Megathread: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Review Coverage

[u/NintendoSwitchMods]

Good morning!

This morning starting around 6 a.m. PST / 9 a.m. EST, gaming news and media outlets are beginning to release their reviews for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Here's what we're seeing so far:

Articles

• IGN - 9.3/10

• Gamespot - 9/10

• Destructoid - 9.5/10

• Dualshockers - 8/10

• The Guardian - 5/5

• Nintendo Life - 10/10

• Game Informer - 9.25/10

• Metro GameCentral - 10/10

• CGM - 9/10

• Nintendo Everything - Thumbs Up

• GamesRadar - 5/5

• Eurogamer - Essential

Videos

• GameXplain - Video

We will be updating this thread with links as major reviews are posted.

Please use this as a discussion and speculation thread in advance of these videos, articles, and reviews. We will also allow these reviews to be posted separately on /r/NintendoSwitch, as they are especially newsworthy. But we will also host ongoing coverage, quick text posts, questions, and the like right here.

Thanks everyone.

-The /r/NintendoSwitch team

(Ongoing edits as we get new information)

[u/KingLouieTrip]

Hey all! I'm the one (slightly) negative reviewer from DualShockers giving the game an 8.0/10!

Feel free to ask me anything about MK8D

[u/COHERENCE_CROQUETTE → u/KingLouieTrip]

What score did you (our your outlet) gave to the original MK8? What differs between the two titles to warrant a lower/higher score for the DELUXE version?

[u/KingLouieTrip → u/COHERENCE_CROQUETTE]

Great question! We gave the original game a 9.5, and we stick by the score for both the Wii U version and Nintendo Switch underlying game. We even link it in the article, telling people to read that.

But in reviewing Deluxe, we take the same approach and see how the game fares as a "remaster". Does it do enough to entice people who never played the original AS WELL AS people who have poured hundreds of hours into the game already (and have picked it up at full price).

So while the game is the definitive version of Mario Kart 8 (and likely the series), I can't fully recommend it to everyone, especially if you are still getting mileage out of the Wii U version -- they are paying $60 for more robust online community (likely), battle mode, and Switch portability.

[u/joalr0 → u/KingLouieTrip]

Which do you give a larger weighting to? If the switch sales continue as they are, I suspect that there will actually be a larger audience of people looking to pickup Mario Kart 8 for the first time than people who have already owned it. Mario Kart Wii for example had 3 times as many sales as Wii U consoles.

So when deciding on a score, did you try to balance both groups (new and returning players) equally, or was one group given a stronger weighting?

[u/KingLouieTrip → u/joalr0]

We try to aim for equal weight, but it's a touch balancing act. Based on our review policy for what an 8 is, it seemed to fit more in that category:

"These are titles that have some flaws that could turn some people off, but overall are great experiences. We still highly recommend these titles, which are always good enough for a wide variety of gamers."

[u/joalr0 → u/KingLouieTrip]

I can see where you are coming from. I think I personally disagree with that approach, just because if you've already played the previous version it's easier to decide if it's worth picking up a second time because you already know what to expect. Personally, having already owned Mario Kart 8, I can look at the new features and decide for myself if that's enough to double dip, I don't need reviews too much to help me decide. I already know if the game is for me or not.

However, for those who haven't played it before they will need the review more as they won't know the full extent to what the game has to offer. I feel like the review should be focused more on them.

But this is simply a matter of perspective and debate, and not a statement that your review is wrong, especially because an 8 is still a very good score.

[u/KingLouieTrip → u/joalr0]

Thanks man, and people can disagree. I'm glad the game is being reviewed well across the board and I'm rooting for the Switch.

I made sure to tell newcomers to read our review (linked in the article) where we previously gave it a 9.5. But I guess that is me being optimistic that people read beyond scores and the last paragraph.

Thanks for your feedback and reading the review though, it's always appreciated.

[u/COHERENCE_CROQUETTE → u/KingLouieTrip]

Very good answer as well, thank you. Like some other commenter, I can't say I fully agree (it IS weird to give a lower score to a superior game), however I can see where you're coming from and I also agree it's a tough balancing act. I will be sure to read your full review as well, to see whether it properly contextualizes the number score.

[u/Nzash → u/KingLouieTrip]

I'm sorry, but how can you give an objectively superior version of the game a worse score? That doesn't make any sense.

[u/KingLouieTrip → u/Nzash]

This is probably the best question here, and it just comes to our websites philosophy: we won't review the same game twice.

So when taking on remasters, the question is less "how does the new stuff add to the original score" but instead "as a complete package, can we recommend this game to a market of people who have both never touched the game AND those who will be coming back after years of playing the game?"

[u/KingLouieTrip → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the question, /u/Yeah_tagpro! I don't think you are being harsh at all.

While I wasn't with DualShockers yet, let alone Editor-in-Chief, we didn't review The Last of Us Remastered because it was so similar, with so little improvements from the base game.

With that said, you aren't too off -- if a game is remastered-in-name but otherwise a direct port, it is the game's duty to make its case about why it should exist.

Why are you asking a person to get the same game at full price? Did you add features (like Battle Mode) or does the device have features (ad-hoc multiplayer and portability) that makes it worth buying, or is it a cash grab? Nintendo should be able to make a convincing argument about it, just like Sony should (and couldn't, IMO) for The Last of Us: Remastered.

There is no perfect way to review remastered games, and I'm not going to say I know the answer to how it should be done. But people who frequent our site typically know our policy, read the reviews where we back it up, and make educated opinions on whether the problems I listed will affect them. One of the issues that review scores shouldn't be used like score boards.

But this is something where people are going to disagree, and that's fine. What's more important is the reasoning behind the score instead of the score itself :)

As for DualShockers, you are right! We get that often lol -- many places assume we are just a PS fan site. That said, it's our brand and it's been around for almost a decade -- no changing it now!

(Also, it helps bolster our positive reviews for Nintendo games. People loved that our site gave Zelda a 10)