Buy a game that has already been used up for hundreds of hours on Wii U or not? This is the real dilemma that could (rightfully) hold back all who see it in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a simple port of the version released in 2014. Yet there is more than one reason why this transposition on Switch makes sense and this review will focus precisely on these, obviously not neglecting what could still annoy those who really know every single curve of the numerous (we have reached 48!) tracks available.
So the same, so different
At first impact Mario Kart 8 Deluxe it really seems to be the exact same game we took out on Wii U and on the other hand, if it wasn't, it wouldn't have had that "Deluxe" in the title, but a nice "9" to indicate the generational leap. So why buy a second copy of this Mario Kart? Simply because, under the shell, we have a totally new game. Leaving aside the practically identical technical sector (but I will come back to this later), those used to certain mechanisms, those who knew the tracks by heart, those who used certain “tricks” to be considered a pro, will have to review all their tactics. Nintendo in this re-edition has indeed eliminated any kind of tricks (like fire hopping, so hated and so used) that can make the difference between those who play for fun and those for competition, which has its pros and cons: if now then the line that separates the two "types" of players has thinned a lot, making the much less predictable races, it is also true that in this way skill is penalized, thanks to the many, too many objects that we will find ourselves having to avoid (but also throw) in order to excel.
As in Mario Kart Double Dash, the possibility of having available returns two objects at the same time, without the possibility of switching them (yes, the pun is intended), which practically doubles the number of weapons present in a race: if you cursed before because they were hit by two or three consecutive red shells, now multiply everything by two. It is therefore clear that luck is even more important in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, but it must still be said that the skill still has its nice margin of importance: being first and having a good advantage over second place will allow you to win the race despite the arrival of hell on your car.
War is back!
The main mode of every Mario Kart is certainly that of the grand prix and in this Deluxe, including all the DLCs, we get to have well 48 tracks, the highest number ever in the series. A welcome return, inexplicably mistreated on Wii U, however, is that of one battle mode as we have loved it in the past, with dedicated and extensive stages, perfect for wreaking havoc in the various modes available. We therefore have the “coin catcher”, in which the winner is the one who has collected the most coins when time runs out; "Balloon battle" in which you have to hit the enemies to make all their balloons burst; “Bob-omb to the carpet”, with the same rules as the previous one but with the use of only the bob-ombs in a slightly modified version; "Guards and thieves", mode in which the karts in the role of guards have to catch and imprison all the thieves before time runs out and the last, "steal the keeper sun", a sort of catcher that will have a lot of fun especially if played live with your friends. As well as in the grand prix cups, also in the battle mode we will find completely new arenas and others inspired by the past, from the SNES to the GameCube to the Nintendo DS.
A more defined asphalt
Starting from the end: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a feast for the eyes. On Wii U the title looked great and, indeed, the Switch version is almost identical, with only an increase in almost imperceptible details and a more stable frame rate. with 60fps up to two players and 30fps with three or four players in splitscreen. The greater graphic cleanliness makes it very well both on the TV screen where we can admire all 1080p and on the excellent screen of the tablet, where obviously the resolution drops to 720p. The sound remains an excellence, with motifs that will enter your mind and that accompany every race of the various grand prix very well. The online sector works properly, despite some small sporadic lag problems; nothing that significantly affects the gaming experience anyway.
Back on track!
So is it worth buying Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? The answer is obvious and immediate for those who have not already played the title on Wii U: absolutely yes. A separate discussion should be made for those who already have hundreds of hours spent on the console with the paddone. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is not a new game, but a reissue with some improvements and additions, which may not actually be enough to buy the game again at full price. It is therefore necessary to analyze how much the possibilities that this version and Switch itself offer: playing Mario Kart wherever you want is a dream that comes true and if we add new characters, weapons and arenas for the battle mode, the reasons to buy it they increase; then considering those who play competitive, it is reasonable to think that the community will move entirely to Switch and, given the numerous changes to the gameplay under the hood (including a third purple miniturbo), it is not desirable to continue playing on Wii U to then compete in tournaments on the Switch version.
