Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Thanks to the Booster Course Pass, I’ve been playing a lot of Mario Kart 8 lately but Mario’s latest entry in the long-running series first came into my life during the Wii U era, the glorious time when a grand total of 24 people played some of Nintendo’s best games. Since I was busy playing games, and not writing about them, I thought it was high time to fix this mistake and tell you why I think Mario Kart 8 Deluxe should be added to your Switch collection without delay.

When Mario Kart 7 first hit the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, I thought we had the perfect kart racer from Nintendo. The controls were out of this world, the then-new glide mechanic added an extra layer of fun to the proceedings, and it had a perfectly suitable online setup. Then Mario Kart 8 hit a few years later and Nintendo had somehow managed to improve on perfection… almost.

Since the days of the GameCube, each Mario Kart entry needed a gimmick. Double Dash has the buddy system, Mario Kart DS gave us a fully-fledged online mode, and Mario Kart Wii introduced motion controls. Mario Kart 8 brings with it anti-gravity; the ability for any kart or bike to defy the laws of physics by racing along a wall, or by going upside down completely. The addition of hover-karts is useful for a few reasons, chief of which are the unique track designs that have Mario and co racing along a stretch of track before it folds over on itself. On paper, seeing racers stuck to the ceiling above me seemed like a throwaway design that didn’t seem exciting, but in practice seeing other racers zip by below you is an exhilarating experience that hasn’t gotten old in over 200 hours of play.

Accompanying the new features is one of the largest rosters in the franchise, with 40+ characters to choose from, each of whom can be selected with a combination of karts, wheels and gliders to create a unique loadout to suit your playstyle. Having a large choice of Mario characters to choose from is all well and good, but I’m a creature of habit and chose to ignore the new additions of Link and Splatoon’s Inklings for my trusted Dry Bones.  

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At A Glance

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The Switch version of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe combines the Wii U release and its DLC, which brings a total of 48 tracks along with the super-fast 200cc mode, a kart class that forced me to use the break button for the first time, well, ever. For players who owned the Wii U version, there are a few reasons to double dip. The DLC is no longer available to buy on Nintendo’s previous console and the online functionality will be shuttered in 2024, but up until recently, the main reason was Battle Mode. The Battle Mode on Mario Kart 8 was lampooned on release for being an afterthought, so Nintendo has retooled it completely into something more palatable. It’s still not great, but at least attempts were made.

One area that Nintendo felt didn’t need any attention was the online modes. Players can once again enter random lobbies to race against people from all corners of the globe, but matchmaking is laughably slow and seemingly random, as I seemed to be matched with players of all skill levels. Not to mention how, every few races, the game would kick me out and I would have to find a new group of players to race against. It still frustrates me that Nintendo doesn’t have a robust system to play online, despite the Japanese giant offering some form of connectivity since the NES days.

The graphics are some of the most accomplished we’ve seen from Nintendo, with chunky characters that no longer have jagged edges, and track designs that can showcase vibrant colours, along with deep blacks that draw you in like a huggable black hole. If you want a showcase of what Mario Kart 8 can look like on a screen, look no further than Rainbow Road; the track springs to life no matter if I am playing on a 55-inch TV or the console’s in-built display. Quite how Nintendo manages to pack a stunning game into 11.3 GB when some Triple-A devs can’t do that with 10x the space is anyone’s guess, especially since the framerate is buttery smooth throughout every single mode. That’s even when you consider the amount of bombs, shells and banana peels that are flinging in every direction. Mario Kart 8 is one of the most visually stunning pieces of work on the Switch, and for a game that predates the system by 3 years, that’s one big compliment.

Much like the graphics side of things, the music in Mario Kart 8 is as bombastic as ever. Nintendo has chosen to record all the tracks with a big band feel that’s weighted heavily by the horn section. Pianos and trumpets blare out around every course and they all sound as unique as the stage I was racing along. Toad Harbour, with its San Francisco feel, was represented by an upbeat jazz arrangement, whereas Thowmp Ruins was given an exploratory ambiance thanks to the track running through mystical caves. Even the retro courses had been given an auditory glow-up, probably best represented in DK Jungle, a track from Mario Kart 7. The music is now complete with a funky piano that undercuts the reworked Donkey Kong Country theme and gives you a sense of urgency as you clatter around the hazard-laden course.

Mario Kart games have always been system sellers and for good reason. Mario Kart 8, with its antigravity mechanics, 200cc mode and expanded roster, is one of the most complete racers on any Nintendo platform. If the offering wasn’t tantalising enough, players are also able to get an additional Booster Pass DLC that doubles the tracks from 48 to 96 and can be picked up through the e-shop with the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is not perfect by any stretch, the battle mode can get in the bin, and the rubber banding from last to first is a constant pain. Let’s not forget the staple online multiplayer that takes forever to load up, but we still have sublimely designed tracks with controls that are as on-point as you can get with a racer and is well worth picking up… if you haven’t already.

