It's as if Nintendo is trying to compete with itself over which disc stays in my Wii U longer; Mario Kart 8 or Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Just when I thought I was finally done with the stellar MK8 and could move onto a new party game for my roommates and I to enjoy, Nintendo ropes me back in with a very well-done and inexpensive piece of DLC for their famous racing romp.
Instead of giving this review a long, but fluid approach, I think I'll keep things light and fluffy this time around and review each bit of content one by one.
Characters
Tanooki Mario: When Tanooki Mario was revealed as one of the DLC characters, I'll admit I was pretty disappointed. We already have so many iterations of Mario to select from; do we really need another one? Especially an iteration that shares the exact same weight class as vanilla Mario? I remember a few years ago, fans were begging for a return to the Tanooki suit. And after it's long awaited comeback in Super Mario 3D Land, the fabled powerup has since appeared in Super Mario 3D World, Mario Kart 7, and even the new Smash Bros. And now I have to admit; I've grown a bit tired of seeing that Super Leaf everywhere I look, especially when Nintendo continues to treat it like something new and fresh that we should be excited for.
But, after seeing Tanooki Mario pose and leap through his new animations, I couldn't help but smile. The new costume suits him well, I just really wish they would have at least placed him in a different weight class. The Light or Feather weight class would be perfect, given that the suit lets mario glide gracefully through the air. Missed opportunity, in my opinion. Overall though, it's a fun addition.
Catsuit Peach: Now this is a costume I could do without. I get it; the Catsuit was a pretty cool and item introduced in Super Mario 3D World and I hope it makes a return in a future game someday. But my opening statement about Tanooki Mario rings once again; why do we need another iteration of Peach? We are still missing some iconic characters from previous Mario Kart games like Diddy Kong and Dry Bones; there was no need to add another Peach (as well as make her the same weight class as regular Peach).
And unfortunately, where Tanooki Mario can at least redeem itself through nostalgia, there simply isn't any attached to the Catsuit at this point. If Nintendo was so set on including a Catsuit character in the game, why not Catsuit Toad or Luigi instead? They, at least, aren't bogged down by multiple iterations (unless you count Baby Luigi and Toadette).
Link: Easily the highlight of the character additions is the Hero of Time himself, Link. Link sits at Cruiser weight, which is probably most suitable for him, though I'm sure I'll be sick of seeing yet another Cruiser combo racing around online. Link's design is vibrant and clean, his unique animations are all excellent ranging from him holding a Triforce to jetting his sword into the air, and the sounds effects are...well exactly what you'd expect from Link (a lot of "Hwaah!" and "Siyaah!")
The bold colors on Link allow him to blend perfectly into the roster. Seeing as neither Link, or any Zelda homage for that matter, has ever appeared in a Mario Kart game, this was a welcome feature. Just be prepared to look at a sea of Link players online. He'll definitely be a top pick.
Verdict: Link gets a "Hell yes!" while Tanooki Mario gets a golf clap. Catsuit Peach, on the other hand, is a disappointment, especially when there are so many that could have taken her place. So overall the character selection falls in at the top of the Bell Curve.
Kart Pieces
Triforce Tires: Let's get the boring stuff out of the way first. One of the new Kart parts you get with the DLC is a set of Triforce tires. They look fine. Thin with dark blue tread, golden rims, and a nice Triforce in the center. However, they share stats with the Slims and Crimson Slims tire sets, so if you were looking for a new way to change your driving, you won't get it here. Aesthetically cool, but again, like the character weight classes, it's a missed opportunity to add in some new stat possibilities to your custom kart.
Hylian Kite: Boasting the royal family's crest from The Legend of Zelda series, this new glider is sexy. Unfortunately, like the Triforce Tires, they share stats with plenty of existing items. But, if you're looking for a new lightweight glider and want to glide in style, the Hylian Kite is certainly the way to go.
B Dasher: This sucker looks like a bobsled with exhaust pipes, and I'll admit, the 80's look makes me like it that much more. Not to sound like a broken record, but it shares stats with a few other karts (of the high weight, high speed class), but since that's a popular kart choice, it's nice to have another option to choose from.
Tanooki Kart: I like it. I'm not in love with the look, but I can see the resemblance it gives. The hood has the same eyes as the Super Leaf, the color scheme is spice orange and brown, and there's even a Tanooki tail in the back. But what I really enjoy about this kart is (you guessed it) the unique stats. That was exactly what I was hoping to get from the DLC; more kart options that could change the way you play so we could finally shake up the same kart combos we see day after day online. The Tanooki Kart, while not my personal preference, is a good start.
