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Top Ten Things That Drive Me MAD in Mario Kart 8 [top ten]
 
Mario Kart 8 has been out for a few months now, and is a pretty big hit for Nintendo as they try to sell more Wii U's to the masses. It's a pretty looking game, with great tracks and characters to choose from. It's very easy to hop online and get in a game in about a minute, and there are people playing around the world at all times.

But that still doesn't excuse the fact that there are things in Mario Kart 8 that drive me, dare I say, bananas.

Perhaps you have experienced a few of these...
08/04/14, 03:09    Edited: 08/04/14, 03:08
 
   
 
Accidentally Powersliding in the Wrong Direction
Let's start the list with a user generated error that drives me bonkers. Sure, it's my own doing, but man, is it ever frustrating when it happens. Don’t be shy. We’ve all done it. Coming off a big jump or trying to change directions really fast, there has to be at least one time you can remember being stuck power sliding the wrong direction. It’s a helpless feeling, and makes you look like a total dope as you try to jump out of the grass.
 
Boomerangs
Yes, I understand how the boomerang works and why it’s an interesting weapon. But the prospect of losing 6 coins in one throw makes me mad. Also, why doesn’t my shell/banana block the boomerang? The boomerang should stop there and return to sender. That way there should be some skill involved with a good boomerang through, especially against an opponent with defense. I believe the boomerang should also be used as a coin collecting item, much like in The Legend of Zelda. A truly gifted player would be able to throw the boomerang towards some coins, while taking the tightest racing line in a corner, maximizing speed and efficiency.
 
Still Getting Hit With a Red Shell AFTER Passing Someone
This is a big one, and I don’t understand how or why it happens. The red shell is designed to hit the person in the position directly ahead of you, correct? Then how come if someone launches a red shell behind me, but I gain a position in front of me, that I still get hit with that red shell? Shouldn’t that shell target the person I passed? If this is about lag or processing power, then all those complaints that the Wii U is an underpowered system are confirmed true. Figure it out, computers!
 
#7 Getting a Useless Item in the Bottom Three Positions
There’s really not a whole lot you can do with one mushroom when in last place, especially when you see positions in front of you getting the spamshroom or three shrooms. Last place is an inevitability. Just accept it and move on to the next race. Green shells are also the worst, unless you have spectacular aim or luck.
 
Getting the Coin Item When in First Place
This follows the logic of #7 about useless items in bad positions. But I’ll be honest. This item is useful just in case you get hit with something before the next set of item boxes. But other than that, it’s so useless. I can usually predict how the race will end if I’m in first place if I continually get coins and no defense. And really, what’s the deal with only awarding two coins, when getting hit with an item takes away 3? I don’t understand the logic in that.
 
Fireballs
Fireballs and the ones who throw them are the worst. A good fireball user employs the Spread tactic: much like the Spread in Contra, you try to spray and nice swath of fireballs in order to almost guarantee a hit on somebody. Even yourself. Spray and pray, baby!
 
Shortcut Fails
Another thing that makes me mad that is totally my fault. You have those three mushrooms ready for that shortcut near the end… you hit that first one and powerslide... right into the goddamn wall. And then you proceed to use the next two mushrooms either to continually drill into that wall, or go through the shortcut, across the track, and into the opposite wall. Sigh. Another variation of this is trying to make a shortcut over a jump, and totally flying off the course due to poor direction. Lose three coins. Double sigh.
 
Lightning
Tough call, but in terms of just the items themelves, this one makes me the maddest. In my opinion, this is the most overpowered item in the game. The bomb will make you lose your item and coins, but the lightning trumps that by doing both AND making you a tiny loser capable of being squashed. It’s incredibly ridiculous that it can totally negate the Crazy 8 as well, causing you to lose ALL the items circling you. A simple and fair fix for Nintendo to consider would be to choose that you lose your item, or you lose your coins when you turn tiny, but not both. Or make the penalty less severe. Perhaps only lose 1 coin?
 
Losing 9 Coins in One Second
This was close to being the #1 thing that makes me mad in Mario Kart 8. That said, it's still pretty frustrating. I know it’s rare, but it happens. If you haven’t had the pleasure/misfortune of experiencing this, here’s how it goes: It usually happens right before a jump over a pit. You must be holding a defensive item behind you (green shell, banana, bomb, etc.). Someone hits the lightning right before you jump. Bam, 3 coins lost. You also hit your own item in the spin out. Bam, 3 more. This usually happens at the same time you are falling into the pit you were about to jump over. 3 coins. 1 second, 9 coins lost.
 
Getting Hit By Your Own Green Shell or Bomb
This. This is the thing that drives me nuts the most in Mario Kart 8. And it's usually all my fault. So embarrassing. The worst part is, you can usually see it coming right after you throw it. You toss that shell a half mile away from a wall, hoping to hit someone, only to drive up to the turn and see that same shell bounce right off the wall into your kart. The bomb is just as bad. You throw it out in front of you, hoping to hit the crowd, only to see the bomb walk right into you as you drive by. The shame of it all.
 
So there you have it. What did I miss? What would you rank as the thing that makes you most mad? Sound off in the comments below!

Also, please note that these are things that would also normally happen during offline play. I chose not to address fire hopping, and other strategies other players employ during the online experience.

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08/04/14, 03:09   Edited: 08/04/14, 03:08 
 
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Seems to be a mix of spread and inhumanly possible sniping with the cpu.

A few shots fired backwards just to mix things up.
08/08/14, 05:12   
Edited: 08/08/14, 05:17
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