Mario Kart has long managed to retain its position as the best kart racer, despite many pretenders to its crown. The upcoming Wii U release, Mario Kart 8, has looked quite incredible since it was first announced. It’s the first Mario Kart in HD but there’s quite a bit more to it than that. The tracks are busy and the characters all animated and active. The bump in power that the Wii U affords has seemingly managed to really bring those environments to vibrant life.
And there’s a load of new features that Nintendo has just announced too. Things like the Spin Turbo which allows you to gain a speed boost from impact with other players or certain obstacles while racing in the game’s new anti-gravity mode. Then there’s the new items like the Piranha Plant that attaches to the front of your vehicle and munches on nearby opponents or the Boomerang Flower that throws in an arc forwards or backwards and returns to you so you can reuse it three times.
Classic courses have been redesigned specifically to make use of the new anti-gravity racing so there are some familiar tracks like Moo Meadows from the Wii game and Donut Plains from Super Mario Kart but they’ll all have elements that can be exploited when your wheels fold up. There are 16 brand new courses alongside 16 reimagined, redesigned classic courses.
There’s plenty of familiar characters too, as you might expect. Metal Mario and Shy Guy join the announced cast of characters and all seven of Bowser’s minions are available to race as in a Mario Kart game for the first time.
Mario Kart 8 is out on the 30th May, there’s a special edition that includes a Spiny Shell to put on your shelf. It can be played with the Gamepad, including an off-TV mode for busy living rooms, and with the Wii Wheel, Remote or Wii Remote and Nunchuck combination so your multiplayer needs should be well catered for.
Source: Press Release
yiddo
This looks really nice. Good visuals too.
I’m heavily tempted to pick up a Wii U in a few months, especially if it continues to flail and it introduces another price cut. There’s some great exclusives out for the system.
Kennykazey
The hype is strong with this one!
I’d like to add a few details, first is the inclusion of Lakitu (known as the spectacled bastard on a cloud who tosses spiny turtles at you) as a playable character ( you see him in this trailer). All of the tracks in this trailer are remakes from previous games except the one at the beginning. That’s Rainbow Road from N64 at the end.
And naturally, it supports the Wii U Pro Controller as well.
Pitcher-T
This game is severely testing my resistance to buying a WiiU. I don’t even know why, I can’t justify it. Mario Kart just has some magic formula that works.
TSBonyman
Not my cup of tea at all but it looks really nice.