Mario Kart 8 Reviews

Mario Kart 8 is ranked in the 98th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Kotaku
Top Critic
Yes
May 30, 2014

Much more than a dolled-up version of its predecessors, Mario Kart 8's new features and refinements make a stale series fun again.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
May 30, 2014

Mario Kart 8 is my favorite series entry since Double Dash, and if it gets arena battle tracks at some point by way of DLC, it will be a near-perfect package. Its vibrant visuals will hold up for years to come, ensuring that the game will withstand the test of time, and it will be a staple in my household for a long, long while.

Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
May 30, 2014

While I do wish certain mechanics such as two-racer teams and character exclusive specials would have made the list, and many gamers might be disappointed with the partial voice chat, 8 is still an excellent entry that should not be missed.

Read full review

May 29, 2014

With the Wii U struggling sales-wise, and in danger of becoming a footnote of this current generation, a new Mario Kart is exactly the game Nintendo needed, and the fact it's perhaps the best iteration since the original doesn't hurt either.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
May 29, 2014

The core racing, driving and course design in Mario Kart 8 is better than any of the seven games that came before it. But battle mode stinks

Read full review

May 28, 2014

Mario Kart 8 is a slick and gorgeous-looking kart racer that's perfectly solid but not always as exciting or addictive as we've come to expect from the series.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
May 28, 2014

Mario Kart 8 is one of the reasons why it pays to reach for the Wii U. Such addictive gameplay is not often seen, and even if you have a decent time in the game yourself, definitely invite someone to it. It may end up with a few swear words, but it's an experience that very few games on the market can give you.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

May 27, 2014

I commend Nintendo for crafting a game that continues to cater to those who still love having friends over to compete, but Mario Kart 8 needs to step out of its comfort zone in other ways. Despite this game's gleaming high-definition sheen, there's little doubt this granddaddy of the karting genre is beginning to show its age.

Read full review

Ken McKown
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
May 27, 2014

Mario Kart 8 is certainly more Mario Kart, but that isn't a bad thing. Any series that can last over two decades and still generate this much love from gamers has to be doing something right. While the latest entry doesn't set the world on fire with its innovation, it makes up for it by delivering some of the best tracks in the history of the franchise, and rock-solid visuals.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
May 25, 2014

To say that Mario Kart is popular is an understatement. Few series have ever matched its twenty-year legacy of sheer popularity and critical acclaim, so needless to say, Mario Kart 8 has a lot to live up to. Expectations have perhaps never been higher, as this is the first entry on a high-definition, online-competent console, but the game pretty much fulfills all of them. It is classic Mario Kart and that means it\'s great — the game even throws in several cool improvements and additions to the franchise. But it is not quite perfect, and by no means is it a revolution.

Read full review

89 / 100
May 22, 2014

There is no doubt that Mario Kart 8 is a great game, plain and simple.  With the power of the Wii U at their disposal Nintendo has been able to create some really great looking tracks, add a lot more racers for you to compete against, and there is a fairly robust local and online multiplayer component for fans to enjoy.  But don't get me wrong, there is also a bump or two that along the road to greatness as well.  At the end of the day if you have a Wii U you'd be crazy not to pick up this game.  If you're still don't own a Wii U Mario Kart 8 is yet another title to make you realize that Nintendo's "next-gen" machine is capable of great games that the whole family can enjoy.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
May 22, 2014

Mario Kart 8 feels like a re-definition for the series, without straying from its roots. The gameplay is fantastic, the visual presentation is stunning, and the social features will keep players coming back for more. The Wii U has a killer addition to its line-up that could easily drive sales of the console. Now that's something worthy of a victory lap.

Read full review

5 / 5.0
May 22, 2014

All in all, Mario Kart 8 gives seasoned players the game that they deserved when its Wii sibling hit the shelves, but also doesn't rely so heavily on past experience, keeping it open for new players. The 50cc class is a nice spot for beginners, and can be used to unlock any of the game's eight Grand Prix Cups for play in the tougher 100 or 150cc classes.

Read full review

9.4 / 10.0
May 21, 2014

‎Mario Kart 8‎‎ is a return to the root of the franchise: short tracks full of curves that demand skill and a total memorization of each of its details and shortcuts. Over the years, the careers of this series were filled with small tasks to accomplish; they are stimuli with a more powerful brain massage effect than a sudoku.‎

Review in Spanish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
May 20, 2014

"Mario Kart might be a franchise that's old enough to drink now, but this latest chapter doesn't feel crusty in the slightest.."

Read full review

May 20, 2014

Nintendo has put a lot of effort into making Mario Kart 8 the best it can be, and it almost got there with the end result being a gorgeous kart racer that innovates while staying true to its beloved formula. If there wasn't previously a reason to own a Wii U then there is now, and gamers will be hard-struck to find a more complete Wii U experience than what's offered here.

Read full review

Spaziogames
LoreSka
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
May 18, 2014

It just took a game like Mario Kart 8. Although it does absolutely nothing to upset or improve the historical formula, this title is one of the most fun and qualitatively curated experiences that we have had the opportunity to play this year.

Review in Italian | Read full review

May 17, 2014

Mario Kart 8 is a nearly flawless kart racer, which is only marred by its developer's confusing decision to alter its traditional Battle Mode.

Read full review

EGM
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
May 16, 2014

Mario Kart 8 looks spectacular, sounds impressive, and delivers solid racing action worthy of the series. But it's also that rare Nintendo game that manages to be less than the sum of its impressive parts thanks to some ill-advised design choices, half-baked ideas, and gimped Battle Mode.

Read full review

10 / 10.0
May 16, 2014

The deeper handling, pop-out arcade style graphics on a scale unseen before in the series, the social network friendly Mario Kart TV and Miiverse features and of course the heavyweight Mario moniker itself are Nintendo's best chance to date of turning round the Wii U's fortunes. Quietly underpinning all this is the best Mario Kart experience I've has since it's revelatory introduction some 22 year ago.

Read full review