Mario Kart 8 - Review thread

Exactly. Aside from maybe changing the mechanics slightly, or adding more new modes, we pretty much know what to expect from a Mario Kart. It's not entirely a bad thing.

Especially since Mario Kart has always been fun as fuck.
 
How would you reinvent a kart racer?
I'm trying to think of this myself.

Nintendo has made a new game with additions that are cosmetic but also have gameplay implications. They have done more balancing of items and driving mechanics. I think this is what Nintendo is great at, refining while not straying too far from the original formula.

I'm trying to think of what more they could do to truly "revolutionize" a kart racing game like this, other than take it in the direction of arcade racing games instead.
 
Again another Nintendo game with a 85-95 metacritic. Just more of the same. They won't get any serious sales bump like this. They really need to be more innovative. They should do those 54-73 games that are really console sellers.
/jk

How would you reinvent a kart racer?

Make a racer with Mechs/Dolls that fight each other. Call it Smash X Kart.
 
Maybe someone can answer me this.

Can I use the Wiimote as a standard controller (without the nunchuck). So digipad for steering and buttons for gas/break ?

And if not is it possible with the nunchuck

=> I just do not want to use motion controll with the wiimote.



The D-pad of the Wiimote is used for items, you cannot use it to steer. If you play with Wiimote only you are forced to use motion controls to steer and adjust glider height.

If you play with Wiimote+Nunchuk all actions can be done with buttons/sticks. In addition, performing tricks is possible by shaking the Wiimote, but if you don't like it you can use the drift button instead.

Eurogamer said you can use the D-pad to steer when playing with the Wiimote by itself.
 
There are certain games where reviews mean nothing to me. Mario Kart is one of them, along with Smash Bros and Pokemon (main series). Most of the time the games get bashed for the exact reasons I buy them.
 
There are certain games where reviews mean nothing to me. Mario Kart is one of them, along with Smash Bros and Pokemon (main series). Most of the time the games get bashed for the exact reasons I buy them.

Hasn't Smash Bro's always reviewed well? I don't quite get why that's included.
 
From IGN's review

"Chat is restricted to lobbies with friends only. There’s no option to invite friends into a game, and Mario Kart 8 also doesn't provide message notifications. This is seriously disappointing because you have to use outside means to coordinate friends-only races."

Oh man that hilarious. You would think Nintendo could get this kind of shit right in 2014 but nope. Trying to make a game built around fun for family and friends yet we cant get these simplistic yet crucial functions.
These people are impossible.
 
This may sound crazy, but what about 2 characters racing at the same time? Double the action!

Yes, they need to bring that shit back, loved Double Dash.

"It'sa Mario Time! Hi, I'm Daisy! It'sa Mario Time! Hi, I'm Daisy! It'sa Mario Time! Hi, I'm Daisy!"

And I remember playing 2v2 co-op and the person not driving the kart, could punch or shove the other players I recall. Was fucking hilarious.
 
The gamepad doesnt do anything interesting complaint needs to go, you never dock Bone games for not doing anything worthwhile with kinect. Also the roster is seriously huge, what is there to complain about there? Battle mode is a legit complain though, for those that care about it.
Multiple babies, Metal Mario + Peach and those dumb-ass Koopalings is more than enough reason to complain about Mario Kart 8's roster. At least Nintendo had the decency to keep Shiddy Kong out of this, but practically half of the character select screen consisting out of look-a-likes is disappointing no matter which way you slice it and they probably did it just to save up on development time.
 
I skimmed over the game page on Metacritic.

The game has a metascore of 89 as I'm writing this which is definitely good, but even all the generous 9/10 reviews seemed to confirm what I called a week ago, that MK8 is just "more of the same" with makeup so it looks like a revolution on the surface, when in reality it is not anything we haven't seen before.

I know, I know, if it ain't broke, don't fix it (goes for battle mode too :/) but it seems Nintendo still don't get that the strategy is not working. I doubt this will do much for the Wii U because there is no mainstream to buy it when no mainstreamer is gonna buy the system just for one title, and as with SM3DW not even a big part of Nintendo's core audience is getting it because it's not a very innovative or ambitious game; the thing we are all waiting for.

At least that's what I think :/

Wasn't the Wii bundle with Mario Kart the highest selling bundle? Mario Kart on Wii was also one of the top (the top?) selling title on the platform.

While Nintendo may not be betting the farm on it, Nintendo has pretty high expectations in terms of software and hardware sales associated with this game.

Multiple babies, Metal Mario + Peach and those dumb-ass Koopalings is more than enough reason to complain about Mario Kart 8's roster. At least Nintendo had the decency to keep Shiddy Kong out of this, but practically half of the character select screen consisting out of look-a-likes is disappointing no matter which way you slice it and they probably did it just to save up on development time.

