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Blue Shell's Tyranny Ends in Mario Kart 8

Fear not the blue shell.

By Maxwell McGee on April 30, 2014 at 5:00AM PDT

226 Comments

Mario Kart 8’s May 30 release date is just a few weeks away, and as we near the finish line for this upcoming racer, Nintendo has been kind enough to drop a few new details about what’s coming to this long-running series. What excites me the most is the Super Horn, a new item that can destroy incoming items--including the dreaded blue shells--by emitting a powerful shock wave around your vehicle. This is a rare, single-use item and is one of two new items announced for the game. The other is an upgraded version of Lucky 7, aptly named Crazy 8, which adds a coin to the item rotation. Nintendo also announced two new characters for Mario Kart 8: Baby Rosalina--you knew that was coming--and Pink Gold Peach, the Princess Peach equivalent to Metal Mario.

When you're not on the racetrack, you can use the game's tournament mode to create public or private online matches that can be set to automatically re-create themselves on a regular basis--such as every Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. You can also share replays with your friends. The game will automatically save your last 12 races; you can post them in full to the Miiverse or generate a highlights reel that can be posted to either the Miiverse or directly to YouTube.

Wario knows how to put the Super Horn to good use.

Last but not least, Nintendo also announced that if you register Mario Kart 8 with Club Nintendo before July 31, you will be able to choose a free download code for either Pikmin 3, New Super Mario Bros. U, Wii Party U, or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD to add to your collection. If you want an early peek at Mario Kart 8--including some of the new courses--be sure to check out the videos below.

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Mario Kart 8 - Battle Mode Revealed

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Mario Kart 8 - New Course: Mount Wario

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Mario Kart 8 - New Course: Electrodrome

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Mario Kart 8 - New Course: Sunshine Airport

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Mario Kart 8

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lorider25

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lorider25

What was wrong with the Blue Shell? People will complain about anything.

Even if you had no weapons that don't hinder you, They'll still complain.

Upvote • 9 years ago

Balrogbane

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Balrogbane

@lorider25 Because the blue shell punished the best racer and no one else. And even if you had skill there was no way to dodge it.

7 • 9 years ago

deactivated-5f5c4fa415c13

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deactivated-5f5c4fa415c13

<< LINK REMOVED >> They could atleast make it were if you have an item behind the cart the blue shell wont work just like the others. But without that the blue shell would hit right before the finish line and I would keep losing my 1st place.

Upvote • 9 years ago

RabidBurp

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RabidBurp

<< LINK REMOVED >>

In Mario Kart: Double Dash and in Mario Kart Wii, you could dodge a blue shell with a well-timed mushroom.

8 • 9 years ago

imm_84

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imm_84

<< LINK REMOVED >> Its actually hard to pull off .. I have a VHS Recording how I escaped a few Blue Shells .. no Youtube at that time ..

Red Shells were easier to dodge ..

Upvote • 9 years ago

imm_84

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imm_84

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> I MISS THAT !!!!!

Upvote • 9 years ago

Balrogbane

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Balrogbane

@RabidBurp Wish I had known that years ago.

Upvote • 9 years ago

Balrogbane

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Balrogbane

Am I the only one who thinks this game may actually be pretty fun?

Upvote • 9 years ago

19James89

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19James89

<< LINK REMOVED >> Most games on the Wii U are fun though. The Wii U might not have the best hardware or the best apps and online multiplayer platform but when it comes to the fun factor, the Wii U has it in spades.

7 • 9 years ago

imm_84

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imm_84

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Agreed ! Nintendo ! the word Nintendo gives me Joy !

Upvote • 9 years ago

19James89

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19James89

<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >>Yes I agree, Nintendo brings me joy, they also bring me frustration with waiting for their games but more often than not their games are worth waiting for.

Upvote • 9 years ago

gajbutler

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gajbutler

Just looks so generic, lost the charm Mario Kart used to have. They should have gone for a more stylized look, however it just looks bland like Kinect Sports games do or something...

Upvote • 9 years ago

JoSilver

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JoSilver

<< LINK REMOVED >> I don't get it... Nintendo was is clearly going for a more realist art style with this one. They're out to prove something.

Upvote • 9 years ago

dominoodle

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dominoodle

<< LINK REMOVED >> Mario Kart 8 and Kinect Sports are both very stylized games...

Upvote • 9 years ago

Bread_or_Decide

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Bread_or_Decide

<< LINK REMOVED >> No

Upvote • 9 years ago

RabidBurp

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RabidBurp

Why the hell did they keep all of the baby characters? Can they really think of no better characters to add?!!?

2 • 9 years ago

deactivated-5f5c4fa415c13

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deactivated-5f5c4fa415c13

<< LINK REMOVED >> The baby mario and luigi in double dash were awesome, with the chain chomp attack..

Upvote • 9 years ago

imm_84

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imm_84

<< LINK REMOVED >> Lots of people like Cute babies .. Research it .. not everyone wants to shoot and kill races that live far away from them .

Upvote • 9 years ago

Talavaj

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Talavaj

Is it just me or this game seems to have brutally inconsistent visuals ? Some tracks are much more cartoony, grass/dirt in some tracks are almost realistic while in others completely cartoony.

Likewise trees range from cartoony blobs all the way to fairly detailed trees in some other tracks.

Wtf is up with that ?

Upvote • 9 years ago

KingTrax

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KingTrax

<< LINK REMOVED >>Wheeeee!

Upvote • 9 years ago

crazeon

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crazeon

I think the bullet was more annoying than the blue shell in the last game.

Upvote • 9 years ago

BabeNewelll

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BabeNewelll

Should be removed all together booooo

Upvote • 9 years ago

SeriousDave

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SeriousDave

Okay, it's incredible amazing that they finally implemented a counter to the blue fucking shell from hell but what are the chances of actually getting this thing? This item could prove to be just as gamebreaking as the blue shell itself. If they set the chance to low the "Super Horn" won't even matter and if players get it to often all offensive items become useless. On paper it's a good idea but trying to counter an overpowerd item by adding another overpowerd item could screw the balance up even more. And "Pink Gold Peach" .....really?

Also: the free download thing is damn awesome :D

Upvote • 9 years ago

Bread_or_Decide

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Bread_or_Decide

<< LINK REMOVED >> They said it's a use once item. So yeah.

Upvote • 9 years ago

delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

Correct me if I'm wrong here but when you said: May 30 release date is just a few weeks away, is still April 30. Was this a typo error?

Upvote • 9 years ago

WllDan7

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WllDan7

It is a few weeks away. Saying that instead of a month is acceptable.

Upvote • 9 years ago

delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

Okay thanks for the answer.

Upvote • 9 years ago

WllDan7

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WllDan7

I don't fear the reaper. Or blue shell so I will not have to worry about it. But getting a free game is good.

Upvote • 9 years ago

BelaidKL

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BelaidKL

For years I have argued with my brothers because of that blasted 'Blue-Shell'.... Thankfully this will level out the playing field... I used to tactically never stay in first place because of it, just camp at 2nd and wait for the right time to use my 'Brown Shells'... Can't wait for this game, gives me an excuses to plug my Wii U back into the TV

4 • 9 years ago

skayj2

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skayj2

<< LINK REMOVED >> Brown shells?

Upvote • 9 years ago

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