Mario Kart 8 Review
Review Date: June 5, 2014
I am a huge fan of the Mario Kart series. After all, Mario Kart DS was the game that got me into Nintendo first party gaming. As such, the Mario Kart series holds a very special place in my heart, and when Mario Kart 8 was announced back at E3 2013, I was elated - I simply couldn't wait to try out the new features. But the big question is this: Does Mario Kart 8 live up to my high expectations?
GAMEPLAY
At its surface, Mario Kart 8 is essentially a fusion of the previous two entries. Kart customization, gliding and underwater sections all return from Mario Kart 7, whereas bikes and 12-player races return from Mario Kart Wii. However, the new antigravity mechanic breathes new life into the series and brings with it an interesting new gameplay twist. While in antigravity, you are actually encouraged to hit other players, as doing so will give you a speed boost. However, you must calculate this carefully - your opponent will receive a speed boost as well. You want to hit them in such a way that it only gives you the advantage. Outside of antigravity, all of the usual Mario Kart mechanics return - the rocket boost, drifting, drafting; they're all here.
Alongside the usual Grand Prix mode, the single-player VS mode makes its glorious return in Mario Kart 8. It allows you to customize a Grand Prix race to your liking, and it is personally one of my favorite modes in a Mario Kart game. Split-screen multiplayer is as fun as ever, and it never fails to be full of potential to ruin friendships. As for battle mode, the new changes don't really bother me. It can be fun in its own right, but battle mode is, more or less, a fun distraction from the core racing experience that I will only occasionally visit.
And lastly, the difficulty. This game is surprisingly challenging, especially in 150cc. This is because Nintendo finally made the game faster - 150cc in Mario Kart Wii and 7 felt way too slow, and they, thankfully, fixed that here. They finally made 150cc a challenging experience that forces you to use pure skill to secure a first place win.
COURSE DESIGN
The new courses in this game are simply beautiful. Antigravity has allowed the developers to become extremely creative with the course designs, and it paid off. Perhaps one of the best examples of creative antigravity use is the course Electrodrome. The entire course takes place in the confines of a dance club, and the track just wraps around itself in this small space. It's amazing to watch as the background twists as you race along the antigravity sections. Each of the new courses provide a unique design, and I like every single one of them. Even the new Rainbow Road, which I initially was not impressed with, is fun to race on. However, it still lacks that feeling of an epic finish that Rainbow Road is supposed to have. As for the retro courses, I feel that they fall into two categories: those that embraced the antigravity concept (such as N64 Rainbow Road, 3DS Piranha Plant Slide, and N64 Toad's Turnpike) and those that received a brilliant graphical upgrade and not much else (such as Wii Moo Moo Meadows and DS Tick-Tock Clock). I do love the retro courses, but there are some that I feel could've embraced the antigravity mechanic but, sadly, didn't. The two courses that primarily stand out in this situation are 3DS Music Park and N64 Yoshi Valley. Nonetheless, the retro selection is probably the best its ever been. Overall, the courses are bursting with creativity and are filled to the brim with detail, and I honestly couldn't be happier.
CHARACTERS & ITEMS
The character roster has all of your usual Mario Kart characters, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, and more. Newcomers to the series include the seven Koopalings, Baby Rosalina, and Pink Gold Peach. Mario Kart 8 may boast the largest character selection, but it is sadly very underwhelming. The Koopalings and overload of baby characters simply take up too many character slots that could've been filled with more worthwhile characters, such as Nabbit and Professor E. Gadd.
As for the item selection, the new items are insanely fun to use. The Boomerang Flower is perhaps my favorite new addition, as it allows you to throw a boomerang up to three times. The boomerang can even attack other racers on the return trip, which is really nice. The Blue Shell-stopping Super Horn is a blast to use too, as it acts as a great defensive and offensive item. The Piranha Plant is a helpful item too, as every time it chomps out at another racer or item, it gives you a speed boost. The Crazy Eight, which gives you a selection of eight items, while being extremely rare, can be helpful when you get it. The item balance in the game is the best its ever been, as Blue Shells and Lightning Bolts are much rarer than they have been in the past. The only thing I'm not happy with is that the coin is now an item, and it is practically the only item you will get in first place. If you happen to get a banana or a shell in first place, hold on to it for dear life - chances are the next item you get will be a coin.
