Mario Kart 8

 Wii U
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2023 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,789 out of 2023
  2. Mixed: 86 out of 2023
  3. Negative: 148 out of 2023
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  1. rushiosan
    Oct 29, 2014
    6
    A 10/10 game if you look back at what the franchise achieved since 1990's, but a 6/10 in a matter of gameplay.

    Mario Kart 8 suffers from major problems of item balancing and the gap between skill / luck that spoiled previous entries, but this time things got even worse. To put in simple words, it punishes good players. It's not a goot thing to stay in first, second or third places    A 10/10 game if you look back at what the franchise achieved since 1990's, but a 6/10 in a matter of gameplay.

    Mario Kart 8 suffers from major problems of item balancing and the gap between skill / luck that spoiled previous entries, but this time things got even worse. To put in simple words, it punishes good players. It's not a goot thing to stay in first, second or third places because your item sorting was greatly nerfed to either coins (absolutely useless) and bananas all the time. Forget green or red shells if you're 1st to 3rd place. The game is meant to punish good players even at vs CPU races, which's absolutely atrocious and frustrating. Why is there content to unlock by winning single-player cups then? This setting works perfectly for multiplayer parties because it gives everyone in the room a chance to win against a good player, but throwing that at CPU matches is absolutely non-sense.

    I put this game down after finishing all mirror cups and I rarely play now. Videogames are meant to be enjoyed, not to frustrate you. Leave the "luck" aspect to board games and stuff.    … Expand
  2. Krobolt
    Jun 2, 2014
    9
    There’s no denying that the Wii U has suffered a dry library of games for the last few months.
    With the release of Mario Kart 8, Wii U owners have a new reason to return to their Gamepads. Mario Kart 8 is filled with the traditional upgrades: new weapons, new tracks, new mechanics, and new characters. All of these elements are fantastic as ever, but it’s the game’s attractive visuals and    There’s no denying that the Wii U has suffered a dry library of games for the last few months.
    With the release of Mario Kart 8, Wii U owners have a new reason to return to their Gamepads. Mario Kart 8 is filled with the traditional upgrades: new weapons, new tracks, new mechanics, and new characters. All of these elements are fantastic as ever, but it’s the game’s attractive visuals and endless entertaining replay value makes it one of the best the series has to offer.

    The newest mechanic introduced in Mario Kart 8 is its anti-gravity gameplay. Many walls and roads feature blue lines that will shift your tires sideways and magnetize your vehicle against the track. Gravity transitions are seamless and offer shortcuts even boosts to help anyone lagging behind. Colliding with other drivers on anti-gravity sections gives racers a boost allowing racers to take advantage of the completion in new ways. Gravity sections also include rotating pegs that racers can drive into to gain speed. These features can allow a racer to come from behind and take advantage of their surroundings to gain the upper hand.

    Amongst the new features, includes new weapons as well. A new boombox item known as the “Super Horn” amides shockwaves that knocks out racers and can even destroy items including the infamous blue shell. Another new item is a piranha plant, which is a multipurpose item. When active, it chomps at anything in front of the racer, including opposing racers and obstacles. If there isn’t anything to hit, the piranha chomps at the air and offers the racer speed bursts. The boomerang flower allows the racer to throw a boomerang up to three times, with a chance to hit as it travels forward and back. Finally, the “Lucky Seven” item makes a return in the form of the “Crazy Eight” as eight items rotate around the racer giving the racer multiple options to devastate the competition.

    Upon hitting the track, there’s no way to ignore the gorgeous visuals Mario Kart 8 has to offer. Its vivid colors and bloom bring the tracks to life and easily makes this game one of the best looking on the Wii U, even surpassing Super Mario 3D World. Many of the first races I shared with friends left them in awe as they stopped to notice the beautiful environments.

