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. zaaKun
    Jul 13, 2014
    8
    Mario Kart 8 is a great game and definitely a reason to get the Wii U. But even though it's great, it also has its flaws.

    One of the greatest for me is that you're really defenseless being in first position. Most of the time you will get some coins that are neither useful for defense nor offense. Another one for me is the NPC behaviour. I've been obversing one thing: if a NPC gets    Mario Kart 8 is a great game and definitely a reason to get the Wii U. But even though it's great, it also has its flaws.

    One of the greatest for me is that you're really defenseless being in first position. Most of the time you will get some coins that are neither useful for defense nor offense.

    Another one for me is the NPC behaviour. I've been obversing one thing: if a NPC gets first place in a race, he'll most likely also get first place in all the consecutive races IF YOU don't prevent it. This may be just coincidence, but I've played the game a lot in the last few days and that's what I noticed.

    I really dislike the Battle-mode. It's just on normal tracks that go both ways. I only remember how the battle mode in Mario Kart 64 was, and it was really fun, not at all comparable with the one Mario Kart 8 brings.

    But nonetheless, I would definitely recommend it and it should be a must-buy for every Wii U owner.    … Expand
  2. PissedOffWookie
    Jul 12, 2014
    9
    This game could've deserved a full 10 if it had at least an actual battle mode with arenas intended for it. Because it doesn't, it really doesn't deserve more than a 9. Lazy developers.
  3. 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.
  4. masterlinkace
    Jul 7, 2014
    9
    This game is tons of fun, great for single player, multiplayer or online! the one and only issue I have with this game is they ruined battle mode...however when it comes to the racing, it's the best Mario Kart to date.
  5. cwepahguy225
    Jul 5, 2014
    9
    Mario Kart 8 is awesome. The course design is great and creative. The character roster is the biggest yet, and has the Koopalings as playable characters (for the first time ever). However, there are too many baby characters (and what about Birdo, Diddy, Hammer Bro, and Dry Bones)? Even though anti gravity doesnt bring any massive changes, it's still fun and I love it. It was like "the glueMario Kart 8 is awesome. The course design is great and creative. The character roster is the biggest yet, and has the Koopalings as playable characters (for the first time ever). However, there are too many baby characters (and what about Birdo, Diddy, Hammer Bro, and Dry Bones)? Even though anti gravity doesnt bring any massive changes, it's still fun and I love it. It was like "the glue that connected hang gliding and underwater racing". Gamexplain said that. The tracks are incredibly detailed, making the game more like the real world. The music and graphics are both stunning. The game does have some cons though. You can't carry a backup item anymore, which sucks. Also, first place gets less items. The big downside is battle mode. Battle mode is ruined. It uses slightly modified courses instead of arenas. Also, the cpus are way too good, there aim w/ green shells is perfect. They need to be nerfed. The online play runs smoothly and is very fun. Summary: Mario Kart 8 is a fantastic, mind blowing game with great graphics, great gameplay and a great soundtrack. It has highly noticeable flaws, but it's still the best game in the series.… Expand
  6. 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 !!!
  7. Yankeee007
    Jul 4, 2014
    8
    Mario kart 8 brings new feature to the series such as anti-gravity and the gliding and underwater feature from mario kart 7 .the graphics are the best I've seen on wiiU and it's absolutely breathtaking it's gorgeous everything it's detailed ,the music it's perfect I love every theme , the downside if this game are that most of the characters are a waste of space the babies are useless andMario kart 8 brings new feature to the series such as anti-gravity and the gliding and underwater feature from mario kart 7 .the graphics are the best I've seen on wiiU and it's absolutely breathtaking it's gorgeous everything it's detailed ,the music it's perfect I love every theme , the downside if this game are that most of the characters are a waste of space the babies are useless and pink gold peach it's a terrible idea of a character ,same like in mario kart wii the items are unbalanced and it's just by luck , you can now get hit in mid-air which it's frustrating and some characters are overpowered such as metal mario and waluigi .overall mario kart 8 is the best mario kart game since mario kart 64 and the tracks are well designed and beautiful the online it's amazing and now you can defend yourself against the blue shell , so buy it now… Expand
  8. 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
  9. Pongdok
    Jul 1, 2014
    6
    My wife and I were extremely excited for this game. We tried to find one of the bundles, but ended up buying the game separately. No big deal. We got home and started playing it. The come-down was pretty hard.

