games website Mario Kart 8 review: Wii U Counterattack first shot

In 1992, a racing game called Super Mario Kart created by Shigeru unexpectedly broke into the SFC platform, and since then, the series has become a game series that all players have been obsessed with and praised.

At the same time, because of his great success and excellent playability, he has become the object of imitation for many copycat works.

But none of them can surpass it as a replacement. After more than 20 years of development, the series has landed on almost all Nintendo's game platforms, and the latest title, Mario Kart 8, has also landed in HD on the Wii U platform and become an exclusive game.

As for why Wii U was chosen, the "Mario Kart" series, with the exception of an arcade version released in 2005, has been launched on a generation of consoles or TV consoles.

In other words, you can only play the only Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U and never play it on any other platform (backward compatibility doesn't count).

As an important sales IP of Nintendo, the game has also become an increase in the Wii U installed base (after the release of the game, the monthly sales of the console have tripled) and a warm-up for the tsunami of the Wii U in the second half of the year (the first party that has been confirmed to land on the Wii U in the second half of the year are "Hunt Angel Witch 2", "Nintendo All-Star Brawls", "Zelda Unmatched").

From the current results, the first step of Mario Kart 8 has been quite successful, after extensive advertising and various preferential measures in the early stage, the work has achieved a good reputation and sales, and the current sales continue to rise, has reached (note 2) 200W, although this figure can only be considered a small percentage of the previous works. However, as a small installed Wii U console platform (the current Wii U console sales of 600W), 200W sales number is about to surpass Super Mario 3D World to become the third highest selling Wii U game.

Note 1: Mario Kart works of all ages

1. Super Mario Kart SFC (1992/1993)

2. Mario Kart 64 N64 (1996/1997)

3. Mario Kart: Super Tour GBA (2001)

4. Mario Kart: Double Impact!! NGC(2003)

5. Mario Kart DS NDS(2005)

6. Mario Kart Arcade Edition: GP&GP-2 (2005/2007) 

7. Mario Kart Wii Wii(2008)

8. Mario Kart 7 for 3DS (2011)

9. Mario Kart 8 WiiU(2014)

Note 2: Preferential measures:

1. Buy "Mario Kart 8" free game, specifically for the purchase of the Japanese version of the game, you can choose two games in "New Super Mario Bros. U", "Nintendo Land", "Game & Wario", "Pikmin 3", "Magic 101", "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD" six games for one month free use.

After one month, you can choose to buy the permanent version, 60% discount. But you can only buy the 2 games you chose. American version of the game, "New Super Mario Bros. U", "Pikmin 3", "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD", "Wii Party U" four games to choose a free gift to you.

The European version of the game, similar to the American version, but for ten choose one, in addition to the above mentioned games, also include Sonic Lost World, Mario Sonic Winter Olympics, Monster Hunter 3UHD.

2. Teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to launch a free DLC featuring the new Mercedes-Benz GLA Class race car. The appearance of the car in the game will be partially adjusted, changing the roof design in order to better present the funny racing stunts in the game.

It can be seen that different from the real version of Mercedes-Benz GLA class cars, the Mercedes Benz in the game will be more suitable for the game design needs, and the players will enjoy talking about it.

DLC release time happens to be consistent with the physical car promotion itinerary, more with 30 seconds Mario promotional video, there will be a real version of the obscene uncle funny.

Create a connection between the game and reality. The DLC is currently only available in Japan, and will be announced in the United States and Europe in the near future.

Only two games were released for the Wii U in May, one being the original game and the other being Sonic All Clear Racing: Metamorphosis.

As a rival SONY, in the Hong Kong service PSN+ members of the free game sent "Sonic All Obvious Racing: Transformation"...... Is that a coincidence or a coincidence?

And the most important point, as the only HD console, landing Wii U is not only reasonable should be made, but also have to make a choice, is this era you still want players to play a screen full of big fruit?

"Mario Kart 8" is the series for the first time to support high-definition screen, the game screen production is very good, whether it is the light source effect and material than the previous game has risen more than a grade, the game has not yet been sold, it has been praised, which is strapped for WiiU, is undoubtedly a relief.

Although this work is only 720P resolution, but the smooth picture of 60 frames can still allow players to experience the next generation of "carriage" level. The game is also the best graphics of any Nintendo game that has been released.

Every character model, every vehicle shape, even the tire details and the fire breathing effect of the car are satisfactory. When you come out of the underwater scene, the screen will be dripping and the clothes will be soaked.

The game scene design is grand, rich in details, and the building structure has a strong cartoon fantasy style, and the classic elements of the Mario series can be seen everywhere in the game. There are 32 different tracks in the game, including 16 original tracks and 16 classic replica tracks.

All are created on the background of Nintendo's well-known games, such as Kuba Castle, Donkey Kong Jungle, Yoshi Valley scene, etc., which makes people feel particularly intimate.

The Sweet Canyon track is reminiscent of the racing scene in the Disney cartoon "Wreck-It Ralph" Sweet Dash. The different styles of the track can certainly satisfy the visual desire of the player.

The color matching of the scenery in the track makes people look more comfortable and pleasant, and the scene of the game is dynamic under the beautiful fairy tale atmosphere.

Although the dazzling picture makes people dizzying, but the depth of field effect and other basic efforts can not cut corners. In the dynamic process of high-speed travel, the screen does not have a tearing effect, and the smooth racing process makes the game experience the effect of pulling out the group.