ONLINE MODES
Online play, like most other things in this game, is the best its ever been. It's pure chaos and fun - and I love it that way. I do like that the game only gives you three courses to chose from when voting for the next race. This greatly prevents playing the same race over and over again, a problem that constantly plagued Mario Kart 7. The game does allow you to send pre-written messages to the other racers while voting for a course and you are allowed to voice chat in friends-only mode. The new tournament mode replaces communities from Mario Kart 7, but it essentially acts in the same way and it provides the same amount of fun. The game thankfully doesn't suffer from lag during online play and it manages to keep a consistent frame rate.
Mario Kart TV is an amazing new addition that allows you to edit your highlight reels to focus on certain parts of the race - examples include big item hits, action shots, and drifting shots. You can also upload your edited highlight reel to YouTube and Miiverse, which is an awesome feature, but sadly has a major drawback. It takes forever to upload one highlight reel to YouTube. At times, it can take upward of 10 minutes to upload a 60-second clip. In addition, you cannot have the clip upload in the background and keep playing at the same time. You are forced to wait until the clip is fully uploaded before you are allowed to return to playing. This is rather ridiculous, and I'm hoping Nintendo will fix this with a game patch in the future. Despite this drawback, Mario Kart TV is a great feature and can be really fun to mess around with.
GAMEPAD INTEGRATION
The GamePad is used in several ways. By default, it displays a goofy horn that really serves no purpose. The GamePad can also display an overhead map of the course which also shows you the location of the other racers. In both of these modes, the position of every racer and the items they have is displayed on the left side of the screen. You can also use the GamePad for Off-TV Play. In addition, you can use the GamePad for motion control steering, and it works just as well as using a Wii Wheel. However, I feel that Nintendo could've used the GamePad in more creative ways as well. For example, I do like that the rear-view mirror returned from Mario Kart Wii, but I think it would've been better if Nintendo had built that in as a GamePad feature. It would be much easier to have the GamePad screen display the rear-view mirror rather than you having to take your thumb off the gas and press a different button to activate the rear-view mirror. In addition, you cannot have someone play solely on the GamePad in offline multiplayer. It's sad that Nintendo couldn't work five-player split-screen into this game and is ultimately a missed opportunity.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
There's no denying it; Mario Kart 8 is simply gorgeous. The concept of taking Mario's cartoony art style and mixing it with realism really pays off. The game is bursting with colors, details, and realistic lighting effects. To top it all off, the game runs in a silky-smooth 60fps. The game is able to maintain that frame rate in all modes except three- and four-player split-screen, where it is halved to 30fps. Nonetheless, Mario Kart 8 truly is the first example that really shows what the Wii U is capable of doing, so long as the hardware is used properly.
To top it all off, the game has a phenomenal soundtrack. This marks the first time that Nintendo has used live music in a Mario Kart game, and, like the new art style, it pays off. The orchestrated music breathes new life into the courses, as the environment is constantly seen moving and bopping along to the music. The remixes for the retro courses are simply beautiful and they never fail to provide a brief burst of nostalgia. Mario Kart 8 boasts the best soundtrack in the series, and I am ever thankful that Nintendo is beginning to embrace using live music in their games.
VERDICT
Despite its minor shortcomings, Mario Kart 8 is simply marvelous. The racing formula found here is at its absolute finest, and the new courses truly provide one of the best Mario Kart experiences out there, and it's all topped off by the game's beautiful graphics and orchestrated music. In the end, Mario Kart 8 didn't just live up to my expectations; it exceeded them, and I can safely say that Mario Kart 8 is the best game in the series and is a must-have for any Wii U owner.
