The Report Card: Wave 5

The break is hopefully over. To get started, it was finally time to hand out grades for these courses now that I've had some time to form opinions on them. Hopefully the gameplay isn't too painful. Definitely some already outdated strats in here lol.
Wave 4 Grades: • The Wave 4 Report Card
Wave 1-3 Grades: • The Report Card: Waves...
LA Laps Vocals Remix: • Tour Los Angeles Laps ...
Online Mario Kart: mariokartcentral.com
Rook's Domain: / discord
0:00 Tour Athens Dash
1:55 GCN Daisy Cruiser
3:10 Wii Moonview Highway
6:40 Squeaky Clean Sprint
10:05 Tour Los Angeles Laps
12:20 GBA Sunset Wilds
14:32 Wii Koopa Cape
16:29 Tour Vancouver Velocity
Outro: • Sweet, Sweet Victory (...

[@unclegrandpagaming165]

I’d say this wave is decent, not as good as 4 but pretty alright tbh. I feel like Sunset Wilds alone hurts the overall quality of this wave though.

[@HDRookie]

I agree but don't want to target Sunset Wilds. I don't think it's a bad track. It's still fun to play. I just can't ignore the lack of effort in an important area. Wave 5 is my 2nd favorite behind Wave 4 regardless of the sunset, honestly.

[@SuperJGGaming]

I agree, that’s a good description of this wave. I’d still argue that wave 3 and 4 were better and brought more to the table (especially 3), but wave 5 is still very fun!

[@Wubtastic5585]

@@HDRookieyeah unless wave 6 has amazing quality, wave 4 is the best wave

[@burnypython8230]

Considering that Sunset Wilds is the final GBA track, one thing I’m surprised about is that no one thought of including Bowser Castle 4 in Deluxe as not only did it get the biggest change out of all the GBA tracks in Tour but Super Circuit got a healthy amount of attention by the BCP as well.

[@HDRookie]

I get it but can't be mad. Having a SNES BC is so unbelievably overdue at this point, and no way were they ever adding both one and BC4.

[@chillarmyssbu]

@@HDRookiethe music would have gone so hard… with how much 8dx loves it’s electric guitarrrrrr

[@Roxleton]

i feel like if Nintendo really didn’t want to have the sun set during the lap, they could’ve had a separate variant for it (like animal crossing). There is no excuse for it to not be there. Anyways, the track selection was fine but I personally prefer wave 3 and 4 much more. With Koopa Cape, I find it on par with the original. While it might not play the exact same, and the track design is definitely worse, I just find is very fun to play (especially on 200cc). Nice video, as always HDRookie!

[@JaponMoment]

Animal crossing's gimmick is so cool that they really should've used it in like 2 or 3 other courses

[@Roxleton]

@@JaponMoment they might’ve used it in moonview

[@Droidee27]

nice video, very cool concept of talking about the booster course tracks

[@KartLife]

Crazy level of analysis as always man, good report! Still looking forward to that colab chat.

[@deadmeme739]

Athens is a huge improvement over the original, which I still like quite a bit

[@Leo-01928]

Athens is my favorite track in this wave. heck, it might maybe even be the best track in the BCP. I love both the layout and the music, it feels diverse and really sells the feeling of adventure

[@Bayesic]

"And this is maybe the only course in series history that handles stairs in a way that doesn't make me wanna pull my hair out when I'm trialing" Fuckin right?

[@quellyquellquell]

17:15 LMAO shoutout to the Vancouver Velocity custom track that has an almost identical start down to the anti-grav and blind turn but was made over 2 years ago.

[@vroom0925]

The penultimate ranking video from you ): what a journey it’s been

[@HDRookie]

There will always be topics, tbh. But it's been a fun era!

[@firegoatdx6869]

It’s always a good day when a KZbinr uploads

[@HDRookie]

1 video in 1 month, but yes, I am a KZbinr sunglasses 😎

[@JaponMoment]

Loved this wave, favorite track theme was probably moonview highway, favorite track to play was vancouver. Agree with most of this list but the thing that hurts the most was getting sunset wilds over yoshi desert, and then not getting the sunset. I personally like the music changes for LA Laps, but I do agree the sunset version was better and I can see why the went with the layout they did. Love koopa cape in wii but it does kinda suck here. Overall, this was a great wave, but still not gonna top wave 4 for me. Glad to see you uploading again and can't wait to see what's in store!

