Wow. Wow, wow, wow. That about sums up what I thought when I booted up Mario Kart 8 for the first time. This, this is a top-quality game that any self-respecting gamer should own. Go, go buy a Wii U now and play this!
Maybe I should try and explain? I guess that is what this Verdict is for…
It has been a rough 18 months for Nintendo when it comes to the Wii U. Despite critical acclaim for titles like Super Mario 3D World and The Wonderful 101, sales of the machine have been more than sluggish with a user base that has stubbornly refused to grow. Some doom-mongers even feel that it will be the worst performing Nintendo machine since the GameCube. It certainly won’t be matching the dramatic highs of the Wii while the next-gen machines from Sony and Microsoft have enjoyed very successful launch periods.
Recent events show that all might not be lost for the Wii U, while it won’t ever see extraordinary sales figures, it might reach a respectable level. And of course, with E3 kicking off later today, Nintendo might pull something special out of the bag. Even if they don’t, I think we might see the Wii U establish itself a bit more this year.
I have decided that I will be buying Mario Kart 8 and making some much needed use of my Wii U when the racer returns at the end of May. There are two simple reasons for my sudden decision. Firstly, the game looks freaking awesome and I don’t care if I don’t use the multiplayer or video sharing tools. Secondly, after registering the game at Club Nintendo, there will be an opportunity to download a Wii U game for free. Details and videos after the break.