1. It's Still The Most Entertaining Racing Franchise Of All Time
When it comes down to it, Mario Kart 8 is just about fun. The competition is geared towards returning, the simple, irresistible game mechanics are rewarding, and the game design is beautiful, and everything tumbles together wonderfully to create a game that remembers exactly what it's like to be a game, and not an ultra-realistic simulation. The next generation might well be in full flow, but there's no need for gamers to turn their back on the pillars of gaming that formed the foundation for the entire market, and Mario Kart has clearly been made by a development team who know exactly the value of those simple, refined principles. There is nothing like chasing a competitor around the track aiming a shell projectile and watching them spin off, and equally there is little as exhilarating as trying to dodge or block a blue shell (a measure that has thankfully, at long last, been added to the game) and for all of the bloated game franchises that are lambasted annually for a lack of progression, Mario Kart proves that sticking to the core, and fine-tuning for the betterment of the experience can be done to success. Mario Kart 8 is out now.
