Good simplicity is complicated. The first iPhone, Tetris, the prose of Ernest Hemingway – each is easy to grasp, but built with exacting care and technical skill. Mario Kart 8 is a worthy heir to this tradition of ingenuity made to look effortless.
Even if you have never played a racing game, never flirted with the Mario franchise in the past 30 years – it doesn’t matter. Within minutes of booting Mario Kart 8 (made easier with the Wii U’s recent system update), you can be fully ramped into the game, racing alongside Yoshi, Wario, and death-stare Luigi.
The controls are seamless and fluid. They feel so natural that using any of the Wii U’s controllers feel like playing a musical instrument – you’re an instant virtuoso, knowledgeable of every nuance. Plus, that soundtrack! Nintendo unleashed its chops on the Super Mario 3D World score, but the tunes here are better. The melodies and arrangements (generous electric guitar) differentiate the mood from track and track.
The Wii U was hardly lacking for top-flight titles before Mario Kart 8. Super Mario 3D World is one of the most polished, re-playable games ever designed, while ZombiU and The Wonderful 101 are like little else. But Mario Kart 8 gives the Wii U the instant gratification lacking in its previous top-flight titles, all of which are exceptionally difficult (just try Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze).
It’s not just the gameplay that is rewarding right out of the box. The visuals are gorgeous, crafted with Disney-level attention to style. Looking at the scenery is as fun as trying to beat out Koopa Troopa to get on the podium. The Wii U needed a(nother) masterpiece, and it got one.
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