Tag: Mario Kart 8 - Page 4
Video The Latest Mario Kart 8 Commercial is Possibly the Strangest Yet
Weird is good, right?
It's the opinion of some, including this writer, that Nintendo's renewed focus on seizing attention in the face of tougher times has reminded the company of key parts of its identity. After bland lifestyle adverts in the Wii and DS era as Nintendo merely needed to release something to make big bucks, we're now seeing the...
News Nintendo Brand Manager Hopes Mario Kart 8 Will Serve as a "Catalyst" for Wii U
"Mario Kart is one of our killer titles"
Though no game ever achieves loving praise from 100% of those that play it, Mario Kart 8 has been the recipient of plenty of compliments in reviews to date. What truly matters for Nintendo, however, is that buzz about the release will not only make it a must-buy for Wii U owners, but also entice other gamers...
Video The Piranha Plant and a "Crazy Plunge" Tested in the Latest Mario Kart 8 Commercials
Advertising with some bite
Over the past week we've shared a few Mario Kart 8 30-second commercial that have been doing the rounds, incorporating some fun live-action sequences with game footage. Nintendo's now uploaded a couple more examples, covering the Piranha Plant — an excellent new item in this entry — and showing a "crazy plunge" that's...
Video DreamWorks Animator Transforms His Son Into A Shell-Throwing Mario Kart Hero
Shell shocked
DreamWorks Animator Daniel Hashimoto has created a series of videos which star his son in the role of Action Movie Kid, where movie-standard special effects are applied to make his life look a little more incredible. The latest episode couldn't be more timely with Mario Kart 8 around the corner, as Hashimoto places his son in a...
Reaction Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
Mario Kart Hate
Mario Kart 8 launches at the end of this month, and as you'll know if you've consulted our review, it's well worth looking forward to. It would seem that most of the gaming press agrees with us; the game has scored very highly across the board. However, opinions are like belly buttons — everybody has one — and unsurprisingly,...
Video Nintendo Minute Picks Some Favourite Mario Kart 8 Tracks
Cloudtop Cruise! Mount Wario! Sunshine Airport!
There's just a bit — alright, a lot — of buzz around Mario Kart 8 at the moment, with this week's reviews generally declaring it to offer a jolly good time. We were happy campers in our own review, awarding it 9/10 and using the rather cheery tagline of "8th Wonder of the World". In other words,...
Video Check Out This Mario Kart 8 And Mario Kart Wii Moo Moo Meadows Comparison
Ahead of the pack?
With Mario Kart 8 getting rave reviews all over the interwebs, Family Gamer TV has dialled in for some close up comparison of the Moo Moo Meadows level on both the Wii and Wii U. While it is of course expected that the Wii U version looks better, quite how much better is kind of mind-blowing. Certainly this night and day...
8th Wonder of the World
Since the Super NES every Nintendo system — apart from the Game Boy Color and the doomed Virtual Boy — has been boosted by an entry in the iconic Mario Kart series. Despite its drastic evolution throughout the generations of hardware it nevertheless feels familiar each time around, while other entries in the kart racing...
News Mario Kart 8 Free Wii U Game Promotion Extended to Scandinavian Countries
A pin code and web page will be distributed
For those picking up Mario Kart 8 when it launches at the end of May, a welcome bonus is that registering the game by 31st July will entitle those gamers to a free Wii U retail title. You can see all of the details right here. This is tied to Club Nintendo, which has unfortunately ruled it out in...
Video Behold The Incredible Destructive Power Of The Mario Kart 8 Super Horn
Spiny blue shells, begone!
A short time ago we posted a video of Nintendo's new TV spot for Mario Kart 8, which gives a humourous spin (no pun intended) to the game's use of anti-gravity. Nintendo has now posted this video — along with two others — to its YouTube channel, and you can watch them in glorious HD quality below. The most amusing...
Video This "Upside-Down Test" Mario Kart 8 Commercial is a Bit Awesome
"It's Flipping Fun"
Nintendo has expressed its desire to heavily promote Mario Kart 8 in the coming weeks and months, no doubt hoping to tempt a lot of gamers on the fence regarding the Wii U to take the plunge. In-store ads and a Mario Kart TV web app will play roles, though we should expect the company to spend some marketing money on good-old TV...
News Nintendo Announces "Mario Kart 8 Test Drive Days" At Over 2700 GameStop Stores
Pre-orders to get a special poster, too
It's pretty clear that plenty of Wii U owners are now impatiently awaiting Mario Kart 8, while others may be tempted to dive in and buy a system for the latest entry in the iconic series. Nintendo's cranking up the hype, meanwhile, with public-access demos now confirmed to be on the way to more than 2,700...
