Mario Kart 8: Difference between revisions

'''''Mario Kart 8''''' is a racing game for the [[Wii U]] developed primarily by [[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|Nintendo EAD]], with [[Bandai Namco Entertainment|Namco Bandai Holdings]] assisting. It is the eighth console installment in the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'' series]] (hence the game's name). This installment is the follow-up game of the [[Nintendo 3DS]] title ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''. Like other Nintendo 3DS and Wii U games, this game can be purchased both physically at retail and could be purchased digitally through the [[Nintendo eShop]] until March 27, 2023, with the digital version requiring 4949.8 MB (approx. 4.83 GB) of memory to be installed. The game was released on the last three days of May 2014 worldwide.

On November 7, 2017, Nintendo terminated the [[Miiverse]] service, which made it no longer possible for players to use this game's Miiverse stamps, upload highlight reels onto {{wp|YouTube}}, and create new online tournaments. On April 8, 2024, Nintendo will terminate the [[Nintendo Network]] service, which made it no longer possible for players to play the game online and attend the pre-existing online tournaments.<ref name=Shutdown> {{cite|author=@NintendoAmerica|date=October 4, 2023|title=As of early April 2024, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.|url=https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1709418623566020975|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=February 17, 2024}}</ref><ref name=ShutdownUpdate> {{cite|author=@NintendoAmerica|date=January 23, 2024|title=Update: as of 4/8, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.|url=https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/1749963072998166670|publisher=Twitter|accessdate=February 17, 2024}}</ref>

VillagerMale-Icon-MK8.png|[[Villager]] [[File:MK8 Villager Emblem.png|32px]]<br>'''<span style="color:green">Medium</span>'''

VillagerFemale-Icon-MK8.png|[[Villager]] [[File:MK8 Villager Emblem.png|32px]]<br>'''<span style="color:green">Medium</span>'''

{|border="1" cellpadding="3" style="background:#f5f5f5;text-align:center;width:1000px;border-collapse:collapse;margin-bottom:35px;"align=center

!colspan="12" style="background:#9c9c9c"|Normal Suits

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Red

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Orange

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Yellow

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Light-green

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Green

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Blue

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Red.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Orange.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Yellow.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Light Green.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Green.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Blue.png|70px]]

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Light-blue

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Pink

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Purple

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Brown

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| White

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| Black

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Cyan.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Pink.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Purple.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Brown.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit White.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Black.png|70px]]

{|border="1" cellpadding="3" style="background:#f5f5f5;text-align:center;width:1000px;border-collapse:collapse;margin-bottom:5px;" align=center

!colspan="14" style="background:#9c9c9c"|amiibo Suits <small>(Wave 1)</small> <center><small>(November 13, 2014)</small>

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Mario|black|Mario Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Luigi|black|Luigi Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Peach|black|Peach Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Yoshi|black|Yoshi Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Donkey Kong|black|Donkey Kong Suit}}

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Mario.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Luigi.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Peach.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Yoshi.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit DK.png|70px]]

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Link|black|Hylian Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Captain Falcon|black|Captain Falcon Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Kirby|black|Kirby Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Samus|black|Varia Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Fox|black|Fox Suit}}

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Link.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Captain Falcon.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Kirby.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Samus.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Fox.png|70px]]

{|border="1" cellpadding="3" style="background:#f5f5f5;text-align:center;width:1000px;border-collapse:collapse;margin-bottom:5px;" align=center

!colspan="14" style="background:#9c9c9c"|amiibo Suits <small>(Wave 2)</small> <center><small>(April 23, 2015)</small>

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Toad|black|Toad Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Bowser|black|Bowser Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Wario|black|Wario Suit}}

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Toad.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Bowser.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Wario.png|70px]]

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Rosalina|black|Rosalina Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Olimar|black|Pikmin Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Villager|black|Animal Crossing Suit}}

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Rosalina.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Olimar.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Animal Crossing.png|70px]]

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Mega Man|black|Mega Man Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|PAC-MAN|black|PAC-MAN Suit}}

! colspan=2 width=11% style="background:#dedede"| {{color-link|Sonic|black|Sonic Suit}}

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Mega Man.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Pac-Man.png|70px]]

| colspan=2 | [[File:MK8 Mii Racing Suit Sonic.png|70px]]

Unlike previous ''Mario Kart'' games, characters (other than Mii) are unlocked at random by completing cups; however, another character cannot be unlocked by replaying a cup, making this title the first and only ''Mario Kart'' game that uses this distinction. In previous games, fixed characters are unlocked by completing specific cups with specific engine classes. Additionally, for the first time in the series, unlockable characters appear as CPUs during races when they are still locked.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTKRtYK5cmo/</ref>

!style="background:#dedede" width="4%"|Player

!style="background:#dedede" width="8%"|Opponent(s)

!style="background:#dedede" width="4%"|Player

!style="background:#dedede" width="8%"|Opponent(s)

!style="background:#dedede" width="4%"|Player

!style="background:#dedede" width="8%"|Opponent(s)