    The good: - Looks great - Drives alright The Bad: - Boring character selection - Unnecessary Kart customization (go play gran turismo, or whatever...) - Tracks excessively    My wife and I were extremely excited for this game. We tried to find one of the bundles, but ended up buying the game separately. No big deal. We got home and started playing it. The come-down was pretty hard.

    The good:
    - Looks great
    - Drives alright

    The Bad:
    - Boring character selection
    - Unnecessary Kart customization (go play gran turismo, or whatever...)
    - Tracks excessively wide and devoid of interesting features (Anti-G doesn't appear to actually do anything.)
    - Can't pick up a second item while trailing the first or surrounded by the 3-shell shield
    - Track maps are on the game pad, for some reason. (I know you have a directive to use the game pad as much as possible to make it feel relevant, but busting the game isn't the best approach. Nobody should be looking down at the controller while trying to play a driving game.)

    The very, very, very bad...:
    - R.I.P. Battle Mode (Some people may not care, but this was an enormous disappointment for me.)

    o.O Look at all these 10/10 reviews from what I assume are Nintendo PR spammer accounts and people who have never played a proper Mario Kart game. (You have my eternal scorn and heartfelt pity, respectively.)

    While I appreciate whatever effort has been put into this, the focus is dreadfully wrong. Graphics and attempts at innovation are fine, but if you get the feel wrong, the fun just drains away and I want to go play another game. Use a variety of play testers next time, (ideally from as many demographics as you can get) and listen to what your old, die-hard fans tell you prior to release day.

    I would play Mario Kart (SNES), Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart Double Dash before this.

    I feel like my key gripe is MK8's bafflingly idiotic iteration of battle mode. Balloon battles don't belong on the circuit tracks, and they certainly don't need a dozen computer-controlled characters driving around fouling everything up. If I wanted to fight computers, I'd go race. I feel like they were put in because of the lack of proper battle arenas. Even with a bunch of extra cannon(turtle shell?)-fodder racing around in circles the 'battle tracks' feel huge and empty. There is no complex strategy and no sense of exhilaration or anticipation as you might have experienced stalking each other around the Block Fort in MK 64. In MK8, you either chase an enemy or try to joust in the second or two between when you see him and when you pass each other. This new battle mode is unplayable garbage, not worthy of a top-tier Nintendo release. Seriously, whoever gave the O.K. for this needs to get out of the video game industry and go become an accountant or investment banker.

    If there is no patch to address some of these issues, then this was my last Mario Kart game. I'd feel completely cheated if it hadn't come with a download code for Pikmin 3.