    Each course in Mario Kart 8 is finely tuned, with tracks such as Toad Harbor, Mount Wario, Electrodome, and Sunshine Airport standing out as personal favorites of mine. Maro Kart 8 also houses the best versions of Mario Circuit, featuring a Mobius Strip style course, and Bowser’s Castle, which features a gigantic statue of the villain punching ripples into the track. Course design shines even brighter in their retro tracks. Royal Raceway is beaming with life and color and the inclusion of Rainbow Road from the Nintendo 64 redone as a beautiful grand finale is astonishing.

    The cast of characters is as strong as ever, with 30 drivers to choose from. There are several new characters that make their first appearance as playable drivers, including the Koopalings from Super Mario Bros 3. Characters are unlocked at random after completing cups, unlike previous Mario Kart games. Although the cast of characters is welcome, it is bulked with Baby characters as well as the many Koopalings leaving out the chance for a more diverse selection such as Boo, Bowser Jr, even R.O.B.

    Vehicle customization returns once again in Mario Kart 8. After choosing a driver, you put together your Kart, choosing a body, wheels, and glider individually to create your ideal ride. Whether its speed, handling, or even style, there is a wide variety of parts to choose from, with more to be unlocked as you collect more coins. You are not only limited to karts this time; Bikes return from Mario Kart Wii as well as ATVs which make their debut in this game. Each vehicle is fun to drive. Even after hours of playing with one vehicle, I still found myself toying with the customization finding new satisfying combinations.

    As with each entry to proceed, Mario Kart 8 shines most within its multiplayer modes. With multiple controller options, it’s easy to set up races with multiple friends. For the first time, up to four players can participate in grand prix tourneys. Competing against your friends as well as eight CPU racers is as fun as ever. Along with Grand Prix, one to four players can also compete in versus mode, which feature completely customizable rules (bikes only, no items, etc.). Playing single player or with one friend runs smoothly at 60 frames per second, but adding more players makes a noticeable frame difference. It may appear slower, but nothing game breaking such lag. You can even take the action online, where you and another friend can set up games against friends and random players. One disappointing feature is its battle mode, which abandons unique arenas from previous games in favor of competing on standard race tracks.

    Another new feature is its new Mario Kart TV system. At the end of each race, you’re given the option to watch a replay of your previous race. Each replay is fully customizable, from length to highlighted moments, such as drifts, actions, items, etc. It’s easy to edit, fast-forward and slo-mo each clip. You can even focus the camera on certain racers and watch their expressions as they jump ramps and slide past their competition. You cannot completely control the camera in this mode which seems like a missed opportunity. After you finish editing your clip, you can save it among your favorite with a star, or share it to the Miiverse and Youtube.

    Most Mario Kart games stand out amongst others. Mario Kart 64 is a nostalgic classic to fans, and Double Dash shined with its unique gameplay mechanics. Mario Kart 8 deserves to be added to top-tier entries, with its rock-solid package that offers so much to all. Mario Kart 8 doesn’t change up the formula much, but it left me smiling the whole way through. Mario Kart 8 is the fast-paced, family-fun game that everyone should enjoy.    … Expand
  3. raiseralex21
    Jun 7, 2014
    10
    Super entretenido en el modo on.line, te anima a exigirte mas control de tu personaje y disfrutar con cada partida el desmontar al primer lugar y atacar a los contricantes, genial juego y vale la pena comprarlo y tenerlo para las retas entre cuates.
  4. redrx8gt2005
    Jul 5, 2014
    10
    Amazing Version Of Mario Kart , I Really Loved Double Dash And Mario Kart Wii , But This Might Be The Best One In The Series , The Graphics Look Stunning , The Gameplay Is Fun And Simple , Just A BLAST to play , definitely a system seller type of game , Buy It Now !!!
  5. pinball123
    Nov 18, 2014
    9
    Do you like previous versions of mario kart? If you do buy this now, if you don't don't buy this. Simple as that. As a fan of the series I loved this game.
  6. guitarguy001
    Jul 3, 2014
    9
    A great Mario Kart entry and my second favorite in the series. The soundtrack is amazing, the retro tracks feel fresh and new with the Mario Kart 8 physics, the new tracks are extremely well designed and the visuals are hands down the best on the Wii U so far; seriously, this game has visuals that i personally feel are on par with Killzone Shadow Fall & Ryse: Son of Rome for some of theA great Mario Kart entry and my second favorite in the series. The soundtrack is amazing, the retro tracks feel fresh and new with the Mario Kart 8 physics, the new tracks are extremely well designed and the visuals are hands down the best on the Wii U so far; seriously, this game has visuals that i personally feel are on par with Killzone Shadow Fall & Ryse: Son of Rome for some of the best visuals on a console to date. The online is also very well done.

