Topic: If you don't own a Wii U now, will Mario Kart 8 influence you to purchase one?

[Phil]

I guess this is one of those "would one game sell you on a system? thingies.

At the same time, I guess if you already do own a Wii U, would you get the system for Mario Kart 8 in an alternate reality where you didn't own one?

I notice this topic comes up a lot for every big Wii U release. That's not the deflating part. The deflating part is how every time a new big Wii U title comes out, it seems the same people always say "I'm not going to buy a Wii U for one game."

This was said for Super Mario 3D World, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, The Wonderful 101, among others. It's rather disappointing.

There seems to be a group of people who don't just think the Wii U is a bad product that will be discontinued soon, but they come across as wishful thinkers. It's hard to tell nowadays who thinks the Wii U is a failure because it's a bad product because of well documented research and well founded opinions (then again, that's subjective) and who is just wishing for this to be true, wishing so they can continue to rationalize not purchasing the system.

Ooh. That had enough meat to base an editorial off of. I'm going to do that!

Anyway, I guess this discussion goes beyond the topic title. I apologize if it seems like I went off on a tangent. Oh, well. I got it off my chest along with some ingrown hairs.

[Manthony Chopkins]

Not to be that kind of poster. But you need to fix your thread title.

[Soren]

Keep in mind if you buy a Wii U with Mario Kart 8 you're essentially getting a Wii U with two games. This assuming you use Club Nintendo.

[UncleBob]

I was going to buy a Wii U for Mario Kart, but NWR's 7.5 score talked me out of it.

[Phil]

Not to be that kind of poster. But you need to fix your thread title.

No, no! Thanks for that! I don't know how I overlooked that!

[Dasmos]

Yeah, I will be. It's about time I bought one and NWR's horrible review aside Mario Kart seems to be the ****. Plus I have a household of people wanting to play it too, so I'm almost getting peer-pressured into it.

Personally I'm mainly getting a Wii U for Pikmin 3 and Super Mario 3D World, but this 2-for-1 Mario Kart thing is a pretty good incentive to buy one now.

[NWR_insanolord]

Hey man, you can't be spreading that kind of misinformation. We actually have two horrible reviews.

[Khushrenada]

Hey man, you can't be spreading that kind of misinformation. We actually have two horrible reviews.

Make it 3.

[NWR_insanolord]

Hey man, you can't be spreading that kind of misinformation. We actually have two horrible reviews.

Make it 3.

Two horrible reviews and one magnificent review.

[Enner]

In one word: No.

While I enjoyed my many dozens of hours Mario Kart 7 (mostly solo!) and I think Mario Kart 8 looks beautiful, Mario Kart isn't a series that I desperately need in my life. Adding to that, I essentially got Mario Kart 7 for free in a discounted 3DS XL bundle and I don't think I would've bought it normally at MSRP. I feel that I already know exactly what I'm playing with a Mario Kart game before I even play it, so I feel no rush to get it.

That bundle with the Club Nintendo freebie is tempting though....
Bah, I'll just stick with my original plan and wait for X.

[Nile Boogie Returns]

I am buying Mario kart 8 but I would not have purchased a wii u just for it. Smash 4, "Metroid whatever?"or  Zelda's Pokey Adventure? Hells Yeah! I'll put 200plus hours into MK8 over the next year but still not gonna buy a system for that.








SHENMUE 3 on the other hand...

[nickmitch]

I wouldn't buy a Wii U for Mario Kart.  Mostly because I'm too old.  I'm not actually up there in years, but I'm far enough removed from my college days that grabbing a bunch of people together to play Mario Kart is much easier said than done.  That being said, I will be buying the game mostly for me and online play.

Smash Bros is a series I like enough to buy a system for.  I think I can more easily invite someone over to play it, since it's such a more exciting series. 

For what it's worth, with the games that are out now, Mario Kart would be what put me over the edge for a Wii U.  ZombiU, Pikmin 3, and Mario 3D World would make for sufficient single player and be complimented by MK8 multiplayer.

[Ian Sane]

Even if I had a Wii U I probably wouldn't get Mario Kart 8 and it actually isn't specifically because of anything wrong with that game specifically.  I'm bored of Mario Kart.  You can only do so much with a racing game and the formula is just played out.  I have a Wii and 3DS but don't own those Mario Karts either.  I also realize that after Brawl I'm SSB'ed out.  I don't see myself really being that interested in the new games.  Multiplayer franchises get boring quicker.  nickmitch makes a great point about age.  I don't have friends over all the time so single player games are more up my alley.

