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. CH513
    Jul 8, 2017
    8
    After the drop Mario Kart 7 was, the 8th game is a very decent improvement. The race tracks here are overall much better than those from MK7. The music is very memorable, the visuals are stunning for a Mario game, the redesigned tracks from previous games feel fresh and the online has a very good quality. But the 8/10 has its reasons: the character roster is by far the worst in the series,After the drop Mario Kart 7 was, the 8th game is a very decent improvement. The race tracks here are overall much better than those from MK7. The music is very memorable, the visuals are stunning for a Mario game, the redesigned tracks from previous games feel fresh and the online has a very good quality. But the 8/10 has its reasons: the character roster is by far the worst in the series, the difficulty is average, character voices are annoying, the new anti-gravity system is barely noticeable, the items are just too unbalanced for my liking and the game has the worst Battle mode in the series. Overall Mario Kart 8 will give you a lot of fun, but it will still leave much to be desired.

    (On a side note, I know the Battle mode is fixed in MK8 Deluxe, but at the time of writing this review, I have not played it yet).    … Expand
  2. games_reviewer
    Aug 16, 2018
    8
    I love the colourful yet chaotic aesthetic. The series is coming ever closer to being simply called Nintendo kart with link and a few other non-Mario franchise characters
  3. RalphcCiurczak
    Nov 27, 2021
    8
    +Nice character selection
    +Courses are nice
    +New items are great
    +Graphics are cutting edge
    +New modes
    +Mario Kart TV

    -Battle mode is messed up
    -Some clone characters
    -DLC is meh
  4. Cafe_8bits
    Apr 5, 2020
    8
    Mario Kart 8 its the best Mario Kart ever made.
    It has some problems with DLC, but in the end its an amazing game, with tons of content.
  5. SirSoil
    Feb 28, 2020
    8
    Mario Kart 8 is an excellent racing game with many unique tracks modes and features, however there is some issues here and there. First of all the character selection is weak yes you have your Mario bowser peach Luigi but there was a chance to bring obscure Mario characters but no you get 5 baby characters 2 metal versions of characters and a bunch of nobody’s from the new super MarioMario Kart 8 is an excellent racing game with many unique tracks modes and features, however there is some issues here and there. First of all the character selection is weak yes you have your Mario bowser peach Luigi but there was a chance to bring obscure Mario characters but no you get 5 baby characters 2 metal versions of characters and a bunch of nobody’s from the new super Mario games. However the customization is great, sadly whatever you chose changes your states which is kinda of a bummer. However the tracks make up for it, all the tracks are amazing with their very own style and unique designs. The modes are appreciated, but sadly the maps I think are to big for the battle modes. Online for the most part is alright it works...sometimes. Mario Kart 8 isn’t the best racing game ever but it tries to and does it well in the tracks and modes, I just wish there was more variety in the characters and more options, like don’t make the customization change your states or make the battle maps smaller. (Good 3/5) Give It A Try… Expand
  6. TheOkCringe
    Apr 26, 2020
    8
    I like this title quite a lot. It has solidified controls that work well with the Wii U Gamepad, and the HD graphics blew my mind when I first saw this game. Where it certainly fell short though was the battle mode, which for one only offered Balloon Battle, and reused courses from the other modes instead of using real battle courses, which makes gameplay feel long and exhausting.I like this title quite a lot. It has solidified controls that work well with the Wii U Gamepad, and the HD graphics blew my mind when I first saw this game. Where it certainly fell short though was the battle mode, which for one only offered Balloon Battle, and reused courses from the other modes instead of using real battle courses, which makes gameplay feel long and exhausting. Nonetheless, it still scored a 7.5/10 from me, placing it right in the middle of my Mario Kart list.… Expand
  7. LironesAlviento
    Aug 20, 2020
    8
    Un gran Mario Kart, un clasico, si te gustan los juegos de Karts un acierto seguro.
  8. hector_bcn98
    Oct 31, 2022
    8
    Gran videojuego que, a mi pesar, sigue vendiendo como churros a día de hoy. Si juegas en cooperativo hay pocos juegos más divertidos, a ser sinceros.
  9. XabiXroSS
    Feb 10, 2022
    8
    The game is beautiful and the tracks are very cool too. But the AI is really easy to beat and there's always a lot of distance between the top 3-4 and the rest AIs.

