Summary
In spite of how fast-paced its races are, the Mario Kart series is in no rush when it comes to releasing new mainline games. The original Mario Kart 8 launched in 2014, and it took 11 years for a wholly new game to be released inMario Kart World. Tour doesn’t count.
With over a decade of consistent support and updates, encapsulated in the definitive edition Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as well as the content included in the Booster Course Pass, it’s a hard title to follow-up. But World takes a complete left turn to differentiate itself from the title before it, but which is more fun to play?
8Racers
World
World decided to pare things back, and choose to focus on a more recognizable cast of core Mario characters, and then build up the options with a litany of outfits, as well as a strong collection of random creatures and NPCs for those friends who really need to be different (Rocky Wrench really speaks to my soul, okay?)
The cast of characters to play as in 8 Deluxe is an eclectic bunch.The row of Koopalings, while fun for their fans, definitely made the cast feel bloated, and the inclusion of characters like Pink Gold Peach make the character selection easy to make fun of. The additions in DLC add some much-needed variety, but the launch line-up was diabolical.
7Courses
8 Deluxe
It’s no question that 8 Deluxe has thebest selection of coursesin Mario Kart history, and that likely won’t change for a while. With 96 available by the time you’ve got all the DLC, there’s plenty to keep you busy, and a lot of them are great. The Booster Course Pass included some undeniable bloat that didn’t translate perfectly from Tour, but more options is never a bad thing.
World has considerably fewer courses; the divide is so egregious that it was never really up to question that it was losing this category. Sure, the intermission tracks count for something, and the fact that everything is interconnected is a cool detail, but with only 30 main tracks, there are some weaker inclusions that could’ve been switched out for stronger alternatives, like Dandelion Depths.
6Karts
While there are definitely fewer options in World when it comes to what you’re riding, the amount of try-hard behavior this dissuades is definitely worth it. On top of this, having Karts just being one cohesive element means that they tend to be a lot more aesthetically pleasing, and there are some fantastic designs included to show this off.
It’s painful, especially in local multiplayer, waiting to start a race in 8 Deluxe, and someone is poring over the stats of different Kart parts, trying to optimize the perfect machine, all the while you’re itching to get on the road. Kart customization was a fun feature for two mainline entries, but it won’t be missed.
5Modes
Even
8 Deluxe and World offer a whole different package when it comes to the side modes you want to spend time with, and the one you prefer will definitely depend on the type of player you are. World’s inclusion of Knockout Tour is a great option if you want something similar to a Grand Prix, but different enough to be refreshing, and Free Roam is fun if you just want to chill in the world, pick up collectibles, and find secrets.
8 Deluxe is definitely the superior option if you’re more of a fan of Battle Mode, however. With multiple sub-modes, and some of the best Battle Mode maps in series history, the staggering variety here is definitely appreciated. But still, some people don’t like Battle Mode, so if you don’t, all 8 Deluxe really has to offer is the standard Mario Kart fare.
4Racing
There is a definite learning curve, but racing feels fantastic in World. The addition of new trick options is a little hard to learn, but they make the tracks feel more alive once you’ve finally mastered them. On top of this, the weight of the characters feels more impactful than ever, and the new items are all hits too. Racing in the air and on water is a little slow, but this was the same in 8 Deluxe, so it hardly loses points for that.
Just because World has made a few tweaks doesn’t mean that the 8 Deluxe experience is any worse than it was before. It’s definitely the more approachable title, and while it’s a little gimmicky, the zero-gravity sections are still plenty of fun, and were conducive with some fantastic course designs.
3Customization
If you want to tweak your Mario Kart play session to be exactly as you like, then 8 Deluxe is definitely the best title. For each mode there are plenty of options for making the experience exactly to your taste. With 200cc, a fully implemented mirror mode, and, of course, kart customization, there are plenty of adjustments to be made.
There is still plenty to do in World, but it feels like Nintendo is sure that it knows what is most fun. Want to play withless than 24 racers? Too bad. Want a more detailed map for Free Roam? Too Bad. There are so many little flaws like these in World that it’s hard to call it a perfect experience, so we can only hope that Nintendo is willing to take feedback for once.
2Presentation
Both of these games are stunning in their own right, but the more cohesive and stylized approach of Mario Kart World makes it a more visually impressive title, especially when considering the whole interconnected world. The characters are more expressive, and everything just feels a little less glossy in the best way possible.
While 8 Deluxe has that aforementioned gloss, it doesn’t make the game worse, but it does feel a little less impactful thanks to this. Also, because of just how many courses are included in the whole package, the cohesiveness suffers, especially when considering some of the less inspired Tour courses.
1Winner
Especially when comparing World to how 8 originally launched, calling World the winner feels obvious, and they only start to feel like genuine competitors when taking into account all the additions from Deluxe and the Booster Course Pass.
If you’re a fan of Battle Mode and you love having as many courses to choose from as possible, then 8 Deluxe is the obvious choice. However, if you want something a little more cohesive, as well as a more inviting single-player experience, then World is the clear winner.