Pikmin 3 is the Wii U game I'm most interested in.  Pikmin is not overplayed or stale since we're only on the third game.  It isn't over 20 years old like a lot of Nintendo's franchises.  I played it at a friend's house and it's real good.  I want it.  No other currently released Wii U interests me.  I'm not so desperate for Pikmin 3 that I'll buy a whole system for one game.  Especially not when it seems like a price cut is always right around the corner.

But there is another factor here.  I don't like Nintendo's direction with the Wii U.  I don't want to endorse the "outdated hardware with no third party support" approach to consoles that Nintendo seems cool with.   So not only does any killer app have to be so good that I would buy a console for it alone (or I guess it and Pikmin 3) it has to be good enough that I'm willing to deal with the possibility of Nintendo continuing with this direction into the future.

I was annoyed enough with the Wii that I decided I wasn't going to buy another Nintendo console unless it was the type of product I want to own.  Well the Wii U isn't that product and frankly, due to it's outdated hardware, it probably never can.  The only chance it had was the market rejecting the PS4 and that didn't happen.  I cannot imagine the Wii U third party support ever being anything half-decent.  If I was to go with a console with only Nintendo's support they're going to have to have a prolific release schedule than what they have now and the games have to be more ambitious than what they have now.  I'm sure as hell not going to put up with half-baked retro-themed cookie cutter sequels if that's ALL I get.  On the N64 almost every Nintendo game was like the best game ever made.  Wii U games don't even ATTEMPT to reach such ambitious goals.  I'm not saying the PS4 and XB1 do have those ambitious games but I don't own either of those consoles either.

The Wii U looks to have no future.  That puts way more pressure on each big game than normal.  Are you willing to take the risk of buying a console with no future where that which is wrong with it will likely never improve?  That's a lot to ask and it has to be a REALLY impressive game to get someone to do that.

[Nile Boogie Returns]

Well thought out post.

I'm curious Ian. I understand not liking rehashed themes and games based more on nostalgia rather than gameplay. Have you attempted to play Wounderful 101? Reviews notwithstanding, it really is Platinum at the top of their game.


( albeit not for everybody kinda title )


 

[Ian Sane]

Well thought out post.

I'm curious Ian. I understand not liking rehashed themes and games based more on nostalgia rather than gameplay. Have you attempted to play Wounderful 101? Reviews notwithstanding, it really is Platinum at the top of their game.

( albeit not for everybody kinda title ) 

No I haven't.  I only have one friend with a Wii U and he doesn't have it and there really is no other way to try it for myself.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

It isn't Mario Kart that has me thinking of getting one soon, it is the bundle that goes with it. The game that might sell me on a Wii U is Hyrule Warriors, which comes out latter this year also. If I miss out on the Mario Kart bundle now but they offer a similar deal when Hyrule Warriors launches I will be okay. If I miss out on the deal now and when Hyrule Warriors launches there is nothing else then I might wait a while. I am kinda sorta with Ian on if it has to be Nintendo only they had better get their **** together and bring out more than they have. My biggest gripe is it being over priced for what it is, if it was priced on par with previous consoles I might have one by now but I am sorta in a way protesting the over priced outdated tech but not on principal like Ian just more in reality because it's still fifty bucks higher than all other consoles LAUNCHED at and that keeps me away, just like 3DS which I am amazed how okay everyone is with that also way over priced. BUT I am tempted with the bundle just to get it before Hyrule Warriors launches because if I worked it out right it makes the machine right at the price I would jump in at.

[NWR_insanolord]

How do you figure 3DS is overpriced? At launch, sure, but they corrected that.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

The DS launched at $129, is the 3DS that cheap yet, no it is still over priced.

