Mario Kart 8 Deluxe GS review: 9/10; beats Wii-U version

Eh, I liked Mario Kart 8, but not enough that I feel like double dipping at full-price, and the added content isn't really helping change that.

really wish there was some sort of "trade in your Wii U version to get Switch version cheaper" deal or something.

No, I did not own a Wii U. I'm too busy playing on better Nintendo consoles.

Dudes the Mario Kart team is working on ARMS. Do yer research!

So we got Arms over a proper Mario Kart sequel? Arms better be a great freaking game.

Its cool they got to do something entirely different, but I'm not exactly super impressed by what I've seen from Arms.

@emgesp: so you are drawing issue that a game you haven't played on a system you don't own is being ported to another system you don't own? :P

Why does it matter if MK8 isn't MK9 if you haven't owned MK8? Seems a tad bit scampy to me. ;)

I for one am very excited for this. None of my friends picked up a Wii U, so MK8 and Smash only happened on the rare occasions that friends where round mine, but this time around most either bought, or are planning to buy, a Switch, so it's gonna be great getting to play MK8 with them whenever, and wherever.

All the haters complaining about a remaster are hypocritical, coming fresh off a gen where remasters were all the rage.

Ignoring the fact that this is not simply an HD port and there are genuine mechanic changes, and new tracks, karts, racers etc.... and say for instance this was a direct port. Even then, the fact that you have this great of a game on a mobile platform is impressive and deserving of the hype.

Throw in all the upgrades on top and you got a real enticing purchase.

@enzyme36: the translation for "on fire" is "está que arde".

Mario Kart on the run with my Switch? Double dip time!

@raugutcon: wow I actually learned something in here. Good call... I been using en fuego incorrectly in the sports world my whole life. :P

Thanks

Are you really going down that path to try and detour my argument like its without merit?

Me owning a Wii U or Switch is irrelevant to the point at hand. The fact remains that they should have had Mario Kart 9 ready this year over a slightly enhanced port of a three year old game. The fact that Nintendo fans are actually excited for a three year old port is sad and shows desperation.

Mario Kart 8 was already HD. This is a glorified patched version of the game with some DLC add ons.

So I bought the DLC for MK8 on the WiiU for my sister and never really played it myself. I gave her the WiiU now... so I'm kinda looking at the DLC + battlegrounds for $60. I really like Battlegrounds, more than racing online. I might go for it. Depending on the other games releasing end of april - end of may.

@emgesp: well thank you for being empathetic to all us who have played MK8 and are looking forward to the next installment.

I can understand someone looking forward to trying it who hadn't the chance. That's what I like about rereleases and remasters. It makes picking up certain games like RE titles easier for those who missed out on the initial release.

I'd recommend playing MK8. It'd a fun game that any Nintendo fan would love. Give it a go if you ever get the chance. Seems funny to me that you'd be so passionate about the release of a new game in the serise though when you have yet to play MK8. When was your last MK game? 2011?

I love Mario Kart. I have no issues with the game itself, just the fact that a port really wasn't needed three years later, especially when you consider that the majority of Switch owners already owned MK8 on the Wii U. Looks like you got Arms instead of a true MK sequel this year, so I hope you enjoy Arms.

I'm double dipping on this one, and will do so for Smash as well, should it be released on the Switch. I suspect it will. I find those sudden new Smash amiibos being released this summer quite suspicious!

I'm buying again because I know my son and I will play the hell out of it for years, until the next Mario Kart comes out. I don't do Smash, but the only reason the Wii U is still used in our household is because he and his friends play it nonstop.

@emgesp: thanks for thinking of me. I think Arms looks cool.

But your sentiments don't apply to you. You haven't played MK8. Assuming you have played MK7, then your last MK games was 2011. Maybe trying MK8 on Switch would be a good idea?

I understand you are a Nintendo fan. The Switch will have existing games fron the top franchises you haven't played like Mario Kart, Zelda, Fire Emblem and Xenoblade as well as fresh IPS with a new installment in Splatoon 2 and a new IP Arms.

If I was someone who was a Nintendo fan and skipped Wii U, I would think that looks fairly promising.

No, it doesn't apply to me, but I don't just think about myself. I rarely put myself over other people. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back or anything, just I think of others happiness as much as my own. If I were in your position I'd assume you'd be happier getting MK9 over an enhanced port of a three year old game.

@emgesp: That's very considerate. :)

You don't buy games if someone else own them. :P

No, the reason why I never picked up a Wii U is because it doesn't have enough games for me to justify a purchase. MK8 looks neat, but its not enough for me. I'm not against playing MK8, just not interested enough to fork over the $ just to play that one game.

The top 5 highest-rated games of the year so far on MC:

1. Zelda BOTW (Switch & Wii U)

2. Persona 5 (PS4) (tied)

2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) (tied)

4. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Switch)

5. Bayonetta (PC)

...The Switch has three of the five highest-rated games of the year so far.

@emgesp: or Zelda or Mario or Fire Emblem or Xenoblade too, right?

As a Nintendo fan, the biggest draw for me buying a Nintendo system is to play Nintendo games.

You aren't taking into consideration the Nintendo affect. If it has a Nintendo label it automatically get a full point higher score.