I am a huge fan of the Mario Kart series. After all, Mario Kart DS was the game that got me into Nintendo first party gaming. As such, the Mario Kart series holds a very special place in my heart, and when Mario Kart 8 was announced back at E3 2013, I was elated - I simply couldn't wait to try out the new features. But the big question is this: Does Mario Kart 8 live up to my high expectations?
GAMEPLAY
At its surface, Mario Kart 8 is essentially a fusion of the previous two entries. Kart customization, gliding and underwater sections all return from Mario Kart 7, whereas bikes and 12-player races return from Mario Kart Wii. However, the new antigravity mechanic breathes new life into the series and brings with it an interesting new gameplay twist. While in antigravity, you are actually encouraged to hit other players, as doing so will give you a speed boost. However, you must calculate this carefully - your opponent will receive a speed boost as well. You want to hit them in such a way that it only gives you the advantage. Outside of antigravity, all of the usual Mario Kart mechanics return - the rocket boost, drifting, drafting; they're all here.
Alongside the usual Grand Prix mode, the single-player VS mode makes its glorious return in Mario Kart 8. It allows you to customize a Grand Prix race to your liking, and it is personally one of my favorite modes in a Mario Kart game. Split-screen multiplayer is as fun as ever, and it never fails to be full of potential to ruin friendships. As for battle mode, the new changes don't really bother me. It can be fun in its own right, but battle mode is, more or less, a fun distraction from the core racing experience that I will only occasionally visit.
And lastly, the difficulty. This game is surprisingly challenging, especially in 150cc. This is because Nintendo finally made the game faster - 150cc in Mario Kart Wii and 7 felt way too slow, and they, thankfully, fixed that here. They finally made 150cc a challenging experience that forces you to use pure skill to secure a first place win.
COURSE DESIGN
The new courses in this game are simply beautiful. Antigravity has allowed the developers to become extremely creative with the course designs, and it paid off. Perhaps one of the best examples of creative antigravity use is the course Electrodrome. The entire course takes place in the confines of a dance club, and the track just wraps around itself in this small space. It's amazing to watch as the background twists as you race along the antigravity sections. Each of the new courses provide a unique design, and I like every single one of them. Even the new Rainbow Road, which I initially was not impressed with, is fun to race on. However, it still lacks that feeling of an epic finish that Rainbow Road is supposed to have. As for the retro courses, I feel that they fall into two categories: those that embraced the antigravity concept (such as N64 Rainbow Road, 3DS Piranha Plant Slide, and N64 Toad's Turnpike) and those that received a brilliant graphical upgrade and not much else (such as Wii Moo Moo Meadows and DS Tick-Tock Clock). I do love the retro courses, but there are some that I feel could've embraced the antigravity mechanic but, sadly, didn't. The two courses that primarily stand out in this situation are 3DS Music Park and N64 Yoshi Valley. Nonetheless, the retro selection is probably the best its ever been. Overall, the courses are bursting with creativity and are filled to the brim with detail, and I honestly couldn't be happier.
CHARACTERS & ITEMS
The character roster has all of your usual Mario Kart characters, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, and more. Newcomers to the series include the seven Koopalings, Baby Rosalina, and Pink Gold Peach. Mario Kart 8 may boast the largest character selection, but it is sadly very underwhelming. The Koopalings and overload of baby characters simply take up too many character slots that could've been filled with more worthwhile characters, such as Nabbit and Professor E. Gadd.
As for the item selection, the new items are insanely fun to use. The Boomerang Flower is perhaps my favorite new addition, as it allows you to throw a boomerang up to three times. The boomerang can even attack other racers on the return trip, which is really nice. The Blue Shell-stopping Super Horn is a blast to use too, as it acts as a great defensive and offensive item. The Piranha Plant is a helpful item too, as every time it chomps out at another racer or item, it gives you a speed boost. The Crazy Eight, which gives you a selection of eight items, while being extremely rare, can be helpful when you get it. The item balance in the game is the best its ever been, as Blue Shells and Lightning Bolts are much rarer than they have been in the past. The only thing I'm not happy with is that the coin is now an item, and it is practically the only item you will get in first place. If you happen to get a banana or a shell in first place, hold on to it for dear life - chances are the next item you get will be a coin.
