Mario Kart 8 - GR Review - Game news at Chat Place

Tuesday, 08 October 2024

Mario Kart 8 - GR Review

Added: 15.05.2014 9:18 | 11 views | 0 comments

Ready? Set. Few games have managed to capture my attention and thumbs like Mario Kart. My aunt got a Nintendo 64 before we did and I remember volunteering to go down the street and water her plants so I could play, but it wasn't until Christmas morning in 1997 that my brother and I got our very first home console. I opened up a yellow M-shaped controller before discovering any games or the hardware itself. What kind of self-proclaimed Nintendo 64 kid ruins the surprise by blowing the order of carefully wrapped presents? Of course, the real surprise was , the latest in the series and the franchise entry for Nintendo's first HD console, is already on its third lap and quickly proving just as playable, engaging, and multiplayer friendly as ever. In fact, the first and second laps are such a blur you might not need any further critique on the game. If you've owned a piece of Nintendo hardware in the past 15 years, you already know how little pole position means in Mario Kart, much less what changes with each new release. It's what has stayed the same that satisfies most in split-screen and online multiplayer. Single-player racers can enter Grand Prix cups and race on either four brand new tracks or four throwback tracks in a series. In total, Mario Kart 8 offers 32 circuits for up to four players via split-screen or up to 12 online. It's not the first time Mario Kart has taken to the Internet for expanded competition, but much improved net code also allows for two players on the same couch to race with others around the world. YouÄ‚ËĂ˘â€šÂ¬Ă˘â€žËll never want for multiplayer competition in Mario Kart 8, though the gameÄ‚ËĂ˘â€šÂ¬Ă˘â€žËs menu screen belies the depth of racing action you might expect from the title. With only single player, multiplayer, a Miiverse community outlet, and little else accessible from the main menu, you might think this Mario Kart incredibly shallow. It isnÄ‚ËĂ˘â€šÂ¬Ă˘â€žËt exactly chockfull of surprises, but the real value is in the roster of racers, the variety of race tracks, and just how easily you'll slip into old rivalries with friends and family (or time trial ghosts from developers and others online). All of your favorite Nintendo characters are available to choose from, plus a few you probably wouldn't waste a red shell on. Joining Mario and Luigi is the usual cadre of baddies, baby versions of some of your favorites, metal versions of Mario and Peach, and a whole gang of Bowser's minions that I passed for favorites like Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Shy Guy. Characters have different weights and speed ratings among other stats, but you'll be able to guess at base numerics just by looking at one of Nintendo's iconically designed racers.