Colin Moriarty for the win.

How did you reach such a conclusion?

...on a mobile platform, with new mechanics, and new gameplay modes. To me double items is a huge change.

Add it all up, and it is worth it to me. It may not be for you, but dont discredit it as not adding any value to the platform, as you are trying to imply.

actually we can.

This is a handheld.

PS3 and PS4 have no real difference in value, you were just milked.

Can now take the best racer on the market on the go.

what infamous and multiplats? "whoa"

Easy, majority of early adopters of new consoles are usually the hardcore, Wii being an exception.

You can't tell me that the majority of current Switch owners didn't own a Wii U. It is pretty obvious reading countless forums and facebook pages that current Switch owners are/were Wii U owners as well. You can't actually believe that the majority of Switch sales are because of non Wii U owners.

Colin Moriarty, I can agree with his politics, but in terms of gaming, he's a HUGE Sony Fanboy and I wouldn't trust him! Stop being a clown here. Also, Kinda Funny is practically a Sony Circle Jerk.

To me it's strange that a fan of Nintendo has no interest in a Nintendo console with great Nintendo games as it doesn't remind them of the SNES days because it doesn't have enough 3rd party games with design paradigms popularized in the PS2 era and strengthened in the PS3/360.

The reason I liked the SNES was because of games that independent developers are now making such as Shovel Knight, Axiom Verge and Stardew Valley. Not because of games like Mass Effect or Grand Theft Auto. I like those games too but they aren't the reason I liked SNES.

Most AAA games get a full point higher score. No need to single-out Nintendo for something most AAA games are guilty of.

The amount of dislikes for that video is brutal. He just took an L.

You're speaking to a clown, who just hates Nintendo.

Anyways, the Switch is a success because of better marketing, and Nintendo's reason to port Mario Kart 8 is to get more sales over the Wii U version since the install base is smaller than the Wii's, 3DS, and DS. So why not get more out of Mario Kart 8 w/a Switch Port?

Still better than what Switch currently offers.

@emgesp: Is it the lack of 3rd party games that doesn't entice you to the Switch? I thought you were already a PS4 owner?

The NES and SNES would not have been anywhere near as great as they were without strong third party support. Sure, they would still have the great Nintendo games, but I enjoyed the third party just as much as Nintendo first party games back then.

The Switch cannot be called a great Nintendo console yet, because it isn't. This is an objective fact. Now, it could very well become a great Nintendo console, but for now its mediocre at best with one game keeping it relevant.

A lack of both 1st and third party games is the reason why I currently have no interest in the Switch.

A year from now things can change, but that is up to Nintendo. I almost bought a Wii U when Star Fox was announced, but then it turned into a complete mess and I was super disappointed.

@emgesp: Right but the 3rd party games on SNES are nothing like the general output from 3rd party developers now. Trends have shifted and those type of games are only really being developed by independent devs... and those games, for the most part were available on Wii U and are available on Switch.

So really, it sounds like you want nothing like the SNES. You want a PS4... which you have, right?

I love indie games. Inside is one of my favorite games this generation.

In terms of bigger third party titles I absolutely love the new Hitman game.

@emgesp: Isn't Inside a very story driven experience? I haven't played it but it looks nothing like an SNES game.

I was more thinking Shovel Knight, Hyper Light Drifter (not on Nintendo) Super Meat Boy, Axiom Verge, Shantae and Stardew Valley.

By the sounds of it, you're more into the PS3/360 era of games than the SNES era.

Story driven experience? No, its mostly puzzle solving gameplay. Its a must buy.

Well, I own an Famicom/NES/SNES so I'm kinda covered when it comes to great 2D games from Nintendo.

@emgesp: I'll give it a try. But Ori and The Witness are on my Xbox One queue first. :P

All the same, are you completely certain that you want a Nintendo console like the SNES? Or are you really looking for a Nintendo console similar to the PS4/Xbox One? Keeping in mind most 3rd party titles these days don't really resemble SNES-style video games.

It's a solid game but it's three years old, if you've played this on the Wii U there's really nothing to offer here. The only people I see this actually appealing to are those that never played the game before this.

Solid game, it deserves high scores, albeit I think it scoring higher than the original not only here but abroad is ridiculous. It's the same game without the shock factor of it actually being new which in many cases causes people to overate things.

When I say I want it more like the SNES I'm not saying I want a bunch of 2D games. I'm saying I want a modern Nintendo console to have both great 1st and third party support.

That is conspiracist bullshit! There is no evidence that Nintendo games get a granted high score just because their name is on the damn box. Especially when they have recently released games that got low as hell ratings on the critics (Star Fox Zero, Kirby and the Rainbow Cruise, Yoshi's Woolly World) or the users (Pokemon Go, Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes), so it's not surprising you use Colin Moriarty, who funny enough, believes Nintendo would NOT fare that well as a third party developer.

@emgesp: You own a contemporary home console though, right? Why do you need the same games to release on Switch as an incentive to buy one? :/

Doesn't that sort of stand as a juxtaposition to your opinion on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Why get a console for games that are already available somewhere else?

Not going to happen.

Calm down, that post was meant to be taken with tongue in cheek.