A combination of fun, fairness, beauty and joy, Mario Kart 8 is absolutely brilliant. A botched battle mode and some missing online features stop it short of perfection, but it's hard to imagine any Mario Kart game looking, playing, or sounding better.
Mario Kart 82014
Mario Kart 8
2014 Nintendo88Great
Playtime
ModerateTypically 20 hours
Playable on
Game modes
- 2–5 players
Details
- Launch
- May 29, 2014
- Publisher
- Nintendo
Overview
Mario Kart 8 is a kart racing game in which players control characters from the Mario universe and other Nintendo franchises. Racers compete on themed tracks using power-ups found in item boxes to gain advantages or hinder opponents. The game introduces anti-gravity sections where players drive on walls and ceilings, gaining speed boosts from collisions. It supports up to twelve players online, four locally on one system, and features modes including Grand Prix racing and arena-based battles. Vehicle customization allows players to mix kart bodies, wheels, and gliders. The Nintendo Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, includes all previous downloadable content, a revamped battle mode with dedicated arenas, and accessibility features for newer players.
Screenshots
Reception
Press88
Great- Metacritic88from 82 reviews
- OpenCritic88from 78 reviews
Much more than a dolled-up version of its predecessors, Mario Kart 8's new features and refinements make a stale series fun again.
While I do wish certain mechanics such as two-racer teams and character exclusive specials would have made the list, and many gamers might be disappointed with the partial voice chat, 8 is still an excellent entry that should not be missed.
Mario Kart 8 is a slick and gorgeous-looking kart racer that's perfectly solid but not always as exciting or addictive as we've come to expect from the series.
Nintendo has put a lot of effort into making Mario Kart 8 the best it can be, and it almost got there with the end result being a gorgeous kart racer that innovates while staying true to its beloved formula. If there wasn't previously a reason to own a Wii U then there is now, and gamers will be hard-struck to find a more complete Wii U experience than...
