Zephyranthes
Member
Played a couple hours today. The good news? It's Mario Kart. The bad news? It's really just Mario Kart. It's plenty of fun, and Knockout is a nice addition, but if you were expecting bold innovations, you won't find them here.
Mario Kart World |OT| See that mountain? You can drive to it.
Unknown Soldier
Member
How do you even get to the settings in this game, I don't see the settings menu anywhere sigh
Unknown Soldier
Member
Ok, I wasn't imagining it. The sound volume, which is apparently not adjustable, is by default very low in this game. I was like, why am I having to crank the volume on my home theater system to hear this game
I collect VHS tapes
Gold Member
existensmaximum
Member
Yeah I agree with you. Hazy and jaggy is a perfect description, barely a step above Mario Kart 8. The jaggies are very jarring when playing on a big screen.
Robb
Gold Member
Yeah, that's been my initial impression as well. Which has surprised me considering all the new additions.
Seems a bit like a missed opportunity thus far. It's like they've added all these new techniques, but it doesn't really feel like I have to learn them.
Free-roam is also just OK, nothing special. Main problem for me being that all you seem to get from doing missions are stickers (?) for customization that are barely visible on you karts.
touchfuzzy
Member
There's a Boshi skin and Airship Fortress is back. Haven't played all the new tracks yet but DK Spaceport /'s Wario Shipyard are standouts so far. Some I need to do full races on to get a feel for instead of the single lap in the GP, will get to that more playing online.
Won my first Knockout Tour online, what a blast!
Won my first Knockout Tour online, what a blast!
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Robb
Gold Member
Can't be much of a difference compared to past entries though?
And there's countless collectibles and missions in free-roam. For single-player content this has to be the biggest Mario Kart ever (?).
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Stuart360
Member
Oh sure he didnt include any free roam stuff, but from reading peoples opinions the free roam stuff isnt exactly great.
And yeah i suppose its the same for all Mario Kart games in terms of single player. I was just a bit shocked the vid was so short.
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Robb
Gold Member
Yeah, my impressions are pretty mixed as well so far.
I'm not really sure what the incentive is to clear the content, pointless stickers aren't doing anything for me.
But maybe (hopefully) there's more to it (?). There seems to be heaps of content, but so far I'd still definitely consider the DS entry the best in terms of singleplayer.
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I collect VHS tapes
Gold Member
The world map is really really big
I just grinded a dinosaur
I just grinded a dinosaur
touchfuzzy
Member
I was wondering this too, I thought maybe my TV wa being weird but then I tried Fantasy Life and the audio was blasting. MKW sounded fine in handheld though.
Robb
Gold Member
It's more like 'another fantastic Mario Kart game' rather than 'a new Mario Kart game that re-invents the franchise'.
I certainly wouldn't put it next to stuff like BotW, or even Mario Odyssey. Despite the open world stuff there's very little that's unexpected or surprising here. But you get a new Mario Kart with a ton of content that is super fun and polished.
But that's just my initial impression, I've only played it for a day.
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clarky
Gold Member
Seems fair. Really enjoyed my time yesterday but like you say its just more Mario Kart. Helps that I've not played 8 in a long time.
Great game mind. I'd expected them to be updating this throughout the Switch 2's lifetime, but off to a good start.
Majukun
Member
Haven't got my switch yet, but the rail-grinding and wall riding seems like a game changer in terms of high level driving, at least from the video.
Is it underused/underepresented?
Baemono
Member
Gojira movie poster, I see you're a man of culture
Lets-a go!
GigaBowser
The bear of bad news
played open world p challenges few hour game change teeches skills annnnnnnnnd sooooooooo fun
DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
Just fired up for a few grand prix. The donkey money track for last Mario cup...
Im going to love this game. I just dont enjoy 50cc much anymore haha. Gimme dat 150
Im going to love this game. I just dont enjoy 50cc much anymore haha. Gimme dat 150
Robb
Gold Member
That was my expectation as well, and it's all there. It's still early days so the meta and skill gap online will probably change a lot based on these new mechanics over time.