    On the other hand, the online mode works really well but it could have more modes like on MK Wii.

    But it's a fun game overall so it's worth and 8.
  10. nintendofan721
    Feb 28, 2022
    8
    A great instalment of the Mario Kart franchise with a few problems. First off, the track selection is amazing and they all look graphically phenomenal. There are lots of unique tracks like Sunshine Airport, Cloudtop Cruise, Electrodrome, Mount Wario and more. This game also has the best retro track selection in the series so far, they’re all really fun to play and they have all beenA great instalment of the Mario Kart franchise with a few problems. First off, the track selection is amazing and they all look graphically phenomenal. There are lots of unique tracks like Sunshine Airport, Cloudtop Cruise, Electrodrome, Mount Wario and more. This game also has the best retro track selection in the series so far, they’re all really fun to play and they have all been heavily updated with some tracks being barely recognizable like the GBA tracks and N64 Rainbow Road. The character selection is okay but not great. There are several important characters missing like Birdo, Dry Bones, Diddy Kong, Bowser Jr and King Boo, while it introduces a couple bad choices being Baby Rosalina and the worst Mario character ever, Pink Gold Peach! The music in this game is all live orchestrated which is a nice touch. This game’s main new mechanic is the anti gravity, which was an interesting idea and works very well. Online mode returns and it’s very solid. I do like the items they introduced in this game like the Piranha Plant and Super horn, but the item distribution is terrible. For example, you can get triple red shells in second or a coin in fifth. Speaking of which, the coin item is useless and comes up too often. The biggest problem about this game however is the battle mode, it stinks! There aren’t even actual stages, instead just modified versions of some of the tracks. But besides that, this game is awesome and I definitely enjoyed it on the Wii U.… Expand
  11. DanielGG91
    Nov 15, 2022
    8
    Gran juego, recuperando la esencia del Mario Kart de Gamecube (al menos eso me parece). Un imprescindible para jugar con amigos.
  12. Tomatonato
    Jan 31, 2023
    8
    It's just Mario Kart 7 but with anti-gravity. Not enough was innovated, it was a very uninspired entry that was heavily based on the previous title.
  13. vahn
    Apr 22, 2015
    7
    Before saying anything, I want to tell right away that this game is fun: there's a lot of stuff in it, a lot of characters, a lot of detail and I really enjoyed it a whole lot when I played it: the new features such as anti-gravity and the glide kind of makes it quite weird but also interesting, without ruining the flow, and a tiny bit of customization that definitely makes the game evenBefore saying anything, I want to tell right away that this game is fun: there's a lot of stuff in it, a lot of characters, a lot of detail and I really enjoyed it a whole lot when I played it: the new features such as anti-gravity and the glide kind of makes it quite weird but also interesting, without ruining the flow, and a tiny bit of customization that definitely makes the game even more personal. In other words the game is fun, and it was the game that made me purchase the Wii-U.

    AND MAN, what a boring-fest after a short while.

    Before playing this game I spent at least 50+ hours in a very similar game, and more specifically Sonic All-stars racing transformed, and I had a huge amount of fun in that game for many reasons. But as soon as I went on this game, I finished almost all of the circuits, at 150cc (I can't get the 200c because I can't connect my Wii-U. Thank you for no Ethernet plug Nintendo!)), in a single day. Why? Because it's mindblowingly easy and simple! I finished all my tracks using ONE type of vehicle, ONE set of parts, and rarely lost any race and on top of that each race is incredibly short too, making each race last not even 5 minutes (or barely so).

    I mean wow, I don't like to compare games nor to bash on such a famous series of kart games, but I expected much more from this game: aside the usual circuit there isn't much else to do, and while there are many characters to unlock I have only managed to unlock bowser's children and various toads. REALLY?! I don't care about Bowser's sons and toadette, give me the actual real characters of the games! But it doesn't really matter anyway: stats don't really change much if you change character, only the parts you put on your vehicle do and that's it. As far as I noticed, the character is just for visuals.

    Sure, the game is a lot of fun to play in multiplayer...but frankly it's barely an excuse: I've played Mario Kart 64 back on the Nintendo...64, and it was way more enjoyable and cured than this game, even in single player. But this game I just got instantly bored as soon as I finished the circuits...oh and I forgot to mention how the AI is atrociously bad, but not in only one way: it's very common at high difficulties to lose a race because, suddenly, ALL of the racers will start throwing their skills at you. It seems like everyone hates the player to the point of not even letting you recover, and the funny part is that only one or two racers will actually reach first and win. throughout all 4 tracks, leaving the rest on the dust.