[MagicCow64]

I already own a WiiU, so I'm not the target here, but I also never owned Mario Kart Wii or Double Dash (though I think a college roommate had it so I ended up playing a decent amount). I've always found the series too bare boned for my liking, especially after Diddy Kong Racing. That first flashy-ass trailer for MK8 had me considering actually getting it after having no interest, because it looked so damned pretty, and I might pick it up someday for that. But with the consensus being that the single player is as perfunctory as ever, I'm passing on getting it new. I'm not into online multiplayer, and hardly any friends in meat space would bite (though I'm sure I can still round up some Smash folks when the time comes). Perhaps ironically MK8 will probably have the most robust online multiplayer yet for the franchise, at a time when WiiU owners are scarce and when the general video game consumer thinks Nintendo blows at online. So in summary, I kind of doubt MK8 is going to move too many systems. Probably something analogous to Titanfall, a few blip months for a game without a compelling single-player campaign.

[NWR_insanolord]

The DS launched at $129, is the 3DS that cheap yet, no it is still over priced.

Because there aren't any other factors involved.


EDIT: Also, DS launched at $150. They dropped it to $130 fairly early, and I'll bet Reggie wishes he had that one back after how the thing took off.

[BranDonk Kong]

The GameCube launched at $199, the Wii was $250, and the Wii U $299/$350, therefore the Wii/Wii U were overpriced (and the Wii U still is). The NES launched for $199, Wii U still costs more, so Wii U is overpriced. Solid logic.

Everything that costs more than other things is overpriced.

[NWR_insanolord]

Inflation? What's that? I've never heard of such a concept.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

The GameCube launched at $199, the Wii was $250, and the Wii U $299/$350, therefore the Wii/Wii U were overpriced (and the Wii U still is). The NES launched for $199, Wii U still costs more, so Wii U is overpriced. Solid logic.

Everything that costs more than other things is overpriced.

You can disagree but that is how I feel period, 3DS still hasn't dropped to where it's previous consoles launched at, it isn't even in the fucking ballpark. The Wii came with a game packed in at launch GC did not so they were effectively the same price. DS was over priced, that is why they dropped it too soon, all other hand helds from them launched at $99 people were bitching hard core over the DS and then 3DS comes along and owh fifty bucks over priced isn't enought it's now $150 over and people are just oh well it's ok.


PS launched it was $300, PS2 same PS3 double, look what happened there. Hey guess what Wii U is bombing you still don't think price MIGHT be a factor.


Here let me spell it out to those who don't live in the real world. Right now you can walk into any store and grab a PS3 or a 360 today for under $200, with a massive library of games and NEW games on the way. Wii U is tech wise just about on par with those. For most people who are upgrading from a Wii, remember those millions upon millions they sold, are going to see a PS3 or a 360 as an upgrade already to those consumers those machines are next gen, so they see Wii U is priced a hundred + bucks more than comparable tech with very limited library and then they look the other way.



As for me, I can not see paying that much for a console at launch, here it is over a year after launch and it hasn't even gotten down to where it should have launched. In consumer electronics there are different price points that different consumers jump in, early adopters pay a premium for premium tech but Wii U is not premium tech now is it? By the way the Wii when it launched was over half what it's next gen counterparts cost, Wii U is right up there just barely a hundred beneath and that is before the others get their first price drops.



Anyways **** it.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

Inflation? What's that? I've never heard of such a concept.

It;'s not though do some homework before you speak. Inflation does not work that way it never has not with consumer electornics, prices FALL over time which is why televisions and blu ray players are affordable now when they launched only the rich could afford them.

[NWR_insanolord]

A standard 3DS right now is $160. I haven't done the calculations, but I'm fairly certain if you were to account for inflation that's actually less money than the DS launch price of $150.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

and an HDTV is actually a fraction of what it cost then too. Even still compared to it's competition it is still not in the same price range as other tech.

Also I am pretty sure Minimum wage is higher too, so there is that also.

[NWR_insanolord]

Inflation? What's that? I've never heard of such a concept.

It;'s not though do some homework before you speak. Inflation does not work that way it never has not with consumer electornics, prices FALL over time which is why televisions and blu ray players are affordable now when they launched only the rich could afford them.

Right, the same tech gets cheaper over time. That's not what's going on here. This is more advanced technology, which doesn't necessarily correspond to the previous stuff.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

Wrong, when Blu Ray came out it was priced exactly where DVD was priced when it came out, same with Laser Disc, there is a precedent set that is broken, When Sony did it everyone **** upon them but when Nintendo does it oh well that's ok.


A brand new more powerful and state of the art computer costs a fraction of what the same computer cost a decade ago.


