Mario Kart 8[lower-alpha 2] is a kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U in May 2014. It retains Mario Kart series game mechanics, where players control Mario franchise characters in kart racing, collecting a variety of items to hinder opponents or gain advantages in the race. Mario Kart 8 introduces anti-gravity driving on walls or ceilings, and allows players to bump into each other for a short boost. It has single-player and multiplayer modes, including online via the Nintendo Network.

Mario Kart 8
Cover art depicting Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Bowser
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Kosuke Yabuki
Producer(s)	Hideki Konno Yasuyuki Oyagi
Programmer(s)	Yusuke Shiraiwa
Artist(s)	Masaaki Ishikawa
Composer(s)	Shiho Fujii Atsuko Asahi Ryo Nagamatsu Yasuaki Iwata
Series	Mario Kart
Platform(s)	Wii U
Release	JP: May 29, 2014 WW: May 30, 2014
Genre(s)	Kart racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Mario Kart 8 was a critical and commercial success. Critics praised its new additions, tracks, graphics, gameplay, and orchestrated soundtrack, but criticized its limited battle mode. It is the best-selling Wii U game, with more than eight million copies sold worldwide. Nintendo continued to release patches and downloadable content, including additional characters, vehicles, and tracks, and support for Nintendo's Amiibo figurines.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an enhanced version for the Nintendo Switch, was released in April 2017, with critics lauding the expanded battle mode. It became one of the best-selling Switch games. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is among the best-selling video games, with more than 46 million copies sold as of 2022.

Gameplay

Like other Mario Kart games, Mario Kart 8 sees characters from the Mario universe race in go-karts, attempting to hinder their opponents or improve their performance using power-ups found in item boxes. It includes four different difficulties, each differing in speed, which can be selected before beginning the race to challenge players. Returning features from previous installments include motorbikes and 12-player racing from Mario Kart Wii, as well as hang gliders, underwater racing and vehicle customization from Mario Kart 7.

New features include anti-gravity racing, in which certain parts of a track can allow racers to drive on walls and ceilings.[1] During these sections, players can bump into other racers or special bumpers to trigger a Spin Boost, which gives them an extra speed boost. New characters include the Koopalings and Pink Gold Peach. There are four new items: the Boomerang Flower, which can be thrown to attack players, the Piranha Plant, which attacks nearby racers and obstacles and provides a speed boost, the Crazy Eight, which gives the user eight different items, and the Super Horn, which can be used both to attack nearby opponents and defend against items, including the previously nearly unavoidable Spiny Shell.[2][3] The game features 32 tracks spread across eight cups, with an additional 16 tracks later released as downloadable content (DLC) in four additional cups.

Along with local multiplayer, Mario Kart 8 supports online multiplayer with up to twelve players and voice chat outside of races; however, voice chat is only available with friends online. Before Nintendo's Miiverse social network was discontinued on November 7, 2017, players could set up tournaments with customizable rules and schedules, post race videos there, and earn art stamps for decorating Miiverse messages by beating staff times and completing Grand Prix races. Miiverse features have been removed from the game, although downloading ghost data from friends or top players is still possible.

Mario Kart 8 is compatible with the Wii U GamePad, Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Classic Controller, and Wii Wheel.[4]

Development

Initially confirmed in a January 2013 Nintendo Direct presentation, Mario Kart 8 was unveiled at E3 2013. Some members of Bandai Namco Games received special thanks in the credits.[5] The "8" in the logo was designed to resemble a Möbius strip, as was Mario Circuit, one of the tracks.[4] Early in development, the idea of using a drill to penetrate the ground was considered but was quickly discarded for not being as interesting as anti-gravity.[6]

New features and enhancements were added via game updates. The first update, released in August 2014, included rearranged post-race options, an optional course map, a player statistics screen, and improved online stability.[7] The second update, released in November 2014, added support for Nintendo's Amiibo figures, allowing players to unlock Mii racing outfits based on other Nintendo characters.[8] The third update, released in April 2015, added a new extra-fast 200cc difficulty class, a first for the series, and additional racing suits unlockable via Amiibo.

Additional characters and tracks were released as downloadable content. The first was a free set of Mercedes-Benz-themed vehicles: the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA, 1957 SL 300 Roadster, and 1934 W25 Silver Arrow, which was released on August 27, 2014, as part of the Version 2.0 update.[7] On August 26, 2014, Nintendo announced two purchasable DLC packs, with each pack containing three additional characters, four additional vehicles, and eight additional tracks; some of which are based on other Nintendo franchises, including The Legend of Zelda (Hyrule Circuit), Animal Crossing (Animal Crossing), F-Zero (Mute City and Big Blue), and Excitebike (Excitebike Arena). The first DLC pack, released in November 2014, features Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, and Link as playable characters. The second pack, released in April 2015, features Dry Bowser, Villager, and Isabelle. Additional multi-colored Yoshis and Shy Guys are included with both DLC packs.[9][10]