The Blue Falcon: It's perfect. From the sleek, shiny body to the jet boosters in the back, I was extremely ready for this kart and racing around with it makes for a fun, nostalgic time. On top of that, it features it's own stat set and is probably the fastest kart in its weight class. Stat-nitpickers will probably say that it's lacking in other stats and there are more impressive choices out there, but aesthetically, I couldn't be happier, and I'll continue to use it regardless.
The Master Cycle: You can tell the designers had a blast with this one. This bike is meant to be Link's steed (even down to the horse head at the mount). Complete with the same color scheme as the Master Sword itself and the Hylian Shields strapped to the sides, it's a ride fit for a hero. It also comes with unique bike stats, giving bike users more choices. It seems to have a gnarly top speed for a bike as well. The only downside I can think of is that while the name "Master Cycle" is pretty cool, it has absolutely nothing on the name they gave it in Germany; "The Eponator"...
Verdict: Overall, I'm very pleased. While the new wheels, B Dasher body, and Hylian glider look nice, they don't offer anything new, which is a shame. However, three new karts with unique stats is a great start and I really hope to see more unique options come from the next DLC Pack. Aesthetically, everything is downright fantastic.
Tracks
Yoshi Circuit: Now we've moved to the real meat of the game, and the portion that is going to give the DLC the most replayability; the courses. Kicking it off is the first track in the Egg Cup, Yoshi Circuit. This raceway has actually appeared twice before, being introduced in Mario Kart Double Dash and also appearing as a classic on Mario Kart DS. The course, overall is a blast if you're an MK veteran, but an absolute pain if you're a newcomer (or just happened to choose a bad kart combo!)
The many winds and turns of this course make drifting either a buttery dream or a guardrail smacking nightmare. With the right kart and enough experience, you'll be power sliding across Yoshi's stupid head without a problem and having the time of your life. But if you're new to the series (or, god forbid, you select a bike for this course), you might not enjoy it so much. The many weaves and otherwise flat terrain allows this course to separate the pros from the newbies, and sometimes you might not be too thrilled to find out which side you belong to.
Excitebike Arena: I like the idea of this course on paper. Make a course out of an NES racing classic, give it plenty of jumps, make parts of the course randomly generated each time you play, throw in some chiptune music and you have a recipe for fun! In practice, however, it's kind of boring to be honest.
The course is a perfect oval. Think Baby Park from Double Dash but with ramps and mud. And like Baby Park, it has the problem of letting first place get really far ahead of the competition while the middle places kill each other with items. There simply aren't enough ways to outmaneuver your opponents or tricky shortcuts to take to get back ahead. On top of that, the randomly generated jumps and mud hazards seem pretty limited. And you feel like once you've played the course once, you get the idea. All of that being said, however, it's still a fun course. The loads of ramps make it fun to constantly pull of stunts and boosts and it's nice to have a simple "oval" track added to the ranks among all the crazy upsidedown courses filled with hazards and ridiculous turns. While the simple courses aren't my favorite, I think more diversity in a racing game is always a good thing.
Dragon Driftway: I thought this course would be one of the more memorable courses, but unfortunately, it's pretty forgettable. It's really cool, don't get me wrong. You're literally weaving around on the back of a twisting dragon. But I think this track's downfall is that it's just extremely short. It seems like you take a few turns and the lap is finished.
Thematically it's nice; the dim lighting, paper lanterns, on top of the crimson, green, and gold color scheme make for a neat visual experience. From a strictly racing perspective, however, it's not as impressive as I had hoped. It does have a lot of edgeless turns and curvature that can throw off your game, but there's little else that gives this course the excitement I expected it to deliver.
Mute City: Amazing. Simply amazing. Everything about this track is incredible; the new jazz ensemble of the iconic Mute City theme song, the neon lights, the cityscape in the background, and the fact that this course urges you to go as fast as possible. It all screams F-ZERO. I also love that there are no coins on this track; if you want to build up your coin count, you need to drive in the purple streams on select places around the course (which would build up your Energy meter in the F-ZERO games).
The only downside of this course is that it makes me wish I had an F-ZERO Wii U this instant.
