Platform:  Wii U

Release Date (NA):  August 27th, 2014

Developer:  Nintendo

Publisher:  Nintendo

Genre:  Racing

Nerd Rating:  N/A

With the other big Mario Kart 8 updates covered, I though I’d go back and take a look at everything that the first update brought our way.  Version 2.0 began showing us in-game advertising for the DLC to come, including adding extra character slots to the select screen and room for 4 more cups.  But besides placeholder data, Version 2.0 also introduced a few worthwhile fixes.

The Mercedes-Benz Karts

First there was the free Mercedes-Benz DLC.  Although not strictly part of the Version 2.0 update, downloading this content is what triggered the update for most, and added the Mercedes-Benz GLA, 300 SL Roadster, and Silver Arrow to the line up.  For those that went ahead and bought either one or both of the DLC packs, 8 different colored Shy Guys and Yoshis became immediately available.

Future new characters added at the bottom, plus, when either Yoshi or Shy Guy is selected, the player can choose one of several different colors.

Version 2.0 specific upgrades:

• The option to display an onscreen map, both on the GamePad and the TV during a race, is now available!
• After a race, instead of defaulting to “View Highlight Reel,” the default option is “Next Race.”
• Player stats can be viewed from the main screen, including things like favorite character, coins earned, boosts, etc.
• Player or battle rating tops out at 99,999 instead of 9,999.
• Several minor fixes to “improve gameplay” and increase online multiplayer stability.

Version 2.0 was a subtle upgrade though I do appreciate the difference.  Having so many stats is truly interest; it contains simple gauges of our skill such as a win-loss record, but also clues us into thing like how many superboosts we’ve performed.  I’m really glad “Next Race” is now the default option after a course.  My attention was drawn to it early on in my experience with Mario Kart 8 where I would be anxiously trying to move to the next course only to activate the Highlight Reel.  Probably the most visible update is the new onscreen map.  And let’s face it, every good racing game needs one of these.  It’s important to glance down and know how far along you are on the track and where the other racers are.

The map on the mid-right wasn’t available until the Version 2.0 update.

It’s arguable whether many of these features were actually “improvements” or just things that should’ve been included in the game to begin with.  For that reason I’m abstaining from giving a true Nerd Rating to the new updates, but I do enjoy the changes.  We may have been forced to wait awhile for the first real DLC, but Version 2.0 gave us a slightly more pleasurable Mario Kart 8 in the meantime.

Need to catch up on Mario Kart 8 developments?

• Mario Kart 8
• Mario Kart 8 ver. 3.0
• Mario Kart 8 ver. 4.0
• Mario Kart 8 ver. 4.1

Reviewed by The Cubist