Don't Have A Wii U For Mario Kart 8? Check Out GMod Tower's Source Karts

Nintendo is looking to recapture the console market next month, this spring, starting May 30th. Greatness doesn't await, excellence is inbound. Mario Kart 8 will launch as a replacement for Mario Kart Wii, which will have its multiplayer services shut down soon.

Gamers who may be head-over-heels for some intense, Mario Kart-style racing but either don't have or can't afford a Wii U, can at least take some refuge in a very spiffy alternative in the form of GMod Tower's Source Kart.

If you don't regular play Garry's Mod – and even if you do regularly play Garry's Mod – you may not have heard of something called GMod Tower. Basically, it's like an alternative, lobby-based, Mario Party-type hub built within the Garry's Mod source code.

Well, Source Karts was recently released for GMod Tower, which was released for Garry's Mod, which is built on the Source Engine. Yes, it's getting awfully meta around these parts.

Even if you don't understand any of that jargon, it doesn't really matter because all that harangue aside, the reality is that there are some really fun, spec-friendly activities available in GMod Tower, such as Source Karts. You pick your character, you race in the kart against or with friends, you pick up power-ups and you try to win the race.

You can see how the whole thing works in a very honest play-through below, courtesy of Nishi Fails.

Now this may not be up to scratch with Mario Kart 8, nor does it sport the same level of graphical prowess as the Wii U exclusive, which is running on the secret sauce, it does seem to be a cut above whatever other kart racing game is currently available on the market for PC.

The cool part about Source Karts is that it's free. You don't need anything except a Steam-compatible version of Garry's Mod to get in on the action.

Of course, the next common question is “How do I get in on the action?”

Well, I'm glad you asked. You see, you can grab Source Karts from within the GMod Tower bundle on the Steam Workshop. Sound confusing? Well, I'll simplify it for you. You can download everything you need right from this official Source Kart link right here.

If you have Garry's Mod, you're already good to go, just follow the link above. While Wii U owners will be enjoying themselves in Mario Kart 8 next month, PC gamers will be able to have some small measure of fun – not quite in equal quantities – with Source Karts. And remember, for everyone riding the Big 'N' train... excellence is inbound.