3. Mario Kart 8 DLC Packs (Wii U)
Mario Kart 8’s DLC Packs are responsible for bringing sixteen tracks to the game. Some of the standouts include Excitebike Arena, Mute City, Ice Ice Outpost, Hyrule Circuit, Big Blue, Wild Woods, Animal Crossing, and Baby Circuit. In addition to adding maps which pushed the game’s mechanics, and utilized hovering better than any of the stock maps, this DLC brought us as close to an F-Zero sequel as anyone should expect (rest in peace.)
Maps with fewer frills like Excitebike Arena and Baby Circuit boil the game down to two of its finest principles. Excitebike Arena is all about glorious speed and pulling off as many jumps as possible and Baby Circuit is about maintaining speed and slowing your opponents with very few distractions. These tracks remind us why Mario Kart has been great in the past and tracks like Hyrule Circuit, Animal Crossing, and Super Bell Subway tell us why it will continue to be. Also, the first DLC pack introduced the Master Cycle, which set the groundwork for the Master Cycle Zero in Breath of the Wild, the greatest thing to happen to The Legend of Zelda since Epona. You can quote me on that.