Every since the beginning of video games the market has had an acceptable price point for consoles, the software has fluctuated but the mainstream consoles have all been in a very similar place. Now with Xbox and PS people are willing to pay more because you GET more, all other stuff aside you still get a Blu Ray player, a 3D capable one at that, built in.

[NWR_insanolord]

You're absolutely right, no one criticized Nintendo at all when they launched the 3DS at $250.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

That isn't what I was saying. Anyways even still I was mostly talking about the Wii U. As far as I am concerned I said 3DS is over priced, that is my perception that is not going to change because I have a precedent to follow. I am well aware it was over priced at launch I am saying to me it is still there.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

anyways I answered the topic so have fun.

[Shaymin]

A standard 3DS right now is $160. I haven't done the calculations, but I'm fairly certain if you were to account for inflation that's actually less money than the DS launch price of $150.

FWIW, $150 in 2004 translates to $183.06 in 2013 (the last year data is available for).

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

And minimum wage was 5.15 and hour and full time employment was 40 hours a week. Now full time employment is 32 hours a week and min wage is 7.25 so how does that factor in?

[Oblivion]

Pretty sure full time is still 40 hours.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

not according to the new labor laws.

[NWR_insanolord]

I don't know that minimum wage would be the best way to judge it, for several different reasons, a lot of which verge into politics and thus aren't something we're going to go into here.

Either way, even without the adjustment, $10 isn't a huge difference. And given how well the system has been saying, it would seem the public agrees.

[marvel_moviefan_2012]

that is why I said, repeatedly that is how I view it, not the public at large, which I think is a miscalcuation considering 3DS has not reached DS sales yet.

[NWR_insanolord]

I would be absolutely shocked if any game system gets even close to the DS' level of sales ever again. A big part of that system's success is being in the right place at the right time, and isn't something they had any real chance of doing again.

[BranDonk Kong]

A 2015 Honda Accord is $20,000 but a 2004 Honda Accord is 8,000, therefore the 2014 Honda Accord is overpriced.

[Nemo]

Anyway... back on topic.

I wouldn't buy a Wii U for Mario Kart 8.

But I already own a Wii U. I was kind of on the fence about getting it.

The negatives about Mario Kart 8 is that it's pretty much the same Mario Kart yet again... for $60.

The positives are that I haven't really played a new Mario Kart since Double Dash (I got Mario Kart DS but playing more than a few races hurt my hands for some reason, so I hardly played it. I skipped "Wii" and "7.") so it's actually been a long time since I've experienced a new Mario Kart. I do have a few friends that would enjoy playing it with me. And, the big positive: another free game. I never got New Super Mario U. Plus, it looks good (shiny!).

[nickmitch]

The Affordable Care Act defines full time as 30 hours.  Previously (in the US) this was up to the employers.

But yeah, it's hard to see MK8 as a system seller.  The "Killer App" concept is pretty dead, unless we just change the meaning to "must own game".

[Oblivion]

The Affordable Care Act defines full time as 30 hours.  Previously (in the US) this was up to the employers.

But yeah, it's hard to see MK8 as a system seller.  The "Killer App" concept is pretty dead, unless we just change the meaning to "must own game".

Then I guess every place I have worked at so far hasn't gotten the memo for this yet.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I believe ACA just went active late last year.

[nickmitch]

Well, that law was passed in 2010, and the relevant piece doesn't go into effect until 2015.  Even so, I think the law uses the term "full time equivalent".  The Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) doesn't define full vs part time, so it's still up to your employer.  This is after some follow research from my earlier response.

[Khushrenada]

If you don't own a Wii U now, will working full time influence you to purchase one?

[BranDonk Kong]

Part of the ACA is that all employees that work 30 hours have to get Mario Kart 8 from their employer for free. Hobby Lobby has been fighting this in the courts.

[BlackNMild2k1]

If you don't own a Wii U now, will you purchase one now that ACA has given a copy of Mario Kart 8 for free*?


*only if you work a minimum of 30hrs per week as a W2 employee of a ACA approved employer

[Nile Boogie Returns]

I'm selling my Wii U just so I can re- purchase and comply with government regulations.

Thanks Obama!

[rlse9]

I'm pretty sure the ACA forces retailers to only sell the 32 GB model and not the 8 GB model...

