Mario Kart 8 has received plenty of praise for its stellar visuals and track design ever since its release on the Wii U, and to me it does an even better job presenting a theme park-esque Nintendo experience than something like Nintendoland did. While Mario Kart tracks have always been generally fantastic and the standout courses from previous games are also fantastic examples of visually interesting and entertaining racing circuit design, it wasn't until Mario Kart 8 that I felt like Nintendo was really leaning into visual cues that elicited visions of Nintendo-themed thrill rides.
While last year's announcement of Nintendo's initiative with Universal Studios to create Nintendo-themed lands in their parks would've been amazing and exciting to any fan no matter what the circumstances, I felt like I had been prepped for that moment by Mario Kart 8's presentation. It was especially exciting for me to start brainstorming attraction ideas because Mario Kart 8 had already given my imagination so much to work with visually.
What I'm getting at is that Mario Kart 8's tracks are designed with a very similar cadence and attention to audiovisual spectacle to theme park rides. I don't think I'm alone in having felt this similarity while playing MK8, so I'd like to hear thoughts on the matter from others here on GAF.
What are some specific tracks that conjure up thrill-ride feelings for you? Are there certain elements from any of theme that you think could be utilized in the actual Universal park areas that are in the works? What are some of the world-building details that MK8 has become known for that you'd like to see utilized in the theming of the Nintendo areas in Universal parks?
Two tracks that really give me theme park vibes are Shy Guy Falls and Rainbow Road 64.
Shy Guy falls really evokes that feeling of being on a Thunder Mountain/Seven Dwarfs rollercoaster ride at Disney World, and the shy guys singing their little heave-ho song as they chip away at crystals and operate hand-pumped mine carts throughout the stage really drives it home. This track also has some really great pacing with thrilling moments like driving up a waterfall using the anti-gravity mechanic and hitting boost pads as they cascade down toward you.
And Rainbow Road 64 could be used as exhibit A whenever someone wants to make the argument that Nintendo is the Disney of videogames. This whole level is just pure Nintendo magic with its bright colors, visually arresting cityscape below, fireworks in the shape of Mario characters exploding in the night sky, a Toad-operated flying train making its way around the track while throwing coins out of its windows... etc. The whole thing is a spectacular celebration of color, movement, and family-friendly fun.
