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Mario Kart 8 |OT2| I'm using tilt controls!
- Thread starter Roo
- Start date
CartridgeBlower
Member
MK7 was worse
And unfortunately, MK8 had to inherit two of the dumbest items MK7 brought to the series. At least now you're not confined to uber-narrow tracks that basically guarantee you're going to get hit by any item launched at you.
The stupid coin item is more responsible for this than anything. Even though you can only carry one item at a time, you could at least lay/fire them at players behind you if you knew the next item you pick up won't be utterly useless defensively.
You're definitely right about the coin item. It's such an obvious and cheap way to handicap the player in first. The bomb is terrible. The "8" item is terrible, and lazy. So many shitty items and no new good ones. At all, really.
I just don't get that with all these issues this game is somehow being hailed as a 'return to form.' Maybe it's still early, and the nice graphics are still fresh in everyone's mind. But to me, it suffers almost the exact same problems as the previous two games in the series.
I have not been able to cross the gap like that, no. Wasn't sure if I just didn't build enough speed up but I was decently far back, so I'm not going to try it anymore.
Hmm, good to know. Next time that happens, and IT WILL, I'll try hitting the spinaroonie thing and confirm.
On the subject of the coin item: The fake item box as it existed in MKW should be in its place. Didn't stop incoming projectiles, so you'd still be powerless against reds and super-special homing greens, but it could be used to trap and harass the people behind you. At least it gave you something to work with. Coins are the worst.
I think it's hard to appreciate everything that's better when you're getting combo'd back to last place. That's something that's probably never going to be gone from Mario Kart unless they increase the mercy invincibility. A few changes off the top of my head:
- Blue shells are less common now. You'll see one about once a race compared to two on average in Wii and 7.
- Blue shells can be destroyed with the Super Horn.
- Dodging a blue shell with a mushroom is easier than in 7.
- No more stars or other high power items from the first set of item boxes.
- Stars don't increase your speed as much as in previous games.
- Fewer items on the track at any given time since you can no longer hoard.
- The wide tracks and branching paths give you some freedom to dodge items.
Pretty much everything I hate about the items in this game are holdovers from MK7 like getting hit over glider pits, the fire flower, the Crazy 8, and the return of coins. Item dragging sucks too since it eliminates so many opportunities to overtake someone, but that's a staple from the first game that I don't ever see going away.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
I know how annoying being hit by blue shells is, believe me. But they're necessary for balance purposes. Without them, it's basically "whoever can avoid getting hit at the beginning wins the race".
The way MK8 is balanced, if you get hit early on, it's extremely difficult to recover. You'll just keep getting hit over and over again if you're not in first, since you have to worry about both the person in front of you and the person behind you. The boosting items you tend to get in low positions are just not powerful enough, while red shells are as powerful and common as ever and green shells have been massively buffed. And even with the loss of the ability to carry two items at once, it's still very, very easy for the person in first to maintain their lead--even easier now that blue shells are less common. It's not at all uncommon to see the person in first build an insurmountible lead while everyone else keeps battering each other with shells.
Darn, I'm so down after the few matches I've played last night. I used to be a god in MKDS with snaking and I was pretty good at MK7 too, but I'm getting annihilated here. I suck so hard it's annoying 
Really? This game feels completely the opposite so far.
Really? This game feels completely the opposite so far.
I understand the need to combat the first place advantage, but the blue shell is a shitty method and I'm glad to see it toned down in any way. Nintendo needs to come up with something like the swarm from SASRT which makes it more difficult for a player to maintain first place rather than (usually) actively removing them from it.
Yeah, the swarm is really smart. It can slow you down a lot but is still skill intensive and can be avoided...but items in general have always been more powerful in MK so I don't know if a similar thing could do much. I do see why they have the blue shell, as usually 2nd/3rd are getting pulled backwards in a war with eachother while the lead grows. I've had so many moments where I finally get a red shell in second, see whoever behind me has one as well so I just have to hold it out to take the block instead of mounting an offense.
Removing item dragging would be pretty crazy but I think it would balance stuff out a lot more. A single red shell would be more viable in a tricky turn if you have to actually time an item drop to block it instead, you would have fewer moments where you have random screw overs like jumping off of something and happen to land RIGHT on someone's dragged item, or a nearly unavoidable collision into someone's back due to speed/slipstream. Because as-is there is basically no reason to not be doing it all the time unless you have a large lead in first and want to have guaranteed defense after taking a blue shell hit.
Removing item dragging would be pretty crazy but I think it would balance stuff out a lot more. A single red shell would be more viable in a tricky turn if you have to actually time an item drop to block it instead, you would have fewer moments where you have random screw overs like jumping off of something and happen to land RIGHT on someone's dragged item, or a nearly unavoidable collision into someone's back due to speed/slipstream. Because as-is there is basically no reason to not be doing it all the time unless you have a large lead in first and want to have guaranteed defense after taking a blue shell hit.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
I think the bolded would be impacted more than first place, unless the lead is really small. Even as is, you can hit someone dragging an item with a green shell if you get the right angle on it. In most cases it isn't really hard to drop a banana or throw a shell backwards to stop an incoming red shell.
It would definitely make the first item box less of a bloodbath, where half the players are dropping items to follow them while everyone is bunched together.
