Mario Kart 8

[RedShell]

On the shelf you go.

You'll be back...

 

 

[Hero-of-Time]

You'll be back...

 

 

 

I will get the figures but whether or not I will be back on this depends on what content is unlocked. If it's just a new character or track then I probably won't bother. If it's a new Cup though I will be all over it.

[EEVILMURRAY]

Think I'm done with this game, the online is so unbalanced it's ridiculous and that's all I really have left to play.

 

Can get £30 by selling it to a local shop, paid £37 for it sp essentially getting Wind Waker HD for £7, I'm happy with that.

Same here. I can't even be bothered to go for three stars on 150cc, I haven't unlocked the Mirror Cup, but I'm just not feeling enthusiasm for the game. I think I'll take it down to Grainger tomorrow (including the nice Turtle Bay headset they convinced me to buy which I used once.)

[lostmario]

Think I'm done with this game, the online is so unbalanced it's ridiculous and that's all I really have left to play.

 

I think I'll take it down to Grainger tomorrow

 

What?! The league needs you guys!

 

You just know some kind of DLC is around the corner too.

[Aneres11]

You're all devoid of soul. Or scared of getting your arses kicked in the league so are crying off / hating on the game.

 

At least we'll be rid of the lesser players.

[EEVILMURRAY]

What?! The league needs you guys!

 

You just know some kind of DLC is around the corner too.

 

Yes, but I'm willing to be that the DLC won't be worth keeping the game for. The game will still be the same.

You're all devoid of soul. Or scared of getting your arses kicked in the league so are crying off / hating on the game.

 

At least we'll be rid of the lesser players.

1) I discovered the online racing blew before the league

2) Not that bothered about losing the league

3) The nice "you'll be playing against people with the same score as you" I can imagine will alienate the bottom half of the table.

[Serebii]

I think they may have fixed the connection errors. Was on Regional and a few people quit before selecting the stage, and it didn't disconnect me.

[Pestneb]

Yes, but I'm willing to be that the DLC won't be worth keeping the game for. The game will still be the same.

 

1) I discovered the online racing blew before the league

2) Not that bothered about losing the league

3) The nice "you'll be playing against people with the same score as you" I can imagine will alienate the bottom half of the table.

 

I don't think it's alienating. Last I looked I was more or less bottom of the league, and it's nice to know I might have a better chance of an 11th, or maybe even an 10th place position

 

Everyone will get better, and I have always found when playing multiplayer games, it's more fun playing against players of a similar level, so that

1) you know you have a chance of winning

2) you know you have a chance of losing.

 

It's never fun knowing the out come before the game has begun.

[Aneres11]

I was only kidding btw re my last post! S'all good! I will be in the bottom of the league myself no doubt!

[Debug Mode]

I think they may have fixed the connection errors. Was on Regional and a few people quit before selecting the stage, and it didn't disconnect me.

 

But the problem was with global..

[Serebii]

But the problem was with global..

Oh :p I'll check that later

[Zechs Merquise]

Think I'm done with this game, the online is so unbalanced it's ridiculous and that's all I really have left to play.

 

Can get £30 by selling it to a local shop, paid £37 for it sp essentially getting Wind Waker HD for £7, I'm happy with that.

 

Same here. I can't even be bothered to go for three stars on 150cc, I haven't unlocked the Mirror Cup, but I'm just not feeling enthusiasm for the game. I think I'll take it down to Grainger tomorrow (including the nice Turtle Bay headset they convinced me to buy which I used once.)

 

This is how I feel. The game is so completely unbalanced - it's my least favourite Mario Kart just because of the item problems.

 

However the flip side is it is still Mario Kart, so I am still playing hours of it a day.

 

I personally found it easier to get three stars on every course than it was on the Wii version. I would win all four races on the Wii version - 2 stars. One the Wii U version, it was just coming first and not how well you raced the course. So it was much, much easier.

 

I've done all the GPs and actually found the single player incredible. The course designs, the graphics, the music, the selection of vehicles (none of which I find perfect, but to some that's better than one stand out set up that all the pros use).

 

After playing it now since day of release here's my altered list of positives and negatives:

 

+ Amazing course design

+ Amazing graphics

+ Great handling

+ Brilliant (but easier) single player

+ Diverse set of vehicles that all handle differently

 

- Poor character roster

- Poor choice of retro tracks

- Awful item balance (online)

- Lack of online options

- Connection issues (though I haven't had a disconnect in a week doing regional races)

 

Overall for me, it's still a good game, just a poor Mario Kart. The single player is fantastic.

