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Mario Kart 8
Wii U
Eight is Great! Also $%!*&@
4/5 stars
Considering how "meh" I personally felt about the last two console versions of Mario Kart, I didn't know if this either iteration was going to be any better. Despite driving my cussing ration to an all-time high (or top ten at least), I have to say I enjoyed this version a lot - and Nintendo may not have saved the WiiU with this one, but it certainly is one of the best (if not the best) game for the system - especially when you have friends involved.
Presentation: Mario Kart has always been pretty vibrant and colorful, but the WiiU really makes things pop. From the racers to the tracks - everything looks pretty stunning and has to be some of the best graphics on the system thus far. But beyond the looks, the sound effects, the music, even the annoying phrases for each characters - Nintendo really pulled out all the stops for this one. And we can't forget Luigi's Death Stare - the meme may have fast run its course, but whoever was responsible for that design - genius. This is a game that is just as much fun to watch as it is to play - whether is is an astounding "I-can't-believe-I-barely-won-this-race" or the complete opposite of "I can't believe how badly I got item raped" - each race has the added ability of being an instant classic.
Story: No kidnapped princesses, no hidden items to collect, no bosses to slay - it's straight up racing (you do get stars and a trophy if you do well, however). Mario Kart has never had a story and probably never will.
Gameplay: A great mix of the classics, mixed in with some new tricks - some that work, others that don't. Driving has evolved from simple controller to wheel to Wiimote and Nunchuck and now to Gamepad - pick your poison. I raced exclusively with the Nunchuck and WiiMote - I am used to it and didn't even want to glance at the Gamepad. This time around you can actually choose different parts of your vehicle (Kart or Bike, Wheels, Glider) all of which provide some change you your stats (Speed, Acceleration, Handling, Traction, Weight). Speed and Acceleration are really the only two stats I worried about - especially as I used Wario as my character of choice - getting the fat man up to speed is crucially, as is maintaining a lead (if I managed to get one).
But aside from some customization, the other factor is your class - the baby characters seem pretty useless overall - and even the lightweight class is sketchy for me - I prefer the heavy class - medium is blah too. Then you have the items - from glorious to useless - you'll get them all. The dreaded Coin item pops up way too much when you're trying to either maintain your lead or are near the top trying to catch up. When I'm in fifth place - I hate getting this item - heck, I hate getting this item at all - and I especially hate it when I get it like, three or four times in a row. There are more useful items - the Blue Shell makes a comeback, and you have the 8 Item Loop of Death - that it, it will either grant you an excellent chance to catch up (a Star, Red Shell, Blooper, Green Shell, Mushroom, Banana, Bob-omb and... yes a coin) or you'll fall back, like, five places because you used your mushroom to shoot yourself over an edge and then blew up yourself with the Bob-omb. Like life, Mario Kart is always unpredicable (light getting hit with lightning just as you're about to go over a ramp). I do like the Fire Flower and the Piranha Plant is fun (if a bit annoying at times). The horn item (meant to block the Blue Shell) is almost never granted to you in first place (though I did manage to block one Blue Shell successfully) - it is best used for crowd control - that is, knocking a bunch of racers all out at once (or one annoying one who may be crowding you).
The tracks are a nice mix of new and remixed old - you can drive underwater, fly through the air and still cut corners but Mario Kart 8 adds in anti-gravity. These sections control a bit different - if you bump into players you both get a boost (certain obstacles to the same thing) - but drifting is bit harder to do. I don't know if it adds all that much to the game, but it's something alright. Like previous installments the game has three classes (plus a Mirror Mode) and while the first two are all fun and games, 150cc is the devil's playground. The AI gets incredibly fast - you get a hit a lot more by "random" items and one slip can mean the difference between a Gold Trophy and Lakitu clapping at your utter failure as a human. But it sure does up the ante in cussing vocabulary - I would cite examples, but then this review would be rated NC-17. That being said, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Replayability: Do Kart Racers ever really get old? Aside from the different classes and various cups and multiple characters to choose from, you have Time Trials and Battle Mode as well. This is literally a game you could just pick up and play any time, regardless if you've raced ten times or ten thousand - heck, it even has a decent online mode. Aces all around.
Overall: As far as kart racing goes, Mario Kart is still the pinnacle of fun. Grab some friends, settle in for some fun and try not to swear so much.
Presentation: 4/5
Story: N/A
Gameplay: 4/5
Replayability: 5/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
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