Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Grand Prix:
The main mode in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is Grand Prix. This is your classic 4 race mode, with 12 different cups to choose from. With 5 different levels of speeds from 50cc to 200cc, the level of difficulty and skill level of the CPU can be increased and decreased based on your skill level.
Versus:
Versus (or VS) mode is your standard racing mode. In this mode, the player is in charge with all the settings for the race. From changing the speed (known as cc), to changing the frequency of items, to even changing the difficulty of the CPUs (or even outright removing them). After entering the mode, the player also has options when it comes to the tracks, either by picking them or setting it to random. With this kind of control, the player can tailor the game to their needs and playstyles. For example, if the player is playing with friends, they can edit the items to be more chaotic and random. If the player was playing with a competitive group, they can remove CPUs to test their skills amongst themselves. Overall, this mode is versatile and can be tailored to the player’s wants and needs.
Battles:
The battle mode is the other main mode inside of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and it is a mode that has had a variation in recent Mario Kart games. One of the modes within the mode is the Balloon Battle where you try to knock out the balloons of another team. Another one is Bob-omb Blast which is similar to Balloon Battle except for all the items in Bob-omb Blast are bombs. Shine Thief is a mode that is similar to capture the flag where one tries to collect the shine and keep it until the timer runs out. Coin Runners is a mode where one tries to collect as many coins as they can. Renegade Roundup is a mode similar to cops and robbers where the authorities try to get the renegades into a cell using Piranha Plants.
Sebastian: 9.5/10
The Mario Kart franchise is one of my all-time favorite video game series as they are just fun games that can be very leisurely and fun or rather quite competitive. A racing game with Mario characters sounds fun enough but with the Mario spin on the vehicles and courses, it really is its own thing. The Grand Prix mode in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is just as good as the other entries in the series with some new courses (which applies to the VS mode as well) and some cool things you can unlock for doing well. Something that was interesting for me with this new Mario Kart game is the added underwater, gliding, and hovering segments in the courses and I really thought it was cool how the vehicles could do such different things. The VS mode adds the most freedom of any mode with many settings and rules that can be changed to suit any different style player or group. Battle mode, while being my least favourite mode does provide some type of different gameplay when or if you become tired of racing. The vehicle customization is cool with different speeds for each tire and vehicle type that make you feel that you have a greater influence over your racing experience. The characters are all your favourites and there are lots to choose from.
All in all, this is one of my favourite games to play with friends and family or even solo as the different courses are all so unique and cool to try and those competitive juices will flow when you play in a group. I highly recommend it.
Austin: 9.3/10
Mario Kart has been a classic party game for me since the first edition on the Wii and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe keeps that gold standard. The Grand Prix has a large enough collection of courses and 5 different difficulty levels to keep things interesting for a while. While Mario Kart is a great game to play yourself, its value shows when you play with others. The maps never get old, and the simple controls make it fun for everyone. With Versus Mode, everyone can pick a few maps and then decide the difficulty so then it is fun for everyone. It’s shocking to see the competitive side of people come out over a relatively simple game. The versus mode is the best mode to play when playing with a group of people, purely due to the changeable rules. This way you can play more than 4 races, pick a different course every time, and even play without CPUs. I am a bigger fan of the racing modes (Grand Prix and Versus) than I am of the battle mode, but the 5 mini-games are still a fun mode to play. The only thing I would add to the game would be some DLC, either some new characters or new courses to play with.
Overall, this is one of the better switch games. It is a simple game that is entertaining to play alone and together. One of the most well-known games around, and one of the best games Nintendo has put out on the Switch.
Nathanyal: 9.2/10
The newest installment of the Mario Kart series is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and it is still as entertaining as all the other games in this series. For those playing alone, the Grand Prix mode is perfect to test your skill in a competition to gain first place. But Mario Kart wasn’t intended for single player modes. Instead, its multiplayer modes bring plenty of entertainment for many hours. In this installment, Grand Prix is now open in multiplayer mode as well, so you can challenge friends and family on certain cups. For those who want to create their own rules for racing, the basic vs. mode allows players to create their own rule sets. Even players who don’t want to play this game for its races have the option of Battle mode. I definitely enjoy the Bob-Om battle, where you try to blow up enemies with Bob-Oms. Shine Thief and Renegade Roundup are also fun modes as well.
Overall, this game is very fun to play alone or with a group. I think the best fun this game can provide is when you play with some close friends and family. For super competitive groups of people, racing will get intense, friendships will be tested. And even those on the more casual spectrum will find many comedic moments during chaotic races.