Wario's Gold Mine: Bringing back one of my favorites from Mario Kart Wii, Wario's Gold Mine feels more like a roller coaster than a racetrack, and I mean that in the best way possible. The track starts you off with a steep drop downwards followed by a handful of U-shaped sharp turns upon which you enter the familiar mine cart cave.
Mario Kart Wii lovers will recognize some of the shortcuts and the familiar tune, while also noticing the new Anti-gravity additions. Overall there isn't much else to say. It's fun, it's fast, and it's a nice new take on a very well loved classic.
Rainbow Road (SNES): Did Mario Kart 8 need a third Rainbow Road? Well considering how much I loved Mario Kart 8's new Rainbow Road (blasphemy, I know), I'll allow it. But this wasn't exactly the Rainbow Road I had hoped for. I'd much rather have had MK7's Rainbow Road make a return. But instead we get the Rainbow Road from the SNES, which has already made appearances in Super Circuit for the Gameboy Advance and Mario Kart 7.
The course is alright, I suppose, unlike the SNES and Super Circuit versions, the draw distance on the Wii U at least makes driving this course a little more pleasant than sticking your hand in a blender. The Thwomps throwing waves out into the otherwise completely flat course also gives the race a nice spin. And I won't complain about the look; everything is bright, colorful and pasted over a really neat skybox, complete with a full moon. But, if you hated this course before (as I have) your opinion will be hard to change. It's still just annoying and kind of boring all at once and usually when this track appears, you'll be waiting for the moment the race is done.
Ice Ice Outpost: While I'm not crazy about this track, I'll give it a thumbs up for its unique premise. The appeal of this course is its two paths that continuously split up and rejoin as the race goes on, which can actually be a lifesaver when it comes to avoiding Red/Green shells. The luge theme is pretty fun too, though I wish more was down with it (there aren't any steep drop offs or ridiculous turns).
This track definitely has the most secret areas to drive on out of the DLC pack, though I can't really comment on how much faster they are. In fact, for hard they are to hit consistently, they don't seem to offer any measurable boost to your track times. But that'll need more experimentation before I can say that with confidence. Ice Ice Outpost is a cool little track, though as far as the winter themed courses go, it can't hold a candle to Wario Mountain. But maybe that's an unfair comparison.
Hyrule Circuit: The track everyone has been waiting for; a course based on Hyrule Castle from the Zelda series. I'll definitely say first off that, thematically, the track does not disappoint. Rupees replace the coins, there are Deku Babas instead of Piranha Plants, Keese swoop down instead of bats, and to top it all off, item blocks and switches play familiar Zelda jingles. There's even a nice little hidden ramp that lets you jump the mastersword for a nice boost if you hit all the switches when entering the temple of time. And of course, the triumphant Zelda theme booms in the background.
But, while the course makes me smile every time I play it, it's also extremely short. Maybe it's just all the excitement that causes it, but I feel that whenever I play this course, it's over in the blink of an eye. You know what would be amazing, another Wario Mountain esque course that's one long stretch instead of a loop. I would have loved to see how much Zelda they could pack in a course like that. Having you start in Kokiri Forest, make your way through the Lost Woods, out into Hyrule Field, through the Castle and end up in the Temple of Time. But that's just my wishful thinking.
Verdict: The pack of courses is solid as a whole. The real all-stars are Mute City, Wario's Gold Mine, and Hyrule Circuit. The others are welcome additions to the game, but feel a little on the short side or simply don't offer any unique gameplay moments. But, adding more courses to the roulette wheel is rarely a bad thing and if DLC pack 2 gives us the same quality of courses, I'll be very pleased. There is plenty of room for improvement though.
I'm being fairly critical because this is a review afterall, but I do need to mention that you can get both DLC packs for $12.00 total. That's it. I don't exaggerate when I say I would have paid a good $10-$15 for Pack 1 alone, considering how many more hours its going to lengthen my Mario Kart 8 experience by. Pack 1 has an insane amount of content by itself; 8 tracks, 3 characters, 4 kart bodies, a set of wheels, and a glider. And the Zelda/F-ZERO nostalgia factor could have given Nintendo free reign to charge whatever the hell they wanted for this content.
Overall, it's a great deal, and while preordering DLC may not be your preferred approach to spending money, think of it as spending $12 for an amazing amount of Mario Kart goodness right now, with the added benefit of receiving even more for free in May. And while the exact contents of Pack 2 still hasn't been revealed, you just can't go wrong with more Mario Kart.