But, for example, I've played and finished the 150cc cups without using the wall-riding at all, and barely using grinding and the boost jump. I don't think I'd been able to reach first place in all those cups if I didn't use drifting at all, but I can't say the same for the new mechanics.
These new mechanics are all there and they're fun when you actually use them, but they're also a bit technical and you risk a lot if you screw up so I'm rarely inclined to do so as it doesn't feel necessary.
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Majukun
Member
Well single player Mario kart has always been incredibly easy
MagiusNecros
Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
Mirror Mode tends to disagree with you with Chaotic Powerup bullshit. And could you imagine a 200cc mode?
Robb
Gold Member
For sure, it's just compared to drifting as a mechanic, these new ones don't feel as necessary to use.
There has also been times where I've actually managed a pretty crazy wall-riding section with lots of boosts etc., but were still overtaken by others because the alternate route on the track was just a straight line, so they drove past me normally just because that section was faster. Naturally, it didn't really feel like the effort was worth it at all.
But then there's also times where I manage to "wall-ride" on busses and jump on cars and just boost like crazy on the more open roads with traffic, and that definitely gains you an advantage I feel.
Bit of a mixed bag for me.
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ValiantInstance
Member
I cancelled my preorder as I was starting to hear mixed things.
As someone new to Nintendo, should I just pick up MK8 for cheap instead?
As someone new to Nintendo, should I just pick up MK8 for cheap instead?
clarky
Gold Member
Unless you are buying used, I don't think MK8 is going cheap. $50 + expansion pack and your at the same price as world almost.
Its Mario Kart, if you have a S2 i see no reason to buy 8 over it.
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Interfectum
Member
Played knockout mode last night with my three kids against the CPU, 4 player split screen and it was a fucking blast.
Robb
Gold Member
KungFucius
King Snowflake
If this is true, why is the game 80 bucks when DK is 70? Is their case that MP adds more value even though you pay for a sub to use it?
Robb
Gold Member
I'm confused, are you asking what the justification for it being $80 is if this is the biggest Mario Kart game ever in terms of singleplayer content?
CrimsonTide
Member
Nah, but Nintendo knows Mario Kart will sell gangbusters. It is their "GTA" in terms of sales and fans will pay whatever it cost. So why not make a few extra bucks in the process?
MK8 was the top selling game since the Wii U and they just re-released it on Switch 1 and called it good.
Donkey Kong, while popular, can't hold a candle sales wise to MK.
There are loads of challenges, Peach coins and panels to find but they all just seem to reward stickers.
The challenges are odd, some you'll breeze through first time with 10 secs left and others you'll scrape through with 0.3 secs left after 5+ tries. They can be anything from collecting coins, flying through rings, crossing narrow obstacles or even 3 lap races.
tkscz
Member
Now that I put a good amount of time into it, this is what I got:
1. The computer is less rubber band, and more aggressive. Their item usage is smarter, they get full drift and take shortcuts more often than they did before.
2. Learning to grind, charge jump and wall ride is super important, the amount of speed you get from pulling these off can make a huge difference.
3. Free Roam is more of a cozy mode than a active filled map. I find it fun just driving around and have spent half my time playing just free roaming
4. The Mushroom trick with the blue shell is much easier to pull off. The Blue shell pauses a much longer time before it hits
5. The intermittent courses aren't wide open and empty, at least the later ones. They start getting FILLED with traps, obstacles and tight turns. Some integrate so seamlessly that I didn't notice I was on the normal track until the race ended.
I haven't tried knock out or online yet due to Free roam being how I unlock costumes.
1. The computer is less rubber band, and more aggressive. Their item usage is smarter, they get full drift and take shortcuts more often than they did before.
2. Learning to grind, charge jump and wall ride is super important, the amount of speed you get from pulling these off can make a huge difference.
