by Jacob Doolin
When people ask how one builds off perfection, the common answer is to do the same thing. No series better fits that idea than the Mario Kart games, each one building off the success of the last. But as we approach Mario Kart 8, the eleventh game overall, the question becomes how much longer can this model hold up? Well with Mario Kart 8, Nintendo has taken aspects of every Mario Kart game and refined them to create one of, if not the best, Mario Kart game.
The gameplay follows the tried and true method of previous entries in the series, but adds a few new features to give the game unique feel. Single player has been beefed up from previous entries; offer more of a challenge to those wanting to race against the punishing AI.
Modes and items from previous games, such as Mario Kart 7’s vehicle customization and Mario Kart Wii’s hang gliders have been included and been given greater importance to the overall races. Unlocking new parts and then building your perfect kart makes for a fun and surprisingly deep innovation. Mario Kart 8 does add one new feature of its own though: Anti-gravity racing, which provides an easy to learn, hard to master method.
Multiplayer works great in both the local and online arenas. Whether you’re playing with friends on the couch or across the world the game runs smooth lacking any slow down or lag. Local matches offer the same modes as single player and allow for up to four players at once on screen. While the screen does get crowded with the action of the races, I was never confused about my own position.
Online play has seen the biggest revamp from previous games, offering a better way to track your progress and giving players the ability to create rooms to race and chat with friends. Players can also set up tournaments with custom rules and download ghost data from other players for time trial matches. The lack of any voice communication between players during races does cause some confusion but it wasn’t enough to ruin any matches.
With so much included in the overall gameplay package, it’s disappointing to find that the character roster is so bare. While the default characters are fine in their own right, the unlockable characters lack any real surprise. By the time the fifth Koopa kid was unlocked I grew disheartened at the lack of any really unique racers.
Mario Kart 8 offer plenty of ways to play, with multiple ways to control ones racer. The Wii U gamepad worked the best for me, giving both motion and gamepad controls. The Wii remotes also offer this, but have an odd button setup when it came to using items. It also became quite annoying when the game resets player control options after every circuit, making player have to pause the game periodically to fix the issue.
Visually the game is remarkable, offering some of the most beautifully rendered environments ever on a Nintendo console. All 32 of the game tracks are presented in an astounding 60 frames per second and in 1080p. Every course offers a unique visual element or effect, the water stages especially succeed in creating an immense level of detail.
The more I played of Mario Kart 8 the more I found it to be the truest form of ‘next-gen’ gaming. Where the PS4 and Xbox One have had more ink spilled talking about either one of them is the true leader of the current console generation, Nintendo has created the first game to really live up to any of those promises. By improving vastly upon previous efforts, Mario Kart 8 has proven itself as something at once mark of the past and a sight of the future.
+ Gameplay additions add depth
+ Online reworked for the best
+ Single player beefed up
+ Beautiful graphics
- Controls wonky
- Lack of any unique characters
9/10
