Recommended Posts

Why stop with Super Smash Bros. for your Nintendo crossover needs?  A page on Nintendo's UK website details the upcoming downloadable expansions for the Wii U's Mario Kart 8 in which new tracks and characters will be offered for purchase.  What's really interesting here is that content from The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing are included in the mix in addition to nods to franchises like F-Zero.  Here are the details:

Each Add On Content pack will contain two new cups, each with four courses, which, in total, increases the number of available courses by 50 percent. The Add On Content packs include classics like Wario?s Gold Mine from Mario Kart Wii, as well as new courses, some taking place in the worlds of The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing. New vehicles will also arrive with each pack, including the Blue Falcon kart representing the F-Zero franchise in the first AOC pack.

Mario Kart 8 Pack 1 - Released: November 2014

Pack 1 includes:

  • 3 Characters: Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, Link
  • 4 Vehicles
  • 8 Courses
Mario Kart 8 Pack 2 - Released: May 2015

Pack 2 includes:

  • 3 Characters: Villager, Isabelle, Dry Bowser
  • 4 Vehicles
  • 8 Courses
As a bonus for purchasing both packs - as a bundle or separately - you can get eight different-coloured Yoshis and eight different-coloured Shy Guys that can be used right away.

Exciting, yes?  I know I'm interested, although I think offering more variations on Mario and Peach is a little lazy.  Adding Link and the Blue Falcon makes up for it though, as do the new courses.  Here's hoping one of the new tracks is a run through Hyrule.  These DLC packs are an example of Nintendo in Wii U panic mode; they're giving the people what they want for a fair price (listed as ?7 each which is $11.60 at today's exchange rates).  It's hard to imagine a confident, cocky Nintendo offering this much value. Spacing the packs out helps keep interest in the game alive, too. I know everyone was worried about how Nintendo would behave when it finally got into the DLC business, but I think this is a good sign that they'll be fair when it comes to balancing content with value.

 

Source: Press The Button

 

Um, I think Nintendo has lost the plot now. :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think anything is wrong with offering courses for MK8 that run through some of your other games (Zelda, Metroid, etc..).  I think most people are excited that they are going to release DLC, gives people hope that they might fix battle mode.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think anything is wrong with offering courses for MK8 that run through some of your other games (Zelda, Metroid, etc..).  I think most people are excited that they are going to release DLC, gives people hope that they might fix battle mode.

See, the problem is it's not free. Nintendo should remember from the last time they offered paid extra content that it was a total flop. Now I know some companies can pull it off making DLC work quite well, but Nintendo is definitely not one of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

See, the problem is it's not free. Nintendo should remember from the last time they offered paid extra content that it was a total flop. Now I know some companies can pull it off making DLC work quite well, but Nintendo is definitely not one of them.

But why would this be a total flop?  High selling game, good amount of content, fair price and even better if you purchase both.  16 courses for $12 is a steal (ignoring the extra cars/characters).  Sadly the days of continued support for a game for free is all but over, some companies will try to release free content but eventually it will all be paid.

 

This is exactly how DLC should work. A fair price with some very decent content :yes:

agreed

 

I don't see anything wrong with this DLC? Good move from Nintendo IMO

agreed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But why would this be a total flop?  High selling game, good amount of content, fair price and even better if you purchase both.  16 courses for $12 is a steal (ignoring the extra cars/characters).  Sadly the days of continued support for a game for free is all but over, some companies will try to release free content but eventually it will all be paid.

Because the target audience is mostly children who most likely don't have the money to spend it on DLC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because the target audience is mostly children who most likely don't have the money to spend it on DLC.

 

:huh:

 

But they had the money to buy the game and console? If anything the DLC is the most affordable cost to a kid which they could use their pocket money on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One - The DLC is reasonably priced for once.

Two - This is awesome and I'm buying it. If you check the relevant Subreddits you'd see that loads of people are hyped about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:huh:

 

But they had the money to buy the game and console? If anything the DLC is the most affordable cost to a kid which they could use their pocket money on.

Most of them probably got it as a birthday or Christmas present.

 

Plus, how much pocket money do you honestly think kids get?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of them probably got it as a birthday or Christmas present.

 

Plus, how much pocket money do you honestly think kids get?

I think you'd be surprised, they probably get a heck of a lot more than you think. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of them probably got it as a birthday or Christmas present.

 

Plus, how much pocket money do you honestly think kids get?

 

I've no idea, I see plenty of them walking around with designer gear and smart phones though :P I don't think ?11 is much of a stretch for any of them interested in it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think you'd be surprised, they probably get a heck of a lot more than you think. ;)

You speaking from experience here?

 

I've no idea, I see plenty of them walking around with designer gear and smart phones though :p I don't think ?11 is much of a stretch for any of them interested in it.

OK, but I am mainly basing my predictions on some of Nintendo's previous attempts at providing extra content in a game. I still doubt that it's affordable for most children, but we'll see I guess.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You speaking from experience here?

 

OK, but I am mainly basing my predictions on some of Nintendo's previous attempts at providing extra content in a game. I still doubt that it's affordable for most children, but we'll see I guess.

 

But you're basing your assumptions from many generations ago, before the internet was a big deal.

 

http://newsupermariobros2.nintendo.com/coin-rush/

 

Seems to have worked well for them here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But you're basing your assumptions from many generations ago, before the internet was a big deal.

 

http://newsupermariobros2.nintendo.com/coin-rush/

 

Seems to have worked well for them here.

Well, those were just some examples. There were some DS & Wii games that had DLC and didn't do too well either. 

 

As for NSMB, I guess that worked well for them, although that's probably because the 3DS is doing well and has a larger target audience, which the Wii U does not have currently. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You speaking from experience here?

OK, but I am mainly basing my predictions on some of Nintendo's previous attempts at providing extra content in a game. I still doubt that it's affordable for most children, but we'll see I guess.

No there was a survey done fairly recently finding that some kids were getting upwards of 20 quid a week!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

stop hating seriously. This DLC is so worth it. One and ps4 fail to properly deliver dlc.. For example..offering like 3-5 maps for like 20$.. Everyone i know is getting this

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because the target audience is mostly children who most likely don't have the money to spend it on DLC.

Do you have any stats to back this up?  Every "adult" I know that owns a Wii U picked up Mario Kart for themselves (and their kids if they have them).  I really hope you don't believe that Mario Kart is played by kids with no money... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you have any stats to back this up?  Every "adult" I know that owns a Wii U picked up Mario Kart for themselves (and their kids if they have them).  I really hope you don't believe that Mario Kart is played by kids with no money... 

Unfortunately Nintendo doesn't release that sort-of information as far as I'm aware. However, it should be pretty obvious that the main target audience is children since it's always been that way since the NES, which was even marketed as a toy. Also, that depends on the parents whether they get enough money for the DLC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
This topic is now closed to further replies.