I've only played the first cup at 150cc, but it still has the stuff! I was cheesed out of my three star gold, though. Damn you, Mario Kartttt!

But it looks super beautiful on the handheld. And automatic acceleration is, indeed, glorious. I wish that I could change my item button to the accelerate button, though. I didn't find any sensitivity options for tilt control. It's not really doable in handheld mode.

I'm looking forward to trying out online and battle mode. I'm looking forward to looking back!

I've been playing some 200cc and loving it. The courses weren't designed with this speed in mind at all, which makes having to juggle drifting, braking, and item usage way more complex than on lower speeds. If you're a Mario Kart veteran, this is really the way you should be playing the game. It's so much fun.

I used to think the item balance was kinda bad in this game because the first place driver can pull ahead so far, but that mindset kinda comes from playing on low difficulties when you're really good at the game and don't have to worry about falling off the edge. On 200cc, if you don't drive perfectly, you will lose your first place spot regardless of items. Being able to carry two items also makes the risk vs. reward of trying to get a Blue Shell Destroying Horn, stocking up on coins, and keeping a banana on hand to block red shells with really interesting.

Battle mode is great too. Cops vs. renegades isn't great--it seems like the renegades always win--but Shine Thief is awesome. Working with ten other players to hunt down the one with the shine while everyone still acts in their own best self-interest is hilarious.

Super glad I bought this, can't wait to play more.

This game is forcing me to buy more amiibo. Gotta have that Isabelle costume for the Mii drivers.

Also, this is the first time I've experienced 200cc. It's pretty fast. For Mario Kart.

What an amazing game! Super gorgeous and super fun. And ditto with @Anand on auto-acceleration. It's the way to play! (Though I am concerned about training myself with bad habits for other racing games.)

Holding down the A button to accelerate helps me grip the controller for all that intense drifting with the shoulder button, especially when I'm playing with a horizontal Joy-Con. It's an awesome idea though. If you have no reason to not accelerate, why not just have the car automatically accelerate?

Sounds like this game already outsold Zelda, which outsold the Switch itself. Say what you will about the Switch not having very many games, its attach right is gonna be high.

I can't do the auto-accel. I gotta have my thumb on the gas. Doesn't feel right otherwise.

@Koovaps
If we shout loudly enough, maybe other racing games will start including the feature!

Not that many developers even MAKE arcade racing games these days...

Speaking of 200cc, I guess that I never knew that you could brake while drifting. It definitely makes that mode more manageable.

Speaking of Battle, I had some connection issues when I tried to play online, but the AI balloon battle that I had was pretty fun!

GameDadGrant said:

I can't do the auto-accel. I gotta have my thumb on the gas. Doesn't feel right otherwise.

Yeah I'm not even gonna bother trying it.

Fun races and battles with Pogue, Shadowlink, ploot, TK Thunder, OldManZelda and VofEscaflowne tonight. Capped off my day off three-starring every 200cc cup.

I have to say, the addition of the second item box has made the game play much more fun. Being in the lead is no longer "Guess I'll hold onto this banana peel and hope for the best." Just as @Secret_Tunnel said, going for the horn (and hopefully a shell or peel alongside it) is the way to go when up in front.

I also like that some tracks have you choose whether to go for a double item box or to take a speed ramp. It's good, good, good stuff.

Battle mode is awesome. Really, really fun online, especially with friends. I used to feel similarly to @Secret_Tunnel regarding Renegades, but once everyone learns how to strategize it can be very fun. I've been in some quick cop-winning rounds as well as some serious nail biters.
That said, Shine Thief is king.

Hooray for Deluxe!!

@ludist210
That was good fun indeed! Also, good job on the 200 CC. I don't even think I'll TRY that.

@ploot

Renegades definitely needs some communication of some sort for it to work. Or if you play with people who know what they're doing, then it can work out. Definitely important to try and keep a few people guarding the switches and it can often lead to captures too.

Coin and Renegade seem to be my two favorites at this point. Shine Thief is a good idea on paper but it seems too easy to hold onto. Still, I was on a team with my bros vs hard CPU so that's probably a factor. Is the holding the Shine part only 30 seconds or can you change that?

My favorite stage has got to be Wuhu. It's awesome in Coin and Renegade.

@carlosrox
Shine Thief works really well when playing against other people. Makes for some crazy games.

@VofEscaflowne

I agree, but it was interesting to see how both teams kind of had a strategy even without communication.

@ploot

It's my favorite mode. I've swept the game twice in online competition (grab it once and run the clock out).

I'd like to thank you all for styling on me the other night. It's one thing to know you're bad at games, it's another to be reminded just HOW bad. :p

So over the weekend I finally unlocked the Gold Glider...and it wasn't nearly as bad as on the Wii U because the cap got bumped down 10,000 coins (Wii U) to 5,000 coins (Switch). It's still a lot of fun to play online.

Apparently there was an update for this that prevents you from getting hit by blue shells when you're in 2nd place?

Hmm...got hit by one in second the other week (when second passed me after the shell was thrown), so I'm not sure how that would work.

In a surprise turn of events, Nintendo is updating this title with Nintendo Labo support!