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MinusTydus

The Fallen
Jul 28, 2018
8,197


...This game is a pain in the ass, a lot. Matchmaking can be a drag. I've had trouble getting into any match type... on the PS4 version...

...You often get trapped trying to join a game. It will say it's joining a game, and it will spend ages saying it's joining, and then it will throw you into a lobby on your own, and no one else will join that lobby, so you start the process again...

...You cannot cancel matchmaking, once you start it. Once it says it's finding and joining a game, even if it's gone on to such a degree and you've played it enough to know, 'Well, I'm not going into a lobby, it's gonna throw me in one on my own and no one's gonna join it,' you can't back out because it's just stuck there saying it's finding a game...

...Even completing a match leads to you sitting around with your thumb up your ass, waiting for something to happen. Because the Results Screens. There are lots of Results Screens... You have to vote for who did the best based on certain criteria, you've got to see how many points were accrued, you've got to see who won. You've got to just sit there. For ages. Waiting for the Results...
 

CloseTalker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,568
Game really surprised me in a great way, it's an incredibly done kart racer. Sterling's takes are as bad as ever
 

Raijinto

self-requested ban
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
10,091
I like it well enough. Haven't played online though. But yeah optics haven't been great for this game as far as fostering a community is concerned. They didn't even have it up on the eShop until yesterday and apparently other stores were the same.
 

Larrikin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,712
The water already belongs to MK8D though.
Which is a shame because the Mario Kart series are all very poor racing games imo (although 8 is definititely the least worst). Mario Kart is to racing as what Monopoly is to board games; popular but actually terrible.

Diddy Kong Racing is still the best kart racer of all time, closely followed by Sega All-Stars Racing: Transformed.

Im eager to try Team Sonic Racing and Crash and see if they can bring a glimpse of either of those games to current gen
 
Oct 25, 2017
19,041
Wow how dare he enjoy the game somewhat but not love it
But he barely even talks about it. A whole 10-minute video just to meet youtube's threshold (that even he admits could be 10 seconds) to say a lot of "uhhhh it's okay?". The only thing of substance here is that there are online issues, which they will hopefully it can be patch in time. I'm just struggling to understand the value of these "impressions".
 

L.O.R.D

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,684
I am playing it right now, liked the new team racing.
However i really hate the time ring and collect the rings races.
 

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
The Fallen
Jul 14, 2018
23,543
You often get trapped trying to join a game. It will say it's joining a game, and it will spend ages saying it's joining, and then it will throw you into a lobby on your own

15 seconds is ages now apparently, but I agree with him on the other two points. It takes too long to get racing again.
 

Hailinel

Shamed a mod for a tag
Member
Oct 27, 2017
35,527
Which is a shame because the Mario Kart series are all very poor racing games imo (although 8 is definititely the least worst). Mario Kart is to racing as what Monopoly is to board games; popular but actually terrible.
This is going to take some deeper explanation.
 
Oct 25, 2017
19,041
But I was lead to believe that Sonic was more popular than Crash...

And gameplay from those who have played it has been received well so far.
Sonic is more popular than Crash as an icon. Doesn't mean that CTR's specific legacy isn't be more popular than this specific Sonic title.

And here's a thought, what if both offered great gameplay?
 

Splader

Member
Feb 12, 2018
5,063
From at least those quoted impressions, what he's complaining about isn't actually the game itself?
 
Oct 25, 2017
19,041
I've never played a Sonic racing game and I'm sure as shit not gonna start here. CTR it is baby
You're really missing out. Transformed is one of the greatest kart racers ever made, and Team Racing is no slouch. It's the only racer to come close to matching CTR in my book, which already puts it ahead of any Mario Kart.
 
Oct 25, 2017
19,041
Never said Team Sonic Racing won't have great gameplay. You seem to think CTR won't have great gameplay which I find odd
No, the opposite actually. CTR has been my Kart Racer king since 99, even over every Mario (although I still really enjoy them). My comment only comes on the heels of being thoroughly impressed with with the team mechanic and how much fun it brought in. I feel like they will both be very neck and neck in terms of fun factor.

My issue are with comments like "blow it out of the water" where maybe in sales it won't be as strong, but in gameplay it definitely is no slouch.
 

Abylim

Member
Oct 29, 2017
5,023
Australia
Which is a shame because the Mario Kart series are all very poor racing games imo (although 8 is definititely the least worst). Mario Kart is to racing as what Monopoly is to board games; popular but actually terrible.

Diddy Kong Racing is still the best kart racer of all time, closely followed by Sega All-Stars Racing: Transformed.

Im eager to try Team Sonic Racing and Crash and see if they can bring a glimpse of either of those games to current gen

Please, elaborate. I'm interested in hearing how Mario Kart 8 is a terrible kart racer.
 

Larrikin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,712
Please, elaborate. I'm interested in hearing how Mario Kart 8 is a terrible kart racer.
Terrible is probably a strong word, it's a well crafted game with a lot of polish. Amazing music and sound design, great controls, fun tracks etc.

