Mario Kart 8 (2014)

Game: Mario Kart 8
Genre: Racing
Developer: Nintendo/EAD
System: WiiU
Total Score: 96/100
Value Score: 9.6/10

• Story: */10
• Characters: 10/10
• GamePlay: 10/10
• Graphics: 10/10
• Sound: 10/10
• Music: 10/10
• Length: 7/10
• Replay Value: 10/10
• Player Value: 9/10

Pros
+Biggest cast of characters in the series with non-Mario Kart first time characters such as Animal Crossing's Villager and Legend of Zelda's Link
+Customizable car feature from Mario Kart 7 is in.
+Different single player modes that were in MK7 are in this game as well along with some new inclusions never seen in the series before such as 200cc
+Online Multiplayer is great and active
+Coins unlock further parts for karts like in MK7
+MarioKartTV is a new feature where it allows you to see replays of your races and even upload on youtube
+Bikes have returned
+Two DLC packs increases the number of karts, racers and cups/stages

Cons
-MarioKartTV only saves portions of video clips of races - not enough options in editing for YouTube
-Blue Shell annoying as hell even to this day
-Game is too short and can be too easy

----

Game: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Genre: Racing
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
System: Nintendo Switch (NS)
Year of Release: 2017
Length of Playthrough: 33 Hours

Total Score: 98/100
Value Score: 9.8/10

• Story: */10
• Characters: 10/10
• GamePlay: 10/10
• Graphics: 9/10
• Sound: 10/10
• Music: 10/10
• Length: 9/10
• Replay Value: 10/10
• Player Value: 10/10

Pros
+Includes all of the characters, courses and features of the original WiiU game but also includes new courses, new features and new characters
+Online MP is fun and active
+Includes 2 item box option like Double Dash
+New features like 200cc and more options such as disabling items in Online
+A lot of custom options such as tilt controls and smart steering

Cons
-Can be annoying at higher CCs especially with items like the Spiny Shell
-MarioKartTV sometimes misses moments and is pretty much the same as the WiiU version's
-No option to turn off/on items in Grand Prix
-Some objects like characters and building parts seem to be bigger than it should be in the booster pack courses

---

Score wise Comparison sake....

Super Mario Kart (SNES): 91
Mario Kart 64 (N64): 90
Mario Kart Super Circuit (GBA): 81
Mario Kart DS (NDS): 88
Mario Kart 7 (3DS): 94
Mario Kart 8 (WiiU): 96
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS): 98

The best Mario Kart since the N64 era. The end. Well actually that’s not the end, here’s the full review;

On the gameplay front this is the best Mario Kart yet. The physics feel deeper and the karts feel so fun and smooth to drive. The anti-gravity works really well and I love the addition of the spin boost especially. I also think the new weapons are great and add something new. I even like the coin item as it means the leader can’t always bank on getting something to hang off their backside and protect them as they zoom to victory, I do however wish it appeared a little less frequently. Now only being able to hold one item at a time was also a good move in my opinion for similar reasons, the leader can’t have two protective items at once and is always at least a little vulnerable.

Visually it looks good enough to eat (particularly the candy track). This (along with Mario 3D World) is one of the best looking games I’ve ever played and it truly feels ‘next gen’, a great display of what the Wii U can do. The amount of detail put into each of the tracks and backgrounds is wonderful, more than you’ll ever pick-up while zooming along. It’s a colourful visual feast throughout. The frame rate is a rock solid and smooth 60hz,only dropping in 3 or 4 player local play and the music played by a live band really adds energy to each track and brings the whole experience to life.

There’s plenty of content too. 32 tracks, 16 of which are new and all of which are great. Not a dud in the bunch. The 16 retro tracks have been so well done and changed to accommodate the new anti-grav and/or underwater elements that they feel almost like new tracks themselves. The battle mode however leaves a little to be desired due to the lack of battle arenas and use of a variety of the tracks instead. This is still quite fun but gets boring quickly and the addition of some arenas really would have improved this mode no end. There are plenty of characters to choose from but the roster is a little samey and the lack of Diddy Kong is a particular shame. One has to mention the brilliant and well balanced vehicle customisations though which offer a lot of variety and are a lot of fun to play around with to find your preferred combination of kart/bike, wheels, and glider.

The single player won’t take a seasoned pro long to complete and is made up of the usual 50, 100, and 150cc and mirror modes across 16 cups of varying difficulty but it’s in multiplayer where this game shines, particularly with the new refined online experience. The frame rate drops noticeably when over two players play locally which is a shame but is to be expected and this doesn’t stop the game being fun at all. It just loses a little of it’s polish. The online is magnificent. Tournaments allow for custom rulesets and times for tournaments to be open. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being able to join in on tournaments from my favourite online publications (Nintendo life etc) and to my experience the races run completely smoothly with lag a rare occurrence. Having 12 racers on the track from all over the world hurling shells at each other is honestly some of the most amazing fun I’ve had playing a video game in recent times, if not ever! Being able to play 2 player online is an excellent addition too.

In conclusion this is easily the best Mario Kart since 64 with the only things holding it back from a perfect score being the lack of battle arenas, the slightly disappointing roster and the over prevalence of the coin item. All in all Mario Kart 8 is some of the best fun you could ever have on a console. It really is that good. Drop dead gorgeous, thrilling gameplay and a rock solid and fun online mode make this a game I’ll be playing for a long, long time.

Update: An update is apparently imminent in which the map will be moved to the main screen along with a bunch of other small fixes. Whoop.