Nintendo - 2014 - WiiU
I haven't quite figured out the difference between Nintendo and Activision. Why is it that Nintendo can continue remaking the same games over and over again and garner praise and fan worship while Activision is demonized for doing the same thing while running its franchises into the ground? (See Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Call of Duty). Is it the amount of effort/quality put in to each sequel? Is it the time between releases? Like it or hate it, I think Nintendo has perfected the art of iterative remakes and have applied their remaking expertise on the latest Mario Kart
So what's new in Mario Kart 8? It's the first Mario Kart game in true HD, and it looks very pretty. The new instant replay feature is a nice addition, but the touted hover-karts are mostly a gimmick with no really interesting affects on gameplay. If you include DLC, MK8 boasts the highest number of playable characters and the highest number of courses in any Mario Kart game. Priced reasonably at $7.99, the MK8 DLC pack includes 3 new characters. 4 new vehicles and 8 new tracks. The MK8 DLC is nice, high quality DLC done the right way. There's also the free 200cc DLC which unlocks mirror mode and the uncomfortably fast 200cc mode for those who enjoy an extra challenge.
Kart customization plays a big role in MK8. When selecting your vehicle, you must pick a body type, a size (small, med, large), a set of tires, and a glider. All of these decisions have an effect on your kart's stats which can be viewed by pressing the start button while customizing your vehicle. I've found that having a good kart build that comfortably suits your playstyle can determine your success in MK8.
So I'm a big fan of Mario Kart 64 and its battle mode in particular. I think most Mario Kart fans would agree that Nintendo hasn't come close to reproducing the brilliance of the MK64 battle mode in any Mario Kart title since, and Mario Kart 8 is no exception. The implementation seems especially lazy in MK 8. They've just copy/pasted some courses verbatim from the racing mode and send some players forward and some players backward on the track which gives a sort of jousting with items feel. Except the courses are WAY too big to make it exciting. When you do finally find an opponent, you just sort of circle around the items and hope you get something good to finish them off. It just doesn't feel right at all. It doesn't have that "thrill of the hunt" feel that is given by the MK 64 tracks that were tailor made for battle mode like Block Fort or Double Deck. MK 8 battle mode is one of those things you try with your friends and then go "eehhh, let's never do that again".
Mario Kart 8 Video Review
Summary
Mario Kart 8 has the biggest roster of playable characters, the largest selection of tracks and is the prettiest looking Mario Kart game yet. The DLC is reasonably priced and packs a lot of bang for the buck. It's a shame the battle mode is total garbage. If Nintendo released a proper battle mode DLC pack, I would buy it in a heartbeat and Mario Kart 8 would likely replace Mario Kart 64 as my all time favorite Mario Kart game.
So what's new in Mario Kart 8? It's the first Mario Kart game in true HD, and it looks very pretty. The new instant replay feature is a nice addition, but the touted hover-karts are mostly a gimmick with no really interesting affects on gameplay. If you include DLC, MK8 boasts the highest number of playable characters and the highest number of courses in any Mario Kart game. Priced reasonably at $7.99, the MK8 DLC pack includes 3 new characters. 4 new vehicles and 8 new tracks. The MK8 DLC is nice, high quality DLC done the right way. There's also the free 200cc DLC which unlocks mirror mode and the uncomfortably fast 200cc mode for those who enjoy an extra challenge.
Kart customization plays a big role in MK8. When selecting your vehicle, you must pick a body type, a size (small, med, large), a set of tires, and a glider. All of these decisions have an effect on your kart's stats which can be viewed by pressing the start button while customizing your vehicle. I've found that having a good kart build that comfortably suits your playstyle can determine your success in MK8.
So I'm a big fan of Mario Kart 64 and its battle mode in particular. I think most Mario Kart fans would agree that Nintendo hasn't come close to reproducing the brilliance of the MK64 battle mode in any Mario Kart title since, and Mario Kart 8 is no exception. The implementation seems especially lazy in MK 8. They've just copy/pasted some courses verbatim from the racing mode and send some players forward and some players backward on the track which gives a sort of jousting with items feel. Except the courses are WAY too big to make it exciting. When you do finally find an opponent, you just sort of circle around the items and hope you get something good to finish them off. It just doesn't feel right at all. It doesn't have that "thrill of the hunt" feel that is given by the MK 64 tracks that were tailor made for battle mode like Block Fort or Double Deck. MK 8 battle mode is one of those things you try with your friends and then go "eehhh, let's never do that again".
Mario Kart 8 Video Review
Summary
Mario Kart 8 has the biggest roster of playable characters, the largest selection of tracks and is the prettiest looking Mario Kart game yet. The DLC is reasonably priced and packs a lot of bang for the buck. It's a shame the battle mode is total garbage. If Nintendo released a proper battle mode DLC pack, I would buy it in a heartbeat and Mario Kart 8 would likely replace Mario Kart 64 as my all time favorite Mario Kart game.
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