While I may have a few problems and nitpicks with this game, Mario Kart 8 still proves to be an absolutely phenomenal installment in the Mario Kart series. It's fast-paced, hectic, inventive and it's a good time every time you play it.
The first thing I'm going to delve into is presentation, as that seems to attract most buyers at first glance. In that regard, Mario Kart 8 has succeeded. The visuals are extremely colorful and polished (not to mention really shiny, seems to be a theme with EAD developed Wii U games), and the music is catchy, foot-tapping excellence. A lot of the time I'm distracted by either the gorgeous graphics or the catchy music, and I'll drive off a cliff. Is that a problem? Nah.
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| An example of the glorious 1080p visuals of Mario Kart 8. |
In terms of core gameplay, when it comes to Mario Kart most people will say "If you've played one, you've played them all". With Mario Kart 8, that isn't the case. It introduces several new gameplay mechanics, making the game feel like a fresh new experience. The anti-gravity racing is fun, and the spin-boosting can either give you a competitive edge or a chance to cooperate. Above all though, Mario Kart 8 is probably the most fast-paced Mario Kart game since Double Dash!!, in my opinion. It's incredibly fun.
However, as fun as the game is, it has problems, mainly with balancing. Some of the items, like the Fire Flower, are very over-powered. The Crazy 8 should've been a rare find in item blocks, but you'll find them often, giving the player an unfair advantage too many times because of them showing up so much. Some of the kart combinations can be extremely broken, and in the Mario Kart 8 Direct, they said "When it comes to Bikes vs. Karts, it depends on the course". The bike is still faster and better in every way. But that's from my observations.
When it comes to content and unlockables, the stages are fun to play on, both the ones you start off with and the ones you unlock. One thing I really enjoyed about Mario Kart 8 is how they tweaked the retro stages to have some of Mario Kart 8's new mechanics, it was a nice touch. I didn't enjoy, however, how the Koopalings and the strange baby and metal characters over-saturated the roster, though. Overall, there was enough content to enjoy for me.
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| Mario Kart 8's roster. |
Online play was the feature I anticipated the most in Mario Kart 8, and it didn't disappoint. The strange rubber-banding from Mario Kart Wii's online is gone, and it is much easier to create and join matches. I really had no complaints with the core online play. I don't really understand the tournaments however, they seem to be a step down from Kart Wii's, with not many custom features when it comes to making a tournament. It's pretty sad, but I'll play around with it some more.
Mario Kart TV is pathetic. I mean, sure, you can watch entire races over again, but when it comes to creative control, it only allows you to make highlight reels. and with very limited editing options, at that. It's pitiful, and that's all there is to say.
All in all, Mario Kart 8 is still a fantastic experience, and if you want to have a good time with friends, online or offline, buy this game.
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