Mario Kart 8 review

[Brad]

Try it mate, you might be fine. The pad has been fine for me for everything except this. Mario Kart is an oddity. I've been playing it the same way since the snes game; I wiggle the left stick quite a bit when sliding round bends, I probably move it more than I need to but it's muscle memory now, it's how I've always played it. I found my right hand cramping up a bit. I did get used to the classic pro after an hour but I'd give anything to be able to play it with a GC controller.

The new Rainbow Road is lush. Toad's turnpike is as crap as it ever was and the omission of Banshee boardwalk is criminal but overall it's incredible. The framerate drop that DF talk about needs measuring equipment to spot. I haven't seen it and I'm super sensitive to framerate stuff (even though it doesn't always bother me) so anyone with fears over that need fear no longer :-)

[cutmymilk]

Not reading anything - waiting impatiently for the postman!

Add my NNID please if you haven't already - up for some NTSCUK fun on this one!

NNID - cutmymilk

[originalbadboy]

Has anyone tried going online with friends yet? How do the lobbies work?

Yeah works fine .. Although I was having a lot of disconnects last night mid race....

There is no lobby to speak of, just the same as MK7 and MK Wii, join lobby, choose track, random track is chosen, then race .. and repeat.

As per usual with Nintendo the online stuff is minimal with its presentation ....

[H-Man]

I was up way too late last night playing this. It's excellent and going by early impressions better than I expected. At the moment it's the new tracks that are the starsfor me - Shy Guy falls, the snow track, the one with the plane ... I was getting serious throwbacks to being a little kid at the arcade!

[cutmymilk]

Just played through and won the 4 new cups on 150cc. Quite easy, though I assume you can 3 star each one which will be tough.

Some randomness still but nowhere near as much as before - way better balanced. Saw 3 blues in 16 races. When you are up front though, coins are the new green shell so minimal defence.

Shy Guy falls definitely the stand out, agree with H-Man. New rainbow road is a little disappointing. Way prefer the Wii one.

Look forward to some online action!

[Neon Ignition]

Just wait till you see the reworked Retro Rainbow Road. Gloriousness

[teddymeow]

Done the first race.

First thoughts: I need the soundtrack!!

Went for NSMB as my free game.

[Bassman]

Completed the first series. The game does look superb.

Went for Monster Hunter as my free game.

[^Katsu]

Time is going so slowly today, 3 more hours to go... But Wonderful 101 bonus!

[cutmymilk]

Just wait till you see the reworked Retro Rainbow Road. Gloriousness

It is much, much better!

[laruso]

its such a slick polished game. what doesn't come across in reviews is how well put together this game is even down to the silhouette retro mariokart loading ticker. The replays montage at the end of a grand prix are so slick it just puts a smile on your face. love the fact you can slow down/speed up the replays too sort of like record scratching.

have to admit my first race felt odd in terms of handling, but after a few races you forget how other MKs handled and you begin to get the nuances of the drifting. not played online yet, but you can see how many alternate routes there are all around / above you in the tracks that its going to be really competitive and it will take time to learn the optimum routes etc. great game so far.

[dataDave]

I've not heard a single bad word said against this, anywhere, from anyone. Funny how I'm the last person in the galaxy to get my hands on a copy...

[punio75]

Delivered!



Need to add you peeps now.

[cutmymilk]

Add me....cutmymilk.

I have added the five people in the gamertag thread. Can someone please start adding ID's to the first post?

Post yours here and I will add for races tonight

[punio75]

Sure will.

Love how you hold item and drive one-handed!

No podium- boo!!!

Added you, I'm Punio75