Mario Kart 8 Switch

Three years ago, I felt comfortable calling Mario Kart 8 on Wii U “.” It wasn’t a drastic shift for the long-running series, but more of a refinement. From the twisting, gravity-defying tracks to game-changing new weapons to the vibrant and beautiful levels, Mario Kart 8 took almost everything I loved about the series and made it better.

Mario Kart 8 went on to become the beleaguered Wii U’s best-selling title by a huge margin; more than half of 13 million people who owned the console also had a copy of Mario Kart 8.Next week the game is getting a chance to reach even more players with the launch of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch. It’s largely the same game from 2014, but with a few important changes and additions that make this the definitive version.

Enjoy the biggest Mario Kart yet and race anytime, anywhere, with anyone in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, only on Nintendo Switch! Play Mario Kart wherever you go! Whether you’re racing your family on the big screen in your living room, playing in the park, or visiting a friend’s place, Nintendo Switch lets you play Mario Kart any way you like!

The best Mario Kart is now even better — here are the most important reasons why. You can hold two items at onceThe biggest gameplay change seems like a small tweak: you can now hold two items at the same time. The improvement is significant. Hearts of iron iii free download. It alleviates one of the few problems with the original version of the game. Now, if you’re holding onto a useful item like a fire flower or a super horn, you don’t have to use it in order to pick up another item.Unfortunately you can’t swap between the two items. But the ability still adds an extra layer of strategy to an already well-tuned experience.

I found myself trying to collect two sets of turtle shells or bananas, using them as a defensive shield once I darted ahead of the pack. Almost everything is unlocked from the startWhen you start Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you’re greeted with a huge roster: there are 42 characters in total, including a handful of new additions. All of them are available from the beginning. Unlike in the original Mario Kart 8, you no longer have to spend hours grinding through the Grand Prix mode to unlock new characters or race tracks for multiplayer. That said, you’ll still need to collect coins in order to gain access to new vehicles and parts, but having so much content available right away makes it easier to jump into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, especially for those who already played plenty of the Wii U version. Image: Nintendo It goes where you go, Mario Kart 8 benefits a great deal from the console’s portability. It may be best-known as a console series, but with Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart 7, Nintendo produced some of its best entries for handhelds.

It’s a game that works well on the go, though fans of the early entries may prefer playing split-screen crowded around a TV. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe allows for both.

Finally, a proper battle modeThe original Mario Kart 8 was an incredible racer, but it lacked one big thing: a robust battle mode. The mode was technically included, but was seriously lacking in options. It also re-used race tracks from the main game, which weren’t ideal for all-out battles. Deluxe fixes this with eight arenas designed specifically for battle mode — four new, four based on arenas from previous games — and five different kinds of battles.Most of the new battle options are pulled from previous Mario Kart games, but my favorite is new.

Called “renegade roundup,” the mode gives each player a chomping piranha plant, and the goal is to snap up as many members of the opposing team as possible. Smart steering makes it easy for kids to playOne of the new additions to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is something called “smart steering.” Essentially, the feature makes it easier to stay on the track, subtly correcting your steering to avoid accidents. When you couple this with the automatic acceleration option, you have the perfect racing game for kids. Now they can just focus on guiding the kart and using items.With both of these features switched on, my four-year-old daughter managed to get through an entire grand prix and finish in fourth place; not bad for her first time playing the game.

Even better, these options can be switched on individually for each player, making it easy for players of different skill levels to play together. You get all of the downloadable contentThe original Mario Kart 8 ’s downloadable content added many new tracks and characters, some from outside of the Super Mario universe.

You could race as Zelda’s Link through quaint towns based on Animal Crossing, and there was even a fast-paced track based on futuristic racer F-Zero — probably the closest we’ll get to a new F-Zero game anytime soon. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe includes all of these add-ons in addition to the main game, so you’ll get an extra 16 tracks and an oddball mix of Nintendo characters right out of the box. In a word: inklingsMario Kart 8 Deluxe doesn’t introduce any new tracks, but it does include a handful of new items, characters, and vehicles. There’s the Boo ghost power-up that steals items from other racers, and you can now drive as Baby Bowser or the skeletal turtle Dry Bones. By far the best addition, though, is the inklings from. These human-squid hybrids are some of Nintendo’s best new characters in years, and with their colorful, competitive nature they slot seamlessly into the world of Mario Kart. Let’s hope this is just a step towards Inkling Girl joining the cast of Super Smash Bros.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is coming to Nintendo Switch on April 28th.

