Mario and chums speed on to Nintendo’s Switch in style

What was the Wii U’s best game is better than ever on the new console, thanks mainly to an all-new Battle Mode and the ability to wreak red shell-induced havoc wherever you please on a portable console. Plus, you’ll get all the game’s DLC included along with a smattering of fresh characters and vehicles.

So is MK8D the power-sliding joy ride you’d expect? We went hands-on with it at the Switch’s launch event to find out.

BATTLE MODE RESURRECTED

If there was one chink in Mario Kart 8’s glorious, rainbow-encrusted armour it was its Battle Mode. Rather than letting you create custom tracks in which to unleash a reign of balloon-popping destruction, the Wii U’s edition of MK8 simply recycled racing circuits from the main game. So you’d often be roaming around a huge track searching for someone to trip up with a banana.

That’s all been scrapped for the game’s Deluxe edition, with a selection of fresh and returning tracks, including the GameCube Luigi’s Mansion and SNES Battle Course 1. But really it’s the new arenas that we’re interested in, and they look fabulous. Urchin Underpass is a particular highlight, bringing that devious Splatoon map into a completely new context. There’s also a Battle Stadium course to kick up a fuss in as well.

Unfortunately, what we’ve seen of the new Battle Mode has been restricted to what Nintendo showed off in its live Switch presentation. In better news, we did get to play the standard racing mode, and that was ridiculously good fun.

PORTABLE BABY PARK

If there’s a title that sold us on the Nintendo Switch from its launch event, it was MK8D. And that’s because speeding across our favourite courses while untethered from a TV brought its core strengths into context. Enough to convince us that buying a game we already own again is definitely a good idea.

The Switch’s 6.2in touchscreen is so much more clear and colourful than the one on the Wii U’s GamePad, while MK8D maintains a pin-sharp 60fps even when races descend into total bedlam. As was the case with our mad dashes around Baby Park and Hyrule Circuit.

By combining the game’s DLC and original content together, MK8D features 48 tracks to play across five modes: from 50cc to 200cc and mirror mode. If you missed out on this romp the first time around, you’ve no excuse now.

KING BOO ENTERS THE FRAY

Just for good measure, a handful of new cars and characters have also been added into MK8D. King Boo, Inkling Girl & Inkling Boy from Splatoon, Dry Bones and Bowser Jr are all onboard this time around. Even though none of them were keenly missed the first time around.

Last but not least, there are a few gameplay tweaks included too. There’s a new smart steering feature that’ll keep novices on the road, even if they drive with all the finesse of a drunken Waluigi. More significantly, players can carry two items at a time in a callback to the strategic brilliance of the GameCube’s Mario Kart: Double Dash. Again these changes are far from essential, but they will make MK8D that little bit more polished and different from its previous incarnation.

OPINION

MARIO KART 8 DELUXE INITIAL VERDICT

We’ve had an absolute blast with Mario Kart 8 since its release three years ago and we’ve every faith it’ll be great on Switch when it’s released on 28 April. Its new Battle Mode is a welcome upgrade, while the ability to race around wherever we please will enliven our commute no end. We’re looking forward to giving it the full review treatment soon.