    I also noticed that this is probably the fastest Mario Kart when it comes to pace. Lakitu is not slow as a snail as he was in the previous games and the new mechanics with the zero gravity enforce aggressive play as many of the physics have speed boosts.

    As for negatives, the roster. The roster is horribly disappointing and uninspired, especially comparing it to Mario Kart Wii and Double Dash (especially the latter). Pink Gold Peach was a completely unnecessary addition and having ALL of the Koopalings as characters are waste of space imo, 3 would have been OK and it would have opened space for other characters like King Boo, Petey Piranha & Funky Kong.

    The other negative, the battle mode. The battle mode is no longer arena based, it's now the race tracks and you go against the opponent there. No longer as strategic as the other battle modes especially now since you can no longer get another item when you are already holding another item, and not nearly as fun. Comparing this battle mode to N64's or even Double Dash's battle mode, they make it look like a complete joke.

    Besides those two flaws, this game is incredibly fun. It improved Mario Kart in almost every single way with mechanics, soundtrack, track design and visuals (seriously they look amazing) but also makes the retro feel fresh and new. Despite the slightly nerfed multiplayer mode and disappointing roster, i highly recommend this game to anyone who has a Wii U (which probably most of you already own MK8)    … Expand
  7. nonchalantgamer
    Aug 13, 2014
    9
    Mario Kart 8 is an awesome addition to the franchise.The racing is as fun as ever, and the few new items they threw in definitely add fun to the variety of items. the tracks are incredible with beautiful visuals and tons of variety within. their are secrets paths to take with mushrooms and the flight paths you can reach and going into and out of the water adds more depth to the tracks. theMario Kart 8 is an awesome addition to the franchise.The racing is as fun as ever, and the few new items they threw in definitely add fun to the variety of items. the tracks are incredible with beautiful visuals and tons of variety within. their are secrets paths to take with mushrooms and the flight paths you can reach and going into and out of the water adds more depth to the tracks. the anti gravity areas on the tracks are very fun add on as well that adds an alternate switch of pace. the amount of cars/parts in the game is crazy and their so many ways you can customize your kart to fit your specific play style. the roster size is fairly large with the additions of bowsers kids and much more. the only gripes i have on the game is that the battle mode is really bad and feels like they got lazy with it just throwing you on the grand prix tracks and going at it, i felt they could have done much more. also the MP as fun as it is the servers are not that good and i cant find matches that often. overall what it comes down to is that alone or sitting in your room with a group of friends, mario kart 8 provides immense amount of fun and good times that will last you for quite a while and brings back so much nostalgia for me as a long time fan.… Expand
  8. amstans
    Jul 9, 2014
    9
    This game is almost perfect so I will only point out the minor flaws: it doesn't offer off-tv play, there is no map option on tv, and no option to turn off Mario TV. When you finish a race the default menu option is to watch a replay instead of playing the next race. These things are all very tiny issues in a game I must be hard on as a huge fan of the Mario Kart franchise.
  9. Cjm_cola_cole
    Jun 10, 2014
    10
    A new Mario Kart like no other, yet familiar and fun. With the new Anti-grav karts that add a whole new dimesnsion to the game, you are also treated to new items, amazing graphics, online and local multiplayer, the ability to share highlights on youtube, and much more. This game just continues to amaze. If you have not bought a Wii U for some reason, get one now and buy this as well.
  10. Luigifan10
    May 31, 2014
    9
