Nintendo has been late to the party with regards to adding DLC to their games, but in Mario Kart 8 they have managed to tackle my biggest gripe since the term “DLC” rose its monstrous head and became an ugly word that meant a new way for developers to rip-off gamers… and that’s the amount of content. The Legend of Zelda X Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack comes with eight new tracks, as well as a few new characters, karts, and customisations. Another DLC pack based around Animal Crossing is due out in May 2015. Both DLC Packs are individually priced at $7.99 each or you can buy both together for $11.99, which means you are getting half the game’s original content at a quarter of the price. Value for the money, indeed!
Platforms: Wii U
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: The Original Kart Racer… Now With Zelda!
Release Date: November 13, 2014
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Mario Kart 8’s first DLC pack is not just rehashed tracks from previous Mario Kart titles, although there are a few of these (the Yoshi-shaped Island from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Wario’s Goldmine from Mario Kart Wii, as well as the original Rainbow Road from the early SNES days). These are coupled with some brand spanking new tracks based on other Nintendo titles, including a simple-yet-fun loop track based on Excitebike, Mute City from F-Zero, and most importantly, one based on The Legend of Zelda to accompany Link as a playable character (along with his Master Cycle).
The inclusion of non-Mario characters is actually a major milestone for the Mario Kart franchise. Purists will argue that this waters down the Mario Kart formula, becoming something more akin to Super Smash Bros. This is no bad thing in itself, and the Zelda track allows for some subtle but inspired changes; you no longer collect coins but rupees and if you hit three switches a ramp opens up so you can fly into the Master Sword and receive a welcomed speed boost. It adds enough of a different flavour to make it feel like a completely new game, without treading too far from the Mario Kart formula.
While I doubt there could be a full racing game based on the Legend of Zelda world, this brief flirtation is a standout track. Who knows? Maybe Nintendo even has possible future flurries into other titles like Pikmin or Metroid planned. While Link is a playable character, he is shored up by Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach, both welcome variations of existing character options, but also a sign that perhaps the series is struggling to remain within the confines of the Mario games.
The one complaint I have with the DLC is the classic F-Zero track Mute City, not because it isn’t great (because it is), but because it makes me wish Nintendo would just hurry up and make a new F-Zero game! It is fast and beautiful, but having Link driving around in the F-Zero car in Mario Kart is pure Nintendo glee. There is also a slight technical hiccup where you cannot share videos if you are racing on the new cups, but compared to some the online issues plaguing other recent releases, it’s a niggly little thing.
Overall, the Legend of Zelda X Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack comes as a great addition to what was already an exceptional game, one that I haven’t stopped playing since purchasing. While Link was the main draw, Tanooki Mario has actually become my go-to racer, if only because Link’s yelping is borderline irritating (although not nearly as much as Rosalina). And the new tracks bring more spice to the single and multiplayer modes, a trend that looks set to continue with the second batch of DLC next year.
Review Disclosure: A retail copy of Mario Kart 8: The Legend of Zelda X Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack was purchased by Warp Zoned for the purposes of this review.
