Mario Kart 8 is a fast-paced racing game starring characters from the Mario universe.
Click a title to learn more about each topic.
Story & Themes
Mario Kart 8 is, like its predecessors, all about racing. There really isn't any kind of story superimposed over the gameplay. Players can choose from 30 characters (including their customizable Mii), 26 vehicles, 18 tire sets, and 12 gliders, adding up to thousands of potential combinations. Each of the 32 tracks is littered with jumps, boosts, shortcuts, items, and gorgeous scenery. Unlike previous Mario Kart games, Mario Kart 8 incorporates antigravity driving, allowing for complex course designs that can take the racers upside-down or sideways.
The fun of Mario Kart 8 is in the fast pace of the game. The use of randomized items can make the outcome of any race dramatically unpredictable, so there is always something holding your attention.
Save Points
The game saves automatically after every race. If you begin a Grand Prix and turn off your console, however, you will have to start over.
Difficulty
Mario Kart 8 has three available speeds: 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc. All things considered, there is an amazing range in the accessibility of the game across age ranges. Mario Kart 8 is probably most difficult for older people who have never played any Mario Kart title, because much of the gameplay is based on muscle memory.
Heads Up!
Violence Players can attack each other with turtle shells, boomerangs, bombs, and other cartoonish items, which cause no visible damage. They are merely meant to slow other players down.
Consumerism Mario Kart 8 is compatible with amiibo—collectable figurines embedded with computer chips. For more information,
see our article.
Discrimination There are a number of female playable characters; however, the male characters outweigh the females, and none of the human characters are people of color.
Conversation Starters
- Why do you get so upset when you aren't racing well?
- Why do you think the game awards better items to the people who aren't racing as well? Is this fair?
- Do you have one favorite character, or do you like to switch?
- What makes this game similar or different from real-life driving?
1 / 5
0 / 5
2 / 5