    I suppose they just don't want me to win...I guess I'm even more disliked than Waluigi hm...

    At any rate, this is a good game, an excellent racing game BUT with a lot of lackings in my opinion: the Circuits are short, the customization is nearly pointless, the many characters are almost a joke (I don't want mini bowsers or toads copies!!!!!!), and the game doesn't really feel fair in challenge.: on top of that I didn't see any interesting mode except for battle, which is downgraded in comparison to the previous games.

    Overall, it's a good game, DEFINITELY not bad, but I can't deny that It made me want to play the Mario Kart 64 the more I played this one. Or Sonic Racing Transformed on the pc...

    At least the sensation of speed there is done better....    … Expand
  14. andree1991
    Nov 10, 2015
    7
    Fun but there's no real strategy to win. It looks like it was made to make people not feel like losers for sucking at this game. if you are in last you only get stars and crazy powerful items. if you are first you get coins and other garbage. This game is for kids, and since im a big kid i liked it.
  15. X-fushion
    Sep 12, 2014
    7
    This game is overrated within the context of it own series, While Mario Kart 8 is a solid, fun and well designed (for the most part) it has some issues that put it away from "perfection". In the core Mario Kart 8 is great, the tracks are well designed and every single one has an unique charm, both visually and technically also you don't feel that the tracks are the same all of them hadThis game is overrated within the context of it own series, While Mario Kart 8 is a solid, fun and well designed (for the most part) it has some issues that put it away from "perfection". In the core Mario Kart 8 is great, the tracks are well designed and every single one has an unique charm, both visually and technically also you don't feel that the tracks are the same all of them had "personality", their own gimmicks and obstacles making them fun and challenging to play. Other welcome addition new vehicle customization the game, is kind of basic but works well, it suits your play style better and the vehicle classes (Kart ,bike, sport bike and ATV) bring balance to the game and more variety some vehicles like karts are better in straight line tracks while others like the sport bikes do better in sharp curves tracks, picking your vehicle is no longer a "it looks cool" fact it's about what vehicle suits you best and it brings more depth in the game. Also Drifting and mini turbo are nearly mandatory in the game, there's no longer an automatic or manual option, fortunately performing a drifting is vey easy unlike Mario kart wii and more responsive, master it to perform the super mini turbo requires a little practice but nothing hard or out of place, while it's possible to play the game without drifting is a game breaker if you decide to not, since all the CPU by default do it, and most of the players also do it because is to simple to execute, so don’t be surprised if you lose most of the time because you are not drifting. So at this point it sounds that Mario Kart 8 is a game that involves pure skill, well yes but also involves luck in the form of items the series had since the beginning you know throwing shells at opponents, using mushrooms to boost, that kind of stuff, unfortunately the very items is the downfall of Mario Kart 8, making it a game more about luck than skill. It's true that in Mario Kart luck comes to place but in past MK games skill was a more important factor sure you can be in 10th place and get cool items like the golden mushroom and bullet bills, but no matter how good the items were they meant little if the guy at 1st place was good at driving, and Mario kart 8 is the complete opposite for the most part, is more about the items you get than how good you are at driving. Let me go more in depth in Past Mario Kart Games, Like Mario Kart Wii for instance there was always called "item priority" this means that the lower you are in the place list you'll get better offensive items like a star, 3 red shells, a lighting, etc. and the higher you were you'll get basic offensive items and more defensive items, like a single red shell, bananas, green shells etc. So it worked well giving the guy in 12th place an edge to pass the opponents while giving the guy in fist place basic items to "shield" him/herself from the rest. In Mario Kart 8 that is no more, Item priority now is random, except from the guy in first place, so now you van get stars in 3rd place, triple red shells in second, lightning in fourth and even a bullet bill in fifth place, but in 1st place is more common to get the new coin item that a defensive item like a green shell, the coins in the game act like a boost you can collect them in the track or by getting one at the item box, collect 10 of them and you'll gain a little speed boost, the problem is that collecting 10 coins is way to easy and most of the time in 1st place you'll stock up real quick, not to mention that the coin item still appears even if you are max out, this means that the game somehow has the 1st place items prioritized by making coins more common that actual items, so this means that if you manage to get to 1st place there's barley any way to defend yourself from items. So that just throw over the window the whole skill add-ons like customization and drifting, sure there's some skill involved but now the guy that gets the better items wins this is way more notorious if you play online. So follow my strategy, don't ever try to be on first place the whole race always try to be in 3rd or lower that way you'll get all the cool items while the lead player can barely do anything to protect him/herself and when the final lap comes then try to lead the race at the half of the track, is more likely that you'll win this way than by trying to speed up all the time. Also there's no battle mode, well it is but is way to broken, the battles are without a radar in the main tracks, so yeah no battle arenas just tracks, is very uncomfortable to play, you'll spend 99% of the time trying to look for the other players and is just not fun at all. Mario Kart 8 still of its flaws still a good, fun game and you can have a great time with it, but is way to far to be the best Mario kart game.… Expand
  16. Vanpire73
    Jun 6, 2014
    7
    Pretty fun, but it's still no Diddy Kong Racing. Having an answer for the blue shell is welcome and the HD graphics are an improvement, but at the end of the day it's essentially the same thing it's always been.
  17. Sofatayra
    Jan 13, 2017
    7
    for about 60+ hours and obtained all easy, medium difficulty on gold on all maps.
    Mario Kart is fun to play, there is no denial, and if you have never played this genera before
    you will be having lots of fun, Mario Kart have detained the best title of its kind for a while, until i tried Sega all star racing transformed, that literally transformed my vision on Mario Kart.specially after    for about 60+ hours and obtained all easy, medium difficulty on gold on all maps.
    Mario Kart is fun to play, there is no denial, and if you have never played this genera before
    you will be having lots of fun, Mario Kart have detained the best title of its kind for a while, until
    i tried Sega all star racing transformed, that literally transformed my vision on Mario Kart.specially after playing both for a super long while:

    Mario Kart Pros:
    Solid character design
    Large variety of vehicles
    Bring nostalgia
    Can be addictive
    Colorful
    Rewarding unlocks

    Sonic All Star Transformed Pros
    Level great design
    Different ways of racing land see and air
    Level Musics
    Level Variety
    Fast paced , true feeling of racing
    Progress to unlock levels and other.
    Price (literally available now for 3$)
    ON PC and consoles.
    Works well on low end PCs
    Interface
    Can upload to YouTube with no restrictions.
    Very addictive
    Car transformation is so fan
    Modes : Combat, Racing till end,Online Races and very quick, Parcour maps.
    Supports 3 monitors on PC for Eyefinity and Surround

    Mario Cart Cons
    Bikes handeling is less adventagious than karts
    Seen before gameplay
    Level design can be very short
    looting boxes and not random however based on position. Like if you are the last kart you would obtain the super power.
    No Key configuration on a WIIU Gamepad that is a little taxing on your controler grab positions.
    Brings barelly nothing new from previous mario karts
    Very expensive game at 59$ USD and 75$ CAN Dollars and rare discounts
    Few Modes
    Exclusive to WiiU

    Sonic All Star Racing Transsformed Cons
    Online match making is a little random.
    The Casino slot machines are kind of useless at times.
    Gathered Slot machine stars are too expensive to use.    … Expand
  18. LSky
    May 25, 2015
    7
    This game is very overrated. The item system in this game is totally messed up. In mario kart games, you've been punished for being in first, but it's especially bad this game. Half the time in first you get the worthless coin item, and you can not cycle through items like you can in previous games(i.e. have one item in your item box and dragging one behind you). I find every time I race,This game is very overrated. The item system in this game is totally messed up. In mario kart games, you've been punished for being in first, but it's especially bad this game. Half the time in first you get the worthless coin item, and you can not cycle through items like you can in previous games(i.e. have one item in your item box and dragging one behind you). I find every time I race, I stay in 1st-3rd place, and then get hit by multiple items at the end that brings me down to 6th or lower. They tried to make up for this with the super horn being able to destroy blue shells, but you never get it in first place. It must be Not to mention battle mode is completely ruined by the lack of arenas. Mario Kart DS, Wii, and 7 are all vastly superior to this mediocre game. Very disappointing.… Expand
  19. Mikeylano
    Jun 2, 2014
    7
    Most reviews fail to point out any of MK8's flaws. I shall attempt to do so. Nevertheless, I bought the Wii U specifically for this game and I am glad I did. It is a masterpiece, but it is not perfect.

