variants of the vehicles for multiplayer (with these ending with "_4") and also how some of these unused variants have byte-to-byte identical vehicle model files to the multiplayer counterparts, it is likely that these unused files are earlier versions of the multiplayer variants of the vehicles. For this reason, what will be referred to as "final version" in this article will be these "_4" multiplayer variants, unless otherwise stated.

In this article, only the elements (model files, textures, etc.) and characteristics that are different from the used vehicles will be documented. For everything else, it is assumed they're identical between the early and final versions.

Activate the code below and enter a VS Race / Time Trial / Battle to see these versions of the vehicles. This code will also display early character animations in some cases:

Quacker#

The Quacker used to have a completely different model, which had a smaller head, handlebars coming from the head instead of a pole from the seat, and a glass barrier around the driver's seat. All the characters except the Miis have an older version.

While not apparent in the renders below, the early version is noticeably smaller than the final version.

Baby Daisy#

Early Version	Final Version

Baby Luigi#

Early Version	Final Version

Baby Mario#

Early Version	Final Version

Baby Peach#

Early Version	Final Version

Dry Bones#

Early Version	Final Version

Koopa Troopa#

Early Version	Final Version

Toad#

Early Version	Final Version

Toadette#

Early Version	Final Version

Bullet Bike#

Early (Toad)	Final (Toad)

.]] .]]

Models#

Vehicle#

Geometry

• The front tire and the handlebars are missing.
• The back tire is positioned more upwards than in the final version.

Materials

• The early version appears noticeably more shiny. This is because the reflection texture, low_light.tex0, is mapped differently in the model.
• The materials for the bike's body, named mat_body and mat_swingarm, originally had the culling set to Inside. The final changed this to None.
• The final version for the mat_swingarm material added a new reference to low_light.tex0, meant for shading.
• mat_screen, used for the screen's shading, originally used low_light.tex0 as the environmental texture. The final version uses a newly added texture (metal_3.tex0). Besides, the screen is fully opaque in the early version, whereas in the final version it was changed to semitransparent.
• The used version added a new material named mat_handle meant for the bike's handlebars. In consequence, the final version adds an extra object for this model part (polygon0).

Shaders

To do: Explain a bit more in detail how do the shaders affect the vehicle's shading (if it does).

• The final version added an additional shader.

Bones

• The early version's bone is named sa_bike_body_all, while the final version changed this to sa_bike_all.

Shadow#

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also a bit less tall.

Textures#

Body#

The early texture, aside of having coloring differences, has 2 additional mipmaps.

Baby Luigi

Early	Final

Baby Daisy

Early	Final

Baby Peach

Early	Final

Dry Bones

Early	Final

Koopa Troopa

Early	Final

Toad

Early	Final

Toadette

Early	Final

Tire#

The early texture has 3 additional mipmaps.

Shading#

low_light.tex0

Early	Final

Additionally, the early texture has 1 additional mipmap.

metal_6.tex0

To do: Add image?

This texture is never referenced by any material. In fact, it is actually present in the final single and multiplayer versions of the vehicle, but absent in the early "_2" version.

Other#

• The final version adds a new texture, named metal_3.tex0, meant for shading.

Other#

To do: What's exactly different with the IKParam.ikp file?

• The file IKParam.ikp is different between the early and final variants.

Sugarscoot#

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (handle)	Final (handle)

In the early version of the Sugarscoot, the front part of the bike is shorter and the handle looks shinier. The early body model made it into the final game, as it can be seen in the vehicle selection screen, as well as in the final multiplayer version of the vehicle.

In addition, some characters have early textures for the body. All of these have additional mipmaps that are not present in the final version:

• Birdo

Early Version	Final Version

• Bowser Jr.

Early	Final	In-game

Curiously, Bowser Jr.'s early version lacks some of the textures used for the specular shading, but the model materials still reference them. This results in some wrong shading effects when loading Bowser Jr.'s early version in-game.

• Peach

Early Version	Final Version

The rest of the characters have the same texture design as the final version, but the texture itself is pixelated in a different way, as shown below (zoom in the images to see it better):

• Diddy Kong

Early Version	Final Version

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Mach Bike#

Textures#

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Super Blooper#

All of the character's unused versions of this vehicle (except for Mario) use Mario's body and tire textures. The textures themselves, however, are identical to the final ones.

Sneakster#

All of the character's unused versions of this vehicle (except for Mario) use Mario's body and tire textures. The textures themselves, however, are identical to the final ones.

Daytripper#

Textures#

Peach#

Early (body)	Final (body)

All of the early versions of the Super Blooper contain an extra body texture that consists of an early version of Peach's Daytripper body texture. In comparison, some parts of it, such as the golden pieces or the wings, are a bit darker in the early version. Additionally, the early version lacks the little white square that is used to texture the back of the kart.

Zip Zip#

Textures#

To do: Document the rest of the characters.

Mario#

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Birdo#

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Battle Red Team Standard Bike#

.]]

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Battle Blue Team Standard Bike#

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Battle Red Team Standard Kart#

.]] Note: King Boo's version lacks the model.

