When the Wii U was announced, I thought it was the dumbest thing ever.
I was a definite doubter. I thought the tablet was chunky and awkward, and I could only picture someone getting way too into their game and accidentally chucking the tablet through the television.
I thought the tablet was unnecessary too: Mobile games should stay on mobile devices and console games should stay on consoles (with normal controllers).
Once I actually tried out the Wii U, I discovered that I genuinely enjoyed it.
I’ve only really played one game on the console, which to me has made it completely worth it: Mario Kart 8. I think I might actually be obsessed with this game. I’ve played some of its predecessors in the past, but this is truly a great version that I highly recommend to long-time Mario fans.
There are a ton of different maps from all the previous Mario Kart games — including two versions of Rainbow Road.
There’s a new, super awesome power-up in the game as well. It’s rare, and I’ve only ever got it when I’m lagging behind in the race. It gives you eight power-ups at the same time that you can use (including a banana, a red and green shell and a mushroom). Be careful, though. Opponents can easily run into you when you have this and make you lose certain parts of it.
The online component of the game is also really fun. When your friends get tired of playing over and over again with you, you can easily connect with people online and play your heart out on there.
The tablet makes this game fun because instead of looking at the television screen, you can just watch the tablet screen (if you’re lucky enough to be the one playing on it).
I enjoyed playing this way online too, because you can play the Wii U without even having the television on. I could play Mario Kart just on the tablet and binge-watch something else on television — it’s pretty great.
While playing the game, you get to unlock different characters, cars, wheels and parachutes, which makes it feel like more of a campaign game — or at least one where you have to build up to get better.
They’re making a variety of new maps for the game as well. I’m looking forward to the Animal Crossing pack that will be released in a few months, which will have you racing as characters from the 3DS game and on different maps from it. And come on, who doesn’t want to combine Animal Crossing and Mario Kart?
Sophia Kruse is a junior studying journalism. Email her at sk139011@ohio.edu. or tweet her at @kruseco.