    Everything is great, except for: - Ability to hold a weapon in reserve: Now you can only hold one item at a time. You cannot hold, for example, a banana behind you for defence whilst    Most reviews fail to point out any of MK8's flaws. I shall attempt to do so. Nevertheless, I bought the Wii U specifically for this game and I am glad I did. It is a masterpiece, but it is not perfect.

    Everything is great, except for:

    - Ability to hold a weapon in reserve: Now you can only hold one item at a time. You cannot hold, for example, a banana behind you for defence whilst hitting an item box to get something else in reserve. This feature was removed unnecessarily. Now, if you are in 1st, you simply hold on to whatever defensive item you get, rather than attempting to sabotage 2nd place (in fear that you may get a coin). This makes the game significantly less tactical.

    - No on-screen map: whilst there is a map on the game pad, it is not as practical as having one at a glance on the television screen. It also makes playing with a Pro Controller more difficult. Checking whether and who is fast approaching is now not as easy unless you pause the game, lift the pad up and try to retain concentration or use the rear view mirror, which may only give you a brief snapshot of what is going on behind. This pales in usefulness to a full map which shows you the precise location of everyone (including those ahead) in an instant.

    - No quick way to compare vehicles and parts: There should be a compare button that allows you to select one vehicle/part and track the bars of others against it. The only practical way to compare is looking up an online table.

    - Online track voting: no longer can you select any of the tracks. You are given a selection of four tracks, or can simply opt for any random course. This is a step backwards.

    - Awful battle mode: I am alarmed at how bad this is. There are no arenas - you just race around (a select few of) the normal tracks firing at each other. This is so bad that it makes you wonder whether the game was rushed.

    - No horizontal two-player split screen: the only available mode is vertical. This makes it very difficult to see around sharp corners in advance, and caters for the few times that the camera deviates slightly on the diagonal. Give players the option at least.

    - Character selection: too many babies and repeats. You can play as three types of Mario and Peach. The Koopalings are a nice addition but at the expense of great characters like Diddy Kong. Why is "Pink Gold Peach" more iconic than Diddy, Dixie or King Boo?

    - "View replay" is default selection after race: by default, "next race" should be selected, not view replay. This gets frustrating when you just want to get to the next race but through 20 years of habit press A only to be presented with the replay screen.

    - AI: unfortunately the AI seems to cheat quite a lot. Thankfully, now that online is the centrepiece, this does not matter so much. You can really tell the difference in challenge when you play against the AI and then online. The AI has faultless accuracy for items like green shells and the boomerang, and seems to get the perfect item to ruin your race at just the right time. Expect bloopers on the last section of Grumble Volcano and blue shells in the last 20 seconds of a race when you are winning (this usually happens at least once every grand prix).

    - Weapon distribution: Weapons from 1st to 6th place are invariably on the weak side. Mushrooms, coins and single bananas/shells are very common. Things only get interesting in the lower half of the pack, unless you race on frantic mode. In past MK games, 3rd place and below usually netted you something more powerful, such as triple red shells. However, even at the back of the pack, it is still entirely possible to get weak items, whilst those in the middle get high powered ones. This is very bizarre.

    -Effect of coins: I think the return of coins is a great idea, but they are so important that driving skill is less important than whether you have 10 coins or not. The problem is that when you get hit or fall off, you lose three coins. This means that people in the middle of the pack are less likely to ever catch up with first place because they are constantly battling it out between each other and slowing each other down. In my experience, most races have one person far out in front and an explosive pack of people in 3rd - 10th that is anyone's game.

    - Retro track selection. Personally I think there are too many tracks from the handheld games, although all of them are done well. However, I think Toad's Turnpike should NOT have included anti gravity elements, because this means that the main focus of the track - bustling amongst the traffic - is lost.

    This may seem like a lot of criticism, but overall it still means that MK8 is a great game. All the tracks are enjoyable to play (although I don't think any of them are spectacular), the music is great and the racing itself is very smooth. The way the blue shell works (back to N64 days) is very welcome. No doubt I will be playing it for many years to come, hopefully with patches.    … Expand
  20. ynotownemall
    Jun 1, 2014
    7
    I really wanted to love this game but as it is I only like it. It looks fantastic and has a good variety of tracks. The player roster leaves a little to be desired, there should be less babies and koopa kids and more of the other toons we all like (Samus).