Enjoy the biggest Mario Kart yet and race anytime, anywhere, with anyone in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, only on! Play Mario Kart wherever you go!Whether you’re racing your family on the big screen in your living room, playing in the park, or visiting a friend’s place, Nintendo Switch lets you play Mario Kart any way you like!Up to eight players can connect for local multiplayer fun via Wireless Play.

If you're playing in TV mode or tabletop mode, up to four players can enjoy split-screen multiplayer!.You can also challenge racers from around the world! Up to 12 players can take part in online races., and two local players can even play online together from the same Nintendo Switch.

A record-breaking 48 courses to race on!Race head-to-head on land, underwater, through the skies and even on walls and ceilings in a whopping 48 courses. All the tracks (and characters!) from Mario Kart 8 on Wii U return in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, including previously-released downloadable courses inspired by, and more.You can choose from five different speed classes, such as the expertly challenging 150cc Mirror Grand Prix and ultra-fast 200cc Grand Prix. New to Mario Kart? Activate Smart Steering to help you get to grips with the game and prevent you from going off course. Turn the tables with items!You can now carry up to two items at once, allowing for new strategies in both races and battles!

As well as the mainstays like Bananas, Dash Mushrooms and the notorious Spiny Shell, there are two items returning from previous Mario Kart games – use Boo to turn invisible and maybe steal another player’s item, or jump to dodge incoming attacks with the Feather. Battle mode is bigger than ever!There are loads of different ways to face off against rivals in the newly-revamped Battle mode. Cause chaos in classic Balloon Battle, Bob-omb Blast, Coin Runners and Shine Thief modes, or jump into all-new cops and robbers-style carnage in Renegade Roundup.Multiplayer requires one compatible controller per player. Additional controllers (sold separately) may be required. Wireless Play requires one copy of the software per player.Online play requires one copy of the software per console. Internet connection required during online play.

The registration and linkage of Nintendo Account and acceptance of the Nintendo Account Agreement and Privacy Policy are required. Online services require a Nintendo Account. Starting this autumn, some online services will also require a paid subscription. Paid online service availability may be limited based on location.Only available during Battle mode. This content may be purchased by users who have registered a Nintendo Account and accepted the respective legal terms. To be able to purchase content for Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family systems, a Nintendo Network ID is also required and your funds usable through the Nintendo Account must be merged with the funds tied to your Nintendo Network ID.

If the funds have not yet been merged, you will have the option to do so during the purchase process. To start the purchasing process, it is necessary to sign in with the Nintendo Account and the Nintendo Network ID. After signing in it will be possible to review the details and complete the purchase. After the purchase is completed, the content will be downloaded to the applicable system linked to the respective Nintendo Account, or respective Nintendo Network ID in the case of Wii U and Nintendo 3DS family systems. This system must be updated to the latest system software and connected to the internet with automatic downloads enabled, and it must have enough storage to complete the download.

Depending on the system/console/hardware model you own and your use of it, an additional storage device may be required to download software from Nintendo eShop. Please visit our for more information.Please make sure you have enough storage to complete the download. After you have completed the purchase, the content will be downloaded to the applicable system linked to your Nintendo Account, or your Nintendo Network ID in the case of Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family systems. This system must be updated to the latest system software and connected to the internet with automatic downloads enabled, and it must have enough storage to complete the download. Depending on the system/console/hardware model you own and your use of it, an additional storage device may be required to download software from Nintendo eShop.

Please visit our for more information.Please make sure you have enough storage to complete the download. To be able to purchase download games or download demos and free software from Nintendo eShop on the official website, you'll need to have a Nintendo Account which is linked to your Nintendo Switch console. You'll need to have your console registered as the active console for downloads for your Nintendo Account by visiting Nintendo eShop on the device you wish to download on at least once. For automatic download, your system must be updated and connected to the internet with automatic downloads enabled, and it must have enough storage to complete the download. To find out more, visit our. Purchases made or demo downloads activated through the Nintendo website are processed via Nintendo eShop.Internet connection required during online play.

To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Some online services may not be available in all countries.

Online play requires paid online membership.