Mario Kart 8 has a number of special modes that can be accessed from the main menu. These additional game modes build upon the standard Grand Prix and Battle Mode setups, either by allowing you to customize the rules and settings of the game, or allowing you to play with other racers!
Multiplayer
Up to four players can play Mario Kart 8 together on one Wii U. You can play Grand Prix or Battle Mode, or you can create a VS Race tournament that matches the preferences of the group. Players can choose their preferred control method, and leave the GamePad in front of the group to act as a shared map.
VS Race
VS Race allows players to adjust the settings of the game to fit special preferences. With these settings, you can create your own customized Grand Prix tournament!
- Teams or No Teams
- Items: All Items, Shells Only, Bananas Only, Mushrooms Only, Bob-ombs Only, No Items, No Items or Coins, and Frantic Mode
- Class: 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, Mirror
- COM (COM Racer Difficulty): Easy, Normal, Hard
- COM Vehicles: All Vehicles, Karts Only, Bikes Only
- Courses: Choose, In Order, Random
- Match Count: 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 16, or 32 races
Online
Online racing continues to be part of the Mario Kart formula! Going online alone, or with a buddy for some split-screen action, you can test your skills in individual races or online tournaments. You can also share your highlight reels, compare your Time Trial runs, and even download course ghosts from the ‘net. Up to twelve players can join a lobby and race or battle against each other!
Online Modes
It is possible to play standard Grand Prix-style races or Battle Mode while playing online. You can choose to filter who you play with by selecting one of four menu options.
- Worldwide: This lets you play online with anyone from any region of the world!
- Regional: You will limit your opponents to those who come from the same region as you do.
- Friends: This limits your rivals to those you’ve added to your friend list, or players you have recently played with.
- Tournaments: This setting allows you to participate in tournaments against other players online.
Racers earn or lose race points based on what place they land in by the end of a race. You can use this stat to see the sort of opponents you’re up against!
Online Tournaments
Tournaments are a series of races that follow a rule set created by the player who started the tournament. It is similar in function to VS Race mode, but an online tournament can also follow a specific schedule. If you want to race only on Tuesdays at 1:00 AM, go for it!
Players can set up and run up to four tournaments simultaneously. A tournament is ranked based on the point totals of all the players who are participating, and this can be used to judge what sort of competition you can expect. If a tournament is closed, you can still race against other participants of the tournament, but it will only count as practice, and your points will not contribute to the tournament ranking.