    I am holding out hope that the new Smash Bros. won't be a dumpster fire like this drek. If that's rubbish, I'll probably just play the Project M mod for Brawl and retire Nintendo to nostalgia-town. They have the intellectual property and the talent, but they've lost the Soul.    … Expand
  10. 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.
  11. DestinationMarc
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    I really enjoyed this game! Now, it does have its issues, but first, what's good about it; the controls are nearly similar to Mario Kart Wii, and while I was worried about this, the underwater/parasail segments from Mario Kart 7 were actually easilly controllable. The visuals? Amazing. It is SO enjoyable playing a Mario Kart game in beautiful HD! The new items were cool, though II really enjoyed this game! Now, it does have its issues, but first, what's good about it; the controls are nearly similar to Mario Kart Wii, and while I was worried about this, the underwater/parasail segments from Mario Kart 7 were actually easilly controllable. The visuals? Amazing. It is SO enjoyable playing a Mario Kart game in beautiful HD! The new items were cool, though I personally find the fireball item a bit useless; maybe it's just me, but unless you have good aim or just get lucky, it's pretty difficult to hit opponents with it. The new levels are just GLORIOUS; Electrodrome is my personal favorite track! I'd also like to mention that the online functionality is WAY more improved from MKWii's; I love the tournament option personally! The anti-gravity is a cool feature, but honestly, though not to this degree, I've seen the concept before in another racing game, Crash Nitro Kart, sideways tires and all! Now, on to the bad; first and foremost, the battle mode. Everyone's said this already, and my opinion's no exception, but I think it was a bad idea to implement actual racetracks as battle courses instead of arenas. Secondly, when you're first place in a race, you'll usually get coins as items, which can be real frustrating, especially when you're trying to defend yourself. Also, Rainbow Road? Not exactly a challenge, which is considered a nitpick, but c'mon; everyone knows Rainbow Road is the craziest course in any Mario Kart game! So, all-in-all, while I'd like to give this game a 10, personally, those major issues do hold the game back a bit. But regardless, this game is pretty neat, so if you have a Wii U, definitely get it!… Expand
  12. 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.
  13. velvetmeds
    Jun 30, 2014
    0
    boring. looks like a kid game, plays without any depth, poor graphics at last gen resolution. annoying soundtrack (better to mute). already played this game in the 90s...don't bother with it again.
  14. 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
  15. 10squareben
    Jun 29, 2014
    9
    Highly enjoyable game with a massive single player game to play and an endless online one. Shame the battle mode is gimped, it would work better if it had arenas. Definite winner regardless GO AND BUY THIS GAME YOU DINGUS!
  16. DannX
    Jun 29, 2014
    10
    Simplemente es divertido ... pero tiene una experiencia jugable que es de 10, bueno se tiene que aprender a jugar y también poder ser bueno que se estresen pero si sabes jugar .... Es de 10
  17. jholden3249
    Jun 29, 2014
    10
    Mario Kart 8 is the pinnacle of gameplay-based entertainment. You'd have to be one, stiff-necked dude to NOT have fun with this game. Seriously, anyone who can't have fun with Mario Kart 8 is either a delusional fanboy or just outright hates video games. Now stop reading this review and go play Mario Kart 8!
  18. SylarHRG
    Jun 29, 2014
    8
    It's good. Definitely fun, lots of what you are used to. Graphics are good, the tracks are fun, but really it's the same formula as before. For anyone new to this series, I could see it being a 10/10 game for them. For anyone used to this series, 8/10 is a respectable score. A little bit more innovation would be nice, but it is what it is, a mario kart game. They stuck to the formulaIt's good. Definitely fun, lots of what you are used to. Graphics are good, the tracks are fun, but really it's the same formula as before. For anyone new to this series, I could see it being a 10/10 game for them. For anyone used to this series, 8/10 is a respectable score. A little bit more innovation would be nice, but it is what it is, a mario kart game. They stuck to the formula that has worked since day 1 for them.… Expand
  19. ransonshan
    Jun 27, 2014
    9
    Being the 8th installment of a beloved franchise, I expected this game to do great. I was wrong, it did not do fantastic for my standards, IT SURPASSED ALL OF MY STANDARDS! This game was the reason I bought a Wii U like most people did and I don't regret one penny I spent on this title. The graphics are superb, one of the best looking Wii U titles on earth. You can see every detail onBeing the 8th installment of a beloved franchise, I expected this game to do great. I was wrong, it did not do fantastic for my standards, IT SURPASSED ALL OF MY STANDARDS! This game was the reason I bought a Wii U like most people did and I don't regret one penny I spent on this title. The graphics are superb, one of the best looking Wii U titles on earth. You can see every detail on every character and kart in the game as well as the wonderfully creative courses new to the series. The sound is a mix of classic, adrenaline-pumping, calm, jazzy, psychedelic, and fun soundtracks to go along with updated remixes of old stages. Playing split screen, once again, is a blast with friends and strangers alike. Being an Assassin's Creed multiplayer fan only, i had little expectation for this game's online multiplayer. How wrong I was, this is one of if not the most addicting multiplayer I have ever being happy to be apart of in the digital age of gaming. The lag is noticeably absent for the most part and never had i felt so comfortable playing with other players online thanks to this game's beginner-friendly community. If anytime you come across i player or players so far out of your league, there is nothing preventing you from limiting your options to lower level players in the new custom menu to get used to the game's controls and stages. The single player mode in this title has been flushed out more than any other game in the series thus far, making the 150cc AI much harder this time around for added competition as well as the new highlight system to give your single player experience better purpose than just to waste time. This game features an all-star cast of unforgettable Mario characters as well as lesser-known characters. Kart customization is back from Mario Kart Wii and I am glad to say that the kart customization is much more expansive and offers a large variety of control setups depending on your character, wheels, and glider. The anti-gravity featured in most stages gives off such a vibe that was absent from previous games, making the stages feel grand and epic simultaneously with its large array of gimmicks and visual spectacles. So after all of that you may think this is the absolute perfect Mario Kart ever made, I wish I could say that. The main beef many people have with this game (and many reasons there are more negative than mixed scores) is the lack of classic battle mode. By that I mean it ditched the arena concept of the original games and instead opted for the players to race ON THE RACE TRACKS to battle one another. I appreciate trying something new but this was not the way to go, this mode can drag on and most of the time players barely make contact with other racers. Fix this mode and all that remain are very minor nitpicks, like the meta-game first place player being safer in this game than ever before compared to 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place players fearing for their lives. Overall, a phenomenal game with all the reason in the world to buy a Wii U.… Expand
  20. KuramaJP
    Jun 27, 2014
    9
    The reason i bought a Wii U and was not disappointed. Awesome. New times, weapons and characters add some much needed improvements needed after a very unsatisfying Wii release.
  21. emwick81
    Jun 27, 2014
    6
    Mario Kart 8 would have been much more enjoyable had it allowed arenas for battle mode. I long for the battle mode days of the SNES. It is nearly impossible to track down one's opponents in the race track battle mode environment of Mario Kart 8. Nintendo, please correct this!! Otherwise, this will be the last Mario Kart that I buy. Thanks for your consideration.
  22. yayoman
    Jun 27, 2014
    10
    This game is perfect as nintendo always do for playing with friends at the same room but this time it also have a great online multiplayer! so for me this game it's a 10 come on lan guy dude, lan partys are on the past!
  23. 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.
  24. dmelendez34
    Jun 24, 2014
    9
    If battle mode was better, this game would get a 10 from me. Not having special battle mode areas was the worst idea Nintendo had. I would have preferred they simply reused the areas from past games at least than having players race around tracks.

