Nintendo's taken notable strides in recent times with its online services and the eShop, particularly in the area of improving convenience for those buying download games when away from their console. In North America it's now possible to buy a decent collection of games via the company's official website in the region, while in multiple territories some retail games can be bought ahead of time to pre-download onto hardware.
It's the former functionality - of buying a game online for it to download automatically to your system - that's now being rolled out a little more in Japan. A Miiverse post has confirmed that you can now buy DLC for Mario Kart 8 from mariokart.tv in Japan - this is the web service that allows you to view replays, check statistics and more for the racing game. The site is pushing the DLC at the moment, and under the relevant information is a link to an eShop web page similar to those seen in North America; as always you need to be logged in with your Nintendo Network ID to use it. This particular option to buy MK8 DLC is only in Japan so far, however, with the link returning a regional error elsewhere.
The same Miiverse post also provides a minor update on the progress of the Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8 DLC, stating that it's due in late May with development in its final stages; May has always been the target month for release.
On the eShop web integration front this seems like another small step forward for Nintendo upping the convenience of shopping on the store. We'll see how quickly this rolls out to the West, and the end-goal is surely to have a fully-integrated eShop online that links to our consoles - matching equivalent services such as those with PSN.
Thanks to Benson for the heads up.
[source miiverse.nintendo.net]
Comments (33)
How long before DLC pack 1 was released, they began spreading further details? Can't wait for new DLC pack 2 screenshots and video teasers!
It'd be nice to be able to use eShop credit online...
@thedeadwing I think it was about a month before, roughly the way Nintendo start to hype up all new releases.
I hope this doesn't release at the same time as Splatoon which is also coming in May. I'll end up playing Splatoon over the new tracks if that's the case.
I hope we'll get a Nintendo Direct this month that gives us a good look at the Animal Crossing X Mario Kart 8 Pack. Not to mention we need more information on Yoshi's Wooly World as well.
I completely forgot about about the 2nd set of tracks. I think they spread the releases too far apart.
Animal Crossing Wii U in May. im calling it. (cross promotion = awesome)
@NESlover85 with spreading out the releases, it gets people to talk about the game long after its original release. I have a feeling that after all of the DLC is released, Nintendo will release a new physical copy of Mario Kart 8 that includes all DLC with the game.
This was a long time coming and actually still is couple months away. I loved DLC pack 1 so obviously I'm eager to play the second one but yeah, I wonder if it wouldn't be better to deliver this content earlier. Unless it's really taking so long to develop it, then I don't mind waiting if the content is polished.
@NESlover85 nah, I don't think so. It gets people to come back after long stretches of time. Personally, I hope we get another pack next november.
Pack 1 was/is amazing. Looking forward to pack 2 and popping MK8 back into my Wii U.
I hope finally get Wario Stadium from N64. This is the only N64 Track that hasn't been redone. Loved timing the Lightning just at the right moment
Excited to see what is in the 2nd DLC pack. Seems like a Direct has too be coming soon. Many releases this month and a pretty packed schedule of Nintendo published content coming the rest of the year. I expect a Direct on a regular basis this year.
Pack 1 was awesome track-wise, but they kinda put in "more of the same" for characters. Link? That's awesome. Yet ANOTHER Mario & Peach alt? No. Bring back Dry Bones and ROB. Or maybe include OTHER Nintendo characters. Pit, Samus, etc.
Pack 2 is better on the character front; Dry Bowser is a bit more distinct (although one could argue that Bowser has a "Baby" form in Bowser Jr.). And while Isabelle and Villager are nice, I guess I was hoping for more... exciting (?) characters? (see above).
@AyeHaley
I think you might be on to something (not a release, but maybe an announcement). Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate also has Animal Crossing content coming as part of a crossover thing that's happening over the next few months. If they have both the 2nd MK8 DLC pack and this Animal Crossing MH4U content released at the same/ similar time...
Hey, it worked for Majora's Mask 3D.
I'm gonna throw a wild prediction in and say that one of the tracks will be Starfox based and that Fox is one of the characters,makes sense really with it coming out not long after.That's probably been said before but there you go!