Excellent light and shadow effect, smoke effect, the scenery outside the track is not unchanged, with the progress of the race and the number of laps increased and constantly changing. The player will not have the feeling of seeing the same scenery three times after three laps of the race.

Mario Kart 8 has a total of 30 characters, 16 default characters and 14 hidden characters, including nine new characters including Kuba Kid.

The details of the character setting are also very impressive. Funny Nintendo stars drive their own distinctive racing cars, motorcycles and more to compete together. Hidden characters unlock mii characters by completing the cup randomly and winning the full Gold Cup of any displacement level.

There are different weight levels between different characters, and different weight levels will also affect different character characteristics, including speed, acceleration, weight, handling, skid resistance are different.

Small weight role, slow speed, but fast acceleration, control and anti-slip are better. However, there are great disadvantages in straight racing and corner collision.

There are 14 kinds of karts, 9 kinds of motorcycles, 3 kinds of ATVs, and a total of 26 kinds of models. There are 18 kinds of tires, 11 kinds of paraglider accessories (this production also has three sets of local rich gold, gold car unlock conditions: 150cc and mirror track, all at least one star gold trophy. Golden Tire unlock condition: Defeat all official ghost in time trial mode. Gold Paraglider, unlock condition: Collect 10,000 gold.) .

Vehicles are unlocked by collecting coins in GP, VS, TT, Online and other modes. Unlock new parts for every 50 collected. However, after each episode reaches 1000 gold, the next unlock needs to increase to 100 gold.

Among them, vehicles and accessories also have differences in speed, acceleration, weight, handling, and anti-skid performance, and different roles will also have different body sizes when driving the same vehicle because of body size.

For example, baby Peach and Donkey Kong would be quite different when driving the same go-kart. Car modeling is very creative.

Different characters will not sit quietly in the driver's seat, often jump out to do some fancy signature expressions or make faces at other opponents, gestures, in the air at a moment can also press the drift key to make gymnastics, when the landing will have an acceleration effect.

Props in the game are more balanced, and the conflicting properties between props are more prominent. Players in an advantageous position should always pay attention to other players' disruptive items, and players who lag behind do not have to be discouraged, because they will get some powerful items to help you catch up with other players. Such as invincible stars, giant artillery shells, etc., can be overturned in an instant.

The game music is also quite a highlight, and different styles of BGM on different tracks are memorable for players to listen to, including a variety of classic BGM remixes.

The verbal description is very weak, and you can get a sense of that from the video. The sound effects of the game are also very powerful, from the tire friction sound when drifting, the crack sound when smashing the transparent question mark, the sound of the jar shaking out the props and the funny sound effects of the props are very brilliant!

Nunchaku operation of 50CC single mode, casually recorded, see the operation mode can be.

Operation support PAD, PRO handle, nunchaku and steering wheel gravity sensing four methods to operate.

In general, the operation is very simple, skilled use of props and drift can get good results. Operation feel is also very good, worthy of being the best kart game, this point no competitors can be comparable!

However, since the split screen of NDS, to 3DS and Wii U, the main screen UI has been greatly simplified, in addition to the items on the top left, the gold and time on the bottom left, and the number of laps on the bottom right, the rest of the track map, character ranking, character owning items and so on have been put on the second screen to display.

The console is also good, the screen is small, close, you can take care of the top and bottom screen at the same time. Wii U will not say, even if placed under the main screen can not see, not to mention the PAD operation, not to mention the PAD output screen, so this point will become a penalty item, can not see the map is also easy to say, run twice can be familiar with the terrain, but can not see the opponent's props is really some egg pain, this has a great impact in the battle!

Single player mode 50CC difficulty, which is the minimum difficulty.

The game has several modes of single racing, local split screen, network battle, there is not much innovation in the game mode, after 50cc and 100cc full Samsung, basically only play online war, online war only play props, and other traditional modes of limited props are almost no one to play.

Network battle belongs to the global online, support up to 12 people to fight, whether you are the Japanese version, the European version or the American version can be online together. After the end of each game according to your ranking points, the initial 1000 points, the first can probably give more than 30 points, the last few points.

Search rooms are also matched according to the player's score. The room can quickly chat and greet, but can not send chat messages, the player's friends can quickly find in the selection interface and then join the game.

Map selection is free for all players and then the system randomly selects one player's choice as the match map.

As the biggest highlight of this game, anti-gravity driving has extended the driving range of the "carriage" series, from the ground to the water, from the water to the air, and now can fly on the upright track, as if driving on the wall, but also can drive on the opposite side of the high-altitude track, quite a "Mobius ring" feeling. This may also be the reason why the title of the game is "8", just like the infinite "∞".

At the same time, the transformation of the game's kart when it begins to drive against gravity is very interesting, and the wheels become something like a floating turbine. Colliding with other opponents in anti-gravity mode also gives the player the opportunity to accelerate themselves, which makes it necessary for the player to learn how to collide with the opponent at a normal Angle.

However, the Angle is more difficult to grasp, playing so many games, also can not feel the clue.

After the match is completed, you can review the match footage in the new Mario Kart TV, which will show the moment when the player attacks or is attacked by others in slow motion, rather than the "sudden" disaster of the previous games in the series.

In this process, it is inevitable to see many hilarious expressions and exaggerated actions of the game characters. Video clips can also be uploaded to Youtubi, but it is almost useless for domestic players.