!style="background:#dedede" width="4%"|Player

!style="background:#dedede" width="8%"|Opponent(s)

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Mario Icon.png|link=Mario|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Peach Icon.png|link=Princess Peach|32x32px|Peach]][[File:MK8 Bowser Icon.png|link=Bowser|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Luigi Icon.png|link=Luigi|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Mario Icon.png|link=Mario|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Daisy Icon.png|link=Princess Daisy|32x32px|Daisy]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Peach Icon.png|link=Princess Peach|32x32px|Peach]]||[[File:MK8 Toad Icon.png|link=Toad|32x32px]][[File:MK8 DKong Icon.png|link=Donkey Kong|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Daisy Icon.png|link=Princess Daisy|32x32px|Daisy]]||[[File:MK8 Peach Icon.png|link=Princess Peach|32x32px|Peach]][[File:MK8 Waluigi Icon.png|link=Waluigi|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Yoshi Icon.png|link=Yoshi|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Toad Icon.png|link=Toad|32x32px]][[File:MK8 DKong Icon.png|link=Donkey Kong|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Toad Icon.png|link=Toad|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Koopa Icon.png|link=Koopa|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Waluigi Icon.png|link=Waluigi|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Koopa Icon.png|link=Koopa Troopa|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Yoshi Icon.png|link=Yoshi|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Toad Icon.png|link=Toad|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Toadette Icon.png|link=Toadette|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Yoshi Icon.png|link=Yoshi|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Wario Icon.png|link=Wario|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Bowser Icon.png|link=Bowser|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Mario Icon.png|link=Mario|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Luigi Icon.png|link=Luigi|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 DKong Icon.png|link=Donkey Kong|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Bowser Icon.png|link=Bowser|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Wario Icon.png|link=Wario|32x32px]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Wario Icon.png|link=Wario|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Mario Icon.png|link=Mario|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Daisy Icon.png|link=Princess Daisy|32x32px|Daisy]]

!style="background:#dedede"|[[File:MK8 Waluigi Icon.png|link=Waluigi|32x32px]]||[[File:MK8 Luigi Icon.png|link=Luigi|32x32px]][[File:MK8 Toadette Icon.png|link=Toadette|32x32px]]

!colspan="3"style="background:#9c9c9c"align=center|Characters and elements

!width="15%"style="background:#dedede"align=center|Character/element

!width="20%"style="background:#dedede"align=center|Location

!width="65%"style="background:#dedede"align=center|Description

|These stationary objects break and slow down the player on contact, while having a chance of releasing a [[Banana]], a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]], or a [[Green Shell]] when broken. In <small>3DS</small> DK Jungle, they appear as [[DK Barrel]]s and drop only Bananas.

|As in previous ''Mario Kart'' games, these obstacles knock over any drivers that collide with them.

|These Chain Chomps bounce on certain parts of the track, not performing any other movement. They create distortions on the road, allowing players to trick off of the waves created by the bounce. Players who get hit by Chomps flip over.

|These Warp Pipes well water that clean the Blooper ink if players drive under it. The Warp Pipes themselves, on the other hand, merely serve as an obstruction.

''Mario Kart 8'' also features changes to the items' mechanics. In the races, each item's probability of being obtained depends on probability distributions that are based mainly on the distance from the driver in first place.<ref name=items/> This means that it is possible to get even a [[Bullet Bill]] in second. While past ''Mario Kart'' games allowed the users to gain a different item from the [[Item Box]]es while dragging some other such as a [[Green Shell]] or a [[Banana]], in ''Mario Kart 8'', players are restricted to carry only the item they are currently holding or dragging. Releasing the item in use will then allow the player to take another from the boxes. In order to keep gameplay balance, some items are much less frequent to appear, most notably [[Lightning]] and the [[Spiny Shell (blue)|Spiny Shell]]. Additionally, the [[Triple Bananas]], the [[Triple Mushrooms]] and the eight items of the [[Crazy Eight]] surround the vehicle in the same manner as triple shells do, and opponents receive their effects when touching them, giving some disadvantage, or advantage in the case of the ''Triple Mushrooms'' and the [[Super Star|Star]]. Racers only lose the items they are holding in their hand when struck by a Lightning while items surrounding the drivers, with the exception of the Mushrooms, are lost when other racers touch them. The item icon, located on the top left of the screen, now displays a usage-remaining meter, either time remaining to use or uses remaining, for items with limited repeating usage.

As of the version 2.0 update, ''Mario Kart 8'', like ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'', includes an in-game shop feature through which players can purchase and pre-order downloadable content packs, as well as adding prompts where the character and cup icons are when purchased. Alternatively, players can purchase content packs through the Nintendo eShop like normal. Nintendo has released free vehicle parts as part of a collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, and then announced the game will receive two add-on packs, which both include three additional characters, four vehicles, and eight courses in two cups.

