Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

- Reviewed on Switch -

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe released on April 27th, 2017. 

With the original Mario Kart 8, for Wii U releasing back in 2014, Nintendo re-released Mario Kart 8 for the Switch that included all the DLC from the previous version. 

For this review, I will be focusing on the Deluxe edition of Mario Kart 8 (for Switch) which definitely is one of my all-time favorite switch games, and overall, Mario game. 

This review WILL have Major Spoilers so keep that in mind before continuing...

Honestly there isn't a better racing game right now (as of writing this blog post) than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe!

Combining the Mario universe with other characters such as Link, Splatoon Characters, Villager, Isabelle, etc. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has plenty of racers to choose from. 

That being said, Nintendo could've done a better job with the character selection (within the Mario series) like choosing other, more memorable characters rather than baby characters like baby Mario, Luigi, Peach, etc. 

One of the best features of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (to me) is the customization of your vehicle(s).

Collecting coins in races (either single player, multiplayer, offline, online, etc.) will eventually unlock vehicle parts for you to use in the future.

Separated into three-part categories, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe delivers a huge number of wheels, kites, and the actual body designs of vehicles. 

Graphics are the absolute best it's ever been in the Mario Kart series and the frame rate for the game, docked and handheld wise, are both smooth and easy to control. 

Plenty of in game options are at your fingertips including turning the map off, changing the driving method (motion controls or joystick), turning on or off the driving assist, and plenty more!

Earlier I mentioned coins, where you collect them (10 being the max per race) in order to unlock more vehicle parts, this game mechanic is a must have personally, for me in future Mario Kart titles as it gives the players a goal instead of time trails or simply beating your friend in multiplayer. 

I'm a single player gamer most of the time and this mechanic of collecting coins (especially when all the DLC are already unlocked) gives me a purpose to continue playing even after achieving all there is in MK8 (star wise for Grand Prix's). 

The main game modes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are...

    - Grand Prix
    - Time Trials
    - VS Race
    - Battle Mode

These all having single player and multiplayer capabilities makes for a grand time in the world of racing. 

I did have a issue with the number of courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (both racing and battle modes) as there was barely any new courses from the Wii U version. 

I didn't play the Wii U version of MK8 but I can put myself in other people's perspective and see why they would be angry at Nintendo for this. 

There are some new courses compared to the original, but they are not as memorable as previous ones. 

In terms of the level designs however, that is a totally different ball game, as MK8 is the most fun racing game I own (as of writing this blog post).

The levels are very crisp and look amazing on the switch and the environments surrounding all the battle courses and racetracks are very interesting and resemble future and past Mario themes. 

These examples include DK Jungle, Yoshi Valley, and Neo Bowser City.

Other game series have their own maps such as Animal Crossing, Excitebike Arena, and Mute City. 

Combing racing with Mario characters and a splash of other game series as well makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe an essential Nintendo Switch game where everyone who owns a switch has to experience this game in one way or another! 

Pros: 

    - Smooth Controls
    - Great Graphics
    - Fun Multiplayer / Split Screen Gameplay
    - Amazing Music
    - Outstanding Level Design
    - Other Game Series Characters (Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, etc.)
    - DLC Already Unlocked

Cons:

    - Over Abundance of Uninteresting Characters (Same Type of Characters)
    - Not that Many Battle Maps
    - Large Amount of Coins Needed for Gold Parts
    - Feels Repetitive After a While (Single Player) 

My Rating for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (on Switch):

4 / 5


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All Reviews, Ratings, Pros, Cons, and Opinions Shared on this Blog (Press A Reviews) are my (Connor Butler) own Thoughts and Feelings.



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