Nintendo announces Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle and free digital game download

By Rick Marshall Published May 19, 2014

Check out our full written Mario Kart 8 review.

Nintendo devoted its latest Nintendo Direct video presentation to the impending arrival of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U next month, which the company hopes will bolster sales of its successor to the Wii console.

Recommended Videos

Along with announcing the Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle that will package the game with the Wii U Deluxe Set version of the console — as well as a red Mario Wii Wheel accessory and a red Mario Wii Remote Plus controller — anyone who purchases Mario Kart 8 will also receive a free game download from the Nintendo eShop. The free download will be available after registering your version of Mario Kart 8 with Club Nintendo, and you’ll be able to choose from four titles: New Super Mario Bros. U, Pikmin 3, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD or Wii Party U.

Along with touting the Mario Kart 8 bundle and free download, the video also offered up some additional details about the new features of Mario Kart 8, including two new racers (Pink Gold Peach and Baby Rosalina), anti-gravity racing, and the Spin Boosting ability.

“The numerous new features of Mario Kart 8 make this the most ambitious version yet, and one that will have players of all skill levels racing for the checkered flag,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing.

Mario Kart 8 (and the Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle) hits shelves May 30. The Wii U Bundle comes with a suggested retail price of $330.

You can watch the full Nintendo Direct presentation below:

Former Contributing Editor, Entertainment

A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…

Topics

Gaming

The Switch 2’s most important launch game isn’t Mario Kart World

Peach jumping on a motorcyle in Mario Kart World.

On June 5, the Nintendo Switch 2 will finally grace us with its presence. Nintendo is rolling out the big guns for the big day too, as it will launch the system with Mario Kart World. The racing game is all but assured to be a hit, giving the console a Breath of the Wild-like water cooler game that everyone will be playing at the same time. A lot is riding on that one game, as it has the burden of being the Switch 2's all-important killer app. If it fails to move millions of units in its first month, Nintendo might have to rethink its whole strategy for its new generation. While those are some high stakes, they're ones that Mario Kart World will realistically clear without issue.

With that in mind, there's another Switch 2 launch game coming on June 5 that's just as important, if not more so, from my perspective. That would be Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. While it won't be crucial to Nintendo's bottom line, it's the first real test of the hardware, which looks to make a name for itself in a much more crowded portable landscape than the one the original Switch launched in.

Gaming

Everything revealed in the Mario Kart World Direct: A Rewind feature and more

Mario in Mario Kart World.

Today's Mario Kart World Direct revealed much more information about the upcoming title, and it looks like a great blend of familiar fun with a whole lot of new gameplay elements. From the Free Roam feature that lets you explore the entirety of the world to a slew of new tricks that include grinding on rails, Mario Kart World looks like the refresh the series needed.

Let's start with the courses. There are numerous courses scattered throughout the map, each one thematically influenced by its surrounding geography. The Direct demoed the Mario Bros. Circuit, Crown City, the canal-focused Salty Salty Speedway, snowy Starview Peak, Boo Cinema, Toad's Factory, Peach Beach, Wario Shipyard, and more. Classic courses make a comeback, but with a few tweaks to the tracks you know and love.

Gaming

Mario Kart World Direct: When and where to watch

Baby Peach rides away from a T-rex in Mario Kart World.

If you're itching for more information about Mario Kart World, we've got great news: Nintendo is holding an official Mario Kart World Direct tomorrow at 9 AM ET, 6 AM PT. The Direct will last for 15 minutes and provide more details and information on what to expect from the game.

You can watch a live stream of the Direct on YouTube, but you'll also be able to stream the Direct through the Nintendo Today app. No need to glue yourself to a computer if you're on the go.