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Battle Blue Team Standard Kart#

Note: King Boo's version lacks the model.

Early (body)	Final (body)

Early (tire)	Final (tire)

Classic Dragster#

To do: Add info. about how in the vehicle selection screen version of this vehicle the screen is more opaque than in the other versions.

Early (Bowser Jr.)	Final (Bowser Jr.)

Models#

Vehicle#

Geometry

• The tire models in the unused version are missing, despite their textures being present in the file.
• The driver's emblem seen in the plate on the back of the kart is a regular square in the early version, while in the final a few polygons have been added on its corners.

Materials

• In the early version, mat_screen (the material for the screen seen in front of the wheel) only has metal_low.tex0 defined for shading. In the final version, this material now includes both the body.tex0 texture (which contains the screen's coloring, see below) and also uses metal_3.tex0 for shading. This change essentially adds color to the final screen model as well as a slightly different reflection pattern.

Texture Mapping

Early (Bowser Jr.)	Final (Bowser Jr.)

• The texture mapping for the body of the kart is slightly different across both variants. Most notably, Bowser Jr.'s front emblem appears slightly cut because of this, as seen on the image above.

Shadow#

Early	Pre-release	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall. It could be seen all the way back in the first trailer of the game from E3 2007, and is also present in more subsequent pre-release footage.

Textures#

Body#

The final texture uses a small portion of it for the screen's coloring (see above).

Peach

Early	Final

Yoshi

Early	Final

The Yoshi's emblem seen in the back originally had the same orientation as the front one. In the final version, the back emblem has been mirrored.

Birdo

Early	Final

Bowser Jr.

Early	Final

Daisy

Early	Final

Diddy Kong

Early	Final

Luigi

Early	Final

Luigi's front emblem is mirrored in the early version. This can be seen on the pre-release screenshot above.

Mario

Early	Final

Other#

• The final version adds a new texture, named metal3.tex0, meant for shading.

Other#

To do: What's exactly different with the IKParam.ikp file?

• The file IKParam.ikp is different between the early and final variants.

Jetsetter#

Early (Rosalina)	Final (Rosalina)

Models#

Vehicle#

Geometry#

• The unused variant, while pretty much identical in design, features a lower poly model, in which some elements are missing, such as the back of the seat, metallic elements in the wheel, and missing polygons on the elements found on both sides of the kart.

Materials

• The early version uses a single material (mat_screen) in the glass that can be seen both in front of the wheel as well as in the front lights. In the final version, the latter uses a newly created material (mat_screen2), that uses the metal6.tex0 texture for reflection, instead of sphere9.tex0 as seen with the older material. Because of this, an additional polygon can be found in the final version, splitting both objects.

Bones

• The early version's bone is named ld_kart_model_lod_all, while the final version changed this to ld_kart_all.

Shadow#

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Textures#

Body (ld_kart_body.tex0)#

Rosalina

Early	Final

The unused variant reveals an early version of Rosalina's emblem.

Donkey Kong

Early	Final

Shading#

low_light.tex0

Early	Final

The early texture has 3 additional mipmaps.

metal_3.tex0

The early texture has 3 additional mipmaps.

metal_6.tex0

The early texture has 2 additional mipmaps.

sphere9.tex0

Early	Final

Interestingly, an early, higher quality variant of the sphere9.tex0 texture can be found within the early vehicle's files, with this being 64x64 (the final is 32x16) and using the RGB565 format (the final uses I8). Almost identical variations of the final texture are also used in other vehicles with a different filename (metal5.tex0).

Other#

To do: What's exactly different with the IKParam.ikp file?

• The file IKParam.ikp is slightly different between the early and final variants.
• The early variant, much like with most other vehicles, features an empty folder named param, inside it 3 additional empty folders can also be found named lb_bike, ldf_bike and ldf_kart. The final version only has the ldf_kart folder.

Flame Runner#

Early (Donkey Kong)	Final (Donkey Kong)

NOTE: The model used in the vehicle selection screen actually has all the differences that are documented below (save for the missing tires and lack of model changes for certain characters) with respect to the rest of the used versions.

Models#

Vehicle#

Geometry

• The tire models in the unused version are missing, despite their textures being present in the file.
• Bowser, Dry Bowser, and Rosalina’s early versions of the Flame Runner don’t use the unique models they use in the final. In the final, Bowser and Dry Bowser’s Flame Runner has lower exhaust pipes, while Rosalina’s has shorter handlebars.

Materials

• The shading texture used in the screen model is mapped differently there. The body's shading texture is also very slightly differently mapped in the model.
• The final version adds color to the screen model, appearing brighter. This is achieved by mapping the polygons for this model inside one of Bowser's tooth in the body's texture. In consequence, the final version of that material references said texture.

Texture Mapping

• In the early version, the character's emblem seen in one of the sides of the vehicle is mirrored (seen in the image above).

Shadow#

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a slightly simpler design, is also less tall.

Textures#

Shading#

• The final version adds a new texture named metal_3.tex0, which funnily enough is unused.

Other#

To do: What's exactly different with the IKParam.ikp file?

• The file IKParam.ikp is different between the early and final variants.

