Mario Kart 8
Release Date: May 29, 2014
Arcade, kart racing, Mario, crossover, splitscreen, Nintendo exclusive, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet
OpenCritic
Mario Kart 8 is – despite its name – the eleventh part of the famous arcade racing series from Nintendo, as well as the first installment created for the Wii U console. Once again we can take control of the Nintendo's most famous characters, driving their wacky vehicles.
Mario Kart 8, despite the number in the title, is the eleventh game in the Nintendo’s Mario Kart series, the beginnings of which reach the time of SNES console. It is also the first title in this franchise to be released on Wii U. Once again we are presented with enjoyable arcade racing, with the cast of most famous Nintendo characters taking the wheels of their vehicles – beginning with karts – to compete with each other on fantastic, colorful tracks filled with power-ups.
Gameplay
Many elements present in the previous installments make a return. Among the available vehicles appear motorcycles, introduced in Mario Kart Wii, and gliders, known from the Mario Kart 7. From both of these games originate – respectively – airborne stunts (providing bonuses to speed) and underwater races. Aside from well known boxes with various power-ups, tracks are filled with coins known from Super Mario Kart. Collecting the coins gives us a boost to speed, which becomes progressively bigger as we collect more and more of them. As for new things, Mario Kart 8 introduces anti-gravity races, allowing players to drive on walls or even ceilings, as well as leading to creation of extremely twisted tracks.
Technicalities
The game's 3D graphic, while similar to what we are used to, employs the full potential of the Wii U console. This allowed developers to concentrate on details, such as headlights turning in while we drive through dark places. It is worth to mention that the game runs on 60 fps.
Game modes
An important feature is the multiplayer mode. There can be up to 12 online players on one track, while the local web and split-screen modes can support up to 4 players. Furthermore, the title offers the Mario Kart TV service, thanks to which players can use social network Miiverse to share game records and publish comments under the videos sent by other users.
Last updated on November 27, 2015
Videos and Screens
[1:38] Mario Kart 8 launch trailer
[2:13] Mario Kart 8 baby characters trailer
Game Revolution: 5 / 5 by Daniel Bischoff
I've played enough Mario Kart in my life to know that this is the best version of the venerable kart-racer since the Nintendo 64 era.
VideoGamer: 9 / 10 by Simon Miller
It may just be more Mario Kart, but that continues to be no bad thing.
GameSpot: 8 / 10 by Tom Mc Shea
Mario Kart 8 shifts its focus from chaotic weapons to precise driving, and that makes this one of the most rewarding entries in the series.
GAMERS Score
Average score from 985 votes. 39 players anticipated the game.
10
GAMES
in Mario Kart Game Series
Game Series
Mario Kart Series
Highly popular series of arcade racers with characters from the universe Mario Bros. The series was created by the Nintendo corporation as a spin-off of the brand Super Mario Bros.
10 video games
Mario Kart 8 Summary
Platforms:
Nintendo Wii U
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