A new stage. A new challenge. A new way to play Mario Kart Wii. Is this Nintendo doing DLC? Not so fast.

We're not certain if Mario Kart Wii's new "Galaxy Colosseum" stage is actually downloaded or simply unlocked from the game disc by downloading the latest Tournament update -- either way, you could argue it's "DLC." But what's its value as additional Kart content? If the stage disappears when the tourney expires on June 9, then the freebie ranks as negligible (currently, Galaxy Colosseum is only playable through the online Tournament mode). Even if it's archived in a single-player mode, the timed minigame (knock four Spiky Topmen out of the arena using mushroom bursts as fast as you can) is an incredibly dull use of a Super Mario Galaxy crossover. Keep trying, Nintendo. And we'll keep dreaming.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

Just some classy hybrid imagery from GameOvr, posted by captain algeria. Check out the highlights for today:

Ubidays 2008
Download the Ubidays 2008 trailers here
Joystiq hands-on: H.A.W.X.
Ubidays '08: Prince of Persia producer on sidekick, new prince

Joystiquery
BigVersus pits Mass Effect PC against Xbox 360 version
Joystiq hands-on: Tecmo Bowl Kickoff
Law of the Game on Joystiq: Legal machinations of machinima
Meet the Team: Kyle Orland
Metareview -- Mass Effect (PC)
Readers pick best webcomic: Million Dollar Arcade
X3F has 100 Battlefield: Bad Company demo codes to give away
X3F Week in Review: May 23, 2008 - May 28, 2008

News
Capcom: Multiple platforms 'segment' multiplayer market
TurboGrafx-16 comes to iPhone (unofficially)
Sonic the Hedgehog mobile surpasses 8 million downloads
GameTap Thursday: Tortuga Pirates in the Ducati World Championship
Tilted Mill updating Children of the Nile, self-publishing next title
SimCity Creator brings urban erection to Wii, DS
Chart-Track UK: 360 outselling PS3 following GTA IV launch
Puzzler Roogoo slides onto XBLA on June 4
GameTrailers TV to debut new Facebreaker, Resident Evil 5 footage
Tecmo Bowl touching down on Wii in '09
Wario Land Shake to feature 2D platforming action
Kojima talks about pressure and MGS' future
Civ Revolution delayed until July, Sid Meier enters Guinness records
Splatterhouse to feature regeneration mechanic, storyline by Gordon Rennie
PS3 was on 'life support,' admits Sony CEO
PS3 EndWar gets Minority Report-esque gesture controls
PSN Thursday: Prince of Persia wallpaper
Beyond Good & Evil 2 'done for the new generation'
Ubisoft holding first third-party media event in PlayStation Home
Free DS Wi-Fi no more at McDonald's
Mass Effect PC DLC right around the corner

Rumors & Speculation
Ubisoft coy about Splinter Cell Conviction delay rumors

Culture & Community
Everything you wanted to know about gaming and sex (but were afraid to ask)
Today's Amazon Gold Box deal: Crisis Core for $26
Don't panic: Fallout 3 concept art linked to terrorism
Where to find Beyond Good & Evil

Are you still struggling with the Wii Wheel in Mario Kart, despite everyone online who's kicking your derrière while using it? Nintendo Wii Fanboy's Revolutionary columnist Mike Sylvester has a rather, erm, revolutionary idea: a do-it-yourself training wheel to help add subtlety to your turning. Check out the article for more information; a video demonstration is embedded after the break.

Nintendo has announced the launch of worldwide Mario Kart Wii Tournaments, which will be coming every few weeks. The first one, available now, is a competition for fastest time on Mario Circuit. "Look closely though," said the press release, "something may be different." (For whatever reason, we haven't been able to get online to see what difference there might be.)

Best times will be recorded and viewed on worldwide rankings. Future tournaments might also include collecting coins and Wii Wheel-specific challenges.

Personally, use of power items on the Olympics would make them exponentially more entertaining. Penny Arcade's "Disincentives," which gave us this mental image, took first place in this week's webcomic wrapup.

Second and third place go to 2P Start--our personal favorite this week--and Dueling Analogs, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted, and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomics you stumble upon this week!

Looking for some new wheels? How about two of 'em -- that's right, two Wii Wheels, and we'll even throw in a copy of Mario Kart Wii ($49.99 value) with each (and, if you're lucky, an "I Heart Kart" air freshener), as well as some miscellaneous swag from the NYC launch party (1 t-shirt, 1 sticker and one "driver's license," a $15 value). Just follow these five steps and a winner can be you!

• To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on any of the designated gallery pictures (one, two, three) with your favorite track from the Mario Kart series.
  
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec -- désolée!).
• Limit 1 entry per gallery picture, per person
  
• This entry period ends at 8:00pm ET on Friday, May 2nd. We'll randomly select the winners at that time (please check your email!).
• For a list of complete rules, click here.

At the Nintendo World Store on Saturday, Mario and has-been heartthrob Jason Priestley combined forces to promote Mario Kart Wii. It was an unconventional union with perfect ties: Two products of the early 90s (90210 debuted in the fall of 1990, Mario Kart two years later) with a passion for racing. However, Priestley wasn't the only pseudo-star wearing a smug smile, as Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford made a surprise appearance to appease the crowd of young debutantes, while their mothers snuck photo ops with their old crush. Mario, of course, remained the most popular persona of the afternoon. After all, who could deny the charm of that adorable mustache?

