It kind of feels like a super HD Mario Kart 7. The physics are mostly similar and the controls are exactly the same for the gamepad (Don't think I'll try the Wii Wheel ever again ) The most off putting thing is the lack of wheelies for bikes and the camera in some zero-grav sections. Other than that, it feels just like every other Mario Kart, but super smooth. The bump boost mechanic didn't take long to understand, just a while more to remember when you're really heated unless you're a large character. 



Now I'm not one to go on about graphics, and generally I put them aside for gameplay, but this is Mario Kart. It plays like Mario Kart. Some of my first names for this were MK Infinity AMD Zero Gravity. It should be Mario Kart Aesthetic. If there's one thing that makes this game it's the incredible scenery , especially when you're upside down, it's one of the only things you can use to even tell you are. I feel like the whole game is on par with any Sonic game, the looks combined with the twisty turning paths make for a great experience.



The retro tracks have been super sized. It's gonna be real tough going back to the originals unless you have been breeding some hardcore nostalgia value. Toad's Turnpike and Tick-Tock Clock are barely recognizable from the overhaul done to them. However, it was much needed to fit the pace and style of the game, and I'd love to see some DLC for more retro tracks, maybe some that were featured in previous Mario Karts.



At first I was disappointed with the 3 choice track selection in worldwide online, I couldn't start off with my Piranha Plant Slide. But the I grew to like it more, that way there's less of a lean towards popular courses being spammed, and you're practically forced to have balance in the choices. Want to try your favorite course? Stick around a few more races in the lobby, it just might show up. 



All in all, this is a truly solid Mario Kart. I expect to see some love in the form of random events and many tournaments here to keep the thrill alive. It might've been 50cc today but it'll be 100 tomorrow and Mirror Mode by Tuesday. I'm going to the top, I won't be satisfied till I have it all! But for now, I'd love some rest. 

As a long time Mario Kart fan playing since the Nintendo 64 days, it's been interesting to see what this basic kart racer has become. From gimmicks that only last one game (two players per kart from Double Dash) to now permanent main-stays (kart customization and going off-road) Nintendo has been coming up with interesting ideas to re-invent their most popular racing series. How does Mario Kart 8 compare though?



Like TurtwigX mentioned, for the most part it is Mario Kart 7 HD. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing as I loved Mairo Kart 7 and is one of my favorites in the series.



In addition to features we have started to come to expect (kart customization,  driving underwater/gliding through air) we've been given a page from the F-Zero book with the addition of anti-gravity. Tracks can now go in any direction, not just horizontally. This provides some interesting new experiences such as Mario Circuit where you drive on both the top and bottom sides of the track and Shy Guy Falls where you can literally race up a waterfall! If the main track tilts, the camera will stay behind you as normal so it won't look much different to you. However on some tracks where you can ride up the wall to avoid main track obstacles, the camera stays level with the main track so this will give the allusion of driving sideways. Tracks are hit-and-miss in this area. Some tracks do make it feel like you are driving upside down (Mario Circuit where you can see the Princess's castle fly by upsidedown) but others the only way you would know you are in anti-gravity is by your wheels being in hoverpod mode.



Next we got the tracks. Tracks themes are more varied, we don't have clones (like multiple raceways, or multiple snow levels, etc). All sorts of wacky tracks from an airport, a haunted mansion, a funky dance party, a large mountain of various terrains, and even a land made of sugary sweets (Sugar Rush from Wreck-it-Ralph anyone?) As for retro tracks, I'm glad to see some of my favorites made it here such as Nintendo 64's Yoshi's Valley and Rainbow Road and the DS's Tick Tock Clock. Some tracks were merely updated to MK8's graphical level with minor anti-gravity bits shoehorned in (such as GBA Mario Circuit and N64 Toad's Turnpike), but other ones were completely re-built ( such as N64 Rainbow Road) and they are fantastic.



Kart wise it's the same scheme from Mario Kart 7 where you can pick your kart body, tires, and glider to change how your ride performs. The combination of parts and character determines your acceleration, top speed, weight, traction, and grip. There are a few clones (parts with exact same specs but different appearance), but for the most part pretty varied so you can customize your ride to your driving preference. Karts are now more balanced then bikes with karts being faster on straightaways with bikes being quicker to turn. We also now have an addition of ATVs which can handle better on off-roading portions.



Character roster has both improved and taken some steps back. For the cool new addition, we've been given the entire Koopaling line to play as. However, there are too many copy and pasted clones such as all the babies and Metal Mario/Peach. As a result some favorites such as Diddy Kong, Wiggler, and Bowser Jr (seriously, how is he not in there if all the other Koopalings are?) are missing from the action.



Item-wise yeah you got your cool new Piranha Plant and Boomerang, but if you are always near the front of the pack you aren't going to be seeing them often (which is why I can't talk about them much ).



As for the gameplay, it retains the Mario Kart formula of simple to pick up and fun to play. Like the recent games, prepare to be bombarded with blue shells if you even think about winning and get "cheating" items like Bullet Bill if you are straggling behind. I'm glad the character/kart combinations have been more balanced, it gets tiresome to go online and all you see is Funky Kong/Flame Runner (MK equivalent of Fox only, no items, Final Destination from Smash Brothers). That being said I haven't gone online yet (I'll try it later today), but for the most part seems to be similar to Mario Kart Wii where you get tossed in a room with other people and race. Winning gives you points to your score, losing takes away from it.



