With Mario Kart 8 just around the bend, Nintendo have amped up the hype in their latest instalment of Nintendo Direct.
Mario Kart is arguably one of the most well-known racing games of all time, an ideal party game or something to play when alone, it offers multiple levels of fun and brings out competitiveness and humour within gamers of all generations.
Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle
If you don’t already own a Wii U and are looking to enjoy the latest Mario Kart, you will be delighted to hear that on May 30th you will be able to purchase a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Set Bundle. The Bundle includes a Wii U Deluxe Set System, Mario Kart 8, a red Mario Wii Wheel accessory and a red Mario Wii Remote Plus controller. The expected price is $329.99.
Free Digital Game
Owners of Mario Kart 8 will be able to receive a free game from the Nintendo eShop if the game is registered with Club Nintendo before July 31st. This offer is valid even if you get your hands on Mario Kart 8 through buying the Deluxe Bundle, making this a great time to buy a Wii U. Some of the games available for digital redemption with a Mario Kart 8 purchase include The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker HD, and Pikmin 3.
Online Multiplayer
A definite step on in terms of Online play for the Mario Kart Series, in Mario Kart 8 up to 12 players can race together online, with four different multiplayer modes to choose from. You will also be able to chat with other players in the lobby, through a microphone on the Wii U gamepad.
Players can also create public or private tournaments which are fully customisable in terms of time, date and rules. As always players will be able to race against ghost data, be that of friends, the top racers in the world, or even Mario Kart 8 developers.
Mario Kart TV
If, like me, you enjoy showing off your Mario Kart skills, you will surely enjoy being able to watch your highlight racing reels, which you can upload to the Miiverse or Youtube. Learn from the best and watch the world’s most popular highlight video reels!
New Items
Possibly the thing that makes Mario Kart so fun, is the items and the pure chaos they cause for racers. Mario Kart 8 will introduce the Super Horn, and the Crazy 8. The super horn is the answer to our weary blue-shell prayers, as upon activation it destroys all items in close vicinity. Yes, even the Blue shell, the bringer of death!
The Crazy 8 is a swirl of 8 different items, that the player can use one by one.
New Racers
In Youtuber Nintendomination’s exciting video we see all 30 of the racers that will be playable, including two new playable female characters Pink Gold Peach and Baby Rosalina! Players can also again choose to play as their Mii characters.
Mario Kart 8 is sure to be a great hit as the next generation of Mario Kart racers stake it out in endless races filled with red-shell joy and blue-shell despair.