For pics of the debaucherous after party (was Peach really not wearing any ... !) you'll have to try TMZ -- we were just there for the family-friendly festivities, where young and old challenged one another for racing supremacy. 250 lucky attendees were able to purchase the game early, while everyone had the opportunity to enter a tournament and go hands-on with the Wii Wheel. The top three tourney racers went on to challenge Priestley for a chance to win a Wii and copy of Mario Kart. Of course, there was only one winner: Nazareth (was it divine intervention?). The champion received his brand new system and game, a high-five from Mario, and all-important bragging rights. (So much for Priestley's experience on the race track.)

Other highlights from the Nintendo World Store party? Best Mario Kart t-shirt ever. So, cruise through the rest of our photo gallery below and then be sure to check out Game Daily's interview with Jason Priestley. Is the man a gamer? Find out.

Days after confirming plans to stock Grand Theft Auto IV alongside movies on its outer release wall, Blockbuster today announced that the recently released Wii flavor of Mario Kart will make the leap as well. The move is part of what the rental giant calls a plan to "significantly expand its game business," which includes a greater emphasis on selling retail games and hardware, as well as stocking a larger number and variety of games to rent.

Blockbuster specifically noted plans to offer a special $499.99 PS3 bundle in its corporate-owned stores, which will include a 40GB console, a copy of the movie Spiderman 3 on Blu-ray, Activision's video game adaptation of Transformers, and the opportunity to rent one free PS3 game or Blu-ray movie a week for 12 consecutive weeks. However, while we appreciate the added attention Blockbuster is giving our favorite hobby, we doubt even this will sway us into venturing out into the sunlight to rent anything.

Are you feeling lost, lonely, scared of racing with computers or unknown online drivers? Fear not, Joystiq reader, you have a whole community of gamers who will scare you for entirely different reasons. Please consider this the official post for the Joystiq community to drop their Mario Kart Wii digits. A couple quick ground rules:

• All that's required is the Kart code and not your Wii digits. Please don't post your Wii code.
  
• This post is only for Kart codes.
• This post is only for Kart codes, seriously!

--Love, Joystiq

We decided to create a gallery outlining the steps you'll go through to play the game online. Click here to get acquainted. While Europe is laughing that they already have the game, US gamers finally get their hands on Mario Kart and midnight tonight.

(Note: Due to technical difficulties, we had to physically take pictures of the game running in 480i. The quality of the images does not affect what Mario Kart Wii actually looks like.)

We thought it'd be best to reprint our advice from the Super Smash Bros. Brawl release: if you want to chat up your friends while doing laps in Mario Kart Wii, here are five options we found -- harnessing the power of other consoles or a com-pu-ter -- for chatting up your friends. (Looking for a place to share your Kart friend codes? We'll set up a über-list post closer to tonight's US release. Here's a link to the über-list.)

• Xbox Live: Or as we've come to know it -- Kart LIVE®. Just set up private chat and off you go. Got more than one friend? Go into a Halo 3 lobby (you do have Halo 3, right?).
• PSN: Start up a new chat under the "friends" section of the XMB. Invite all the friends you want and wait for them to join. Works and sounds exceptional! USB and Bluetooth compatible.
  
• Skype: Set up a conference call.
• TeamSpeak or Ventrilo: Guilds, clans and other computer types know these services. Perfect for guildies racing together.
• Nintendo DS: Use Metroid Prime Hunters or Pokémon Diamond or Pearl. Warning: More inane codes required to pull this option off. There are also homebrew options.

Of course, if none of these options are viable, might we suggest using a classic: The phone.

We've had our hands full today mulling over what we should play -- Mario Kart Wii or Metal Gear Online, both titles we weren't expecting until the weekend. We were going to use the snaking joke regardless of the headlining game, but then we realized that you will not be snaking in either game.

We've got a rather hefty This Week in Review today. Check out all of our hands-on impressions and reviews from the Joystiq Network this week:

Nintendo Wii

• Mario Kart Wii (Review, Impressions, Controller)
• Deca Sports (hands-on)
• River City Ransom (Virtual Console)
• Phantasy Star III (Virtual Console)
• Brawl Stage of the Week: Super Mario World

There are five ways to handle your racer in Mario Kart Wii: Wii Remote solo, Wii Remote embedded in Wii Wheel, Wii Remote with Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and GameCube controller. But, removing all other variables, which control method is the best? Are there really limitations to not using the Wii Wheel? We decided to pull out the ever-trusty "scientific method" and determine, once and for all, the best kart controller.

We've been tailing Mario Kart Wii since its announcement at E3 last year, but now that we have an actual retail copy to play at home, we're finally able to share with you some quick impressions of the game. Click through to read our thoughts on the Wii Wheel, online multiplayer, the Mario Kart channel and more:

Nintendo has said it considers Mario Kart Wii a "bridge game" -- a title that converts casual, Wii Sports-playing Wii owners into a more hardcore, game-buying type. For those bridge gamers, this quick retrospective will help fill you in on the history that has made the Mario Kart series one of the most beloved in gaming. For everyone else, it's a stroll down memory lane and a starting point for discussion about your hopes and fears for the impending Mario Kart Wii.