Joystiq Top 10 of 2014: Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8, much like its host console, made a poor first impression when it showed up in demo form back at E3 2013. In the same way that the Wii U met with equal parts confusion and indifference when it debuted – thanks to that odd controller– Mario Kart 8's anti-gravity racing felt like the most tiresome sort of tacked-on gimmick early on.

"Oh, it's Mario Kart! But super pretty! And upside down!" Great. Super. Who cares?

But also like the Wii U, Mario Kart 8 hides deep pleasures just beneath the surface. Beautiful, smart, overstuffed with rewards, and functional in ways the series has only toyed with in the past, Mario Kart 8 was a burning hot spot in Wii U's brightest year yet.
Turns out the anti-gravity sections of Mario Kart 8's races are only one facet of the game's best feature: its track design. Something that held Mario Kart Wii back compared to series benchmarks like Mario Kart 64 was its courses like 'Maple Treeway,' which felt a touch too wide to challenge fierce racers at 150cc speeds.

Mario Kart 8's courses still feel wide to accommodate as many as 12 players online, but they also feel wonderfully active and crowded, forcing you to seek out different routes depending on how you race. Side paths in 'Dolphin Shoals,' the tricky library shortcut in 'Twisted Mansion,' and the spectacular slalom of 'Mount Wario' all make for races that consistently feel thorny and new, no matter how many times you've driven down them. And it doesn't hurt that they're gorgeous, covered with a velvety sheen that's become characteristic of Nintendo EAD's high-definition games. The feeling of spontaneity flowing throughout Mario Kart 8 is enhanced by what is Nintendo's best online game to date. After 13 years of online capable consoles and handhelds, Nintendo nearly got it perfect here. Hopping online with friends or just getting into a random race is effortless. Though it's replay and video sharing options aren't flawless (the absence of native Twitch support is definitely a bummer), they're good enough to have spawned instant, classic memes. The 'Luigi Death Stare' may be played out here in 2015, but the fact that it came into existence at all is a testament to Nintendo finally, finally using the Internet correctly with its games. Mario Kart 8 was also enriched with excellent downloadable content, with new tracks equal in quality to those on the disc and welcome racers like Link.

Even without DLC, though, Mario Kart 8 feels generously full. Unlocking new racers like Pink Gold Peach, kart parts like the flying squirrel-shaped glider, and a wide toolbox of wheels and chassis is a rewarding process. Tediously trying to get everything in a game with unlockables can often feel like a chore, but every extra revealed in Mario Kart 8 just feels like a bonus. Some may lament the absence of arenas in Battle Mode or that the series hasn't gone full tilt into becoming Super Smash Kart, looping in the whole pantheon of Nintendo characters, but those are small complaints about a generous, expertly crafted game. Mario Kart 8 doesn't need gimmicks to impress.

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Joystiq is highlighting its 10 favorite games of 2014 throughout the week. Keep reading for more top selections and every writer's personal picks in Best of the Rest roundups.

The list so far:​​

9. Mario Kart 8
10. Far Cry 4