As part of a collaboration between [[Nintendo]] and {{wp|Mercedes-Benz}}, a free downloadable content pack was released featuring kart bodies based on several Mercedes-Benz vehicles, including the [[GLA]] (based on the {{wp|Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class|Mercedes-Benz GLA}}), the [[W 25 Silver Arrow]] (based on the {{wp|Mercedes-Benz W25|W 25}} {{wp|Silver Arrows|Silver Arrow}}), and the [[300 SL Roadster]] (based on the {{wp|Mercedes-Benz 300SL|300 SL Roadster}}), as well as a set of [[GLA Tires]].<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDaCFD32Uhs</ref> The content was released in all regions on August 27, 2014.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141007005444/http://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/lifestyle/culture/mercedes-benz-in-nintendos-new-mario-kart-8/ Mercedes-Benz in Nintendo's new Mario Kart 8]. Mercedes-Benz. Retrieved May 14, 2015.</ref>

The first pack, titled "''The Legend of Zelda'' × ''Mario Kart 8''", which was released on November 13, 2014,<ref>http://store.nintendo.co.uk/wii-u-ddc/the-legend-of-zelda-x-mario-kart-8-aoc-pack-digital-download/10991121.html</ref> includes [[Tanooki Mario]], [[Cat Mario|Cat Peach]], and [[Link]] from ''[[Zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda|The Legend of Zelda]]'' franchise. It also includes additional vehicle parts, such as the returning [[B Dasher]] and the new [[Tanooki Kart]]. The cups included are the [[Triforce Cup]] and the [[Egg Cup]]. Additional courses include both classic ones, such as [[Wii Wario's Gold Mine|Wario's Gold Mine]] from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', new courses inspired by non-''Super Mario'' franchises such as the ''Excitebike''-based [[Excitebike Arena]], and completely new ones such as [[Dragon Driftway]].

The second pack, titled "''Animal Crossing'' × ''Mario Kart 8''", which was released on April 23, 2015, includes [[Villager]] and [[Isabelle]] from ''[[nookipedia:Animal Crossing: New Leaf|Animal Crossing: New Leaf]]'', as well as [[Dry Bowser]], returning from ''Mario Kart Wii''. The cups included are the [[Crossing Cup]] and the [[Bell Cup]].<ref name="Direct April 1>[https://youtu.be/IMedqo8mLaQ?t=44m23s Nintendo Direct 4.1.2015]. Posted to YouTube by Nintendo of America on April 1, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.</ref> Like ''The Legend of Zelda'' x ''Mario Kart 8'', additional courses include classic ones such as [[GBA Cheese Land|Cheese Land]] (returning from ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''), courses based on non-''Super Mario'' franchises like [[Big Blue]] from the ''F-Zero'' series, and completely new ones like [[Wild Woods]].

The following are promotional ''Mario Kart 8'' competitions sanctioned by Nintendo, ordered by starting date. For official competitions held in the game's Nintendo Switch version, see [[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe#Official tournaments|''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' § Official tournaments]].

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width=50%

!width=25%|Title

!width=25%|Location

!width=25%|Period

!width=25%|Banner

![[Mario Kart 8 promotion tour|''Mario Kart 8'' promotion tour]]

|July 19, 2014–<br>September 13, 2014 CEST

![[Mario Kart 8 Championship 2014|''Mario Kart 8'' Championship 2014]]

|The competition's qualifiers were held online. The grand final took place at the {{wp|Earls Court Exhibition Centre}} in {{wp|London}}, {{wp|United Kingdom}} as part of the {{wp|EGX (expo)|EGX London 2014}} event.

|August 16, 2014–<br>⁠September 27, 2014 BST

|[[File:MK8 Championship 2014 banner Nintendo Life.jpg|300px]]

*''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'': Most of the Mii Racing Suits return from this game. The [[Biddybuggy]], [[Landship]], [[Mach 8]], [[Standard Kart]] (the [[Red Standard 8|red]] and [[Green Standard 8|green]] versions only), [[Circuit Special]], [[P-Wing (kart)|P-Wing]], [[Sports Coupe]], [[Steel Driver]], [[Prancer]], [[Cat Cruiser]], [[Streetle]], [[Tanooki Kart]], [[Badwagon]], and [[Wild Wiggler]] return as karts, along with various tires that are no longer separate parts. The [[Paper Glider]], [[Wario Wing]], and [[Cloud Glider]] return as gliders. The theme after winning a cup in Grand Prix mode is reused in this game for the movie ending the tour. Larry's voice clip when unlocking him is reused for Larry (Wintertime) when he is selected. The [[Blooper Shuttle]] resembles the Blooper space shuttle in ''Mario Kart 8''{{'}}s Rainbow Road.

The music in the credits, arranged by [[Ryo Nagamatsu]], includes melodic quotations from [[Thwomp Ruins]], [[Electrodrome]], [[Mount Wario]], and [[Mario Kart Stadium]]. Additionally, it also has an ending similar to the ending of the credits in ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'' (also written by Nagamatsu), but much more elaborate.

|Fre=Mario Kart 8

|FreM=-