    So, this game has been in development for a while and people say this is one of two games (The other one being Super Smash Bros for Wii U) that will sell the Wii U drastically. And if this game doesn't sell Wii U's, I don't know what will. For starters, this game is absolutely beautiful. The HD and details are insane! Luigi's mustache even blows in the wind! The new anti-gravity is reallySo, this game has been in development for a while and people say this is one of two games (The other one being Super Smash Bros for Wii U) that will sell the Wii U drastically. And if this game doesn't sell Wii U's, I don't know what will. For starters, this game is absolutely beautiful. The HD and details are insane! Luigi's mustache even blows in the wind! The new anti-gravity is really cool, even if it doesn't change up the core gameplay drastically, which is good. The new items are really cool and aren't over-powered or weak. Well, except for the Coin item. That's the item you'll get most of the time when you're in first, and all it does is add 2 coins to your coin count. The new tracks are some of the coolest ever, and the retro tracks are updated a lot. Except for Music Park. The only thing updated there was the graphics. The new Balloon Battle is a little weird because you're in race tracks instead of in arenas. This is fine, except that it may be hard to find others on occasion, because it's so big. The character selection is actually a little lame. The new Koopalings are pretty cool but another newcomer, being Pink Gold Peach, is a dumb Metal Mario clone. And, not to mention, there are 5 BABIES. 5. I think that's really stupid. The roster is also missing a lot of characters that could be better than others, such as Diddy Kong, Dry Bones, King Boo, etc. But if they add some DLC, then that problem could be fixed. The multiplayer is as fun as its ever been, but it might take a while for everyone to choose their kart combination. I wish there was a faster way to change your kart combo. The online is great, with little to no lag and fair rules for everyone. The reasons I didn't give it a 10/10 are that there are some unnecessary characters and the weird Balloon Battles. If you like Mariokart and don't have a Wii U, this would be a perfect time to get one with the Mariokart 8 Bundle! And if you have a Wii U already, the you need to get this game! Thanks for reading, and bye!… Expand
  11. Scottview
    Jun 5, 2014
    9
    Although there are a few unfortunate missteps in this new Mario Kart game, such as limited match customization options, Mario Kart TV not realizing its full potential, and a rather gimped battle mode, its not enough to take away how utterly fantastic the traditional racing mode is in this game. Every single new track is a winner; and although the new much touted anti gravity feature neverAlthough there are a few unfortunate missteps in this new Mario Kart game, such as limited match customization options, Mario Kart TV not realizing its full potential, and a rather gimped battle mode, its not enough to take away how utterly fantastic the traditional racing mode is in this game. Every single new track is a winner; and although the new much touted anti gravity feature never truly gives the sensation that you are upside down or riding on a wall, it allows for track designs that twist and curve in the most interesting and thrilling of ways. There is never a dull moment in a courses design. Necessary tweaks to items and a decreased punishment for getting hit make the game much faster paced, fairer, and more skill based. Gone are the days of ending up in first place by accident. Sure a few fortunate item pickups can help, but you need to use them properly, and if you get to first, by jove you've earned it.

    Also, not enough praise can be given to the games presentation. In my opinion, this is hands down the most beautiful game Nintendo has ever produced and the attention to detail is astonishing. The same has to be said for the soundtrack, which strikes the perfect balance between familiar and nostalgic tones with an energetic, jazzy, and more orchestrated sound that pairs perfectly with the frenetic on screen action.

    So, in the end, despite a few head scratching and aggravating choices to modes most people won't care to much about, this is probably the purest Mario Kart you can find. The racing mode is the perfect culmination of more than two decades of Mario Kart games and it shows in all the ways that matter the most. If you don't pick this up on the Wii U, than you are missing out on one of the best games it has to offer.    … Expand
  12. Nikolord31
    Jun 13, 2014
    10
    Un juego increíble, con una banda sonora memorable y pistas muy creativas y originales. Bien hecho, Nintendo, ahora muchos querrán tener un Wii U sólo por ésta maravilla.
  13. sonchezz
    May 31, 2014
    9
    Great game, brimming with fun. Course design is great and the anti-gravity is an interesting new mechanic that makes team racing more interesting than ever before.

