Wii U Mario Kart 8 Bundle leaked

[artemicion]

It's a party game. Item welfare is never going away; if there's nothing to provide some degree of equalization among the players, then it's a pure skill game and rendered inaccessible to anyone but the best players.

Even so, they could easily throw in a toggle option to turn it on and off. I believe there's options to select which items appear in the game, but no option that turns item boxes into pure random selection, instead of selection based upon current position.

Has anyone gotten their free game? I registered my code, and it sent me to the page where I chose my game. However, once I chose the game, it sent me to the game's individual page, and I got nothing else after that. Am I missing something? Should I try to register it again?

I had to wrestle with the Club Nintendo site all weekend, but I finally got my free game at some obscure hour of night when the servers weren't terribly overloaded. Factoring the Toys R Us 40% off deal, $90 for MK8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropic Freeze, and Zelda: Wind Waker HD is a pretty good haul.

 

[Aikouka]

I had to wrestle with the Club Nintendo site all weekend, but I finally got my free game at some obscure hour of night when the servers weren't terribly overloaded. Factoring the Toys R Us 40% off deal, $90 for MK8, Donkey Kong Country: Tropic Freeze, and Zelda: Wind Waker HD is a pretty good haul.

Ah, okay... I logged in again, and it immediately prompted me with a dialog asking me to choose a game again. I chose the game, and it went through without a hitch.

I also with the Toys R Us deal, and I combined that with the 20% off gift card deal at Slickdeals. So, I got a pretty good setup overall, but unfortunately, the only interesting game that I had in mind was Sonic Lost World. I considered getting a physical copy of Zelda, but Zelda is likely a game that I wouldn't sell anyway.

EDIT:

Unfortunately, I can't download it though. The eShop seems a bit borked still. I got to find that out after it took me about half an hour just to update! :|

 

[ViRGE]

Even so, they could easily throw in a toggle option to turn it on and off. I believe there's options to select which items appear in the game, but no option that turns item boxes into pure random selection, instead of selection based upon current position.

Perhaps. But then you'd have first place getting lightning bolts, blue shells, and crazy eights. That would only make things worse (not to mention illogical in the case of blue shells).

 

[brainhulk]

cool, there's a direct to youtube upload feature.

http://youtu.be/-opfb3Cmu4A

 

[ViRGE]

Well something must have gone well for Nintendo. I went looking to pick up another Pro Controller and I can't find one within 30 miles. Everyone is sold out, even Amazon.

Mario Kart 8 tops 1.2M, fastest selling Wii U game

Well that explains why I can't find a Pro controller...

cool, there's a direct to youtube upload feature.

http://youtu.be/-opfb3Cmu4A

It's nifty, but the quality leaves something to be desired. I'm not sure whether it's the console uploading the video or Nintendo (since Nintendo gets a copy of the playback for the MKTV service), but regardless the bitrate for the master is unnecessarily low for 720p.

But at least it beats people recording their TVs with their blasted phones.

 

[Aikouka]

Mario Kart 8 tops 1.2M, fastest selling Wii U game

Well that explains why I can't find a Pro controller...

The Nyko variant is available... barely. I have one, and my only complaints are that it's a bit smaller (I have big hands) and the charging port doesn't match Nintendo's pro controller, which means it won't fit in charging docks designed for the OEM controller. For example, I use the Quad Dock Charger, and it doesn't fit. Although, it only accepts one pro controller anyway.

 

[preslove]

I have the Nyko and like it. I just ordered another one because I found out the New Super mario U doesn't allow the gamepad to be used in multiplayer, except for some bullcrap 'boost' mode

 

[Lil Frier]

I have the Nyko and like it. I just ordered another one because I found out the New Super mario U doesn't allow the gamepad to be used in multiplayer, except for some bullcrap 'boost' mode

I actually love being the tablet god for my sister and brother-in-law (especially the latter, as he likes to be stupid and walk off the ledges and such). Luckily, the original Wii controllers work for the game, so the 2 I bought for the Wii U and the 2 we had from the old Wii are good.

Also, other neat thing about the Wii U...

We decided to play Mario Party 8 (from the Wii) over the weekend. For whatever reason, the range of the sensor bar with that game (not sure if it was all Wii games or what) was about 15 feet, so playing from the couch at my sister's meant that we were too far away. HOWEVER, the Wii mode lets you use the Wii U gamepad as a second screen and sensor bar, so while there would usually be an issue with remote range, it let my sister just point the remote at the tablet and play that way without issue.

The more we play with the Wii U, the more I like the tablet. It's got some smart stuff going for it.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

I'll admit, I want MK8. It looks great and seems more centered on racing than beating the crap out of everyone else. Also looking forward to a new Zelda. I remember our original wii came with wii sports and Zelda: twilight princess. Mom sold Zelda, I missed out. :/

 

[mizzou]

imagine how many copies they would sell if it was multi-platform....

 

[gus6464]

Is BOGO 40% at Toys R Us still going on?

 

[preslove]

I actually love being the tablet god for my sister and brother-in-law (especially the latter, as he likes to be stupid and walk off the ledges and such). Luckily, the original Wii controllers work for the game, so the 2 I bought for the Wii U and the 2 we had from the old Wii are good.

Also, other neat thing about the Wii U...

We decided to play Mario Party 8 (from the Wii) over the weekend. For whatever reason, the range of the sensor bar with that game (not sure if it was all Wii games or what) was about 15 feet, so playing from the couch at my sister's meant that we were too far away. HOWEVER, the Wii mode lets you use the Wii U gamepad as a second screen and sensor bar, so while there would usually be an issue with remote range, it let my sister just point the remote at the tablet and play that way without issue.

The more we play with the Wii U, the more I like the tablet. It's got some smart stuff going for it.

