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Nobody ever pines for Mario Kart. There might only be one new entry to every Nintendo platform, but Mario Kart games have an undeniable affinity with millions of people worldwide that makes them among the easiest and most enjoyable games to play over and over again. For many, the excitement and hilarity of local multiplayer games can't be topped, while others will find hours of enjoyment in the competitive online modes introduced in recent years. The series has evolved over time, with new mechanics or modes introduced in almost every game since its debut in 1992, but the games have always remained immensely enjoyable. The legacy continues on Wii U with Mario Kart 8, which builds strongly on its two predecessors.
We make that point because Mario Kart 8, despite being its own game, is reminiscent of Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 in numerous ways. Of course, it's also reminiscent of the other five, but Nintendo has clearly been keen to build upon the foundations created by what are arguably two of the most standout games in the entire series: Mario Kart Wii introduced the ability to race on bikes, as well as 12-player online multiplayer; Mario Kart 7 let players race underwater and through the air, while also building on the online modes and introducing custom communities for online multiplayer races. All of the above returns in Mario Kart 8 alongside anti-gravity, an incredible new mechanic that makes it feel more rock-and-roll than any other game in the series.
Anti-gravity serves a greater purpose than just being able to drive on the walls and ceiling, though: it gives Mario Kart 8 a much greater feeling of freedom, something that's helped by the introduction of the Spin Turbo, a move that gives two colliding drivers a speed boost while racing in anti-gravity. The entire game feels noticeably quicker and more fluid than previous Mario Kart titles, a feeling helped significantly by anti-gravity and Spin Turbos as well as by the finer details, such as the little speed boosts afforded to you by picking up coins or the urgency with which Lakitu returns you to the track should you fall off. There are also plenty of opportunities to perform little stunts, resulting in quick speed boosts in anti-gravity and on solid ground.
In fact, anti-gravity is so well implemented that it sits very comfortably within the game, almost as though it was meant to be part of the core Mario Kart experience. Mario Kart 8 stays true to the modern series, providing a total of 32 tracks to race on, 16 of which are new and 16 of which are returning. That makes for a total of eight grands prix, two of which are available at the very start of the game while the other six are easily unlockable. A record number of characters - 30 in total - are playable, and again, 16 of those are available from the beginning with the other 14 unlocked by winning grands prix. Vehicles are customisable, as they were in Mario Kart 7, and you can choose from different chassis, wheels, and gliders to build your preferred kart, bike, or all-terrain vehicle, the latter of which is a new subset of karts with three different chassis to choose from.
There are plenty of different modes to be trying out, whether you're playing alone or with friends and whether you're playing offline or online. Offline, you can choose any of the eight grands prix to play in either single-player or multiplayer, or you can take part in versus races where you get complete control over the rules used and the number of races run. The same applies in the new battle mode, which has undergone a significant change: gone are the bespoke battle arenas, replaced with eight tracks from the main game, giving you free roam in order to pop as many of your opponents' balloons as you can in a set period of time. Lone players can also take on the traditional time trial mode to set their own times, take on staff ghosts, and share their own ghosts with others around the world and on Miiverse.
When taking to the track online, you have the option to take on players from your own region, from all over the world, or from your Friend List. You can also take on people you've raced against before, or you can take part in a tournament, setting up the rules however you like. You can also play two-player online, which will let you pick a Mii for the second player before picking from the same set of options. Online play is a completely seamless experience, whether you're playing on a regional or worldwide scale and regardless of whether you're racing or battling. As before, you'll gain or lose ranking points depending on how well you perform, and you'll begin with 1000 points each for races and battles. You're also able to select custom rules before going online, allowing you to set the items or vehicles used, though you're not quite as likely to find other competitors this way; the best way to set up your own rules for online racing is by setting up tournaments.
Multiplayer is obviously Mario Kart's headline act, and Mario Kart 8 provides a phenomenal experience both offline and online. In local multiplayer, the options remain the same regardless of how many people are playing, which means you can even take part in a four-player grand prix if you want. When playing versus races, you're able to set your own rules beforehand, including the number of races to be run. A big change in this entry is that, when there are two players, the screen is split vertically instead of horizontally, giving you a slightly better view of the track in front of you compared to a horizontal split. Team play also returns, allowing you to split into red and blue teams, though this time you'll be affected by items regardless of which team you're in, whereas you previously wouldn't have been spun out by items left by your team members.
A wide variety of control options are also available, letting you pick from almost every option available on Wii U. You can choose from the Wii U GamePad, the Wii U Pro Controller, the Wii Remote on its side (Wii Wheel optional), the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or the Classic Controller Pro. Motion controls are also optional for players using either the GamePad or Wii Remote and Nunchuk, while they're naturally required for anyone using the Wii Remote on its own to steer your vehicle. Players of either Mario Kart Wii or Mario Kart 7 will instantly feel at home with the controls in Mario Kart 8, as they stay effectively the same as before. There is one minor change: on the GamePad and Pro Controller, the right Control Stick replaces A and B, pushing up to accelerate or down to reverse, but the controls otherwise remain almost exactly the same as in Mario Kart 7.