News Kosuke Yabuki Explains That Every Mario Kart is Made "From Scratch"
Explains retro course design and Battle mode's lack of arenas in MK8
Mario Kart 8 is now just a few weeks away, and the secrets of its modes and design have been stripped away in favour of anticipation as Wii U owners become keen to get their hands on the latest racer in the series. In a mini-interview with EDGE magazine, Kosuke Yabuki took the...
Video Join Us For A Relaxing Weekend Drive Around Mario Kart 8's Vintage Circuits
A blast from the past
In keeping with previous entries in the series, Mario Kart 8 resurrects popular tracks from past games. These are far from being lazy upgrades, though — many have been retooled to take advantage of the game's anti-gravity focus, and all of them naturally benefit from a luscious HD lick of paint. In the video below, intrepid...
Video Mario Kart 8's Balloon-Popping Battle Mode Looks Something Like This
No arenas this time around
Battle Mode has been an intrinsic part of Mario Kart since the days of the SNES original, and that hasn't changed in Mario Kart 8. However, instead of popping balloons in a specially-designed arenas, this time around your battles occur on a limited selection of tracks from the game itself: Moo Moo Meadows Dry Dry...
News Amazon Germany Offers an Exclusive Steelbook Edition of Mario Kart 8
Check this beauty out
Whenever the phrase 'steelbook' appears in relation to a limited edition game release, our interest is immediately piqued. Some of team Nintendo Life are still insanely jealous of the Metroid Prime Trilogy steelbook that was released in North America but not in Europe, for example. Metal is lovely for game packaging. It seems...
Video Witness The Intolerable Cruelty Of Mario Kart 8
All thanks to Mario Kart TV's awesome slow-mo feature
Mario Kart TV is one of the biggest additions to Mario Kart 8, and will allow players to save, edit and share their finest on-track moments. It's also great for messing about with and creating daft little videos, such as the one we present to you below. The game's slow-mo feature makes even the...
News Nintendo Reveals 'Mario Kart TV' Web App in Financial Results Briefing
Connecting with NNID will provide extra features
Earlier today we shared a report from Nikkei announcing a Mario Kart 8 website or app in translated comments from a Satoru Iwata press conference. Now that the translated investor briefing has been released we have some more firm details and a screen of the service in action. This will be a web...
News Mario Kart 8 Smart Device Website or App on the Way
To provide services such as ranking checks
Mario Kart 8 is already forging new ground on the Wii U, with Nintendo having confirmed not only the Mario Kart TV feature, but the ability to upload those highlights reels directly to YouTube from within the game. It also seems set to represent Nintendo's first move into producing an accompanying smart...
Video We Blast Around Five Of Our Favourite New Tracks In Mario Kart 8
Mii spotted in rather tight racing leathers
Mario Kart 8 is creeping ever closer, bringing with it plenty of excitement for Wii U owners. Nintendo produced a rather entertaining Mario Kart 8 Direct recently, and there's plenty of buzz about this one online. Like many others we're planning quite a few videos ahead of release to show you what it's...
News The Awesome Hori Mario Kart 8 Accessories Seem To Hit The Final Straight For North America
Happy times
Not so long ago we had the happy news that Hori's rather attractive Mario Kart 8-themed GamePad skins and wheels to Europe. It seems that the accessory company — likely with distribution assistance from Nintendo — is also bringing its goodies to North America, too. The Mario and Luigi themed Wii wheels and GamePad skins have popped...
News Mario Kart 8 Bundle Dips Below £200 In The UK, Includes Additional Free Game Offer
Grab yourself a bargain
With Mario Kart 8 hitting the streets later this month, there has never been a better time to take the plunge and buy a Wii U console. Of course Nintendo are handily bundled together their Triple-A kart racer with the system, but where is the best place to buy it from? We'd recommend that you consider slapping in a preorder...
News Nintendo Ramps Up Its Merchandising Efforts With "World Of Nintendo" Toy Range
Coming to Australia this year
Nintendo has some of the most recognisable IP in the world of entertainment, and is clearly taking steps to leverage its library of characters with a new "World of Nintendo" range of toys and merchandise. 2014's big release Mario Kart 8 is getting a sizable push, with special track sets and cars hitting the market...
News New Mario Kart 8 Screenshots Power-Slide Into View
7 new screenshots to whet your appetite
What a day it has been for Mario Kart 8 news! If you missed the surprise Nintendo Direct broadcast earlier today, we've got you covered. What we didn't have space to show you in our monster round-up was some new screenshots which Nintendo released today. These show off new items such as the Super Horn and the...