True, though it adds up in making the middle of a pack more of a cluster with things like that throwing you back which ultimately all just help first place in the end.
But yeah, when the initial item box gives the guy in first a banana, a handful of people behind him coins, and some other random people stuff to drag it suuucks. Giving multiple horns is pretty hilarious though.
Burning Justice
the superior princess
It's been a while since I played S&ASRT, but I don't recall the swarm being all that difficult to avoid in that game. But, yeah, items in general were less powerful there than they are here. I didn't really play it online much--kept having people DC against me in the middle of a race, and got sick of it. So I'm not 100% sure how well it was balanced.
I'm definitely not opposed to removing the ability to drag items. Maybe nerfing battering items in general and making them less common would help too. I don't know. All I know is, I don't think MK8's items are balanced well at all.
I'm definitely not opposed to removing the ability to drag items. Maybe nerfing battering items in general and making them less common would help too. I don't know. All I know is, I don't think MK8's items are balanced well at all.
The simplest thing Nintendo could do to make the blue shell tolerable is have it only appear if the player in 1st is a certain distance ahead of the player in 2nd. Nobody is enjoying the advantages of 1st place when they have another racer 5 ft behind them, and if the player in 1st drops back or the player in 2nd closes in after it's been fired, it can simply continue traveling up the center of the track and disappear rather than diving into them.
The big problem with the swarm is that it could be laughably easy or almost impossible to avoid depending on what area of the track it's in. But it's the idea of making the player in 1st prove they deserve to keep it that I like.
Burning Justice said:
The big problem with the swarm is that it could be laughably easy or almost impossible to avoid depending on what area of the track it's in. But it's the idea of making the player in 1st prove they deserve to keep it that I like.
whatsinaname
Member
I am (that was me you just raced - eula). A rather sad showing. Joining again.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Need more people.
whatsinaname
Member
I just want to finish a race.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Well, that gives us four.
Five, our little room is growing!
Five, our little room is growing!
whatsinaname
Member
That was fun guys, though I only managed to finish one race. I should play more tracks in SP.
The major balance problem with the game is that generally positions 12 - 2 smash each other over and over with items while 1 gets a huge lead that cant be beaten. Its not uncommon to get hit three to four times in a row when falling from positions around 2-6 which really screws you over unfairly and its a cycle that repeats over and over until lap 3.
It is especially stupid how rigged the boxes are last lap that you see 6 people all get a combination of triples mushrooms and gold mushrooms from the same set of item boxes It doesn't give anyone a chance to catch up or change position.
I think they need to reduce the amount of red shells and tone down their tracking a little, the seem much harder if not impossible to escape compared to Mario Kart Wii and are a big cause of the above. Items like green shell boomerang and piranha plant are fine since they need to be lined up up close to be useful.
People hate on Mario Kart Wii but the item balance racing kept the racing pack much tighter even with crazy bullshit like bullet bill wins.
It is especially stupid how rigged the boxes are last lap that you see 6 people all get a combination of triples mushrooms and gold mushrooms from the same set of item boxes It doesn't give anyone a chance to catch up or change position.
I think they need to reduce the amount of red shells and tone down their tracking a little, the seem much harder if not impossible to escape compared to Mario Kart Wii and are a big cause of the above. Items like green shell boomerang and piranha plant are fine since they need to be lined up up close to be useful.
People hate on Mario Kart Wii but the item balance racing kept the racing pack much tighter even with crazy bullshit like bullet bill wins.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
Room needs to get bigger not smaller. At least it's back to 6.
Time trials help a lot, the staff ghosts aren't very hard but they will still show you some shortcuts and where to take advantage of blue/orange drifts.
Speaking of which, Music Park is really one I need to do Time Trials for and figure out that shortcut.
Time trials help a lot, the staff ghosts aren't very hard but they will still show you some shortcuts and where to take advantage of blue/orange drifts.
Speaking of which, Music Park is really one I need to do Time Trials for and figure out that shortcut.
I have, but we are four roommates playing local multiplayer a lot
I was saying how I could never manage to hit that one properly just yesterday. I started using a setup with better handling and it's easy as hell now.
whatsinaname
Member
I am just picking the default cart for Luigi. I am assuming all carts in the GAF room are 150cc?
I have only played Mushroom cup and Shell cup in SP. Will play more this weekend.
I have only played Mushroom cup and Shell cup in SP. Will play more this weekend.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
I've never tried it, I didn't even know there was a shortcut until recently. Was going to but Exentryk pushed me out of the way.
Can't complain, I hit Dr Prob with 2 reds to take that 1st.
Exentryk
Member
You're welcome
And I don't take that shortcut. It's a bit too precise for my handling.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
A single fireball was the difference in 3rd and... whatever place I came in. Like 7th.
Ha, my piranha plant was snapping so fast I couldn't even get the drift in for that turn.
Ha, my piranha plant was snapping so fast I couldn't even get the drift in for that turn.
This happens way too often :/ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEU9_7S7ukw
Dunno if you can see it well but I hit Waluigi with star power and he just boosts off.
Dunno if you can see it well but I hit Waluigi with star power and he just boosts off.
I don't think it was ever disallowed but I rarely see anyone doing it.
chaosblade
Unconfirmed Member
I think it was frowned upon but not really "banned."
Yeah, way too often is an understatement, it's very frustating.