It's no secret that for Wii U owners, it's been kind of a bumpy ride.
And sometimes, bumpy rides are the most fun rides, but...this hasn't been that kind of
ride.
Seems like there's been obstacles around every turn.
And every time it seemed to build some momentum, some jerk showed up, with a blue shell.
There goes the momentum.
But now?
Nintendo's console is finally hittin' the gas.
And it's gotten a speed boost, from this phenomenal racing game.
Pull up to the starting line, Wii U fans.
Because this ride's about to get fun.
And that's always been the operative word with Mario Kart.
Fun.
From its debut on the Super NES, to its four-player breakthrough on the Nintendo 64, to its mega-popular
Wii version...Mario Kart's fun.
With every generation, and with every batch of consoles, I don't think there's a game
I look forward to more...than Mario Kart.
Because Mario Kart lasts the entire generation, you know?
You play Mario Kart with your friends 'til the day the next one comes out.
The only difference with this one is...
Mario Kart 8 is so good, it'll last even longer.
This one's destined to be a classic, one you'll go back to even after the next one comes out.
Now, I'm not saying it's the best Mario Kart, but...
It's definitely one of them.
Now why is that?
Well, there's a lot of reasons.
But more than anything else...Nintendo really tweaked the engine, so to speak.
They made a lot of changes.
Some minor, some not as minor, but they come together to make this one of the most distinct
Mario Karts in years.
And, while they were messing around under the hood, they seriously tightened up everything.
Every functional element of Mario Kart 8...is perfect.
There's not a single broken belt, or loose muffler, or busted gasket, or...whatever else
goes wrong with cars.
So it's both new and refined.
And it plays better than ever.
And to see that dual approach in action, just take a look at the items.
I mean, it makes some simple additions, with new stuff like the Piranha Plant, and the
Boomerang Flower...but it also refines the items system.
So now, those weapons that affect everyone on the track are less common.
I mean, there's still lightning and Blooper ink...it's still Mario Kart.
But for the most part, if you want to hit somebody with an item, you'd better be close
to them.
And that's reflected in the new items, as well.
The Piranha Plant, the boomerang...they're only effective when you're near another driver.
So where a game like Mario Kart Wii could be this constant hammering of weapons from
racers who aren't even close to you...
Mario Kart 8 kind of re-balances things...back toward skill.
At least, a little bit.
I mean, come on, it's still Mario Kart.
And that balance is a big part of the reason Mario Kart 8 feels so distinct.
It balances change with refinement, fairness with wackiness...and also new with old.
In fact, it reminds me of Mario 3D World in that way.
How it manages to incorporate old ideas into new ideas, and make them seem fresh.
Like, it brings back the coins from Super Mario Kart, which increase your kart's speed...but
they also unlock new parts, to customize your karts.
And it's the track design, too.
Shy Guy Falls has you racing up a waterfall, before heading straight back down...creating
this crazy sensation of height that takes you all the way back to DK Mountain on the
GameCube.
Only DK Mountain didn't have antigravity sections.
So every time there's something that takes you back in time, Mario Kart 8 somehow does
something...that makes it feel new.
And that's one of the coolest things about this game.
Of course, there are a few things about Mario Kart 8...that aren't as cool.
In fact, there's a couple things about Mario Kart 8 that are baffling.
Like, the roster is great, there are 30 racers, do we really need five babies?
Like, Baby Rosalina isn't even a thing that's real.
Then there's Metal Mario...and Pink Gold Peach?
Not Birdo, or Diddy Kong, or Professor E. Gadd...
Pink.
Gold.
Peach.
Sounds like genetically modified fruit.
But a couple wasted roster spots?
That's forgivable.
What might not be...is the fact that Mario Kart 8 completely butchers the Battle Mode.
Like, to the point where it's almost unplayable.
See, instead of those usual battle arenas...you just battle on the regular tracks.
And it doesn't even remotely work, which is the one thing about Mario Kart 8 that really,
legitimately sucks.
But fortunately, this is an amazing multiplayer game otherwise.
Four player split-screen has always been my favorite way to go, but Mario Kart 8 also
plays great online.
Now, it's simple, perhaps to a fault...but it's super easy to hook up with friends, and
it runs beautifully.
Oh, and speaking of beautiful...Mario Kart 8 is so that.
Awesome music, creative tracks, vibrant colors...gorgeous graphics.
And you know, the game uses that to its advantage in one of its coolest new features.
So after each race, you get to see highlights from that race.
And the best part is that you can edit them, and adjust them...and even play them in slow
motion.
That's when you see how beautiful this game really is.
And there's a lot you can do with the highlights, too.
You can actually upload them directly to YouTube, or you can use Mario Kart TV to watch your
recents, your favorites, and even other people's clips.
You can even leave comments on their videos from the GamePad, which is awesome.
It's just a perfect implementation of the Miiverse community.
And the highlights are a lot of fun to play with.
There's that word again.
Fun.
It's something you always go back to when you talk about Mario Kart.
If there's ever been a series of games that's given me as many memories, and good times
with friends, and as much...fun, as this one...I can't think of it.
Mario Kart is just fun.
And that's no different with this one.
But it's also a different Mario Kart.
A newer Mario Kart.
A better Mario Kart.
And I'm thrilled with it, for everything it is.
But I'm excited about it...for all the fun, and the memories it has in store.
I think I'm gonna get even more than usual...from Mario Kart 8.