Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Wii U)

Best Mariocart so far grest circuits and in hd. Like being able to customise carts go under waster and glide.

Great family game

Another system, another Mario Kart. The question is not whether youre excited for this release, but how excited you actually are. The game has been previewed so well up to now (Putting Nintendos efforts for earlier Wii U titles to shame), now that I can easily summarise the main advantages of this title without too much detail. First, the visuals are simply dazzling. This is easily the best looking Wii U game yet, and all at a smooth 60 frames per second in single player mode - the result of which is motion that appears almost lifelike, and even more responsive to your input. Second, there is greater replay value. The driver can try to attain all the available Stamps, unlock able characters and vehicle parts that are otherwise hidden. Which leads onto the next feature... Customisable vehicles. It had to happen at some point and it just doesnt disappoint - the vehicle body, wheels and parachute each have an affect on performance, so you have a greater responsibility to not just build the best looking car! And what about the games soundtrack? Its a real pleasure to crank up the volume now, especially since a good majority (but not all) of the course theme songs are live band recordings. This is a nice contrast to the synthesised/MIDI compositions of the past, which tended to drive one round the bend after a period of time... A revamped online lobby is also featured, but there is a glaring exception and it is one that will no doubt ruffle a few feathers. Arenas in Battle Mode are gone, with standard race tracks in their place. The consequences of this are quite mind-boggling and very unlike Nintendo, given the popularity of Battle Mode. One of the important features of an arena is that a driver can have a greater set of tactics; these are not linear environments, yet they have clear boundaries and obstacles that cant be replicated on a race track. The director of this game suggested that players wont know when a rival will appear from around a corner, which will bring a new sense of excitement and strategy to this mode - yet he has overlooked the fact that you can view the Map at any time. The likelihood is that the developers had a tight schedule and didnt have the time to implement the arenas. Perhaps theyll be available in a future content download... Never the less, Mario Kart 8 represents fun, clean video gaming at its finest. There is a point to be made that many other exceptional games continue to lay unnoticed on the Wii U, but this racing title could finally be the system seller that Nintendo have desperately needed.

Fab game and hours of fun thanks

Tres bon jeu

Although this game looks beautiful (not the point of Mario Kart), the level of enjoyment seems to have been of secondary concern to the designers. The offline mode is not without its charm but nowadays a multi player game should be judged on its online mode, and this is where Mario Kart 8 is a real let down. The level of lag, even with the utterly useless lan adapter, makes this game unplayable. The carefully constructed physics seem to go out of the window into general melee. People vanishing from positions and reappearing over the line ahead of you; power-ups disappearing; short cuts not working; items taking ages become available when scrolling through, and more, all make this game couch thumpingly infuriating. This wouldnt be as bad if I didnt know that Nintendo WILL NOT update this game to correct these issues. Lazy.

Mario kart same as the old ones with a twist

My 8yo son loves the game.

ok

Plays as good as it looks. Cant type more, I need to get back to Mario Kart 8 racing... :)