Shooting Star#

Early (Dry Bowser)	Final (Dry Bowser)

In the early version of the Shooting Star, the foot rest has a more round shape, the glass looks darker, and the shading overall is a bit different.

Bowser

• The colors looked lighter in the early version.

Donkey Kong

Dry Bowser

• The big star in the front of the bike was originally darker.
• The character emblem is missing.

Funky Kong

• The character emblem is missing.

King Boo

Rosalina

• The colors looked lighter in the early version.
• The character emblem is missing.

Waluigi

True Credits	Unused

• The colors of the stripes and the big star in front of the bike were completely different in the early version, being colored in dark purple rather than yellow. In addition, the big star had orange eyes in the early version (much like with every other character), rather than purple. Notably, the portion surrounding the seat, stripe on the back bumper, and inside of the exhaust uses the early color in the final, with every other character using the same color for those parts as the stripes.

The true ending credits video shows much of the same design from the early version, albeit with the front star being changed to yellow like in the final version.

Wario

• The colors of the big star in front of the bike originally looked inverted when compared to the final version (which better matched the coloring of the vehicle overall). In the early version, it was colored in purple rather than orange, and it also had orange eyes rather than purple (much like with every other character).

Shadow

Early Version	Final Version

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Standard Kart L#

Textures#

Bowser#

Early	Final

The directory /Scene/Model/Kart stores the model files for the vehicles that can be seen in the vehicle selection screen. On Battle Mode, both kart and bike textures have a different texture depending on the team selected. However, the files related to these versions of the vehicles (the ones ending with "_BT") actually contain a regular texture as seen on VS. Race. For the small characters, both kart and bike models contain Baby Mario's textures, medium characters kart and bike models contain Mario's textures, and heavy characters have Waluigi's bike texture and Bowser's kart texture left in the files. Out of all of these, Bowser's leftover texture is an earlier version of the texture for his Standard Kart L, where the stripe in the front is colored yellow, and the green color is very slightly darker.

Prerelease

This early design can barely be seen in a screenshot from E3 2007 (zoom in far in the back).

Piranha Prowler#

Models#

Vehicle#

Early / Vehicle Selection Screen	Used

The early version is identical to the one seen in the vehicle selection screen, which seems to have the body centered properly with respect to the tires, unlike with the used versions, in which the body is positioned slightly higher up.

Shadow#

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Other#

• The final version adds two animations for the vehicle: bad.chr0 and good.chr0, used when losing and winning a match respectively.

To do: What's exactly different with the IKParam.ikp file?

• The file IKParam.ikp is different between the early and final variants.

Wario Bike#

.]]

Vehicle Selection Screen	Final (Multiplayer)

Early	Final (body)

This early iteration of the Wario Bike made it into the final game, as the model seen in the vehicle selection screen still has this early design. This older version also made it into several prerelease footage, including in-game videos, such as the ending credits video. The general differences are described below:

• The engine was located lower, and it was rotated a bit more downwards. Because of this, the back tire is in a higher position in the early design.
• The tire rim was originally a bit shinier.

Vehicle Selection Screen (Bottom)	Final (Multiplayer) (Bottom)

• The beginning of the exhaust pipes were originally positioned lower. These were also slightly wider as well, as seen above.
• In both the used and unused multiplayer version of the vehicle, there's a leftover handlebars model from the single player variant (named handle_lod.mdl0). The game doesn't use this however, as the handlebars appears alongside the rest of the vehicle's model in one single model file (named model_lod.mdl0). This explains why the unused multiplayer version lacks the handlebars when loaded in-game.
  • Curiously, Bowser and Dry Bowser's leftover handlebars models look the same as the ones for the rest of the characters (the used versions for both of these characters have the handlebars positioned slightly lower in comparison).

Early	Final

• The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Sprinter#

.]]

Early	Final (body)

The Sprinter originally had much paler shading, which can be seen in the ending credits videos. Oddly enough, the unused multiplayer version only features the body model.

In addition, the character's emblem was originally positioned slightly lower, which generated some Z-fighting (which explains why it was raised up in the final version).

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Booster Seat#

Early	Final

Prerelease

The unused version of the Booster Seat matches with the final multiplayer version, both showing an early design of the vehicle. Part of the roof had different shape, and the inside of it had different color too. Also, the early version didn't open the roof when throwing items, as it lacks a throw.chr0 animation.

The early design previously appeared in both the E3 2007 and Fall Press Conference 2007 footage of the game. Toadette's early version appears in the Mario Kart Channel banner as well.

Early	Final

The early shadow, aside of having a much simpler design, is also less tall.

Other#

Rosalina's Early Emblem#

Rosalina's early versions for her Offroader, Flame Runner, Wario Bike, Phantom, Standard Bike L, and Standard Kart L have an earlier version of her emblem, which depicts a Power Star (similar to the one seen on the Sugarscoot vehicle), instead of a Grand Star as seen in the final versions.

Rosalina's Standard Bike L (Early)	Rosalina's Standard Bike L (Final)

An even earlier version of this emblem can be seen on her early Jetsetter variant.