Feature All the Important Details From the Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Direct Broadcasts
A perfect boost
Nintendo has pulled another Nintendo Direct rabbit out of the hat with its Mario Kart 8 videos, which were released straight onto YouTube. There were subtle regional differences, including the range of titles available in the undoubtedly attractive free Wii U game Club Nintendo promotion, while the North American broadcast had a few...
News Mario Kart 8 Club Nintendo Promotion Offers a Free Wii U Game
Choice of 10 in Europe, 4 in North America
After what were undoubtedly constant requests from fans — referenced directly by Satoru Iwata — Nintendo has unleashed new Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Direct broadcasts to reveal more about the upcoming Wii U blockbuster. Though regional variations were generally minor, there were subtle differences such as a...
News North American Wii U Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Set Bundle Races Into View
Could this be the Best Buy for US gamers?
We've already seen the Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundles for Europe and very nice they are too. Of course North America is not to be outdone and retailer Best Buy is currently accepting preorders for the Wii U Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Set — as seen above — for the attractive price of $329.99. As well as including a...
Nintendo Direct Special Mario Kart 8 Direct Shows New Features, Racers And Items
Watch the entire presentation here
Nintendo sure likes to keep us on our toes — it has just published a special, unannounced Nintendo Direct broadcast devoted to Mario Kart 8, which launches worldwide next month. The video — which is available in two different flavours, North American and UK — runs for over 30 minutes and contains details on...
News Amazon Comes in Low With Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle Price, Awesome GamePad Skins on the Way
Nintendo UK store has impressive Mario Kart 8 bundles, too
You may have already seen the news that Nintendo of Europe has confirmed the Mario Kart 8 Premium Pack – Special Edition Wii U Hardware Bundle for the region, and we expect that a North American announcement is just a matter of time. As anticipated it's a 32GB system with a disc copy of...
News Nintendo Confirms The Mario Kart 8 Premium Pack – Special Edition Wii U Hardware Bundle
Peach and Yoshi Wii Remote Plus controllers coming to Europe, too
Update: Nintendo of Australia has now confirmed the Mario Kart 8 Premium Pack – Special Edition bundle, with the same details; it's stated the recommended retail price in the region will be AU$429.95. Original Article: Not so long ago there was a rumour of a Mario Kart 8 Wii U...
Rumour Mario Kart 8 Wii U Hardware Bundle On The Way
Seems feasible, salt on standby
Update: We've been advised by Nintendo that it has "nothing to announce at this time" regarding this rumour. You can take that to mean whatever you want, but that's the line we've been given. Original Article: We do enjoy juicy console bundle rumours here at Nintendo Life — the sensible ones, at least. A fresh...
Weirdness Now You Can Transform Your GamePad Into A Racing Wheel
Well, why not?
With Mario Kart 8 on the way, it should come as no great surprise to see peripheral makers attempt to capitalize on the renewed interest in racing titles, but Japanese firm CyberGadget has come up with the most unusual idea yet. Its Handle Stand fixes to your desk and allows you to clamp the GamePad in place, effectively turning it...
Round Table Let's Talk Endlessly About Mario Kart 8, Just Because
Tom, Ant, Daz and Damo share their hands-on impressions
Our official Mario Kart 8 hands-on preview went live yesterday — if you haven't done so already, you should really read it. We'll wait here until you get back. Done? Good. We can now move onto the next phase of our Mario Kart 8 coverage: a good old-fashioned chat around a table featuring...
Video Check Out The Mario Kart 8 Visual Upgrade in This Retro Track Comparison
It's never looked this good
This week has brought us a flurry of activity relating to Mario Kart 8, with information emerging and a host of previews arriving online, including our own. One area that's been agreed upon across most outlets is that Nintendo's upcoming racer is a visual treat, utilising the hardware and terrific art design to great...
News Hideki Konno Emphasizes That Mario Kart 8 Balancing Means It's Not All About Luck
Promises that the new Rainbow Road is "spectacular"
As this is Mario Kart 8 day, or so it seems, there are some more snippets emerging from a GDC (Game Developers Conference) group interview held by game producer Hideki Konno in March. We've already heard details on why a custom track creator hasn't been included, and
Video Nintendo Minute Shows Off Two Courses in Mario Kart 8
Sweet Sweet Canyon and Toad's Turnpike in full
Today's certainly Mario Kart 8 day, with some new details emerging, while we've shared our — rather positive — opinions on the latest build in our own extensive preview; that article also includes a gorgeous new trailer. It's safe to say that some who weren't paying attention to the upcoming Wii U...