The main issue is just some core design decisions that encourage, in my opinion, fundamentally not fun gameplay and strategy.

Naturally the item system is a large part of it, but also the degree of rubber banding of the AI is a problem. The game encourages not coming first only to pip the victory out in the end. Among equally skilled players it's a better strategic move to not be in first place for the majority of the race. In single player your success is largely dependant on luck and you can get irrecoverably screwed by bad luck at virtually any point in the race, let alone a Grand Prix.

I'm not saying it can't be fun or enjoyable, but to me the core design is fundamentally flawed due to the sole focus on the "anyone can win" mentality. As a party game, Mario Kart is an excellent series. As a racing game I am of the opinion that it fails fundamentally at a design level.
 

SimplyComplex

Member
May 23, 2018
4,011
No, the opposite actually. CTR has been my Kart Racer king since 99, even over every Mario (although I still really enjoy them). My comment only comes on the heels of being thoroughly impressed with with the team mechanic and how much fun it brought in. I feel like they will both be very neck and neck in terms of fun factor.

My issue are with comments like "blow it out of the water" where maybe in sales it won't be as strong, but in gameplay it definitely is no slouch.

Gotcha.
 

Ryuhza

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
11,427
San Diego County
In my experience, Mario Kart is a lot of flash and little engagement. All the content and visual panache in the world doesn't mean much to me if the underlying mechanics are tepid. And I find the whole culture around the series to be off putting. The few times the series has allowed for a skill gap to emerge (usually unintentionally) it's been decried by the fanbase to the point of being removed in the following installments. It's one of the few competitive series I can think of where the interests of the casual crowd prevail over all else. Although, oddly enough, the series still lacks a great deal in its single-player offering.

I usually have to hold my tongue around Mario Kart discussions, but it really bothers me that the series is held up in so many regards as the peak of the genre, and that other kart racers are compared against it because... I generally don't want other Kart Racers to be like Mario Kart. Certainly not mechanically.

I'm not saying it can't be fun or enjoyable, but to me the core design is fundamentally flawed due to the sole focus on the "anyone can win" mentality. As a party game, Mario Kart is an excellent series. As a racing game I am of the opinion that it fails fundamentally at a design level.

That's a good way to put it. And why I don't care for it.
 

Zafir

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,009
Yeah the matchmaking is not great. I hope they fix it because the game is fun, but having to mess around flicking between game modes trying to find a full lobby isn't fun.
 

Ryuhza

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
11,427
San Diego County
Diddy Kong Racing is still the best kart racer of all time, closely followed by Sega All-Stars Racing: Transformed.

Im eager to try Team Sonic Racing and Crash and see if they can bring a glimpse of either of those games to current gen

Did you ever play the original CTR? Naughty Dog took a lot of pointers from Diddy Kong Racing, so I think you'll like it.
 

Larrikin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,712
Did you ever play the original CTR? Naughty Dog took a lot of pointers from Diddy Kong Racing, so I think you'll like it.
I have not but it's my most anticipated game of the year besides Psychonauts 2 because I have heard this. Particularly with the adventure mode.

I usually have to hold my tongue around Mario Kart discussions, but it really bothers me that the series is held up in so many regards as the peak of the genre, and that other kart racers are compared against it
I hear you. Hell, the Gamesradar review is basically like "Team Sonic Racing is not at all like Mario Kart 8, 5/10".
 

PaulloDEC

Visited by Knack
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,408
Australia
The main thing I took away from this video was that those post-race screens must be absolutely infuriating. 1 minute and 15 seconds was how long the one Jim showed lasted for; are they all that long?
 

RM8

Member
Oct 28, 2017
7,898
JP
Lol at the Mario Kart hot takes in this thread. There is no better kart racer than 8 and furry mascots can fight for the scraps, IMHO.

Transformed was fantastic, this doesn't seem to be nearly as good as that. And CTR was not even better than Diddy Kong Racing back in the day, plus I'm not sure I fancy playing a 30fps kart racer in 2019.
 

Abylim

Member
Oct 29, 2017
5,023
Australia
Terrible is probably a strong word, it's a well crafted game with a lot of polish. Amazing music and sound design, great controls, fun tracks etc.

The main issue is just some core design decisions that encourage, in my opinion, fundamentally not fun gameplay and strategy.

Naturally the item system is a large part of it, but also the degree of rubber banding of the AI is a problem. The game encourages not coming first only to pip the victory out in the end. Among equally skilled players it's a better strategic move to not be in first place for the majority of the race. In single player your success is largely dependant on luck and you can get irrecoverably screwed by bad luck at virtually any point in the race, let alone a Grand Prix.

I'm not saying it can't be fun or enjoyable, but to me the core design is fundamentally flawed due to the sole focus on the "anyone can win" mentality. As a party game, Mario Kart is an excellent series. As a racing game I am of the opinion that it fails fundamentally at a design level.

Fair enough. I also figured terrible was too strong but I was curious to see someone justify it as such.

