So after my most recent update that my copy of MK8 Deluxe had been lost in the mail, I finally received it today. However, because I am impatient and was really itching to get going in Mario Kart again, I bought the game digitally before the package arrived and have played it for a few hours now. Here's what I think:
Everything I said about the game last time I reviewed it stands. But now that this has been released, a few problems have been addressed.
Firstly, item balance has been tweaked indirectly by creating a second item slot for the player so they can effectively cycle items so that you are never stranded with just a coin during a race. This is an awesome and very welcome addition to the game, and although you cannot switch the order of the two items you have, (like in Double Dash!!) the extra slot still adds another element to the game.
Another problem that has been addressed is the character roster. I am not exaggerating when I say that Mario Kart 8's original character roster was the worst in the series. The later DLC would add some more characters and now Deluxe adds a few more to the mix. Bowser Jr., King Boo, and Dry Bones were all left out of both the original game and the DLC and have now finally made it into the game. Additionally, the Inkling Boy and Inkling Girl from Splatoon have also made it into the game. The roster design team will never be forgiven for adding Baby Rosalina and Pink Gold Peach, but it is nice to see an effort made to try to outweigh the shit with some fun characters. Oh yeah, still no Diddy because fuck him, I guess.
The biggest new addition to the game is the revamped battle mode. Now, I personally have never been a huge fan of battle mode in Mario Kart, as I prefer straightforward racing, but the battle mode in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an absolute blast to play. Across all modes, I still find Coin Runners, Bob-omb Blast, and Balloon Battle a little dull, but the return of Shine Thief is triumphant and the brand new mode Renegade Roundup is ridiculously fun. Shine Thief on Frantic Mode is the absolute most crazy, insane good time I have ever had with a Mario Kart battle mode.
A few other new additions were added:
Ultra mini-turbo adds a level of drifting beyond the blue sparks and beyond the orange sparks as well. Creating purple sparks, this level of boost grants a significant speed boost after performing it.
Two new features for beginners or low-level players are the auto-accelerate feature and the smart steering feature. These two new additions allow newcomers to stay competitive without granting them invincibility or making things too easy. This is also great for people trying to eat a sandwich with their right hand while steering with their left hand while the game accelerates for them.
The new Boo item adds something fresh to competitive racing while the Feather item adds a little craziness to battle mode.
Overall, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is indeed a deluxe version of the original masterpiece for the Wii U. If you did not own the Wii U version, there is no excuse in the world to keep you from buying this game, it is hands down the best Mario Kart ever made. If you did make the purchase for Wii U, I still do believe that there is enough here to justify buying it again. Most importantly, this is the first big game that can truly demonstrate the on-the-go multiplayer fun of the Nintendo Switch. If you still are weary about paying 65 bucks for this, head over to amazon.com and you can get this game for about 52 bucks.
I'll be back soon to give an updated list of the best courses in Mario Kart 8 and keep getting some articles out. Until next time, kcduckling out.
