[?] Mario Kart 8.5/Switch [?]

[Fierce_LiNk]

The actual gameplay, graphics and sound from MK8 was great. It's everything else around it that I had a problem with. Barebones online, terrible battle mode, not really an awful lot to do in single player, etc. The actual core mechanics are great, though. Just needs more built around it.

[Ronnie]

48 beautifully designed and varied tracks, 4 speed classes, time trials etc aren't enough of a single player campaign?

 

I'm encouraged by Emily Rogers saying that a game many people consider to be the best Mario Kart game is "way better" on Switch. Sounds amazing.

[Ashley]

You're overlooking the issue though; if you're looking for a multiplayer experience a lot of the same thing isn't going to make it better. Yes there's a lot of tracks, but if it's missing the element you want the number becomes immaterial.

 

Anyway, to each their own.

[Ronnie]

I was commenting on @Fierce_LiNk's opinion that the single player content was lacking, nothing to do with multiplayer. I then suggested that Emily Rogers' comment that the Switch version of an already hugely loved game is "way better" is encouraging.

[Ashley]

Single player is lacking for him because it doesn't give him what he wants and no amount of tracks will make up for the issues he has with the games that he listed. It's why I said "each his own" as he was expressing his personal issues with MK8 and saying "but there's lots of tracks" isn't addressing his issues. Issues you don't agree with obviously, but his.

[Blade]

Its a similar issue I have single player on Smash Bros Wii U. Although there are lots of stages, characters etc I never found much to do on it and therefore dropped it very quickly.

[Ronnie]

Single player is lacking for him because it doesn't give him what he wants and no amount of tracks will make up for the issues he has with the games that he listed. It's why I said "each his own" as he was expressing his personal issues with MK8 and saying "but there's lots of tracks" isn't addressing his issues. Issues you don't agree with obviously, but his.

 

So he's allowed to share his opinion, but I'm not allowed to share my opinion? He didn't elaborate on his opinion on what's lacking in the single player campaign, so I shared mine that there was plenty of content, and yet for some reason, I'm having someone jump down my throat for it for daring to debate on a message board.

[Ashley]

So he's allowed to share his opinion, but I'm not allowed to share my opinion? He didn't elaborate on his opinion on what's lacking in the single player campaign, so I shared mine that there was plenty of content, and yet for some reason, I'm having someone jump down my throat for it for daring to debate on a message board.

 

No no that is absolutely not what I intended and I'm sorry it came out that way.

 

I was simply trying to say "if he feels something is lacking, saying there's lots of tracks isn't going to change his opinion" because I thought you were trying to say he should love MK8 because many others do. Fair enough if you love it, as I said earlier "each their own".

[Ronnie]

I wasn't trying to change his mind, I simply asked a simple question

 

48 beautifully designed and varied tracks, 4 speed classes, time trials etc aren't enough of a single player campaign?

 

Anyway...

[Eenuh]

So he's allowed to share his opinion, but I'm not allowed to share my opinion? He didn't elaborate on his opinion on what's lacking in the single player campaign, so I shared mine that there was plenty of content, and yet for some reason, I'm having someone jump down my throat for it for daring to debate on a message board.

 

The issue isn't that you're not allowed to voice your opinion (everyone is allowed to), the issue is that you only really seem to do this when someone posts something (slightly) negative. You can't accuse someone of jumping down your throat when you do the same thing...

 

Back on topic, I agree that MK8 couldn't keep me interested. It was just more of the same, it didn't really give me anything new. Same issue I had with Smash Bros (which I've always loved). They can add loads of tracks/stages and characters, but the gameplay has just started feeling stale for me.

 

I loved Mario Kart on DS and Double Dash (I know most people don't, but I loved the two characters thing, especially when having two people team up). The Wii and Wii U games just felt lacking to me for some reason. So not sure I would get the Switch game unless it brings something interesting to the table. Hard to guess what they are doing with it yet though, as all we have is that one second clip. :P

[Ronnie]

The issue isn't that you're not allowed to voice your opinion (everyone is allowed to), the issue is that you only really seem to do this when someone posts something (slightly) negative. You can't accuse someone of jumping down your throat when you do the same thing...

 

I wasn't jumping down his throat, I was asking a simple question.

[Eenuh]

I wasn't jumping down his throat, I was asking a simple question.

 

To be honest it wasn't really a question though was it? He already gave his opinion, you saying what you said isn't suddenly going to make him say "Oh sorry, I didn't realise there were 48 beautifully designed tracks, that completely changes everything!"

