Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Direct announces Wii U bundle, free bonus game

[Andre]

"Nintendo decided to blue shell your morning plans by publishing a new 36-minute video on Mario Kart 8, which is coming to the Wii U on May 30. Among the headline news is a Mario Kart 8 Wii U bundle that's similar to the Mario & Luigi-themed ones announced for the UK. The $330 package bundles in the game with the 32GB black Wii U, along with a red Wii U wheel and a Mario Wii Remote Plus.

In addition, all copies of Mario Kart 8 come with a free download code for one of four Wii U games. If users register the game on Club Nintendo before July 31, they get a code for their choice of New Super Mario Bros. U, The Wind Waker HD, Pikmin 3, or Wii Party U. In Europe, the choice also includes Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Nintendo Land, The Wonderful 101, Sonic Lost World, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, and Game and Wario.

The Direct also confirms some online multiplayer details. Players will be able to play in races of up to 12 drivers, use voice chat, and choose from four modes including Worldwide, Regional, Friends and Tournament matches. Tournament rules can be customized, and set for times and days of the week. "

Source: Joystiq

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So now that I'll actually be making some real money, I think this might be thing that pushes me over the top to purchase a Wii U. That's a serious bundle and this latest Nintendo Direct is getting me really excited for a full HD Mario Kart game. Of course, that should have been on the Wii... but seriously, this sounds great.

[1UP]

This is looking to be my jump to the Wii U. Smash is really the game I don't want to miss and this bundle seems like a good way to lead into that.

[DementedSun]

You can play as the same racer as other people. YES!

[Final Smash]

No Diddy Kong...

[Mandolin]

But hey, we have Baby Rosalina and... er, Pink Gold Peach! Pink and gold? Well blow me down!

...Yeah, this "reveal" sucked a big fat dick. What a loathsome pair of characters to save til the very end.

[The Banjonator]

The promotion is so awesome, I think I'll be downloading NSMBU when I get the game. It shall awesome

[Final Smash]

Originally Posted by Mandolin

We have Baby Rosalina and... er, Pink Gold Peach! Pink and gold?

What a loathsome pair of characters to save til the very end.

I agree. Both are cop outs. I think we have enough babies. Gold Peach is where I draw the line. She's not even canon. What they should have done was inserted the Metal Box from Mario 64 which would allow the user to be invincible to shells, bombs, and piranha plants. This would then free up two spaces for characters that actually deserve a spot.

Also Koopalings =

Originally Posted by The Banjonator

The promotion is so awesome, I think I'll be downloading NSMBU when I get the game. It shall awesome

Yeah, either that or Wii U Party. I envy PAL, they get 2 extra choices; Mario & Sonic and Monster Hunter.

[Breegullbeak]

If the Metal Box would have to also make the user heavier otherwise it'd just be the Star-man. Honestly the roster here is still disappointing. I'm glad to have Waluigi back, but the latest additions feel like they are just padding as opposed to trying to give roster variety.

Where is Fawful? Where is the Mother Penguin? Where is a Pianta? Where is Sir Grodus or even the greatness that is Lord Crump of the mighty X-nauts? Nope instead lets throw in 7 more Bowser Juniors, another Baby version of a character(has baby Rosilina even been in anything else?) and a gold plated version of a character because the roster needs padding not variety.

To this day even without the great Dry Bones, Double Dash without a doubt had the best character roster. Bitching about characters aside though Mario kart 8 looks great.

[Mandolin]

Hey now, let's not be too rough on the Koopalings. They're extremely popular, classic Mario bosses, and this is the first time they're playable in any game. Personally, I'm very glad to see them.

In any case, the horrible new characters wouldn't bother me as much if they hadn't replaced good characters like Diddy Kong, Funky Kong, and Birdo. There's no shortage of equally horrible characters they could have replaced instead, like Toadette and Baby Daisy.

[Andre]

.....well I think it looks fun imma play with yoshi ok

[Esteban Colberto]

I can't wait to play Pikmin 3

[Brian]

I'M GONNA START SAVING

[Madous]

At least the horn item seems neat. Finally something to counter blue shells.

[Breegullbeak]

Originally Posted by Mandolin

Hey now, let's not be too rough on the Koopalings. They're extremely popular, classic Mario bosses, and this is the first time they're playable in any game. Personally, I'm very glad to see them.

In any case, the horrible new characters wouldn't bother me as much if they hadn't replaced good characters like Diddy Kong, Funky Kong, and Birdo. There's no shortage of equally horrible characters they could have replaced instead, like Toadette and Baby Daisy.

If this was another Double Dash I wouldn't mind so much with the Koopalings, but it's not. The problem here is they take up a 4th of the roster. While in platformers the might bring variety to the table, here they will most likely all be the same weight class and therefore play entirely the same. It'd be the same thing if they add 7 more Yoshis or the entire Toad Brigade plus Toadsworth. If this was a team kart game it would work out, but I have no doubt now that I'll find entire races consisting of nothing but King Koopa and all of his kids.

[Mandolin]

Originally Posted by Breegullbeak

If this was another Double Dash I wouldn't mind so much with the Koopalings, but it's not. The problem here is they take up a 4th of the roster. While in platformers the might bring variety to the table, here they will most likely all be the same weight class and therefore play entirely the same. It'd be the same thing if they add 7 more Yoshis or the entire Toad Brigade plus Toadsworth. If this was a team kart game it would work out, but I have no doubt now that I'll find entire races consisting of nothing but King Koopa and all of his kids.

It wouldn't be the same at all! Seven more Yoshis or Toads would all look the same save form negligible differences in coloration; the Koopalings all have their own unique design, and yesterday's Direct confirmed that they aren't all in the same weight class. Personally I thought that much was obvious; there's no way Lemmy, the pipsqueak, weighs as much as Roy or Morton, the brutes.