 

But all the problems come with the online, which for me is the biggest part of the game. There is too much focus on getting a good start and holding it. You can be in 9th and get a green shell, whilst I've seen people in second get the Lucky 8. The whole item system is unbalanced and the game is less fun for it. Items don't work as they should and races can be boring affairs where you are stuck in-between 9th and 6th place for a whole race due to poor items and a bad start - and when this happens it's dull.

 

But saying that, I'm off to play it now!

[Guy]

Mario Kart, especially 8, is a weird balance between messing stuff up around you and also waiting for other players to mess stuff around them.

 

Gotta grasp those opportunities if/when I can. They don't always come along, but spending a few races getting dogged on and then getting that item you need to shoot past a few players is a great feeling.

 

I'm still really digging the game, it just drives me crazy sometimes as any good Mario Kart should.

 

My initial perception was that coming in anything below first was poor. Once I started considering placing anywhere in the top five respectable, the online stopped bugging me as much and I just started having more fun with the experience.

 

If you're in it to win it... the ranking system in 8 is fairly forgiving as you don't go into negative points until around 7th place.

 

That said, there are definitely issues with item balance (try playing customs with frantic mode) and the net code is wonky as hell. Battle mode also needs a serious rethink as right now all anyone does is race - battle used to be a massive alternative back in the day.

 

All the issues are fixable, it just depends on whether or not Nintendo will bother.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Guy

[lostmario]

3) The nice "you'll be playing against people with the same score as you" I can imagine will alienate the bottom half of the table.

 

I think those in the bottom half of the table will prefer to play with those around them in the league than getting stuck with someone at the top who wins every GP.

 

Its the same system we used for the last two years on MK7, nobody complained.

 

Anyway, if the game isn't for you, best to sell it.

 

Thanks for taking part in the league.

[Zechs Merquise]

In the past, Mario Kart always seemed to be a scramble at the start - but your start never seemed to determine your final position.

 

It was always like the 'catch-up items' could put any player, regardless of skill, in contention for pole position. But it was that player's skill at racing and ability to defend that ultimately kept him or her in the top spots.

 

You could have a bad start or take a spill and recover from both. But because catch-up items don't work, you can just get trapped in pack hell for a whole race or worse - just sit around the back of the race. The worst thing, is you can essentially race a solid or even a good race, but it can make no difference because of a poor start. It ruins the experience.

 

What's more, as Mario Kart has got bigger in terms of player numbers, the courses got wider. This means it's easier to do the slides and stay on the tracks. So you might be in 10th, racing a perfect trajectory, but you can be sure because the tracks are so wide the person in front will also be racing a near perfect race too as unless you are bumped or hit it's hard to go off the track.

 

I am still playing it, but more often than not it's for shorter and shorter sessions as I just can't stand race after race of missing an item box at the beginning and then just being stuck in the middle or the rear with no chance of catching the guy in first who has literally had nothing to worry about for three laps!

[Kav]

I was playing this with Blade last week. I started off well, in second only to get the coins and then I got hit by 3 red shells... dropped me down to 8th.

Fair enough, I'll see if I can make it up. I'm racing and get back to 10 coins, now I need some help with items... my next 2 item boxes give me coins yet the person in 7th, only just in front of me gets 3 red shells, twice! So now I can't risk overtaking him and I'm stuck behind him, only with us both having moved up one place after he used his shells on the guy ahead of him. The third item box I get a banana, the guy we overtook gets 3 red shells and peppers me with them... and the guy in front gets a fucking bullet bill to fly on ahead whilst I'm tumbling further down the list... I leave the race, can't be arsed with that shit.

 

This seems to happen far too much. I'm on 10 coins but can't stop pulling coins out of item boxes when people around me get awesome items, it's crazy.

 

That I can't talk to anyone adds to the frustration because if we could and people were taking the piss out of what was happening to me I could laugh with it and find it fun. Instead it's just irritating and not fun.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Kav

[RedShell]

Have those that dislike items in this version tried the tournaments feature, specifically no item races? I get that people simply want items to function differently rather than not have any at all, but still reckon that some of you would perhaps enjoy the game a lot more if you experimented with the customisation aspects.

 

I don't have an issue with any of the items (even the coin) but still find no item racing to be a pretty fun occasional alternative to the chaos of regular online races.

[Kav]

Have those that dislike items in this version tried the tournaments feature, specifically no item races? I get that people simply want items to function differently rather than not have any at all, but still reckon that some of you would perhaps enjoy the game a lot more if you experimented with the customisation aspects.

 

I don't have an issue with any of the items (even the coin) but still find no item racing to be a pretty fun occasional alternative to the chaos of regular online races.

