Mario Kart 8 is the best Mario Kart, period. I know double dash is quirky and has the double gimmick or whatever but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is just so tight and fun and gorgeous. The roster kinda sucks but that’s really it. When I first got my Wii U, the original Mario Kart 8 was bundled with it, and since I didn’t have a job it was the only game I had for a while, and I just fell in love with it, man. First off, I still think that this is one of the most beautiful games to date. No, it doesn’t have the highest polycounts or lighting effects or whatever, but because of its sheer attention to detail, I’d put it up there with Uncharted 4 or God of War 2018. It’s a strong argument in the case that power doesn’t equal better graphics. They committed to an art style, ran to the moon and back with it, and it is gorgeous. Every track has so much love pumped into it. Even the lame ones like Donut Plains 1 or Cheep Cheep Beach have been overhauled so much that they’re some of my favorite tracks ever. Obviously the racing controls are smooth and responsive and it feels great, but the soundtrack? I don’t know why they went so deliriously balls to the wall with the music for this game but holy frick they did! So many bangers just add to this supreme vibe of the whole game, from the title screen, to Sunshine Airport, Dolphin Shoals and Thwomp Ruins. So good, so good. For Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it seems like the cut corners in the Wii U version have finally been glued back on. Battle mode makes a triumphant return, online improvements are always nice to see, and the DLC included? Why does this game slap so hard? Why isn’t it $200? It’s worth that. I love the guest characters. Link is so cute and goofy in a Go Kart and the Animal Crossing crew and Inklings feel right at home. They fit so weirdly well that I never want them to be cut from a future roster. It really feels like they put their heart and souls into this game, and it shows, not just in the insurmountably high sales numbers, but in the pure fun it brings to everybody.