That Mario Kart TV website looks great.This should really be in the game as 8 seems like a step back from MK Wii on that side,especially the time trials.I still cant get my head around only being able to race ghosts with the exact same time as my record or about 20 odd seconds ahead.Why can't I race ghosts one or 2 seconds faster than me? Being able to see my near competition and challenge staff made time trials a lot of fun on the Wii whereas this just seems kind of pointless and included as an after thought.I find this more disappointing that the battle mode if I'm being honest.
I can't wait. I wish it was out sooner but maybe this is better because by the time I'm getting bored with Kart, this will come out and spark interest again.
I purchased the combo so the day it comes out I believe it will automatically download.
@NESlover85 Thinking the exact same thing. Should've been a 2 month spread. Waiting...
@OorWullie We already know the three characters that are coming with this DLC Pack: Dry Bowser, Villager and Isabelle.
"What's takin' you so long, Fox?!"
I totally forgot about this.
The wait may be long, but I think just playing Monster Hunter will hold in my hype.
Do we know what tracks will be included? Mute City is gonna be REAL hard to top, I hope they remake Neo Bowser City from MK7! That track in HD would be glorious.
Wish I hadn't bought both packs as I am almost entirely uninterested in this game by now. Will probably play the new tracks a couple times then be done with it.
@NESlover85 My thoughts exactly, 2/3 moths would have been understandable. But considering how little the DLC contains, I can't justify the extreme distance in release. I got bored (well not bored, but over with it, if you know what I mean) of the DLC 1 within 3 weeks. My hype for DLC 2 has diminished entirely, I'm just waiting for it to finally be released.
If they wanted to have people talking about it in between peaks, it would have made more sense to have had 3 DLC packs spread over 6 months, 1st in November 2nd in February and 3rd in May.
@Octane Oops,there goes that prediction then,daft of me really as I already knew that.Still there is good chance of a Starfox course I think
whoa! i could have sworn the DLC was March!
sad face
o well, Mewtwo comes this month for smash!!!!!!
Can't wait for this, MK games are already highly replayabe considering the local multiplayer, not to mention the diverse online multiplayer experience now as well! But you can never have too many tracks in MK in my opinion!
@FLUX_CAPACITOR I paid for it, I know I'm going to get it. I'm no longer excited about the fact I'm going to get it. When it's released I will play it, because I purchased it. I'm here to vent my frustration on a post related to the game and it's DLC. Hype (excitement) is gone, awareness has not.
Why would I make a point, to then contradict myself?, or maybe I should have worded it different?
The characters and cars to a certain degree aren't really satisfying, which I found out after DLC 1, because they're just skins (I've played many games with DLC skins, but it only just dawned on me when I was racing as Link). I mean the skins are cute but ultimately it doesn't add any extra game time. I can understand in a game like SSB because the characters actually have a unique purpose but that doesn't really hold up in Mario Kart.
I don't know. I still find 8 new tracks, or 4 if you want to be edgy like me "little". But that's just my opinion.
Oh damn and here I was thinking the MK8 DLC was in March.. Hmmm this is a bit too long of a gap in my opinion, It'd of held the momentum if released in early January. If I didn't purchase both as a packaged deal already, I'd honestly be on the fence of picking up the 2nd DLC.
But since the deal was too good to pass up, well I get to enjoy the new set of tracks whenever they drop next
I completely forgot about pack 2 and I even bought the bundle. I bought the bundle as it was only €4 to get 8 more tracks as I was buying the first pack anyway sole for mute city.
@Jamester0722 I really hope they don't add on the DLC to a physical disc. I personally thinks that's just wrong to the buyers who bought it earlier. If they did, why should I ever buy a game then? "I'll just wait for complete edition"
I'm excited. I love Animal Crossing (hoping it finally comes back to console which its best at) and Mario kart so this is a win win.
Personally I don't think that Animal Crossing should be included in the Mario Kart franchise. Where's Funky Kong or Cranky Kong? I'd rather see their more classic characters be part of this game.
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