Speaking of multiplayer, I do have one major gripe: they killed battle mode. While it still retains the "pop everyone else's balloons method" it's now been changed to a timed event on regular racing tracks. Yes regular linear racing tracks not large arenas. Want to throw that lovely green shell at your opponent? Well they are at the other side of the course, waste time doing half a lap first if you even want a chance to hit them. Sorry, but Mario Circuit is for RACING, I can't use it as a battle arena. They give a selection of 8 tracks that have been slightly modified, but even then only two of them I would consider decent for battle (Toad's Turnpike and Yoshi Valley). And again, this is now a timed event. This isn't just "be last man standing", this is now "how many hits can you get before time runs out". Where's Bob-omb blast on a giant GameCube from Double Dash?



Now for OMG GRAPHICS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A VIDEO GAME!!!!!11 Wow, it's beautiful! Finally Mario Kart in HD. Nintendo really put a lot of effort into it especially all the details. All the track names listed on the departure board in the airport, sun rays reflecting off chrome on your karts, skidmarks on the track from where you were drifting, and your character appearing wet after driving out of water are some of the many details you can see that really make it a great visual trip. Of course it still retains the Nintendo nice and colorful world aspect, but it's just beautiful.



Finally the music. Again it's like previous games where the music goes nicely with the theme of the track. Many of the songs are orchestrated and sound pretty awesome as you are throwing shells at your opponents (even get bits of Super Mario Galaxy's Gusty Garden on the Cloudtop Cruise track). As for the retro tracks, some are pretty cool remakes (N64 Rainbow Road), but others I think I prefer the original (N64 Toad's Turnpike).



Overall though, a very solid entry to the Mario Kart line. Retains many of the features from 7 while giving an awesome HD makeover with some new twists and turns. However too many copy-pasted characters and those of you into battle mode, forget about it. I give it a 9/10, if you even slightly like Mario Kart, get this.

I can't really add much to what Yoshi and Turt already said, but I love this game. The new antigravity mechanic has launched the series in a new direction that nobody saw coming! The new tracks Nintendo made are incredibly unique, from Sunshine Airport to Electrodrome to Dolphin Shoals (and those are only the ones in the Star Cup!), and antigravity has its great moments too, like in Mario Circuit, where the track and scenery end up completely upside-down!



The graphics are amazing, but I don't know how much I can talk about those. My poor 1990s-era TV doesn't give them justice. It doesn't even have an HDMI port or anything. However, the game still looks amazing, even through the smaller resolution the Gamepad offers, and that's all that matters to me.



The online racing is interesting since you no longer pick from all 32 tracks or Random, but instead pick from a selection of 3 tracks or Random. Everyone's selections go through a roulette of sorts, and the winning track gets played (like the last 2 installments). I've had some good luck racing online so far, winning about 60% of my races. Probably has to do with my kart combinations...



...which speaking of, is another great thing in this game! You get full control over what you get to race in, deciding what vehicle, wheels, and glider you want to race with! There are still a few decisions to make (bike/kart/ATV, inside/hybrid drifting), but everyone can find a combination they like. You start off with a few parts, and unlock a new one for every 50 coins you collect (until 1000 coins, at which point unlocks happen every 100 coins). Like Mario Kart 7, parts are unlocked in a random order, varying from copy to copy of the game. Every part has its advantages and disadvantages, providing boosts to some stats and hindering others. Every part impacts your final vehicle stat total, including the character you're racing with. All 30 characters are grouped into weight classes that offer different stat distributions. Heavy characters offer spped and weight, which lighter one offer more acceleration and handling.



Bit of a personal point here: drifting. In MKWii, drifting was inside or outside. Outside drift gave a ton of a "resistance" feeling to your vehicle, making it curve around turns. Inside drifting took out that feeling, letting you cut right through turns. In MK7, every kart had outside drift, equaling the playing field. Now, there are two types of drift again: outside and hybrid drift. Outside drift feels the same as it always has, pulling your vehicle away from the turn you're drifting through, looping you around it. Hybrid drifting, on the other hand, has a weird feel to it. It starts by giving you a half-second of that "resistance" feel, pulling you away from your turn. Then, it goes full-on inside drift, cutting through the turn. It takes a while to learn to use it just because of how it initially feels compared to outside drift and MKW inside drift. Also, only four bikes in the game can use hybrid drifting (Sport, Jet, Yoshi, Comet). However, I like the hybrid drifting better, since it allows you to take most turns tighter than most vehicles ever could. Looking at other forums, I'm apparently a part of a large minority in favoring the hybrid drift. I agree with most people that it feels quite weird using it, but once you get used to it, it can take any turn. Maybe it helps that I'm a gyro racer, since I can turn the Gamepad more to take a harsher turn. If not, then I don't know why I can use it so well. Either way, that's the end of my drifting monologue.



Final score: 8.5/10



Great new mechanic, used well in practice

Great graphics

Online racing still amazing



Character roster could've been better (DLC maybe?)

A hollowed-out battle mode that also could've been so much better

Holy s***. This is probably the prettiest, most appealing game I've ever seen. All the tracks are so nice to look at. I love it all. I really like the antigravity sections. The online is soooo smooth, even on my horrible internet. I wish that there was a bit more variety in the character unlocks. Did we really need a whole row of babies? Come on, Nintendo. Anyway, I love everything I've experienced so far.





AND OMG THE ELECTRODOME



It was love at first sight. Dat music, dat colors, iss so great