Do you honestly think it takes less time to develop a Donkey Kong model versus each model of the Koopa Kids? You may not agree with it, but it was a design choice, not a shortcut.
 
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Hahaha. That's great. Hopefully this game brings in some much needed sales.
 
Again another Nintendo game with a 85-95 metacritic. Just more of the same. They won't get any serious sales bump like this. They really need to be more innovative. They should do those 54-73 games that are really console sellers.
/jk



Make a racer with Mechs/Dolls that fight each other. Call it Smash X Kart.

Dammit, you made me spit out my coffee.
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Multiple babies, Metal Mario + Peach and those dumb-ass Koopalings is more than enough reason to complain about Mario Kart 8's roster. At least Nintendo had the decency to keep Shiddy Kong out of this, but practically half of the character select screen consisting out of look-a-likes is disappointing no matter which way you slice it and they probably did it just to save up on development time.

Babies and Metal maybe, but I love the Koopalings.

Viva la Lemmy!


(Sorry for back to back posts.)
 
Characters the same:
Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Wario, Waluigi, Bowser, DK, Rosalina, Toad, Toadette, Koopa Troopa, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Baby Peach, Baby Daisy, Mii (18)

And here's the ones that are different:

Only in Mario Kart 8:
Larry, Morton, Iggy, Wendy O., Roy, Lemmy, Ludwig, Metal Mario, Lakitu, Shy Guy, Baby Rosalina, Pink Gold Peach (12)

Only in Mario Kart Wii:
Bowser Jr, Diddy Kong, Birdo, Dry Bones, King Boo, Funky Kong, Dry Bowser (7)

Hmmm, I wasn't ecstatic about the roster either but putting it this way doesn't make it seem as bad as I thought. The absense of Birdo, Diddy Kong and Bowser Jr. is very puzzling. I'm glad my main character Toadette is back, but I would not have been able to complain if either of those three characters got in above her. Going from three kongs to one is very curious; maybe they are sperating the two?

Anyway the reason why it doesn't look so bad is... Well Shy Guy and Lakitu are both loved Mario baddies, so you can replace them with Birdo and Dry Bones. Not really a bad swap. And lets be honest, Dry Bowser was as ridiculous as Baby Rosalina, so they can swap too. Bowser Jr. can be seen replaced by seven koopalings which although might upset some... is a decent swap.
 
You go online.

You select Online with Friends

You see that a friend has got a game lobby open.

You press join.

You have fun.

That sounds very complicated to be honest..

Can't Nintendo just build it like this:

You select Online with Friends

You see that a friend has got a game lobby open.

The Wii U teleports you over to your friend

You have fun.
 
How do I "see" this?

There's a list of your friends

Courtesy of GameXplain's Video Review:
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That sounds very complicated to be honest..

Can't Nintendo just build it like this:

You select Online with Friends

You see that a friend has got a game lobby open.

The Wii U teleports you over to your friend

You have fun.

I thought you were being serious and I was getting ready to facepalm until I saw the word teleport :p
 
I'll wait for some user reviews before considering this. Sonic Transformed was the most fun I had with a kart racer since CTR and I can't see myself going back to something like MK Wii. MK has become too reliant on cheap items and everybody wins gameplay mechanics.
 
You go online.

You select Online with Friends

You see that a friend has got a game lobby open.

You press join.

You have fun.

Does everyone in this lobby have to be registered as friends with everyone else in order to play and chat, or is it enough to be a 'friend of a friend'?
 
Do you honestly think it takes less time to develop a Donkey Kong model versus each model of the Koopa Kids? You may not agree with it, but it was a design choice, not a shortcut.
No, I'm saying it took them less time to slap a different head on a Koopaling or baby body than to remodel a character like Birdo or King Boo. Same goes for their inclusion of Metal Mario and Peach. It's every bit of an indication of a shortcut, given that the Wii U needs a game like Mario Kart 8 to come out as soon as possible.
 
WTF you guys. We have been playing the same FPS for a decade but nobody says anything about that.

Let's nit pick Mario Kart for not innovating.
 
Mmm, a month's worth of games media players time trials to beat.

Judging by the times I've seen this won't take long. Us gaming journalists are weak sauce gamers (Basically most rankings consist of runs comparable to a first time attack run after having done all cups before) ;). Sadly, the staff ghosts are super easy this time. Most of them took me one try. I've not beaten the Wii ghosts, for comparison.
 
Shame to hear it still has the standard cc/cup progression, it's so boring and unrewarding. MK7 was the first of the franchise I wasn't huge into mainly because I finally got tired of that same progression after so many years. The game wasn't perfect but I liked that Sonic Racing 2 at least tried to do something different.

(Not to say that I won't be buying this day one. Because Mario Kart.)
 
'Tis a shame Jim Sterling didn't review it for the escapist, that may have been my only hope for a shockingly low score :(
 
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