So far we’ve believed that Mario kart 8 ran at 1080p native resolution and at 60 frames per second. But according to the graphics wizards at Digital Foundry, Mario Kart 8 actually runs at 720p as native resolution, and instead of 60 frames per second, the average frame rate is 59 fps.
While the dip in frame rate is negligible and nothing to talk about, the drop in resolution is a surprise. It was previously rumored (and believed) that Mario Kart 8 was a 1080p game, but it’s actually rendered at 720p. What’s odd is that Nintendo never denied that the game ran at 1080p.
We can’t say that we’re too surprised at the game doesn’t run at full 1080p and 60 fps. Games on the PS4 and Xbox One, much more powerful systems, are struggling to get to 1080p and 60 fps. And considering Mario kart 8’s visual quality — it’s one of the best looking Wii U games to date — a 1280×720 resolution isn’t too bad.
One way Nintendo achieved a steady 60 (or 59) fps was to not include any anti-aliasing in the game. If you thought the game looked “jaggy” at times around the edges, you know why. According to Digital Foundry, Nintendo had previously used a basic “edge-smoothing algorithm” for Wii U games that resulted in better image quality without a big performance hit. For Mario Kart 8, Nintendo completely abandoned anti-aliasing features, likely to hit the high frame rates in the game.
Does any of this affect the amazing gameplay? Do gamers notices this? Do they care? Probably not. Mario Kart 8 is still a must-have game for any Wii U owner.
You can find the full report on Mario Kart 8’s graphics at Digital Foundry here.