If I didn't own a Wii U I don't know that Mario Kart 8 itself would push me over the edge but the limited time offer of a free game with purchase over the next couple months would have made it tempting.  But since I already have a Wii U I got in on the Kmart pre-order deal before the free game deal was announced, making it pretty much the best deal on a Nintendo game ever.

[Wah]

Hell no!
 Super smash bros maybe!

[Mop it up]

I already have a Wii U, but I did buy it in preparation for Mario Kart VIII. Mario Kart Wii is my fave game for that system and one of all time, and plus with the online shutting down in MKWii then I have to switch to a new online Mario Kart. The only reason I bought early though was from winning money at a casino, else I'd have waited and bought the MK bundle. I figured it was a good idea to get it when I had the extra cash and play the few other games I wanted in the mean time.

I do have feelings of regret sometimes, but hopefully that'll stop after the game finally gets here.

[BranDonk Kong]

So is this the default Mario Kart 8 thread? I'm not seeing one in this forum...anyway, it comes out in 32 minutes. It's only 5GB, so a download shouldn't take that long...hopefully. Thought about buying the disc (WalMart a couple of miles away), but this is one of those games that you never get rid of, plus for some reason I have $10.01 in eShop credit...and then the whole 5% back deal.

[Soren]

Against my better judgement I'll get a physical copy of the game in the morning. I am really looking forward to playing online since I rarely get the chance with other games. This might just be the summer of Mario Kart for me. That and Pikmin 3 when I download it.

[BranDonk Kong]

*Shang Tsung voice*

IT HAS BEGUN!

[Soren]

Jealousy.

In anticipation for MK8 I've been going through my backlog and making no progress on it. Still haven't finished Need for Speed, re-started W101 after an aborted start a few months ago and stared at the AC4 Black Flag title screen for a while before deciding to play some Yoshi's Island.

I can't wait to play this.

[Khushrenada]

So is this the default Mario Kart 8 thread? I'm not seeing one in this forum...anyway, it comes out in 32 minutes. It's only 5GB, so a download shouldn't take that long...hopefully. Thought about buying the disc (WalMart a couple of miles away), but this is one of those games that you never get rid of, plus for some reason I have $10.01 in eShop credit...and then the whole 5% back deal.

I started one back when it was announced for E3. However, I'm not possessive of the conversation and don't care if you want to use this thread or start another or if you want to bump it to "keep the conversation" in the "correct thread". I'm about thread creation and proliferation not consolidation even if a thread is only good for a couple posts. Listen to your heart.

[Phil]

Against my better judgement I'll get a physical copy of the game in the morning. I am really looking forward to playing online since I rarely get the chance with other games. This might just be the summer of Mario Kart for me. That and Pikmin 3 when I download it.

Speaking of which, there's now a new stylus-based control method for Pikmin 3 that can be downloaded via patch, I believe.

[BranDonk Kong]

I can't believe I'm the only person who has posted "I have Mario Kart 8" so far...school's out isn't it? Anyway, only played one race because it was 2:15am (download kept stopping, thanks Obama) but it is a beautiful game.

[Phil]

I have Mario Kart 8 as well. Love that you can do grand prix races with local players like all console Mario Karts except Wii.

[Soren]

We meed to start some official NWR tournaments. Here's my first post from MKTV. My first online win. Multiplayer runs great so far.

[BranDonk Kong]

Of course Club Nintendo basically does not work right now (can't finish process of "choosing" Pikmin 3)...

[alegoicoe]

I read over at kotaku over a new technique being used by mario kart wii u players called fire hopping which supposedly can keep the drift boost going a little longer.

[tendoboy1984]

I've had a Wii U since January, and I'm getting MK8 next week. Finally! I can't wait for E3.

[Sarail]

I read over at kotaku over a new technique being used by mario kart wii u players called fire hopping which supposedly can keep the drift boost going a little longer.

Yup. I started using the technique after hearing about it, too, and it has helped immensely with 150cc mode.

[Phil]

I read over at kotaku over a new technique being used by mario kart wii u players called fire hopping which supposedly can keep the drift boost going a little longer.

Yup. I started using the technique after hearing about it, too, and it has helped immensely with 150cc mode.

I'll have to look into this... I'm all for countering the AI in any way I can.