    Small complaints: would like a more diverse character selection next time, and instead of a completely reworked battle-mode, why not include both tracks and more free-form course design as in previous games. The game is    Great game, brimming with fun. Course design is great and the anti-gravity is an interesting new mechanic that makes team racing more interesting than ever before.

    Small complaints: would like a more diverse character selection next time, and instead of a completely reworked battle-mode, why not include both tracks and more free-form course design as in previous games.

    The game is very close to perfection, its hard to tell exactly where the game could improve in future updates to the series.    … Expand
  14. Raixima
    Jun 1, 2014
    9
    By far the most beautiful game on Wii u, to be fair, the game wouldn't be displaced if it was running on the PS4 or XboxOne, it's that beautiful, but as beauty isn't everything the game also provides excelent gameplay, thank god they took off that dumb automatic drift and the AI in 150 cc is mercyless, if you don't own a Wii U, now is the time, but be prepared for some tough competitionBy far the most beautiful game on Wii u, to be fair, the game wouldn't be displaced if it was running on the PS4 or XboxOne, it's that beautiful, but as beauty isn't everything the game also provides excelent gameplay, thank god they took off that dumb automatic drift and the AI in 150 cc is mercyless, if you don't own a Wii U, now is the time, but be prepared for some tough competition online!!
    AMAZING GAME, the only thing I don't quite adore in the game is the battle mode, that is kind off messy at first and the fact that on multiplayer the gamepad mimics the screen, that meand, in 4X4 your gamepad will be diveded in four parts.    … Expand
  15. Toshione
    Jun 1, 2014
    9
    The only reason someone wouldn't like Mario Kart 8 is if they just don't like kart racing video games. As with previous Mario Kart games there are 8 different cups to race as well as time trials, battle mode, and on line multiplayer. On line multiplayer works fast and is a real blast. There are lots of new characters to play as and plenty of different options when it comes to customizingThe only reason someone wouldn't like Mario Kart 8 is if they just don't like kart racing video games. As with previous Mario Kart games there are 8 different cups to race as well as time trials, battle mode, and on line multiplayer. On line multiplayer works fast and is a real blast. There are lots of new characters to play as and plenty of different options when it comes to customizing your kart.I won't say its the best Mario Kart ever made, but it is definitely a reason to buy a Wii U.… Expand
  16. counterfifth
    Jun 3, 2014
    9
    This game made me buy a Wii U! It's fair to say the Wii U had a rocky start but this is what Nintendo do best. You really don't need a machine with a tons of processing power and high end graphics cards to create a beautiful game. Let me tell you this game is stunning, it just looks gorgeous!!!

    The tracks are beautifully crafted and the different cc settings really open up the game    This game made me buy a Wii U! It's fair to say the Wii U had a rocky start but this is what Nintendo do best. You really don't need a machine with a tons of processing power and high end graphics cards to create a beautiful game. Let me tell you this game is stunning, it just looks gorgeous!!!

    The tracks are beautifully crafted and the different cc settings really open up the game difficulty to everyone.

    The score is up to Nintendo usual high standards and really adds another fantastic dimension to this game.

    I honestly think Nintendo are one of the only developers that consistently produce high quality 'video games'. Now your thinking why the 9/10 and not the full glory of 10/10. Well it's the playable characters that let it down. From all of Nintendos Mario characters why go with all the Koopa kids, just a little dull and short sighted if you ask me. In addition the Mii characters look terrible. Saying that they looked terrible in the last one so...