In the space of less than three years, Mario Kart has become an incredible social experience, aided greatly by Miiverse as well as the brand new Mario Kart TV application found within Mario Kart 8. Of course, Miiverse is a fantastic addition to many Wii U titles, allowing players to talk about games and share their experiences, but Mario Kart TV builds on that even further. Every single race you take part in offline will be cut into a highlight reel and will also give you the opportunity to edit the reel as you like, setting the camera on up to four drivers with one to focus on specifically, as well as choosing from different video lengths and sound options. If you're patient, you can also upload your highlight reels to YouTube as long as you have a Google account, and you can even choose to share those videos on Miiverse once they've uploaded. You can also unlock up to 90 stamps, some by using characters and beating staff ghosts, to use in Miiverse posts.
Mario Kart TV is a fantastic new scheme which brings replays closer to the forefront of Mario Kart than ever before, and the quality of highlight reels is very impressive. You can select your six favourite highlight reels to save in Mario Kart TV, or watch your twelve most recent reels through the Mario Kart TV application on the game's main menu. You can also watch recent or popular worldwide videos, look through your friends' shared videos, or videos shared from your favourite online tournaments. The entire setup is fantastic, and it paves the way for a phenomenal Mario Kart TV experience in the future; this, we hope, is a service that'll continue on into future Mario Kart games and onto more platforms as well.
The presentation throughout the entire game is as sublime as you'd expect, and Nintendo hasn't cut any corners when it comes to the phenomenal visuals or the soundtrack either. Menus are very well laid-out and there are no superfluous questions asked; when playing multiplayer, players are just asked to join, rather than you having to confirm the overall number of players beforehand. Online play is much quicker than before thanks to the immediacy of Nintendo Network, and Miiverse is easy to access as well. More could perhaps have been done with the GamePad screen, though off-TV play is obviously a welcome inclusion and we're also thankful for the map's move to the GamePad as well, making for a much clearer gameplay screen. The orchestrated soundtrack is a joy to listen to, with more new music being added in Mario Kart 8 than in any other game in the series; even the new versions of old favourites breathe fresh air into each and every retro track.
On the subject of the tracks themselves, it's possible that the development team has outdone itself here, as the variety in the 32 tracks leaves little - if anything at all - to be desired. We previously had a little moan that Royal Raceway from Mario Kart 64 had been left out of the equation in Mario Kart 7; it's back in fine form in Mario Kart 8, and we're very happy about that. It's joined by fantastic retro tracks including Mario Kart Wii's Moo Moo Meadows and Grumble Volcano, Mario Kart 64's Toad's Turnpike and Yoshi Valley, Dry Dry Desert from Double Dash!!, Melody Motorway from Mario Kart 7, and - of course - N64 Rainbow Road. (Yes, we just mentioned all four returning N64 tracks, but they're all brilliant, so we don't care.) As for the new tracks, there are some phenomenal designs, particularly the futuristic Rainbow Road and the gorgeous Cloudtop Cruise, but we're also partial to many of the rest. Truth be told, Mario Kart 8 has one of the best selections so far when it comes to the tracks, and they'll keep you busy for hours.
Mario Kart 8 also includes four brand new items, which fit in nicely amongst a plethora of returning favourites. The most useful new arrival is the Super Horn, which can be used to spin out other racers in close proximity and even shatter shells - including Spiny Shells - that try to get between you and the finish line. Also new are the Piranha Plant, which will clear your path of obstacles, including other racers; the popular Boomerang Flower from the 3D Mario platformers, letting you throw a boomerang in front of you two or three times before it finally flies off for good; and the Crazy Eight, which gives you a choice of eight different items. Racers higher up the field - even as high as third, we've noticed at times - will sometimes get more valuable items like triple shells or even the occasional invincibility star now, making for very interesting races at the front.
There are already plenty of incredibly single-player experiences on Wii U and some great multiplayer offerings as well, but as far as the latter is concerned, you'll be hard pressed to find anything that can better Mario Kart 8. The incredible longevity of it is clear even now, just at its launch, and its brilliant gameplay never gets old. It's a testament to the entire series that it can surprise people even now, and the inclusion of features like anti-gravity and Mario Kart TV just prove that.
Not only does Mario Kart 8 feel quicker than any other Mario Kart game, it feels much better to play with any controller and it's always so much fun to play. Nothing has been done in halves; every single mode has been polished to within an inch of its life, leaving the entire game feeling like the ultimate Mario Kart experience if ever there was one. This is an absolute must for any Wii U owners and one game which we have absolutely no doubt will log endless hours for years - if not decades, like its oldest predecessors - to come.