    But when push comes to shove this is just the same Mario Kart game (that some of us have been playing since the SNES) with pretty    I really wanted to love this game but as it is I only like it. It looks fantastic and has a good variety of tracks. The player roster leaves a little to be desired, there should be less babies and koopa kids and more of the other toons we all like (Samus).

    But when push comes to shove this is just the same Mario Kart game (that some of us have been playing since the SNES) with pretty graphics.

    This is still a good game and any Mario Kart fan should pick it up, but it could have been great, Nintendo were simply to scared to take any real chances with it.    … Expand
  21. Aayph
    Jun 3, 2014
    7
    I'm a bit disappointed by most of the reviews here, especially the 10 point reviews.
    Many praising for the good old Mario Kart in HD, the sales bringer for the Wii U.
    As hardcore Nintendo / Mario fan it seems you are not allowed anymore to note something negative, otherwise you might be a hater... But let us face it straight - As Hardcore Mario Kart gamer it's letting me down. Of    I'm a bit disappointed by most of the reviews here, especially the 10 point reviews.
    Many praising for the good old Mario Kart in HD, the sales bringer for the Wii U.
    As hardcore Nintendo / Mario fan it seems you are not allowed anymore to note something negative, otherwise you might be a hater...

    But let us face it straight - As Hardcore Mario Kart gamer it's letting me down.
    Of course the game has many good points and it's still an excellent game, but if you played Double Dash, or the Wii version and you played it really hardcore you will find many difference in the Balancing of the game which will annoy you.

    Lets start with the positive:
    -> Best Graphics in a Mario Kart game so far
    -> New Type of Vehicle, Quads
    -> You can build your vehicle as you like (comp. to Wii)
    -> Wonderful track design

    Points that are neutral, mostly depends on personal taste:
    -> New Items - There are good and bad additions
    -> Character Selection - Some nice characters have removed, some have been added
    -> Wheelies have been removed (comp. to Wii)
    -> Item rates depending on place have been greatly change, less different items for first places etc.
    -> Redesign of old tracks (+because it's not just a copy, -because they have become less interesting)

    Negative things:
    -> You can now only hold 1 items, removes strategy aspect from the game
    -> Tracks are easy to master, it requires not much skill anymore to drive good times
    -> Game became more luck based because of the new balancing

    For me the races do not feel that intense anymore as on the Wii, I've the feeling I've less control over what happens with me. It was always the case you could have a good or a bad phase, you could easily drop to the last place or with luck having a comeback and win the race from last place.
    In Mario Kart 8 it seems more usual that you drop a lot places, then gain a lot places again etc. the field is more tight together, but this does not mean it makes more interesting, it makes it just more annoying.

    In my opinion the game has become even more casual than it already was, so for people playing from time to time, families and Kids it's great. But for people who also wanted to drive for competition need to look for a new game.

    Actually subjective I would give it rather 4-5 Points, but from objective view it's more 7 - 7,5 points.

    I as Nintendo fan boy and Mario Lover hope the next game becomes more intense again, but Mario Kart has lost the status for me as 'must buy game'.

    - Former Mario Kart Wii player with a 9999 score    … Expand
  22. SableSoldi3r
    Oct 12, 2017
    7
    Mario Kart 8 is everything you should come to expect from a next-gen Mario Kart title. The visuals are beautiful: graphics are very detailed, and courses are colorful and eye-catching. The gameplay is nothing new for Mario Kart, as it employs all of the mechanics from previous games while new additions are minimal, ranging from a few new power-ups to some new kart customizations. Making aMario Kart 8 is everything you should come to expect from a next-gen Mario Kart title. The visuals are beautiful: graphics are very detailed, and courses are colorful and eye-catching. The gameplay is nothing new for Mario Kart, as it employs all of the mechanics from previous games while new additions are minimal, ranging from a few new power-ups to some new kart customizations. Making a return from Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart 7 are coins, which add some variety to the game and allows for some "fun along the way" as you try to grab coins to cap out your max speed. The revamped courses are gorgeous and very nostalgic, and the remixed music was a blast from the past. My personal favorites are N64's Rainbow Road, SNES's Donut Plains 3 and Wii's Moo Moo Meadows.