[@berda7370]

this wave was by far the best

[@HDRookie]

I think it's probably my second favorite. Personally preferred Wave 4 a little more.

[@rebirthphoenix5646]

Some people suggest the final lap of Vancouver Velocity to remain the same but instead of crossing the finish line, you go right and back through lap 1 but backwards. I think that would’ve actually been cool since it would’ve just needed an extra glider ramp or two and there you go although then the lap definitely would feel long.

[@HDRookie]

That's definitely an interesting idea, though that turns it into the longest course in the game

[@rebirthphoenix5646]

@@HDRookie I was gonna disagree but then looking at a self made chart of the Nintendo Developer’s 150CC Time Trial records for each course, yeah I can see it being in Top 3 longest tracks in the game alongside Maple Treeway and Waluigi Pinball. If DK Mountain and or Wii Rainbow Road gets in Wave 6, I fully expect both of them to be up there as well.

[@Bayesic]

Also did you get a new mic? Audio quality is noticeably improved from earlier videos

[@HDRookie]

This mic is just hit/miss. I want to go back to the old headset I had in some of my earlier videos, it felt much more clear, honestly.

[@shadowthief6471]

Ribbon Road is the toy room course

[@fallguyschampion_1353]

Wave 5 sounds decent except with GBA Sunset Wilds is missing the sunset which is usally night time after the final lap

[@shadowthief6471]

Im so mad the vocals arent in Los Angles laps that really ruined it for me

[@SonicGamerLP]

My opinion to Sunset Wilds: If they can’t do the Skybox change, just use another GBA Track or maybe a N64 one! Without the Sunset this track is pointless and very basic

[@mailpaper7754]

I think Sunset Wilds had so much potential but ended up failing. The sunset gimmick definitely hurts it, but I would’ve been fine without it if they gave the rest of the track a faithful glow up, but they didn’t. I love Snow Land, Boo Lake, and Riverside Park because they got 3D glow ups while sticking to the original layout. Sunset Wilds got the Sky Garden treatment where they cut a portion of the track for straightaways making it simpler. If you’re not gonna give it a faithful glow up sticking to the original layout, and not even keep the sunset, they pick a different GBA track. Yoshi Desert, GBA Luigi Circuit hell GBA Peach Circuit would’ve all been better picks.

[@HDRookie]

Riverside Park actually had a full section cut out too, but I think the track was upgraded as a result of it. I don't mind changes, just make the tracks actually better if you're going to do them, imo.

[@mailpaper7754]

@@HDRookie Thanks for letting me know I didn't know that, but it also proves Sunset Wilds was a bad choice even more. Lakeside Park and Riverside Park didn't stay 100% faithful to the original layout, but still great improved the tracks. Sunset Wilds not only stayed flat besides some jumps, but also cut a part of the track out for a straightaway, making it pretty disappointing. I wish we got Luigi Circuit or Peach Circuit cause I love both tracks but meh nothing can be done now.

[@ChuyR.]

You were getting destroyed on Moonview highway during your review, i can tell why you didnt like it. Not gonna lie, I didnt like it at first, so i started to consider it as an F-Zero GX track and my opinion changed, i won 2 times in a row playing online as soon as my view changed, now it is one of my favorite picks.

[@HDRookie]

I'm pretty sure these were both great races for my team. You don't always play for yourself in team matches. I've won plenty on Moonview, just was using footage from 2 events. Doesn't really change my perspective of the course.

[@ChuyR.]

lol, that' fine@@HDRookie

[@xdimmortal]

1:34 worst competitive lap 3 ever?

[@HDRookie]

I don't follow. I think it was a normal lap 3, just had said by bit on Athens

[@MasterRod87]

4:01 Who said Therian Landorus could be in a Mario Kart game lol

[@HDRookie]

It was just a comparison about overuse being bad for a metagame

[@sthui2866]

​@@HDRookie except it wasn't really unhealthy, it's just a very good and versatile pokemon that enabled more teams. It doesn't strictly outclass or invalidate other pokemon and has enough weaknesses to exploit. This generation's gholdengo however has made the metagame a hazard stacking fest and becoming extremely hyperoffensive, while being top 5 usage