3. Free Roam is more of a cozy mode than a active filled map. I find it fun just driving around and have spent half my time playing just free roaming
4. The Mushroom trick with the blue shell is much easier to pull off. The Blue shell pauses a much longer time before it hits
5. The intermittent courses aren't wide open and empty, at least the later ones. They start getting FILLED with traps, obstacles and tight turns. Some integrate so seamlessly that I didn't notice I was on the normal track until the race ended.
I haven't tried knock out or online yet due to Free roam being how I unlock costumes.
BlackTron
Member
I like how they implemented free roam. I initially thought it wasn't there for online multiplayer, when in fact. The free roam mode is the online waiting room. So you can change characters/karts, practice driving and explore while waiting for the host to start the game. It gives you "down time" between matches. After a few games, we just neglected to start a new one and kept messing around in free roam for 20 minutes. This is kind of brilliant, because people might criticize it as a game mode, but it's a diamond-studded server waiting room.
mèx
Member
I don't like that Grand Prix is only one lap + connecting tracks. They should give an option to have the standard Grand Prix like all the other Mario Karts. I guess in other game modes you can have multiple laps but it should be possible to do that in Grand Prix too.
Also, this game needs a 120 FPS mode. It would be so much better.
Aside for that, I'm having fun, game is pretty good even if a bit dumbed down. I still have to learn how to use the new tricks properly though, so that might change as soon as I get the hang of it. The soundtrack is fantastic, I'm just vibing in the menu, lol.
Also, this game needs a 120 FPS mode. It would be so much better.
Aside for that, I'm having fun, game is pretty good even if a bit dumbed down. I still have to learn how to use the new tricks properly though, so that might change as soon as I get the hang of it. The soundtrack is fantastic, I'm just vibing in the menu, lol.
MacReady13
Member
Loving it so far. The way I see it is this- we get a Mario Kart game that also has an open world map which you're free to explore and collect stuff from. I'm having a fucking blast truth be told!
Playing heaps with the kids online or local and we are loving it. Great tracks. Music is phenomenal. Graphics are much better than what's come before. Photo mode is great too. Honestly, I cannot complain so far. Can see me coming back to this for a very long time. And if they decide to add tracks like they did with part 8, then bring it the fuck on!
Playing heaps with the kids online or local and we are loving it. Great tracks. Music is phenomenal. Graphics are much better than what's come before. Photo mode is great too. Honestly, I cannot complain so far. Can see me coming back to this for a very long time. And if they decide to add tracks like they did with part 8, then bring it the fuck on!
Rran
Member
Game seems quite good so far, although I understand some of the complaints. Knockout Tour is a real blast.
Yeah, I just bypass 50cc entirely in new Mario Kart games, it's too easy and as a result makes my introduction to the new tracks feel like Time Trials with the occasional Blue Shell. Just start on 100cc!
Stafford
Member
Hazy/washed out is what I noticed ever since its reveal and I was hoping it was solely due to HDR, because it can do that. But it sounds like proper HDR isn't even bringing those deep colours we've come to know and love from MK8? I loved the deep colours in that game.
And empty, you mean only the open world or also the tracks? The actual worthwhile MK8 tracks (not the Tour ones) were great and had a lot of.....personality? The Zelda stage for example, awesome. Surely there are still tracks like that, right? And I read some complaints here about the sense of speed too, even with 150cc. I don't get it, I already found MK8 a bit too much on the slow side, while 250 was just way too much but it shouldn't be slower than MK8 150cc. Of course with these much larger/wider roads it can seem slower?
thatJohann
Member
Here's what I mean by hazy. Everything has this foggy look in the distance that just makes it look washed out all the time.
Stafford
Member
Yeah, I see it now. I don't get why they went for this, 8 didn't have this.Here's what I mean by hazy. Everything has this foggy look in the distance that just makes it look washed out all the time.