Mario Kart 8 is here in hopes of topping the previous titles in the franchise. Being a game in such a successful series over the past years, Mario Kart 8 has huge shoes to fill in order to bring its audience what is expected and more. For this review, this game will be judged based on three criteria: presentation, gameplay, and replayability.

With Nintendo releasing its first HD console, Mario Kart 8 is stunning and may be the most beautiful looking game on the system. All the characters are vibrant and have much more personality than before. With visual details ranging from the dust blowing on the track to the powdery snow falling from the sky, this game is amazing when you spend the time to take in the sights. Never has anyone been expecting to hear this about a fast-paced racing game in which everything is a blur as you speed around course. Also the game runs at sixty frames per second and stays constant throughout the whole game, both on-screen and off-screen. For the music, Nintendo has outdone themselves with the variety of soundtracks from the live jazz orchestration that went into the production of this game.

The gameplay has been improved from Mario Kart 7. For example, a player can hold only one item at a time in order to make the races feel more balanced. Not only that but new items were added to the mix such as the Boomerang and Piranha Plant. These items add new strategy to the game than any other item, making each race more interesting. Although these additions make the game more fun, the reduction on the power of the items make the game feel a bit dull compared to its predecessors since races are less reliant on luck, which has made the franchise as fun as it is. Despite this, the new anti-gravity mechanic makes the game feel fresh. Instead of avoiding others, the player will want to bump into other vehicles to get a speed boost to get to the head of the pack. Also bikes return as well as ATVs making its first appearance in the series. Fans of Mario Kart Wii will be pleased to hear that some bikes have a modified version of the inside drifting, although wheelies have been removed.

As for the lasting appeal of this game, online racing is in this game too. Players will be able to race with people all over the world and see their performance in the new “highlight reel” feature. Whether it is competitive or casual, gamers will never have to worry about losing interest in this game as each race is unpredictable and anyone can get first place.

In conclusion, Mario Kart 8 is the best game of the franchise and of the Wii U’s library. Although some tweaks to the game may be underwhelming to competitive players, the new elements attract newcomers to the series, making the experience more fun for everyone overall. Make sure to pick up this game.