After this morning’s surprise Nintendo Direct, there’s a ton of new information floating around about Mario Kart 8, which is now just a month away. Here’s a quick look at everything that was announced, including a special promotion for those who register their game with Club Nintendo.
Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle
Rumors of this bundle have been floating around the internet for some time, but Nintendo has finally officially announced it for the United States. The kit will come with a deluxe system, Mario Kart 8, as well as the Mario Wii Remote Plus with a red racing wheel. The whole bundle will only cost $330, making it a fantastic deal for anyone who hasn’t picked up a Wii U yet.
Free Club Nintendo Promotion
Not wanting to leave loyal fans out of the mix, Nintendo has announced a new digital game promotion for anyone who registers the game to Club Nintendo before July 31. Those that do will be able to choose from a handful of games to receive for free, including:
North America Club Nintendo
- Pikmin 3
- Wii U Party
- The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD
- New Super Mario Bros. U
Europe Club Nintendo
- Nintendo Land
- New Super Mario Bros. U
- Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
- Game & Wario
- Pikmin 3
- The Wonderful 101
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
- Sonic Lost World
- Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
- Wii Party U
For those wondering, the offer also applies to digital purchases of Mario Kart 8, so don’t hesitate if you prefer your game library to be available digitally.
Multiplayer
Up until now we’ve only seen information about the local multiplayer aspects of the game. 12 players will be able to race online with chat enabled in the lobby, so you can talk to your friends as you prepare to race. Both public and private tournaments are also available to be created, with options for setting the rules, day of the week, and the time. Ghost racing is also included, so you can see your friend’s best track times and try to best them. Those that manage to beat development team ghosts will receive stamps to use in Miiverse.
Mario Kart TV
Mario Kart TV is the special Miiverse integration for the game, so players can highlight their best racing moments on Miiverse with the ability to rewind and slow-mo them. Special Google account integration is also included so those with Google accounts can upload the highlight reels directly to YouTube.
New Items
Items have always been a staple of the Mario Kart series. During the Direct Nintendo announced several new items, including the Super Horn, which uses a shockwave to blast away everything around the player, including other drivers. The Crazy Eight was also shown, which is a host of eight different items that players can use one by one.
New Characters
Pink Gold Peach and Baby Rosalina were also shown off during the Nintendo Direct, as well as the ability to play as your Mii character instead of a character from Nintendo’s pre-established characters. This makes the roster a full 30 characters, which is the most we’ve ever seen in a Mario Kart game.