Mario Kart 8 review

[buster_broon]

Cheers boss

Yeah the code you get isn't tied to an account so doesn't matter which club nintendo account redeems it

[PaTaito]

Can anyone help me out with a code swap? my Wonderful 101 for zelda? Sorry to ask again, but i wont be able to use this code i have as i dont have any spare external storage...and really cant be bothered to buy some specially for this.

[kryss]

How do you know you won't be needing it for another game? Future-proof yourself, I'm sure Nintendo will give something else away when Smash Bros hits.

[nakamura]

Hopping was also extremely beneficial in Super Mario Kart. It separated the good from the great.

[dataDave]

Indeed. I've been trying to integrate it but I'm going to need a ton more practice.

It helps massively on the first S-bend on Mario Circuit, that's the only place where I can use it to any advantage so far.

[hudson]

I use it to regain a tight race line, but using it to extend my boost time doesn't seem to work for me. Do you need to turn left and right quickly like in bids or is that just race line adjustments?

[Brad]

Just had an online match and I thought the game had crashed. After the first turn I didn't see anybody all race, nothing launched at me etc. But then as I crossed the line everyone else followed. Bizarre. Lost every race since mind. Totally random when there's more than about 6 racing

[dataDave]

I've had that happen when I've been way out in front.

Is there a Bordersdown tourney? And more importantly is it populated?

[hudson]

Karters, please sign up for the all new concentrated non-too-serious fun BDTTGP here

[Briareos]

Karters, please sign up for the all new concentrated non-too-serious fun BDTTGP here

Joined!

In other news tonight was the first time I've raced off screen on the controller, worked my way through most of
100cc, loving the chance to play while the Missus watches TV. How do you find offscreen play in the more intense world of 150cc, does it work for you?

[Leon Retro]

I've been playing this all week and really enjoying it. The graphics are something extra special and the creativity really shines through.

The only big problem I have with the game is the music. Hardly any of it sounds like the musician actually played the game, with some race courses having music that totally fails to create a racing atmosphere. At times, it feels like the musician didn't have a clue that he was making music for a racing game. Music for racing games should enhance the frenetic racing action, but most of the lighweight tunes in this just sound totally out of place. Even the remixes of classic tunes lack oomph and sound quit weak. I feel that a lot of the tunes would suit a platformer or adventure game, but not a racing game that relies on music to boost the racing action.

The music issue has really spoiled the overall experience for me. It's sad that Nintendo dropped the ball when it came to this vital component of a game. The musician is guilty of not making music that is suited to a racing experience. I would have awarded the game 9 or 10, but the music really takes the shine off what could have been near perfect experience. 8/10

[dataDave]

What? The music, and audio in general, is excellent!

New tracks...


This makes me utterly happy, especially when e.guitar the chorus kicks in whilst going over the ridge.


The way the sax composition kicks in as you burst out of the water... and then returns to the more muted steel drums when you dip back in.


I don't have to explain this one.




Retro tracks...


...or this one.


How can anyone not like this one? It suits the track perfectly with all those wide arcs and drift opportunities. Especially with all the crazy stuff going off in the background.

Old AND new mix...


This had me up dancing with my top off (like Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines after his first heist) when the SNES title theme kicks in.

And those are just off the top of my head.

[Guts]

The music is absolutely fantastic and spot-on for a light-hearted racing game like Mario Kart.

[briareos_kerensky]

Shy Guy Mines (or whatever it's called) is also excellent, with Shy Guys mining and "mepping" in sync with the music.

[SUMIRE]

Good game, but the music is naff, also there is no anti aliasing, it makes things looks a bit ragged by todays standards.