    One minor complaint I have about this game is the item balance, both in quality and quantity. First: one of the new items unleashes a piranha plant that frantically snaps its mouth, giving you speed boosts, nabbing nearby coins and knocking out opponents in the process. Although you only typically acquire the piranha plant when you're towards the bottom of the board, it seems a bit overpowered and does a lot for one power-up.

    Second: just like in Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 8 increases the number of concurrent racers from eight to twelve, which drastically increases the number of items on-screen. When I first picked the game up, I immediately jumped into 150cc Grand Prix. Being a veteran of the series, I've done this before with previous entries to challenge myself and was able to get accustomed fairly quickly. In just about every race this time around, I was in first place for more than half a race, ahead by a considerable distance, and then out of the blue I got hit with an assortment of three or four different shells that sets me back at least eight places and left me to finish the race in fourth at best. For a game that requires you to get first on all four races in a cup in order to get the best award for that cup, this is infuriating and incredibly frustrating. You can do everything right in a race (drifting, drafting, hitting speed boosts, doing tricks off every jump, collecting ten coins, etc.), only to be barraged with shells at the very last second and to be thrown into sixth place, forcing you to restart the entire cup and ultimately resulting in a waste of time. It feels like, no matter what you do, this game doesn't reward skill but simply gives you a slight chance of having a three-star rating fall into your lap, which honestly isn't fun in the slightest.

    Items aside, this game is very fun to play with friends and it's a very refreshing Mario Kart experience. Just don't expect to have much fun if you're in it even remotely for the achievement.    … Expand
  23. IrontreeStudios
    Sep 16, 2014
    7
    Mario Kart 8 is great! The inverted gravity mechanic that the developers added put a fun spin on the already fun game play. The creative track designs and seemingly never ending Kart upgrades keeps players wanting to stay in the game for more. As we all know, Nintendo needs to beef up their online play, which is the only reason I didn't score this game as a solid 10. I just wish I had moreMario Kart 8 is great! The inverted gravity mechanic that the developers added put a fun spin on the already fun game play. The creative track designs and seemingly never ending Kart upgrades keeps players wanting to stay in the game for more. As we all know, Nintendo needs to beef up their online play, which is the only reason I didn't score this game as a solid 10. I just wish I had more friends with a Wii U.… Expand
  24. ShadowUchiha73
    Nov 20, 2014
    7
    Mario Kart 8 is a very good game, but is it really the best Mario Kart, let only best Wii U game; how about no. Mario Kart 8 has a few noticeable problems like coins being items, ruining Battle Mode, and a few problems with Mario Kart in general I always had: No Campaign, some luck involved with the items, Green shells being too slow, and the Leader Shell. Regardless, it's still a greatMario Kart 8 is a very good game, but is it really the best Mario Kart, let only best Wii U game; how about no. Mario Kart 8 has a few noticeable problems like coins being items, ruining Battle Mode, and a few problems with Mario Kart in general I always had: No Campaign, some luck involved with the items, Green shells being too slow, and the Leader Shell. Regardless, it's still a great game and I recommend it to any Mario kart fan but I still can't say I enjoyed that much.… Expand
  25. pxsh
    Aug 21, 2015
    7
    Great game overall, fantastic singleplayer experience, run in smooth 60 fps which is a major upgrade from the older series. Lots of tracks and a decent AI that does not seem to cheat too much, as the old MK games did. The Game lacks a proper Battle mode and it's a shame and disgrace towards all fans of the series to skip this in favor for a"new and innovative" battle mode, whichGreat game overall, fantastic singleplayer experience, run in smooth 60 fps which is a major upgrade from the older series. Lots of tracks and a decent AI that does not seem to cheat too much, as the old MK games did. The Game lacks a proper Battle mode and it's a shame and disgrace towards all fans of the series to skip this in favor for a"new and innovative" battle mode, which demonstrably have been proven quite boring by too many players, including me. A question for Nintendo, where is the classic battle map DLC or any hints regarding a possibility ? The 7 out of 10 score from me is due to the great singleplayer experience. Don't buy this and expect some great multiplayer experience like in the former games in the series.… Expand
  26. GoodGameAnyway
    Jul 29, 2016
    7
    One of the best games on Wii U, but unfortunately not quite as good as Mario Kart Wii. With more "balanced" items, the game has lost its 12-player craziness many players loved in Mario Kart Wii. If MKWii was still available to play online this would be okay, but due to Wi-Fi Connection being shut down, this is one sad disaster for me.

