Mario Kart 8 (Japanese: マリオカート8 Hepburn: Mario Kāto Eito) is a 2014 kart racing game and the eighth major installment in the Mario Kart series, developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console. First announced at E3 2013, the game was released worldwide in late May 2014.
Like other games in the series, in Mario Kart 8, players control characters from the Mario franchise and participate in kart racing on various race tracks, using items to hinder opponents or gain advantages. While incorporating game mechanics originally featured in earlier Mario Kart games, Mario Kart 8 introduces anti-gravity sections that allow players to drive on walls or ceilings. The game features multiple single-player and multiplayer game modes. The game incorporates Miiverse functionality and online multiplayer supported via Nintendo Network.
Mario Kart 8 was a critical and commercial success upon its release, currently holding aggregate critical scores of 88.52% and 88% on GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively. It is the fastest selling Wii U game as of June 30, 2014, with 1.2 million copies sold within the first four days of its release, and 2.82 million copies during its first month. It is the best-selling Wii U game with 7.24 million copies sold. The game has continued to receive post-release patches and downloadable content, including additional characters, vehicles, and tracks, and support for Nintendo's Amiibo line of figurines.
Gameplay:
The game continues the traditional gameplay of the Mario Kart series, in which characters from the Mario universe race against each other in go-karts, attempting to hinder their opponents or improve their racing performance using various tools found in item boxes. 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.
Mario Kart 8's new features include anti-gravity racing, in which certain parts of a track can allow racers to drive on walls and ceilings. 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, Baby Rosalina, and Pink Gold Peach. New items include the Boomerang Flower, which can be thrown to attack players, the Piranha Plant, which attacks nearby racers and obstacles, the Crazy Eight, which gives the user eight 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. There are a total of 48 tracks to race on. 25 of them were created for this game, and 23 appeared in previous Mario Kart games. Only 32 tracks were available at launch, but updates added 16 more.
Along with local multiplayer, Mario Kart 8 supports online multiplayer for up to twelve players, playable with friends, or with strangers both regionally and worldwide, with voice chat support outside of races. Players are able to set up tournaments with fully customizable rules and schedules, download ghost data from friends or top players, and receive stamps for use on Miiverse by beating staff times and completing Grand Prix races. Mario Kart TV lets the player view replay data from other players, including rewind and slow-motion playback functionality, and then upload highlights to YouTube.
The game is compatible with the Wii U GamePad, Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Classic Controller, and Wii Wheel. Players can also use Amiibo figures to unlock Nintendo-themed costumes that can be worn by Miis.
Development:
Initially confirmed in a January 2013 Nintendo Direct presentation, the game was later unveiled at E3 2013. Some members of Bandai Namco Games were given special thanks in the game's credits.
The "8" in the game's logo was designed to resemble a Möbius strip, as with Mario Circuit, one of the tracks in the game. Early in development, the idea of using a drill to penetrate the ground was considered, but was discarded for not being as creative as anti-gravity.
New features and enhancements are added via game updates. The first update, released on August 27, 2014 as Version 2.0, includes rearranged post-race options, an optional course map on the game screen, a player statistics screen, and improved online stability. The second update, released on November 13, 2014 as Version 3.0, adds support for Nintendo's Amiibo figures, allowing players to unlock Mii racing outfits based on other Nintendo characters. The 4.0 update, released on April 23, 2015, added a new 200cc class, a first for the series, and additional racing suits (including several non-Nintendo video game characters) to be unlocked via Amiibo.
As per industry standards for many major games, Mario Kart 8 receives a schedule of product updates via the Internet. This consists of updates to the game application itself for features and bug fixes, as well as downloadable content (DLC) of character and environment data within the game. The first is a free set of Mercedes-Benz-themed vehicles: the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA, 1957 SL 300 Roadster, and 1934 W25 Silver Arrow, which were released on August 27, 2014 as part of the Version 2.0 update. 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, Animal Crossing, F-Zero, and Excitebike. The first DLC pack, released on November 13, 2014 alongside the Version 3.0 update, features Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, and Link as playable characters, while the second pack, released on April 23, 2015 alongside the 4.0 update, features Dry Bowser, Villager, and Isabelle. Additional multi-colored Yoshis and Shy Guys are given to players who purchase both DLC packs.
As of May 2015, the latest version is 4.1, unlocking Mirror and 200cc mode by default, removing the requirement of a gold trophy in every 150cc cup.
Promotion:
Nintendo's launch promotions of Mario Kart 8 included a Limited Edition, which included a Spiny Shell figurine, and special Mario and Luigi themed console bundles, which included a hat, strategy guide, Wii Remote Plus controller, Wii Wheel and GamePad protector. 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. 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, while three karts based on past and present Mercedes-Benz vehicles were added to the game as part of a downloadable update on August 27, 2014. McDonald's released Happy Meal toys based on the game's characters.
Reception:
Critical reception of the game has been positive, scoring 88/100 on Metacritic and 88.40% on GameRankings as of July 10, 2014. Considered by Eurogamer to be "the most vibrant home console racing game in years", the game has been highly praised for its "exquisite details", vast sense of scale, orchestrated soundtrack, and gameplay. Digital Foundry deems it "near perfection" with "phenomenal attention to detail", featuring a "magnificent visual package" and "magical playability". Their technical analysis attributes the game's smoothness of motion and overall gameplay, to its typically high performance of 59 to 60 frames per second, with the split-screen mode's effective 30 frames per second nonetheless comparing favorably to industry standard. GameSpot generally praised the game, but criticized the game's Battle Mode for reusing the game's main race courses instead of presenting uniquely created battle arenas as prior Mario Kart games had done.
Sales : Shortly after the game's UK launch, it was announced that week-on-week Wii U console sales had risen 666% in the country, with Mario Kart 8 bundles accounting for 82% of the units sold. In its first four days on sale, 1.2 million copies were sold worldwide, making it a commercial success, and becoming the fastest selling Wii U game to date. Within a month of the game's release, 2.82 million were sold as of June 30, 2014. More than 1 million copies of Mario Kart 8 were sold in the United States as of August 14, 2014, and over 2 million copies had been sold by the end of June 2015. Worldwide, 3.49 million copies have been sold as of September 30, 2014. As of December 31, 2015, the game has sold 7.24 million copies worldwide, making it the best selling Wii U title at the time.
Legacy : The "Luigi 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 as he goes past. It was featured in several viral YouTube videos and GIF animations, and the phenomenon was covered by WNYW in early June 2014. Moreover, the Luigi death stare was acknowledged by Nintendo during their E3 2014 Digital Event. Venture Beat praised Nintendo's handling of the meme, noting that "It was a slick way of acknowledging fan culture without taking it away from them." Luigi's death stare was nominated for the Best Gaming Moment at the 32nd Golden Joystick Awards.
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