 

I don't rate the courses enough to enjoy it that much. It's ok, but I'd not call the game good. My biggest gripe is the lack of voice-chat still, it feels soulless online, no fun at all. That's how I felt about MKWii too... I need voice-chat.

[lostmario]

I was playing in global races last night, was in a group for just under 2 hours, all between 3k and 5k. We had some amazing races. Going on in 5 minutes if anyone wants to join me.

 

I'm still really enjoying it but I know you two (@kav82) and a few others arent. It is a shame.

 

Hey, on the positive at least you two have the next COD to look forward to if it gets released for Wii U that is.

[RedShell]

I don't rate the courses enough to enjoy it that much. It's ok, but I'd not call the game good. My biggest gripe is the lack of voice-chat still, it feels soulless online, no fun at all. That's how I felt about MKWii too... I need voice-chat.

Well, voice chat is a separate issue, and again not really one that bothers me as far as MK8 is concerned. It's obviously essential for games that feature co-op or tactical elements, like Monster Hunter and the upcoming Splatoon, but in reality MK doesn't really require that kind of communication in-game.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it shouldn't even be a option for those that want to make use of it, because it absolutely should. Just that I personally don't see it adding anything significant to the gameplay in MK. In fact with 12 players involved, together with music and all of the various sound effects, I imagine it being nothing more than a complete and utter audio mess.

[dazzybee]

I don't get the negativity either. I think the game is utterly incredible, some of the best new tracks, great old ones, love the anti gravity mechanic. The characters are a bit limp, but that's a tiny issue; voice chat isa little annoying but doesn't bother me personally, and I think it has some of the best item balancing yet. Except the star, they've gimped that too much!! They should also make the coins much less common for people who aren't in the top 2!

[Hogge]

I happen to like Yoshi's voice. Especially when he shouts "Go, Potato" for no reason what-so-ever.

Granted, he's not as god-awful as Donkey Kong, but the new voice is nowhere near as charming as the N64 voice:

[Glen-i]

You could have a bad start or take a spill and recover from both. But because catch-up items don't work, you can just get trapped in pack hell for a whole race or worse - just sit around the back of the race. The worst thing, is you can essentially race a solid or even a good race, but it can make no difference because of a poor start. It ruins the experience.

 

I know I'm never gonna change your mind, but I just don't see this.

Almost every time I get a Mushroom, I go up a place, I've had races that have started god awful for me, but ended up in a respectable position in the end.

 

Someone who has raced with me in the league must have seen this. There were a few races on Wednesday where I've been in 10th-12th place and by the end, I was in the top three thanks solely to Mushrooms and Stars.

 

Granted, he's not as god-awful as Donkey Kong, but the new voice is nowhere near as charming as the N64 voice

 

Can't agree with that. It's a matter of opinion though.

I think Yoshi has more charm now then he ever did with the old retro voice. He sounds more like an excited dino then he did there.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Glen-i

[Clownferret]

I was playing in global races last night, was in a group for just under 2 hours, all between 3k and 5k. We had some amazing races. Going on in 5 minutes if anyone wants to join me.

 

I'm still really enjoying it but I know you two (@kav82) and a few others arent. It is a shame.

 

Hey, on the positive at least you two have the next COD to look forward to if it gets released for Wii U that is.

 

i joined your group last night only for a disconnect in the lobby

 

I do share Kav & Zechs frustrations to a point, but the fact the same players invariably win most of the races means that skill does ultimately prevail. I have got item raped on many a race and never recovered but I have also seen this happen to the best guys in the league and they get back in front, so when push comes to shove they are obviously just better racers. The only thing that baffles me is just how they are so fast? The tracks are pretty wide and you can seem to race a perfect lap without overtaking anybody, but the top guys can seem to overtake numerous people in the space of half a lap. So I just assume these guys know how to set up a kart better or there is some extra mechanic in play other than power sliding that I'm just completely unaware of.

I think once the league gets put into rank order then most of these frustrations will cease to exist because players of a similar skill won't have the ability to open up a big lead like the top guns.

[Serebii]

I know I'm never gonna change your mind, but I just don't see this.

Almost every time I get a Mushroom, I go up a place, I've had races that have started god awful for me, but ended up in a respectable position in the end.

 

Someone who has raced with me in the league must have seen this. There were a few races on Wednesday where I've been in 10th-12th place and by the end, I was in the top three thanks solely to Mushrooms and Stars.

 

 

 

Can't agree with that. It's a matter of opinion though.

I think Yoshi has more charm now then he ever did with the old retro voice. He sounds more like an excited dino then he did there.

Yeah, last night I was sitting at 10th on Rainbow Road (I know, right). Got a Gold Mushroom, it took me up to third. Job done