[Fierce_LiNk]

*walks into thread*

 

 

I'm not quite sure what I seemingly left out of my original post. The graphics, core gameplay and sound are all great. There aren't enough modes for me. The battle mode is borderline unplayable, so that's a mode that's out. The online wasn't comprehensive enough for me, so I didn't get much joy out of that.

I wasn't complaining about the actual core racing aspect. I'm talking about things like challenge modes, missions, etc. A better battle mode would have been a huge plus, just modes like that really. Fun asides to do as well as the main game. E.g. all of those modes in Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl.

[Ronnie]

To be honest it wasn't really a question though was it? He already gave his opinion, you saying what you said isn't suddenly going to make him say "Oh sorry, I didn't realise there were 48 beautifully designed tracks, that completely changes everything!"

 

No, I was hoping he would elaborate on what else he thought was missing from the single player, apart from the content that was there that I mentioned.

[S.C.G]

I think that's the point though, there's no problem with the "48 beautifully designed tracks" or the amount of characters and kart combinations, the great sense of balance and excellent control coupled with the fantastic gameplay all lavishly presented in HD with a stunning soundtrack. : peace:

 

All of the above is fantastic... it's just the things which Mario Kart 8 lacks which this Switch version could potentially add if it is essentially going to be an enhanced version of Mario Kart 8, just as well to add in what people have wanted all along surely?

 

A proper Battle Mode taking elements from Mario Kart 64 & Double Dash!!

Challenge Mode from Mario Kart DS but expanded, similar to the mode in Sonic & Sega All Stars Racing perhaps but better.

Online which is streamlined and has all the options you'd expect

 

It's not that much to ask, surely?

[Ronnie]

Mario Kart Switch should be amazing if the rumour is true then!

[Kav]

They need to nail multiplayer/online and Battle Mode, it can't be another lacklustre affair!

[Glen-i]

Mario Kart Switch should be amazing if the rumour is true then!

 

For me, that all hinges on how the dual item system is implemented. I swear if you can hold a shell, etc. behind you while keeping a second item in tow, then the balance is right back to bloody square one again!

[Ashley]

Unless there's some new 'flick back' weapon whereby you can fire it at someone dragging a shell and the shell reverses onto the...dragger (for lack of a better expression). Or it could work like the lightning bolt and affect everyone else (where applicable) and be instant.

[Ronnie]

They need to nail multiplayer/online and Battle Mode, it can't be another lacklustre affair!

 

Yes yes. There's not a huge amount to improve in the single player so obviously those are what's likely to be even better

[Kav]

Yes yes. There's not a huge amount to improve in the single player so obviously those are what's likely to be even better

 

I'm ok with their single player stuff... as I don't play MK for single player.

[Glen-i]

Unless there's some new 'flick back' weapon whereby you can fire it at someone dragging a shell and the shell reverses onto the...dragger (for lack of a better expression). Or it could work like the lightning bolt and affect everyone else (where applicable) and be instant.

 

That's a really cool idea. It would have to be reasonably common in second place or less and be instant/unbreakable, otherwise you could just throw a shell forward to stop it.

Then again, you'd never hit an item like that with a banana. So it might force First Placers to risk getting an item like the coin if it meant you might get a shell.

[Sheikah]

I think it was Zechs at the time that summarised the problem I had with MK8. Power ups felt quite underpowered in the lower places - if you were knocked out early in a race to say 6th place it was hard to climb back up because items like the star didn't do very much (especially compared to MK Wii). It felt so easy to get into these scumzones near the start.

 

MK Wii felt a lot more fun to me.

[Glen-i]

I think it was Zechs at the time that summarised the problem I had with MK8. Power ups felt quite underpowered in the lower places - if you were knocked out early in a race to say 6th place it was hard to climb back up because items like the star didn't do very much (especially compared to MK Wii). It felt so easy to get into these scumzones near the start.

 

MK Wii felt a lot more fun to me.

 

See, that's interesting. In Wii, my main issue was that it was pretty much impossible to catch first place about half way through the first lap.

Anyone even remotely competent getting into first would pretty much win the race if they got there. It was a complete crapshoot on that first item block, followed by a boring cruise to first place (Because you had plenty of protection with two items) or a more interesting, but ultimately doomed fight in the middle.

 

I can't speak for the MKWii era here, but the league nights nowadays are very unpredictable and fun. You've gotta embrace the unfair moments, because they're really just very funny.

 

Oh, and the star really only shines in 8 when used to cut corners. So I agree on that front.

[Ronnie]

It's a tough one really, does Nintendo make the rubber banding excessive and make it more "fun" and chaotic or do you put more emphasis on skill and make it tougher to win a race after a poor start. Personally I'd prefer the latter.

Edited November 6, 2016 by Ronnie