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Mario Kart 7

One thing is certain with Mario Kart in that each version is different from the last. Mario Kart 7 comes to the Nintendo 3DS with the same familiarity as previous editions, however may as well throw the number 7 to the roadside as this is so far removed from anything Nintendo have produced in the series so far.

The standard characters: Mario, Bowser, Peach etc are together as they should be. The classes remain the same and heck, there are still 32 tracks split into 8 cups to race around. 4 of these cups hold 16 new race courses whereas the remaining cups hark back to previous instalments. This may all seem correct, but this is where Mario Kart 7 stops being a standard karting game and defines itself as the best in the series.

Quite a claim this maybe, however Nintendo have a knack with this particular franchise of filtering out the good points to a game and removing the negative to apply to the next game along. Mario Kart 7 does exactly that. The most noticeable factor is the AI. Gone are the days where Bowser can sneak up on the last lap and bombard you with Red, Green and Blue shells dropping you from first to dead last. Now, this is a more controlled and calculated battle from the word go. In the single player mode, the AI act as humans, cutting corners, aiming their green shells and timing their squids to cause the maximum disruption.

What this means is players have to fight for 1st rather than build up a great lead over two laps only to get destroyed on the last. There are less easy victories and more cursing that with half a lap to go, a blue shell assassinates you. To help fight back, Nintendo have kindly added some weapons to the course. The regulars are there as normal as well as a few new ones to spice things up. The Tanooki tail continues its resurgence to the Mario world as it can be used to swipe cars out of the way with minimal effort.

If you are dead last, which may be a possibility for some, Nintendo don’t just throw in a pointless blue shell or lightning bolt anymore, oh no. You may find yourself hitting a lucky 7 power up. This gives the driver, you guessed it, SEVEN powerups to get back into the thick of the action. They encircle the kart and you feel like a kid in a candy shop deciding which item is going up Yoshi’s tail pipe. Mario Kart 7 isn’t all about the weapons though, the courses are awash with coins, which haven’t been seen for a long time. These give you a little boost when they have been collected but more importantly help out for another reason. Customisation.

In another major change for the series, karts can now be customised to give a more unique riding experience. Previous installments only had light weighted, middle and heavy weight characters. Now, Bowser’s weight can be offset against a smaller car. This custom karting is limited to 4 factors: Racers, Chassis, Wheels & Gliders, so it keeps things simple unlike other racing games where it goes into brake pads and wheel nuts or if you wanted flame decals for whatever reason. Gliders, also a new addition, are used in some races to, well, glide a player from a high area to low and avoid any pitfalls or obstacles below.

While flying, racing under water or just rallying the kart around a track at speed, it cannot escape the attention that each course is memerable and different to the last. Each course has been beautifully crafted in such away that they are challenging to drive but enjoyable at the same time. Nintendo haven’t stopped at just a wonderfully crafted set of race courses, the dynamics of the race for some have changed. Some of the races now only have one lap. This keeps the game fresh (or if you are American – dope) as it is harder to learn the twists and turns thrown at you.

As with all Mario Kart games, Mario Kart 7 is designed for multiplayer and unlike changing the dynamics of the single player, Nintendo thought it would be best to stick to its roots.Ultimately the multiplayer remains unchanged from the Wii version. There is a choice of Grand Prix or battle modes, which can be played either on or offline. Online play has been made simpler because of the single friend code required to play against friends, it also seems to find people and join races quicker than Mario Kart Wii. Offline, there is a choice of modes dependent on how many game packs are used. If there is only one game between four then the tracks are limited.

Streetpass makes an appearance in Mario Kart 7 and this allows players to exchange racer information and Ghost data. This information can be used to battle online if each player so wishes, this does utilise the Nintendo 3DS and brings the Mario Kart community closer than it has ever been. The only issue with this is that the friend code system is a cumbersome beast and does rather unnecessarily interrupt online play.

This being said, Mario Kart 7 ticks all of the other boxes one would expect with a racing game. The welcome additions such as customisation and the mix up with the track styles all provide a challenging and more importantly fun entry to the series. The use of the 3DS’s unique features build to the experience of the game in particular the 3D effect means you can get a feel of the race and how much work you have to put in to take the lead. Nintendo’s archaic approach to online gaming does hinder the title a little but it is a vast improvement to what we have seen on the Wii. The first person control system is also a dud point as it requires the gyro sensors to move, and much like the previous game, Mario Kart 7 works best as a joypad experience.

Mario Kart 7 is without a doubt the best and most enjoyable entry for the series. It is simple, and yet challenging, it is easy to get into but has a great depth to it. It takes all the plus points from past experiences and adds its own flair to the mix. It is worth a purchase for anyone who owns a 3DS. Even if you do not like racing games. Yes, it is just that good!