Wii U goodbye, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLCs start: with the Tour tracks you drive on the first tracks coming from the cities of the real world
Leaving behind the content born on Wii U as DLC, we arrive at bonus track: our guide to the tracks is entering the uncharted territory of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The staggered publication of Additional Paths Pass it only means one thing: after episode number 16, we will end up waiting as we did with our previous guide, that of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (ironically also originally stopped after episode 16). The Mario Kart Tour tracks, as demonstrated by the Golden Snap Trophyinclude the real world: we have Paris Promenade Tour, 3DS Circuit of Toad, N64 Cioccocanyon and Wii Outlet Cocco.
Paris Promenade Tour
And it is in France that the first stage of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tracks starts: with Paris Promenade Tour, the guide to the tracks takes us through the streets of the Ville Lumiere. A constant of circuits inspired by the real world, in addition to the desire to see our beautiful country sooner or later, is also the change of the layout between one lap and another. Expect the unexpected, then: where in the second round you take a certain route, in the third you take a completely different avenue.
- Layout: Already at the beginning of the race, the Arc de Triomphe will lead you to choose whether to go around it to the right or to the left. With a mushroom, however, you can go to the center. The long hairpin to the right leads to a glide towards the Eiffel Tower. Normally you should pass below, but nothing prevents you (if you have mushrooms) from turning left for a generous shortcut. Otherwise, try to pay attention to the large Piranha Plant in the center. Follow the road and at the obelisk turn right and you will be at the finish. On the third lap you will have to turn right at the Arc de Triomphe, and after a (possible) glide you will take the Piranha Plant road in reverse. After the Eiffel Tower, you will reach the first hairpin bend, which will take you to the final finish line.
- Assessment: Tour may not be one of the best Mario Kart, but its tendency to “remix” the various tracks with many variations has contributed to a good idea of level design, for which we will await the various stages of the DLC with trepidation. 8/10.
3DS Toad Circuit – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track and track guide
The first track of every game, for better or worse, never takes long to make its return: the Additional Paths Pass today brings us back to the initial Mario Kart 7 circuit. you shouldn’t expect an excessive challenge rate from 3DS Circuit of Toad, far from it. With what you have overcome so far, after all …
- Layout: After the first corner, you will find two turbo footboards. Pick one according to the side of the overpass you intend to pass under. Following the hairpin bend in the tunnel you will immediately notice a ramp on the dirt road to the right of the path: a mushroom will allow you to completely cut the curve to the right. The left-hand bend before the finish line can also be cut, as long as you use your eventual mushroom wisely: the pipes positioned on the outer side of the turn are not few. On the second lap, you will notice a glide ramp before the two turbo platforms: use it to fly over the flyover.
- Assessment: From this review we can draw two conclusions. The first is that, if nothing else, the differences between the first few laps and those to come precede Mario Kart Tour by a few years. The second is that Toad’s Circuit, basic as it is, could have made its appearance in retro cups already in the base game; seeing it again in the DLC, with the level design masterpieces for which the series is known, smacks of a bit of “wasted slot”. 6.5 / 10.
N64 Cioccocanyon – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track and track guide
A track of the past already revised in Mario Kart DS, from the episode for Nintendo 64 makes its return too N64 Cioccocanyon. The track remains a delight, but with some small differences in the conformation of the mountain in which it is set.
- Layout: If you expected to be safe on the left side, you were wrong. To the left of the track, at the first curves, the abyss awaits you. The first hairpin bends to the right soon give way to the iconic entrance to the cave, with the only difference that the tunnel has grown longer over the years. In addition to the Swooper, in fact, the cave in general now hosts the possibility of cuts on the inside (mushrooms permitting) until it culminates in a glide towards the notorious hairpin bend to the left. Despite the alterations seen so far, the chocolate boulders have remained the same: avoid them, skidding if possible, before returning to normal with the right-hander before the straight. The final right turn that follows allows you to cut if you have any mushrooms.
- Assessment: If we really have to make a criticism of this track, it is that with it a tasty record of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is missing. After 48 tracks (!) With a different track for each (!!), this time the recycling is inevitable. As in the original, in fact, the melody is the same already appreciated with N64 Yoshi Valley. Pignolerie aside, however, the developers have been able to spice up an already challenging circuit of its own. And for the races between friends that it can lead to, we really have nothing to complain about. 8.5 / 10.
Wii Outlet Cocco
Meme buffs, unite: “you have been outsmarted”, if the Italian translation of the web catchphrase makes sense. Yup, Wii Outlet Cocco has also brought its shopping center back to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tracks. We had reviewed it in Mario Kart 7, and now here we are again. Only one question arises: will the legendary circuit still be so acclaimed by the fans?
- Layout: The initial straight has two flights of escalators, the direction of which depends on the lap. Adjust accordingly. Going up, you will have two options. Staying in the center, you will descend on the right hand bend on the ground floor; otherwise, you can drop off later by turning to the first floor. In the latter case, the curve to the right features a cut for one of the shops on that side, but only if you have mushrooms. Once past the turning, you can use the fountain in the center for a stunt before the two alternating flights of escalators. Once back up, a long parabolic curve to the right awaits you, leading to a straight road, whose palm trees (sides) and fountain (center) allow acrobatics. A crossroads awaits you after the curve to the left. On the left you will go up with several turbo footboards after a curve to the right, up to a long glide. On the right, after the bend, you will have a small ramp available before a turbo ramp. The last two curves to the right before the finish feature two cars in motion; avoid them, of course.
- Assessment: Fans have been raving about the return of this circuit, but the writer has never really grasped its (alleged) appeal. However, objectively the track looks like a linear variant of the Yoshi Valley, offering crossroads without ever falling into confusion. Well so, then. 7.5 / 10.
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