Mario Kart 8 Hands On Impressions
Mario Kart is a favorite among many Mario and Nintendo fans. Just when the series seems to have received the best title in the franchise yet, Nintendo comes out with another Kart game that tops the last. This is no different in the newest addition to the Mario Kart series, Mario Kart 8.
This E3 brought the announcement of Mario Kart 8. This new Mario Kart is not just an updated version of Mario Kart Wii or Mario Kart 7 but is in fact much more than that. Mario Kart 8 features updated graphics and a few additions to the gameplay. Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U will include not only the gliding and underwater mechanics from Mario Kart 7 on the 3DS but also includes anti-gravity!
In Mario Kart 8 anti-gravity sections of the track will allow Mario Kart players to drive on the walls and ceilings of the track which will open up a whole new realm of possibilities for track design. There could be entire tracks that will turn racers on their heads and there may even be new, unique items that could possibly alter the gameplay. The anti-gravity portions of the tracks are a lot of fun to play and I can only imagine how frantic the races will get when playing among friends.
The gliding and underwater mechanics seem like the have remained the same as they were in Mario Kart 7. The only difference I noticed in Mario Kart 8 is that while gliding the controls seem a little more floaty which isn’t a bad thing but rather make the Karts feel like they are actually gliding and less like flying. I am very excited to see how the new mechanics and the possibility of new items will change the way Mario Kart 8 plays.
Aside from the gameplay, the graphics in Mario Kart 8 were just as amazing. The tracks and environment were stunning, the character models looked amazing, and the fire in the game look almost lifelike. While the graphics are never quite as important as gameplay to me, it was very nice to see that Nintendo gave Mario Kart the best treatment possible when it came down to the graphics.
I have big hopes for Mario Kart 8 and I really hope that Nintendo either provides a large number of tracks or at least plans on expanding on the game through DLC. Mario Kart 8 is shaping up to be the best Mario Kart title yet and I have only had a chance to play it for a few brief moments. I can only imagine how well this new Mario Kart will do once it hits store shelves and gamers have a chance to really get into the meat of the game. There is still no hard release date for Mario Kart 8 but it was announced that the new Mario Kart for Wii U will be available Spring 2014.
June 16, 2013
While I like the crazy tracks, from a driver’s perspective you don’t really notice what’s going on since the camera rotates such that it looks like you are always driving on the ground. In watching people play during the Best Buy E3 Experience, it looked like so much more of the same with prettier graphics. And I mean PRETTY graphics.
June 16, 2013
Looks great, even though I hate the name.
June 17, 2013
I agree with you, TrevG1. Nintendo has some SERIOUS name problems. Let me list the worst names Nintendo has given their recent Mario games:
-New Super Mario Bros.
-New Super Mario Bros. Wii
-New Super Mario Bros. 2
-New Super Mario Bros. U
-Yoshi’s New Island
-Mario Kart 7
-Super Mario 3D World (I hate it when people just take out a word, add a new one, and claim that it’s “original.”
-New Super Luigi U
What’s with the news? You know, if Nintendo doesn’t change their names beginning next year, I’m just going to have to barge in their HQ and slap some sense into them.