    However, the tracks and the visuals are cool. DLC is    One of the best games on Wii U, but unfortunately not quite as good as Mario Kart Wii. With more "balanced" items, the game has lost its 12-player craziness many players loved in Mario Kart Wii. If MKWii was still available to play online this would be okay, but due to Wi-Fi Connection being shut down, this is one sad disaster for me.

    However, the tracks and the visuals are cool. DLC is among the best I've ever seen. That still won't fix the broken gameplay choices.

    Also, do not expect to be able to choose tracks online freely: you have to pick one out of three randomly selected or an another random track.    … Expand
  27. ellocopepe96
    Nov 27, 2016
    7
    primero que todo este juego es muy bueno y divertido como todos los mario karts los escenarios están muy bien hechos los graficos de puta madre , el juego va muy fluido , diversion asegurada.
    Pero para mi no esta a la altura de los anteriores juegos de la saga , lo encuentro un poco vacio , el modo batalla no esta trabajado, no hay escenarios especificos para ese modo como en todos    primero que todo este juego es muy bueno y divertido como todos los mario karts los escenarios están muy bien hechos los graficos de puta madre , el juego va muy fluido , diversion asegurada.
    Pero para mi no esta a la altura de los anteriores juegos de la saga , lo encuentro un poco vacio , el modo batalla no esta trabajado, no hay escenarios especificos para ese modo como en todos los otros mario karts , hay muchos personajes que no pintan ni con cola xd como los secuaces de bowser o toadette o peach de oro rosa que son mas bien de relleno , hubiesen metido a diddy kong o funky kong o bowsitos desde antes y no en un dlc o bowser jr etc . Algunas pistas son muy aburridas , la musica es normalita no me gusto que casi cada tema del juego tuviese trompetas todo el tiempo y muchas veces la musica pasa a segundo plano y no se escucha casi nada ya que ni siquiera te da la opcion de bajarle a los efectos de sonido del juego y dejar la música en un volumen mas alto. yo creo que eso es algo esencial hoy en dia ,que un juego te permita bajar o subir el volumen de cada sonido del juego .
    y lo de los dlc es lo peor osea ¿que paso nintendo xD ? ya esta mal hacer dlc´s pero los dlcs que pusieron son de risa lo unico que vale la pena de los dlc son link ,bowsitos y algunas pistas nuevas, pero aun asi se nota que al juego le falto mas cariño.    … Expand
  28. MarioGames
    Jul 10, 2017
    7
    This game is too much good quality and have a lot of guy + the koopaling are no appropriate. You can pay amiibo just for a Mii costume and the amiibo price like 16$
  29. TropicalNayr
    Mar 31, 2021
    7
    i would give this a 75%
    This is a fun party game but they didn't really change a lot to it and it does not have anything different to it unlike the other Mario kart games if this is you're first time playing it it is a good game but it is just like the other Mario kart games but they just add new maps and charters i wish they added something new like double dash or something different    i would give this a 75%
    This is a fun party game but they didn't really change a lot to it and it does not have anything different to it unlike the other Mario kart games if this is you're first time playing it it is a good game but it is just like the other Mario kart games but they just add new maps and charters i wish they added something new like double dash or something different they just did not really think out side the box.    … Expand
  30. endn
    Jul 31, 2014
    6
    Worst Mario Kart. I appreciate the updated graphics, but the core gameplay is broken. Items are no fun to use because tracks are often too wide and splits into two or more paths that racers are too far apart. Not to mention you rarely get fun item if you are top 3. Battle mode is completely ruined.

    AI cheats too obviously. For example you can be #1 for 2 laps and everybody seems to    Worst Mario Kart. I appreciate the updated graphics, but the core gameplay is broken. Items are no fun to use because tracks are often too wide and splits into two or more paths that racers are too far apart. Not to mention you rarely get fun item if you are top 3. Battle mode is completely ruined.

    AI cheats too obviously. For example you can be #1 for 2 laps and everybody seems to catch up in the last lap. Unlockables are lackluster. Ugly kart design, either too serious or too childish looking. Very unspired. Too much focus on collecting coins. Too many bowser children.

    My wife and I loved Mario Kart since Super Nintendo. It's gotten worse over the years but there were always something interesting that kept us playing. This is the first Mario Kart that my wife actually quits before we complete 100cc. Said it felt like a chore.    … 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

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.
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  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
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