The upcoming racing game has all of Nintendo's hopes riding on it

May 21, 2014 16:45 GMT  ·  By

The Nintendo Wii U has been plagued by a big problem since its launch, mainly not having any solid titles, exclusive or otherwise, apart from the same old list of rehashed Nintendo classics.

The company has failed to capitalize on its lead over its two main competitors, but apparently now it's poised to change all of that and to improve the stalled consumer's interest in its console.

Roger Langford, Nintendo UK's Mario brand manager, has said that the company is currently undergoing massive efforts to make sure that the upcoming Mario Kart 8 will be everything that the Wii U needs to catch up to the competition.

"Mario Kart 8 really harnesses the capability of Wii U. It has HD graphics and runs at 60 frames per second constantly in single and multiplayer," he reveals during an interview with MCV.

The game continues in the fashion consecrated by the series, by mixing Wacky Races' recipe of zany characters and slapstick comedy with a popular cast hailing from Nintendo's blockbuster franchises, such as Mario and Donkey Kong.

In addition to keeping the zapping and boosting mechanics of previous entries in the series, Mario Kart 8 also adds a new mechanic, anti-gravity, to spice things up and confuse players by taking things to the walls and even ceilings of its rollercoaster tracks.

Nintendo is invested in the game beyond its mere sales, hoping that it will be the game changer that the company needs, in light of the fact that the company only managed to sell a number of 6.17 million units in the 18 months that passed since the console's launch, as evidenced by the company's last financial report.

"I certainly feel that Mario Kart 8 can be the catalyst that will broaden Wii U's horizons. It's very important for us that we have a successful launch and continue the promotion throughout the year and beyond," Langford says.

As such, Nintendo has come up with several enticing offers, such as three Mario Kart 8 and Wii U bundles and a pretty generous offer consisting of a free game out of a selection of ten titles on the eShop for those who elect to purchase the racing game before July 31.

In addition to this, the company has also created a series of silly TV spots showcasing the Mario Kart scientist testing various in-game power-ups and abilities, the latest of which demoes what happens when you unleash the power of the Lightning Bolt.

Nintendo is also counting on the upcoming launch of some nice exclusive titles such as Super Smash Bros, Bayonetta 2 and Hyrule Warriors, that will surely boost interest in the Wii U, but it's doubtful whether that is going to be enough to tackle the much better placed Xbox One and PlayStation 4 powerhouses.