ONLINE MODES
Online play, like most other things in this game, is the best its ever been. It's pure chaos and fun - and I love it that way. I do like that the game only gives you three courses to chose from when voting for the next race. This greatly prevents playing the same race over and over again, a problem that constantly plagued Mario Kart 7. The game does allow you to send pre-written messages to the other racers while voting for a course and you are allowed to voice chat in friends-only mode. The new tournament mode replaces communities from Mario Kart 7, but it essentially acts in the same way and it provides the same amount of fun. The game thankfully doesn't suffer from lag during online play and it manages to keep a consistent frame rate.
Mario Kart TV is an amazing new addition that allows you to edit your highlight reels to focus on certain parts of the race - examples include big item hits, action shots, and drifting shots. You can also upload your edited highlight reel to YouTube and Miiverse, which is an awesome feature, but sadly has a major drawback. It takes forever to upload one highlight reel to YouTube. At times, it can take upward of 10 minutes to upload a 60-second clip. In addition, you cannot have the clip upload in the background and keep playing at the same time. You are forced to wait until the clip is fully uploaded before you are allowed to return to playing. This is rather ridiculous, and I'm hoping Nintendo will fix this with a game patch in the future. Despite this drawback, Mario Kart TV is a great feature and can be really fun to mess around with.
GAMEPAD INTEGRATION
The GamePad is used in several ways. By default, it displays a goofy horn that really serves no purpose. The GamePad can also display an overhead map of the course which also shows you the location of the other racers. In both of these modes, the position of every racer and the items they have is displayed on the left side of the screen. You can also use the GamePad for Off-TV Play. In addition, you can use the GamePad for motion control steering, and it works just as well as using a Wii Wheel. However, I feel that Nintendo could've used the GamePad in more creative ways as well. For example, I do like that the rear-view mirror returned from Mario Kart Wii, but I think it would've been better if Nintendo had built that in as a GamePad feature. It would be much easier to have the GamePad screen display the rear-view mirror rather than you having to take your thumb off the gas and press a different button to activate the rear-view mirror. In addition, you cannot have someone play solely on the GamePad in offline multiplayer. It's sad that Nintendo couldn't work five-player split-screen into this game and is ultimately a missed opportunity.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
There's no denying it; Mario Kart 8 is simply gorgeous. The concept of taking Mario's cartoony art style and mixing it with realism really pays off. The game is bursting with colors, details, and realistic lighting effects. To top it all off, the game runs in a silky-smooth 60fps. The game is able to maintain that frame rate in all modes except three- and four-player split-screen, where it is halved to 30fps. Nonetheless, Mario Kart 8 truly is the first example that really shows what the Wii U is capable of doing, so long as the hardware is used properly.
To top it all off, the game has a phenomenal soundtrack. This marks the first time that Nintendo has used live music in a Mario Kart game, and, like the new art style, it pays off. The orchestrated music breathes new life into the courses, as the environment is constantly seen moving and bopping along to the music. The remixes for the retro courses are simply beautiful and they never fail to provide a brief burst of nostalgia. Mario Kart 8 boasts the best soundtrack in the series, and I am ever thankful that Nintendo is beginning to embrace using live music in their games.
VERDICT
Despite its minor shortcomings, Mario Kart 8 is simply marvelous. The racing formula found here is at its absolute finest, and the new courses truly provide one of the best Mario Kart experiences out there, and it's all topped off by the game's beautiful graphics and orchestrated music. In the end, Mario Kart 8 didn't just live up to my expectations; it exceeded them, and I can safely say that Mario Kart 8 is the best game in the series and is a must-have for any Wii U owner.