Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8

Systems:

• WiiU
• Releases:
  • Original Release: May 2014
  • Zelda DLC Release: November 2014
  • Animal Crossing DLC Release: May 2015

Publisher:

• Nintendo

Developer:

• Nintendo EAD
• Bandai Namco Games (Development Support)

ESRB Rating:

• Everyone (E)
• Reasoning:
  • Comic Mischief

Mario Kart 8 is the eighth installment of the popular Mario Kart racing series. Famous Nintendo characters race one another on fanciful tracks using items to harry other drivers and win the coveted trophy. The game currently has eight cups with thirty-two tracks.

General Comments

This review currently contains the available content from the Animal Crossing DLC.

Any violence in the game is cartoon violence. The driver characters are never in any true harm; they cannot drown, be physically harmed, or die.

Animal Abuse

Some driver avatars are animals. They can be attacked in-game. The Non-player Characters you race against are randomly generated so you cannot necessarily avoid them.

Aquatic Violence

In the Cheep Cheep Beach track in the Shell Cup the player character can be attacked by fish underwater.

Bones

The Dry Bowser driving avatar from the Animal Crossing DLC driving avatar is a skeleton. The Non-Player Characters you race against are randomly generated so you cannot necessarily avoid him.

The Twisted Mansion track in the Flower Cup uses skulls as décor.

The Bone Dry Dunes track in the Special Cup has skeletal koopas that will try to run into the player character’s vehicle.

Electrocution

There is a lightning attack that can be used while racing. This can be used by the player and is used by NPCs against the player. The effect is a bright flash of lightning and the other drivers are minimized temporarily. These can be avoided only in Battle and Versus modes by turning off items.

The track Cloudtop Cruise has sections where the player can be struck by lightning. This temporarily disables the player character.

Explosions

The bomb-omb and blue shell items cause explosions. They are large with a loud explosion noise and fire. They will throw the player into the air. These can be used by the player and will be used by Non-Player Characters. These can be avoided only in Battle and Versus modes by turning off items.

If the player attempts to accelerate before the race starts at the wrong time the engine can backfire and explode with a noise and smoke.

There are fireworks in the intro to the Mario Cart Stadium in the Mushroom cup, Rainbow Road in the Lightning Cup, and the closing credits scene.

Fire

The bomb-omb and blue shell items cause explosions. They are large with a loud explosion noise and fire.

Fire flowers are an item that shoots fire at other drivers. When the item is receive the player character will hold a ball of flame. They are only avoidable by turning off items in Battle and Versus modes.

The Bullet Bill item propels the player forward with fire coming out of its back, like a rocket.

If the player uses any sort of speed boost, fire will come out of the car’s tailpipe and sparks will form around the wheels.

The track Bowser’s Castle in the Special Cup uses fire as a major obstacle and as decoration. The track is practically made of fire.

The DS Wario Stadium track in the Leaf Cup has spinning fire traps that the Player Character can run into.

The Grumble Volcano Track in the Lightning Cup uses fire as a common obstacle. Fire also falls out of the sky, the volcano erupts and spews fire, and the track will randomly set on fire.

Ghosts

The Twisted Mansion track in the Flower Cup is a haunted mansion with ghosts. The ghosts do not attack.

Heights

All tracks have some high places that the player must drive over, including sections where the player must fly over scenery. Particularly notable examples are:

• Shy Guy Falls
• Sunshine Airport
• Mount Wario
• Cloudtop Cruise
• Rainbow Road (Special Cup)
• Rainbow Road (Lightning Cup)

Jump Scares

Though nothing will jump out at the player, items are sometimes not seen before they hit so they can cause surprise.

Rats/Rodents

The Yoshi Valley track in the Leaf Cup has bats in a cave. While the bats are not aggressive, the player character can collide with them.

Reptiles

The avatars Yoshi, Koopa Troopa, Lakitu, Bowser, and the Koopalings are all lizards. The Non-Player Characters you race against are randomly generated so you cannot necessarily avoid them.

Undead/Zombies

The Dry Bowser driving avatar from the Animal Crossing DLC driving avatar is an undead skeleton. The NPCs you race against are randomly generated so you cannot necessarily avoid him.

The Bone Dry Dunes track in the Special Cup has skeletal koopas that will try to run into the player character’s vehicle.

Violence Against Children

There are multiple children and baby avatars that can be attacked in the game. The NPCs you race against are randomly generated so you cannot necessarily avoid him.

The Miis that the player can import from their WiiU system can also be children that can be harmed.

Weapons

The items found in the game can be used as weapons against other drivers.

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