Promotion

Nintendo's launch promotions of Mario Kart 8 include a Limited Edition with a Spiny Shell figurine; and special Mario and Luigi themed console bundles, with a hat, strategy guide, Wii Remote Plus controller, Wii Wheel, and GamePad protector.[11] In North America, Europe, and Australia, players who purchased and registered Mario Kart 8 on Club Nintendo before July 31, 2014, received a free download code for a selected Wii U game.[12][13] As part of a promotional campaign with Mercedes-Benz, Mario, Luigi, and Peach were featured in a series of Japanese commercials for the Mercedes-Benz GLA, and three karts based on past and present Mercedes-Benz vehicles were added as part of a downloadable update on August 27, 2014.[7][14][15] In 2014, fast food company McDonald's released Happy Meal-branded toys based on the characters and karts.[16]

A soundtrack album containing 68 tracks from the game was made available as an exclusive reward available to Club Nintendo members shortly preceding the service's discontinuation in 2015.[17]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an enhanced Nintendo Switch version, released worldwide on April 28, 2017.[18] It includes all previously released DLC, additional content, gameplay tweaks, 1080p graphics while docked,[19][20] and 720p in handheld mode.[20] Some features in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are reworked or restored from previous Mario Kart games. Battle Mode now has eight new arenas and several gameplay modes; replacing the original, which used the racing tracks as arenas. The Boo and Feather items were restored, and players can store two items at once, up from the initial one. Five additional playable characters were added to the roster, including Bowser Jr., Dry Bones, King Boo, the Inkling Boy and Girl from Splatoon, and an unlockable Gold Mario costume for Metal Mario. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also includes a new Splatoon racing suit for Mii characters unlocked via Amiibo, and additional kart parts for customization.[18] Nintendo's head of software development, Shinya Takahashi, confirmed in July 2018 that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe would receive further updates,[21] with the first, a new vehicle and alternate costume for Link based on those seen in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, being released the same month.[22] A later update added support for Nintendo Labo peripherals as compatible controllers.[23] Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also received DLC known as the Booster Course Pass, which adds 48 additional tracks split into six waves set to be released by the end of 2023.[24]

Reception

Mario Kart 8 received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[25] Described by Eurogamer as "the most vibrant home console racing game in years", it was praised for its "exquisite details", vast sense of scale, orchestrated soundtrack, and gameplay.[30] Digital Foundry deemed it "near perfection" with "phenomenal attention to detail", featuring a "magnificent visual package" and "magical playability". Their technical analysis attributes the smoothness of motion and overall gameplay to the typically high performance of 60 frames per second (FPS), with the split-screen mode's effective 30 FPS nonetheless comparing favorably with industry standard.[52] GameSpot praised the game, but criticized its battle mode for reusing the main race courses instead of bespoke battle arenas as prior Mario Kart games had done.[33]

Internet meme

"Luigi's death stare" is an Internet meme describing the automatic facial expression displayed by Luigi toward other characters upon attacking or passing them during a race, in which he gives them a disapproving glare in passing. It was featured in several viral YouTube videos and animated GIFs,[53][54][55][56] and the phenomenon was covered by WNYW in early June 2014.[57][58] The meme was acknowledged by Nintendo during their E3 2014 digital event.[59] Venture Beat praised Nintendo's handling of the meme, noting that it was a "slick way" of acknowledging fan culture.[60] The meme was nominated for the Best Gaming Moment at the 32nd Golden Joystick Awards.[61]

Sales

In its first four days on sale, Mario Kart 8 became the fastest-selling Wii U game, with more than 1.2 million copies sold worldwide.[62] Within a month, it increased to 2.82 million.[63] By the end of September 2021, more than 8.46 million copies were sold worldwide, making it the best-selling Wii U game.[64][65] Based on the sales data, more than half of Wii U owners own a copy.[66] In the United Kingdom, shortly after the release of Mario Kart 8, week-on-week Wii U console sales rose 662%, with Mario Kart 8 bundles accounting for 82% of consoles sold.[67]

Awards

Readers and staff of Eurogamer voted Mario Kart 8 their game of the year,[68][69] and GameSpot gave it the award of "Best Wii U Game".[70] It was nominated for "Best Wii U Exclusive" in GameTrailers' 2014 Game of the Year Awards;[71] for "Best Game" in Giant Bomb's 2014 Game of the Year Awards;[72] and for "Overall Game of the Year" and "Wii U Retail Game of the Year" in Nintendo Life's Reader Awards 2014,[73] and it won both awards for both categories in their Staff Awards 2014.[74] It won "Game of the Year" by The Guardian.[75] In IGN's Best of 2014 Awards, it was nominated for "Best Multiplayer" and "Best Racing",[76][77] and won the award for "Best Wii U Game".[78]

Notes

References

External links

• Official website

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