    I would recommend buying this game for the Wii U you'll have a blast. Get online and get racing!    … Expand
  17. deathgz00
    Jun 3, 2014
    9
    Nintendo did it again, I've been playing Mario Kart since the 64 era, and never since that time i really had that sensation that Mario kart 64 gave me, the speed, the power, the fx sound, the music; once you start the game goes right to the point, no **** you came to play, you got the game.
    P.S. the battle mode was pretty lame, for that reason i don't give a perfect score
  18. The90sKid
    Jun 6, 2014
    9
    Odd design choices aside, Mario Kart 8 is an awesome addition to an awesome franchise. The single player options will get old fast, but thanks to robust online offerings as well as an unparalleled local multiplayer the game promises to remain an entertaining game for months to come. If you have been on the fence about getting a Wii U let me assure you that Mario Kart 8 is worth gettingOdd design choices aside, Mario Kart 8 is an awesome addition to an awesome franchise. The single player options will get old fast, but thanks to robust online offerings as well as an unparalleled local multiplayer the game promises to remain an entertaining game for months to come. If you have been on the fence about getting a Wii U let me assure you that Mario Kart 8 is worth getting one for. It is the Wii U's first fully-fledged killer-app. Nobody else makes kart racing this fun. I give Mario Kart 8 a 9/10.… Expand
  19. LazyCharmander
    Jun 10, 2014
    10
    The music is great, the graphics are great, the gameplay is great. The only problem with the game is battle mode, which we'll hopefully get dlc for in the future.
  20. KGgames101
    Jun 22, 2014
    10
    Fantastic! Best game on Wii U next to Super Mario 3D World, definitely recommended. The only downside is the simple character roster and battle mode. This game desperately needs a DLC.
  21. Lanternman
    Jun 25, 2014
    9
    Great game love the balance the Mario Kart games have for experts and beginners, wife doesn't win as many races but she has so much fun hitting me with the leader killers and lightning bolts.
  22. Hipster1989
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    Mario Kart 8 is simply a phenomenal Kart racer/ party game. It is highly competitive off line and online. 150 cc mode is the hardest that I have eve player. The online is well done to making it easy to start matches straight away with anyone around the world.

    Mario Kart 8 is the best next gen game so far in my opinion. Forget Titanfall, forget Infamous Second Son. Mario Kart 8 is where    Mario Kart 8 is simply a phenomenal Kart racer/ party game. It is highly competitive off line and online. 150 cc mode is the hardest that I have eve player. The online is well done to making it easy to start matches straight away with anyone around the world.

    Mario Kart 8 is the best next gen game so far in my opinion. Forget Titanfall, forget Infamous Second Son. Mario Kart 8 is where it is at.

    The only thing I dislike in this Mario Kart is the item selection but new ideas like Mario Kart Tv where you upload video highlights to youtube make up for that.

    If you are looking for a fun and challenging single player experience Mario Kart 8 has length as 150cc mode is tough and collating all of the parts, vehicles and characters will take a couple of weeks. Once that is done just play with family and friends when people come over for parties and there is always Mario Kart Tv and the online modes to keep you playing Mario Kart 8 from years to come.    … Expand
  23. edirgl
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    Great game!
    Some nice features were removed like the ability to hold two items at the time, manual/automatic selection.
    Some cool things added, cool anti-gravity, characters. Will play this for several hours.
  24. FernandoStrauss
    Jul 1, 2014
    10
    This game is something special nowadays, like a fun game to play with all families and friends. Mario KArt 8 proved to be the best in franchise and in the genre. there's no go-kart game like this one, graphics are amazing, power-ups are simply spectacular, technical details are excellent! Music sounds great and online options is ver competitive. This game is one of the best so far.
  25. raykaytwo
    Aug 6, 2014
    8
    Solid Mario Kart.
    Not more, not less. When you own Nintendo consoles, than you own Mario Kart. That's a fact. And you get what you expect with this one. Better graphics new characters a new vehicle and new stages.
    One Major letdown is the vs combat mode. They didnt build new Arenas, they just used the same ones. This really upsets me. To sum it up: if you like Mario Kart you should buy    Solid Mario Kart.
    Not more, not less. When you own Nintendo consoles, than you own Mario Kart. That's a fact. And you get what you expect with this one. Better graphics new characters a new vehicle and new stages.
    One Major letdown is the vs combat mode. They didnt build new Arenas, they just used the same ones.
    This really upsets me.
    To sum it up: if you like Mario Kart you should buy this, if not, consider other Wii U titles.    … Expand
  26. lpfm
    Aug 23, 2014
    9
    Recently I played Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8 is a improvment in 80% of the content. Item by item (the more significant to me):

