E3 2013: Mario Kart 8 Announced For Wii U

During Nintendo's Direct earlier today, the Big 'N' unveiled a number of new games for both the Nintendo 3DS and their next-gen home console platform, the Wii U. Some of the games were unexpected, such as Monolith Soft's 'X', while others were right on cue, such as Mario Kart 8.

Sporting HD visuals at smooth-as-butter -- and we'll be using this phrase a lot for games that deserve it -- 60 frames per second, Mario Kart 8 brings a lot of the standard kart-racing that gamers are used to, but also offers up some new ways to race that you may not have been expecting, including the new aerial transformations and the new anti-gravity mods that allows the karts to wall-ride and defy the laws of physics (as if they weren't already doing that.)

12 player online competitive modes, split-screen features and the ability to record, stream and upload gameplay footage to the Nintendo Network's Miiverse all adds to the overall experience. See, the Big 'N' knows how to keep up with the times even with a bunch of rehashed brands.

A couple of new characters and a few returning favorites such as Waluigi and Todette will round out the roster and motorbikes, underwater racing, sky-racing, dirt tracks, downhill courses and typical battle zones will also make an appearance.

You can look for Mario Kart 8 to launch exclusively for the Nintendo Wii U in the spring of 2014. While the Wii U doesn't have 140 games quite like the PS4, it at least still has a nice cache of exclusives you can't get anywhere else.

Need more info? Feel free to hit up Nintendo's official E3 page.

Will Usher

Staff Writer at CinemaBlend.