Cover photo by K. Reyes March 2021
Bibliographic Information:
- Title: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Released: 2017 (updated January 2019)
- Created by: Shigeru Miyamoto for Nintendo Entertainment Systems
- Video Game console: Nintendo Switch
Genre [Format]:
Awards or Honors:
Interest Level:
Family-friendly game appropriate for ages seven and up (Wolinsky, 2017)
- Video racing adventure [video game]
Awards or Honors:
- Top 10 Best Selling Video game, February 2021 (The NPD Group, 2021)
- Nominee, 2018 Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Award (Pedersen, 2018)
Interest Level:
Family-friendly game appropriate for ages seven and up (Wolinsky, 2017)
Game description/summary:
This game takes place in a race track with up to four players racing against each other and the other 40 or so characters in the world of Mario brothers. Each player chooses their racer character, the type of car driven, the wheel design, and the “flying” powers of the vehicle. The choice of vehicle determines the speed, acceleration and other factors that could affect the outcome of the race. The goal is to win the race and beat the friends you have playing with you as well as the other racing competitors embedded in the game itself.
This game takes place in a race track with up to four players racing against each other and the other 40 or so characters in the world of Mario brothers. Each player chooses their racer character, the type of car driven, the wheel design, and the “flying” powers of the vehicle. The choice of vehicle determines the speed, acceleration and other factors that could affect the outcome of the race. The goal is to win the race and beat the friends you have playing with you as well as the other racing competitors embedded in the game itself.
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Game & Creator Background :
The game itself was originally created for the WiiU console in 2014. It currently stands as the top selling Nintendo Switch product with 33.4 million units sold, beating Animal Crossing’s 31 million units (Nintendo Co., Ltd., 2021). Mario Kart was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, a video game designer born in 1952 in Sonobe, Japan. He began working for Nintendo in 1977 where he created Super Mario Bros. and the Legend of Zelda, both very popular video games (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). A Time Magazine article once referred to him as the Spielberg of video games as Miyamoto designs these games that everyone wants to play (Jackson, 1996). His fans often refer to him as the god of game development (IMDb.com, 2021).
The game itself was originally created for the WiiU console in 2014. It currently stands as the top selling Nintendo Switch product with 33.4 million units sold, beating Animal Crossing’s 31 million units (Nintendo Co., Ltd., 2021). Mario Kart was designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, a video game designer born in 1952 in Sonobe, Japan. He began working for Nintendo in 1977 where he created Super Mario Bros. and the Legend of Zelda, both very popular video games (Wikimedia Foundation, 2021). A Time Magazine article once referred to him as the Spielberg of video games as Miyamoto designs these games that everyone wants to play (Jackson, 1996). His fans often refer to him as the god of game development (IMDb.com, 2021).
Critical Evaluation:
As a non-video player, I find this game stressful as I have to use my left thumb to steer the vehicle and the right thumb to press the button that is my gas pedal. “Relax, mom, It’s just like driving a car,” says my 16-year-old son. Umm, no. This is not like driving a car and this is why you don't have a license to drive. The amount of finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination required, plus the colorful moving graphics flying at you, is simply overwhelming. But this is par for the course for video games and I can see the appeal. You can race in the car of your choice on the terrain of your choice and as the character of your choice.
There’s a strategy to winning that involves choosing the right vehicle with the right wheels and knowing how to grab tokens that imbue your character with powers beyond driving. This game was played on the Nintendo Switch which is such a fun portable game console that allows for up to four players as long as they all have “joy-cons,” the detachable controllers that serve as your personal steering wheel and control pod. Overall, this game successfully transports its players to a variety of race driving venues and situations that it can easily suck up hours of one’s life and provide endless entertainment.
As a non-video player, I find this game stressful as I have to use my left thumb to steer the vehicle and the right thumb to press the button that is my gas pedal. “Relax, mom, It’s just like driving a car,” says my 16-year-old son. Umm, no. This is not like driving a car and this is why you don't have a license to drive. The amount of finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination required, plus the colorful moving graphics flying at you, is simply overwhelming. But this is par for the course for video games and I can see the appeal. You can race in the car of your choice on the terrain of your choice and as the character of your choice.
There’s a strategy to winning that involves choosing the right vehicle with the right wheels and knowing how to grab tokens that imbue your character with powers beyond driving. This game was played on the Nintendo Switch which is such a fun portable game console that allows for up to four players as long as they all have “joy-cons,” the detachable controllers that serve as your personal steering wheel and control pod. Overall, this game successfully transports its players to a variety of race driving venues and situations that it can easily suck up hours of one’s life and provide endless entertainment.
Watch these teens play. Yes, this (watching others play) is a thing. This tournament is over an hour long but the first fifteen minutes is entertainment enough (FBE Live, 2018).
Creative Use for a Library Program:
Investing in a couple of switch devices that are lendable for in-library use would be fun. Having a game night with the Switch option will likely attract students. The games can be procured digitally so there is little clutter to maintain besides the device.
Speed-Round Game Teaser:
If you’ve always wanted to release that inner racer and not get a speeding ticket in the process, play the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe racing video game on the Nintendo Switch, You can be the most daring driver behind the speedster of your choice. Try it. There is no losing or dying in this game and there’s definitely lots of fun and diversion once you’re on the track.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
This is a family-friendly game and the moments of cartoon explosions and encounters with monsters or ‘natural’ disasters are benign.
Reason for Inclusion:
I needed to find a video game that was not too onerous to learn and that might potentially be a product I could procure for the library. This game and gaming console are pricey but could potentially provide friendly entertainment for the students.
REFERENCES
FBE Live. (2018, July 24). Teens tournament: Mario Kart 8 (React: Generational Tournaments) [Video file]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/veCwPo2ZPyk
IMDb.com. (2021). Shigeru Miyamoto. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594427/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Jackson, D. S. (1996, May 20). The Spielberg of video games. Time. http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,984568,00.html
Nintendo Co., Ltd. (2021). Top selling title sales units. Nintendo . https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html
Pedersen, E. (2018, February 26). Nickelodeon unveils 2018 Kids' Choice Awards nominations. Deadline. https://deadline.com/2018/02/2018-kids-choice-awards-nominations-nickelodeon-stranger-things-dwayne-johnson-john-cena-1202303369/
The NPD Group. (2021). Best selling video games: February 2021 data. https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/top-10/video-games/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, March 17). Shigeru Miyamoto. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigeru_Miyamoto
Wolinsky, D. (2017, April 25). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Game Review. Common Sense Media: Ratings, reviews, and advice. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/mario-kart-8-deluxe
IMDb.com. (2021). Shigeru Miyamoto. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594427/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Jackson, D. S. (1996, May 20). The Spielberg of video games. Time. http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,984568,00.html
Nintendo Co., Ltd. (2021). Top selling title sales units. Nintendo . https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/index.html
Pedersen, E. (2018, February 26). Nickelodeon unveils 2018 Kids' Choice Awards nominations. Deadline. https://deadline.com/2018/02/2018-kids-choice-awards-nominations-nickelodeon-stranger-things-dwayne-johnson-john-cena-1202303369/
The NPD Group. (2021). Best selling video games: February 2021 data. https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/top-10/video-games/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, March 17). Shigeru Miyamoto. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigeru_Miyamoto
Wolinsky, D. (2017, April 25). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Game Review. Common Sense Media: Ratings, reviews, and advice. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/mario-kart-8-deluxe
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