    1) The battle mode is tremendous better in wii; Seems like nintendo dedevelopers were lazy in this point; 2) The single player mode, to me, is just the same (means not deep); 3) I never tried the online play in wii one, but in the Mk8 the online mode is    Recently I played Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8 is a improvment in 80% of the content. Item by item (the more significant to me):

    1) The battle mode is tremendous better in wii; Seems like nintendo dedevelopers were lazy in this point;
    2) The single player mode, to me, is just the same (means not deep);
    3) I never tried the online play in wii one, but in the Mk8 the online mode is great. Mention: Missing features: Voice chat (or at least a text one).
    4)The visual! One of the great improvement! No coments here more than "I really love the MK8 visuals;
    5)The balance is great. The number of variable that influence it is significant bigger (in this is great);
    6)Character choice has a improvement too.    … Expand
  27. AVdE
    Aug 26, 2014
    9
    Astonishing how beautiful Mario Kart looks in HD! The tracks are fabulous and the anti-gravity makes an exciting and awesome addition in terms of gameplay. Everything about this game is absolutely amazing, with a few exceptions:

    The battle mode tracks from previous mario kart games are replaced with slightly modified tracks. This makes battle mode feel a lot like regular racing, so    Astonishing how beautiful Mario Kart looks in HD! The tracks are fabulous and the anti-gravity makes an exciting and awesome addition in terms of gameplay. Everything about this game is absolutely amazing, with a few exceptions:

    The battle mode tracks from previous mario kart games are replaced with slightly modified tracks. This makes battle mode feel a lot like regular racing, so hopefully nintendo will fix this with DLC.

    The weapon selection doesn't feel balanced. Sometimes, you get boosts in first place, or a green shell in 8th place or lower. And once you end up in the middle during online races, you get brutally smashed.

    A minor flaw is that the gamepad screen displays the same split screen from the TV during local multiplayer, instead of only the own racer's screen.

    Further, there are a couple of tiny drawbacks that are going to be fixed with an upcoming update, so they're not really worth mentioning.

    Overall though, Mario Kart 8 is an amazing game. It's plenty of fun, it looks gorgeous, it runs smoothly and it's a blast to play with friends.    … Expand
  28. ayyylmaoo
    Dec 29, 2014
    10
    Free online is what gets me. It's a fun game, with a lot of replay value. The DLC tracks are pretty good too. This is my favorite game on wii u thus far, but I've always love mario kart! If you have ever enjoyed mario kart in your life, this game is sure to satisfy your need again.
  29. GamerJesus
    Sep 13, 2014
    9
    Finally un-locked all pre-DLC characters!
    Best looking Mario Kart there is.
    Missing Arenas that were replaced them with actual racetracks - that's a step back.
    Handles perfectly and I love the 8 Power Up
    I'll be buying the DLC when I can afford to because I want to play as Link and am looking forward to new tracks.
    If you own a WiiU, I wholeheartedly recommend this one.
  30. A_L_I_2013
    Sep 24, 2014
    1
    The levels are simply gorgeous. The cart variety keeps the game fresh. The small yet critical changes made to the game affect how you play compared to previous titles. This game is for the hard core player while also being a living room favorite. My only hope is that battle gets updated because right now it is lack luster at best.
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Wii U Game of 2014
2
#2 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2014
4
#4 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 82 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 82
  3. Negative: 0 out of 82
  1. GameCritics
    Sep 18, 2014
    80
    Mario Kart 8 is pretty great in many ways, but undoubtedly moreso with a collection of friends to play with, or when facing off against other players online.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Aug 25, 2014
    85
    No revolution here, but still it’s an absolute must-have for every Wii U owner. [08/2014, p.68]
  3. Universo Nintendo
    Jul 31, 2014
    95
    A beautiful and fun racing game, which uses the possibilities offered by its host platform to emphasize and renew the truly universal appeal of the series.
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