Your complaints are fairly normal or at least mirror mine. I love the series but damn it can be infuriating
 

scitek

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,054
Does it really take a minute and fifteen seconds to get through the results at the end of each race?
 

Arta

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,445
The main thing I took away from this video was that those post-race screens must be absolutely infuriating. 1 minute and 15 seconds was how long the one Jim showed lasted for; are they all that long?
Does it really take a minute and fifteen seconds to get through the results at the end of each race?
Offline you can skip through them quickly.

Online you cannot, it is indeed that long. The music helps, but yes that could be sped up.
 

Moltres006

Banned
Jan 5, 2019
1,818
Terrible is probably a strong word, it's a well crafted game with a lot of polish. Amazing music and sound design, great controls, fun tracks etc.

The main issue is just some core design decisions that encourage, in my opinion, fundamentally not fun gameplay and strategy.

Naturally the item system is a large part of it, but also the degree of rubber banding of the AI is a problem. The game encourages not coming first only to pip the victory out in the end. Among equally skilled players it's a better strategic move to not be in first place for the majority of the race. In single player your success is largely dependant on luck and you can get irrecoverably screwed by bad luck at virtually any point in the race, let alone a Grand Prix.

I'm not saying it can't be fun or enjoyable, but to me the core design is fundamentally flawed due to the sole focus on the "anyone can win" mentality. As a party game, Mario Kart is an excellent series. As a racing game I am of the opinion that it fails fundamentally at a design level.
MK8D is the least beginner friendly MK because of the removal of Automatic mode meaning that you're forced to learn the drifting mechanic.
Also the "everyone can win" mentality does not apply to MK8DX, the better drifter will always win and the double item feature ensures that you'll always have something to defend yourself from incoming attacks.
The drifting in 7 and 8dx is the best in series and I hope that it stays in future titles.
 

HustleBun

Member
Nov 12, 2017
6,075
Fair enough. I also figured terrible was too strong but I was curious to see someone justify it as such.

Your complaints are fairly normal or at least mirror mine. I love the series but damn it can be infuriating
Mario Kart, like with a lot of popular franchises, will receive additional layers of disdain from fans that are frustrated by it's unbreachable success and how it overshadows kart racers that are deserving of attention and praise.

The main console Mario Karts are objectively well-crafted, polished games that earned their popularity through a pattern of quality. But I understand the frustration of someone who found the beauty in a game like Diddy Kong Racing, enjoying the rubbery chaos of CTR or found that SASR: Transformed had just as much polish as the latest Mario Kart but barely 1/8th of the sales.

It's how I felt when Half-Life, Perfect Dark and Timesplitters were immediately dusted from existence by college age kids the second that Halo released. Or how I can't talk to most of my employees about any multiplayer experience anymore because most/all of them dropped the various games they play for Fortnight. Halo and Fortnight aren't bad games, nor is Mario Kart.

But if you feel it's overrated or think it's time for another racer to take the mantle, I get it.
 

Deleted member 4260

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,630
I really disagree with him here. I think the game is super fun and the team mechanic really sets it apart from other kart racers. My biggest issue is with the online mostly, it's not great, so hopefully that gets fixed soon.
 

Larrikin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,712
Mario Kart, like with a lot of popular franchises, will receive additional layers of disdain from fans that are frustrated by it's unbreachable success and how it overshadows kart racers that are deserving of attention and praise.

The main console Mario Karts are objectively well-crafted, polished games that earned their popularity through a pattern of quality. But I understand the frustration of someone who found the beauty in a game like Diddy Kong Racing, enjoying the rubbery chaos of CTR or found that SASR: Transformed had just as much polish as the latest Mario Kart but barely 1/8th of the sales.
I feel this is a very astute observation. I think the bigger gripe I have isn't just the sales, but the review scores. As much as "reviews don't matter", they hold a lot of power when it comes to word of mouth, buzz and sales. If SASR:Transformed was getting ~90's like I personally feel it deserved, (the mechanics and controls are that tight) rather than the 79 it ended up with, I feel like the sales and word of mouth would've gotten that game a lot more coverage, a larger player base and overall healthier lifespan.

Instead, Mario Kart gets an easy 92 because it is the standard all other kart racers are measured against. It's an impossible fight.

Also the "everyone can win" mentality does not apply to MK8DX, the better drifter will always win and the double item feature ensures that you'll always have something to defend yourself from incoming attacks.
I'm gonna have to disagree with you there by way of personal experience. My brother, friend and I play Kart whenever they're visiting and I believe I am easily the best drifter of the three but almost every single race is solely determined by who gets what items at which point in the race.

Sure, a great drifter will often (items can still fuck over the far superior player) beat someone who is bad at it, but I would say that outside of the those in the top and bottom 10% of skill that it's largely a luck game.
 

Professor Beef

Official ResetEra™ Chao Puncher
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,498
The Digital World
The online waiting looks really bad from that video, but I'll still give it a shot this weekend.

EDIT: Also let's stop pretending that Mario Kart 8 is good when the peak of the series was Double Dash/MKDS