Mario Kart 8: The fast, the plumber and the princess

Jaemi De Guzman

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Mario Kart 8: The fast, the plumber and the princess
Arriving May 30, the newest edition of Mario Kart for Wii U introduces a whole new level of anti-gravity gameplay, better items and improved social sharing

MANILA, Philippines – Nintendo is giving you several reasons to get a Wii U this year including the return of one of its most anticipated titles, Mario Kart.

This year, the world’s largest video game company is pulling out all the stops with a new feature called ANTI-GRAVITY! You heard it right folks, imagine riding your favorite Mario Kart character into race tracks that go sideways, upside down and, yes, even floating on air. 

Old dog with new tricks

Since its first release as Super Mario Kart on SNES back in 1992 the game has been done, redone and improved as technology has allowed, but each iteration was still very much the same racing game. 

Now with Mario and the rest of the gang’s improved anti-gravity gear, you gain a whole new perspective to the game. Whether it’s on the wings of planes at Sunshine Airport, on top of clouds in Cloudtop Cruise or rocking out fires in Bowser’s Castle, Mario Kart 8 has race tracks that will make your head spin, literally! 

One feature that stands out in Mario Kart 8 is the way Lakitu puts you right back onto the track as soon you fall, which is a very welcome addition indeed.

There are also 4 new items in the game that are sure to make races more interesting like the Boomerang Flower, the Piranha Plant, the Super Horn and the Crazy Eight. 

Other features that have returned from previous franchises are ATVs and motorbikes that let you perform awesome tricks to confuse your opponents. 

Waluigi and Toadette join the Mario Kart legends, their baby counterparts and the Bowser kids. This means a total of 30 playable characters.

An eye for detail

Because the Nintendo Wii U is the first Nintendo console to support Full HD, users are in for a visual treat whether it’s watching a jumbo jet take off right above you as you paraglide onto a runway or diving through a hoop of fire. And while it’s tough to stop and smell the roses while racing competitively, all the details shine in Full HD 60fps replays. Race highlights can also be posted online via Mario Kart TV.

More for everyone 

Mario Kart 8 caters not only to veteran players of the franchise but to new players who just want to have fun. If solo-play isn’t your thing you can opt to play with 3 other players via split screen or race against 11 other players online.

With the new anti-gravity mode, better items and improved social sharing there’s no doubt that Mario Kart 8 is the best Mario Kart game ever made. It offers much more variety while retaining everything else that we loved about good ol’ fashioned racing. 

Mario Kart 8 for Wii U will be released on May 30, 2014, and is available now for pre-order online at $59.99. – Rappler.com

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