News Mario Kart 8 Producer Explains The Absence of a Custom Track Creator
"We'll come back to that issue and maybe re-address it"
With Mario Kart 8's arrival creeping agonisingly close, Nintendo has lifted the lid on more details and removed embargoes on a fair bit of information. One set of details is actually from last month's GDC (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco, with quotes from a round table interview...
The green light is nearly on
When it comes down to major, triple-A retail releases on the way that will — Nintendo hopes — lift the Wii U's sales and boost the public's perception of the system, there's currently only one show in town. While there are a number of exciting titles on the way from Nintendo and its partners, Mario Kart 8 has a firm...
Video Nintendo Approves of this Mario Kart Song
For the First Time in Forever, for you Frozen fans
It's a well-known fact that, aside from the occasional multi-platform game that many will happily ignore, Mario Kart 8's 30th May arrival is the closest major release for the Wii U. One consolation is that there is an enticing line-up of eShop games, but retail titles can still arguably get the...
News The Wait for Mario Kart 8 Is Filled With Sunshine in This Week's Course Update
More goodness flies into view
In recent weeks Nintendo — through social network accounts including its Wii U UK Facebook page — has been teasing out additional courses for the upcoming Mario Kart 8. As a result it's become a slightly unexpected weekend routine of skimming the previous seven days to see what new tracks are on show, and the happy...
News Hori is Bringing Some Awesome Mario Kart 8 GamePad Skins and Mario & Luigi Wheels to Japan
We'll take them in the West, thanks
The release of Mario Kart 8 has already served up some promising pre-order choices in Europe and — to a lesser extent — in Japan. Now Hori is stepping in with some accessories in Nintendo's homeland, and we want them all. As you can see in the images below, Mario and
News Super Mario Kart Record Holder Sami Cetin Gives Some Tips and Hits the Track in Mario Kart 8
Niece and world champion Leyla Hasso takes him on
For the vast majority of Wii U owners, we suspect the 30th May release of Mario Kart 8 is a major event on their gaming calendars. It's a franchise that has consistently delivered success for Nintendo, with the most recent iterations uniting experienced gamers and enthusiastic newcomers in some...
News Mario Kart 8 Pre-Orders from Amazon Japan Get Sweet Mario or Rosalina Playing Cards
Full of win
With Mario Kart 8's release slowly creeping closer, Nintendo is gradually stepping up its pre-order marketing for multiple regions. Nintendo of Europe was first out of the gate with its Limited Edition software bundle, which includes a Spiny trophy along with the game, while the UK also has various offerings that include wheel...
News Here Are Two More Mario Kart 8 Courses to Enjoy
The start line approaches
Earlier this month we shared five Mario Kart 8 courses shared by Nintendo in the form of rather presentable screenshots. We'd hoped it would be the start of a gradual reveal of many more of the upcoming tracks, yet our waiting has been rewarded with just two additional courses; the reveals stopped on 7th March. Rather than...
News Super Mario Kart Drifts Onto Aussie Wii U Virtual Console on 28th March
Mario Kart 8 discount promotion included
Following the original Nintendo of Europe announcement, Nintendo Australia has now confirmed that Super Mario Kart will also be released on the Aussie Wii U Virtual Console on 28th March. To celebrate the upcoming release of Mario Kart 8 and the VC version of the classic Super Nintendo game that started it...
News Nintendo of Europe Confirms Mario Kart 8 Limited Edition Software Bundle
The Spiny Shell is back
With Mario Kart 8 set to be a major release for the Wii U on 30th May, Nintendo of Europe has now started its engines on building hype and encouraging pre-orders. Having confirmed Super Mario Kart for the Wii U Virtual Console, along with a tempting eShop discount, it's also outlined physical retail options to tempt you to...
News SNES Classic Super Mario Kart Is Racing To The Wii U Virtual Console This Month
Download and get a discount on the cost of Mario Kart 8
Nintendo UK has announced that Super Mario Kart will be hitting the European Wii U Virtual Console later this month — March 27th, to be precise. What's more, as part of a special promotion in the run up to the release of Mario Kart 8, if you download Super Mario Kart you will receive a...
Because we all need more plastic accessories, right?
Remember the Wii Wheel? It’s a plastic peripheral that some would rather forget, and others will have fonder memories of. Despite mixed reactions, the wheel was ultimately an integral part of the Mario Kart experience on the Wii. Nintendo strongly marketed the product offering a new way to play,...
News Bowser's Koopalings Join the Cast of Mario Kart 8, Launches 30th May
The gang's all here!
In today's much anticipated Nintendo Direct, CEO Satoru Iwata announced that Mario Kart 8 will officially be launching on 30th May in both NA and EU; this follows the late January confirmation that it was to be a May release. Iwata-san also announced that a few new "unexpected" characters will be added to the game's roster. For...