That would be a cool option, and I might do it when my mom and niece visit, but there is a choice.

It's one more really dumb decision, this round. They bundled this game for the last holiday season. I'm sure many a parent and child was pissed off to find out that they needed to get another controller to even play 2 player.

imagine how many copies they would sell if it was multi-platform....

If it was ps3, x360, PS4, Xbone, and pc, it would make more revenue than the entire run of the wii u, so far lol.

 

[Lil Frier]

That would be a cool option, and I might do it when my mom and niece visit, but there is a choice.

It's one more really dumb decision, this round. They bundled this game for the last holiday season. I'm sure many a parent and child was pissed off to find out that they needed to get another controller to even play 2 player.

If it was ps3, x360, PS4, Xbone, and pc, it would make more revenue than the entire run of the wii u, so far lol.

Yeah, it's nice that the old controllers work, though I imagine many traded them in when they upgraded consoles. I agree that it was dumb to not let the tablet work as a controller in multiplayer, but like I said, I enjoy doing the Boost Mode stuff.

 

[Dumac]

i hate how mario kart handicaps the person in front. the best version of the game was probably the one for the ds. the skill ceiling was high because of the snaking but then you couldn't really do that anymore with the subsequent games.

That isn't really true with MK8

I'd give it a 7 or 8 out of 10.
Some quick cons:
- The new Rainbow Road seems too easy in comparison to older incarnations--but I've only played it on 50cc and 100cc so far.

I think the Wii version was harder.

- Retro N64 Rainbow Road was changed from a 3 lap course to a 1 lap course divided into three sections. I don't think there's an option to change this, but I didn't try very hard to look for one yet.

How is that a con? I like the single lap tracks. They are more interested and less tedious.

- Haven't tried battle mode yet, mainly because reviews said they took out the battle areas and replaced it with battle modes on regular tracks, which basically amounts to jousting. Doesn't sound fun to me.

Yeah, the battle mode change is probably the biggest con. IIRC, they changed it to resemble the sonic racing game, although I never played it.

- Can't use the gamepad as a independent screen in multiplayer. This is the biggest WTF to me. Nintendo supposedly claimed that it was a FPS issue, but I'd be OK with lower FPS for at least the OPTION to use a second screen.

Yes, yes, yes.

- Didn't see an option to disable rubberband AI. Haven't played enough to determine how bad it is in this incarnation, but it definitely implements the same "item welfare" system (better items for lower positions) that I wish you could turn off. (Every blue shell pushes me one step closer to voting Republican. Socialist bastards.) It seems like there's some degree of rubber banding shenanigans because in Grand Prix, the top-end speed of your cart doesn't seem to matter--you'll maintain first place as long as you don't bump into walls, crash, get hit by a shell, etc. I also wish there was an option to equalize the skill of the AI (so that the point spreads at the end of a series are more like real life, as opposed to the predictable hierarchy you get where the AI's will end up in the same order at the end of each race, with the only variable being where you end up.

This isn't really as big of an issue in MK8.

 

[ViRGE]

imagine how many copies they would sell if it was multi-platform....

Probably not enough to offset the losses from having to pay out a chunk in licensing, along with higher development costs.

Actually I suspect if Nintendo did multi-platform, the average metascore would be 5-10 points lower due to technical issues and the Call of Duty reviewer inevitably being tasked with reviewing something that isn't a rated M shooter. And there's a definite correlation between lower metacritic scores and lower sales.

 

[Aikouka]

Is BOGO 40% at Toys R Us still going on?

I don't believe so. That was part of last week's ad, so I'm guessing it's done.

 

[Lil Frier]

And there's a definite correlation between lower metacritic scores and lower sales.

Tell that to Call of Duty since 2011 or so.

 

[ViRGE]

Tell that to Call of Duty since 2011 or so.

Even CoD sales are dropping, believe it or not.

Anyhow, I found the Ars Technica article on the subject of sales and reviews: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/04/steam-gauge-do-strong-reviews-lead-to-stronger-sales-on-steam/

 

[artemicion]

How is that a con? I like the single lap tracks. They are more interested and less tedious.

I like single lap tracks as well, but turning it from a 3 lap track to a 1 lap track shortened the length too much and made it too easy. Rainbow road tracks were traditionally long, grueling, and difficult.

On an unrelated note, seems like there's a new gimmicky "fire hopping" trick that may or may not be patched in the future:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...-kart-8s-controversial-fire-hopping-technique

(Rapidly hopping after a boost extends the length of the boost as it seems that you de-celerate from a boost faster when your kart is in contact with the ground)

 

[ViRGE]

On an unrelated note, seems like there's a new gimmicky "fire hopping" trick that may or may not be patched in the future:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...-kart-8s-controversial-fire-hopping-technique

(Rapidly hopping after a boost extends the length of the boost as it seems that you de-celerate from a boost faster when your kart is in contact with the ground)

Oy vey. So many bad memories of snaking in MK DS... :|

 

[shortylickens]

Well, I got it.

Dont know if it was worth 60 bucks. But I got it.

 

[Lil Frier]

Going to pick it up soon for $48 with GCU. Can you use the gamepad to race, and does it work for racing in multiplayer (I know the gamepad is only for Boost Mode in Mario/Luigi multiplayer)?

 

[preslove]

Going to pick it up soon for $48 with GCU. Can you use the gamepad to race, and does it work for racing in multiplayer (I know the gamepad is only for Boost Mode in Mario/Luigi multiplayer)?

The gamepad works like a normal controller in MK8

 

[Lil Frier]

Even in multiplayer? Just checking.

 

[ViRGE]

Even in multiplayer? Just checking.

Even in multiplayer. There's no asymmetric multiplayer in Mario Kart 8.