    The tracks are great = the new ones are beautiful and creative and the old ones are touched up to make them more enjoyable. Online play    If battle mode was better, this game would get a 10 from me. Not having special battle mode areas was the worst idea Nintendo had. I would have preferred they simply reused the areas from past games at least than having players race around tracks.

    The tracks are great = the new ones are beautiful and creative and the old ones are touched up to make them more enjoyable.

    Online play is seamless and I hope more games use the online play system used for this game.

    If you have played Mario kart in the past, you wont be disappointed by this game...unless you are a huge battle mode lover.    … Expand
  25. 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.
  26. reviewmatt
    Jun 21, 2014
    9
    A nearly Perfect Game. If you liked any Mario or any karting game, get a wii u and buy this game.
    Pros: The visuals. Wow. It looks amazing. The races. The Characters. Multiplayer etc.
    Cons: The battle mode. This is the thing that held it back from a 10. They put actual race tracks in the game instead of those cube tracks. This results to instead battling it out with your friends, you    A nearly Perfect Game. If you liked any Mario or any karting game, get a wii u and buy this game.
    Pros: The visuals. Wow. It looks amazing. The races. The Characters. Multiplayer etc.
    Cons: The battle mode. This is the thing that held it back from a 10. They put actual race tracks in the game instead of those cube tracks. This results to instead battling it out with your friends, you drive through the track hoping you find them. And even you do find them, they're just gonna zoom past you.
    Anyway, Great game nearly a 10, but the battle mode ruined it. Still great though.    … Expand
  27. Velsuan
    Jun 19, 2014
    10
    What can I say? Absolutely fantastic game from start to finish! I'm an old fan of MKart! My 10 is a love affair... I don't pretend to be impartial here. Find the kid in yourself, and it will be it. Enjoy Nintendo games. They know how to keep the games in the masterpiece zone!
  28. tybyrd93
    Jun 19, 2014
    10
    The best Mario Kart yet. Great tracks, beautiful graphics, attention to detail, great new ideas (such as antigravity). Nintendo has done it again. If there were a few extra characters in there besides the koopalings, it would be perfect.
  29. bleublimpgaming
    Jun 17, 2014
    9
    Probably one of the best Wii U games to date, the new maps are great and the graphics are crisp and clear. The controls are hard to master on the game pad at first but with about 5 races it fells like an instant classic.
  30. Hmongol
    Jun 17, 2014
    3
    This game was such a disappointment! They no longer have automatic and manual, for most people this is okay but for casual gamers like my wife and kids who do not know how to drift will not like it very long. Mario kart 7 introduce Automatic driving which was great because now my family can actually play on 150cc cup with me because it auto drifts for them. I do not know why they took outThis game was such a disappointment! They no longer have automatic and manual, for most people this is okay but for casual gamers like my wife and kids who do not know how to drift will not like it very long. Mario kart 7 introduce Automatic driving which was great because now my family can actually play on 150cc cup with me because it auto drifts for them. I do not know why they took out the feature but my family all quit after always coming in last. We went back to mario kart 7 so we can all play together… Expand
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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

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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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »