The VW Beetle propaganda promised mass motorization in Germany to demonstrate the technological advancement compared to other countries (and social superiority compared to capitalism). Ok, they haven't shipped a single one to customers because of the war. Same with the Reichsautobahn, it was completely useless and only used by a handful of vehicles per day.

But yeah, the history marketing of German car manufacturers is still pretty terrible.

Because there are damn coins and you can no longer hold a spare item.  These two factors together have somewhat broken the balance, at least from my perspective.

I tend to race from the front and although I don't mind not being gifted great items, a modicum of protection for the fastest racer is appreciated.  I'm regularly in races where I go 2+ laps in first place with nothing but coins, that would be fine if those in second and third only got peels and green shells (i can respect a cleverly placed peel or well timed green shell deployment) but it seems now red shells are given away like candy.

Again this would be fine if it were somewhat random but I've been in series of races where it happens like clockwork race after race. You spend the first two laps building up a lead, getting little to nothing in the way of items, the game realises you are getting too far ahead and gifts second and third with red shells that are now pretty much undodgeable.  Assuming second and third place aren't completely crap, they will usually catch you and your only wish is that you don't get overrun by the rest of the field in the process.

It's not quite broken but i think it's worse than the blue shell spamming that occured in Mario Kart Wii.  At least there you had the ability to quick restart, strategise how to use the meagre items that you were given because at least you could see what you had in reserve. You had the choice of playing defensively (still not guaranteed) or you could actively attempt to disrupt your opponents behind you. Compared with now where you are simply racing hell for leather and crossing your fingers.

The balance seems to behave itself much better when there are relatively evenly matched opponents but since the game rarely does a good job of matching this is the exception rather than the rule.

I also dislike how "Regional" selection in Australia sees me racing against Europeans.  I'm happy enough to do this if there aren't enough Aussies online at any given time but the distance results in way too many items disappearing, missing their target, exploding without impact, finishing in second to find out i'm actually 4th, etc.

End of rant.  I'd mind less if I wasn't so addicted :)

"Other problems will be addressed"

R.I.P Fire Hopping? More traditional item distrubition? Better stat distribution? Star rank visible? Who knows what that could mean!

Nintendo QUALITY!!! Can't wait! The map implementation will be CRUCIAL!

What is this? Nintendo listening to the fans?
This update is a really good start, i hope they keep it up!

But... but... it's so useful!

OT: The retro Mercedes Benz' look awesome, the GLA is the only turd in the punch bowl for me.

Really? From what I've played so far, coins screwed me over once or maybe twice! 80% of the time I get a banana peel or a green shell that stops protects me from red shells and such! I guess I'm just lucky like that!

Why Mercedes Benz cars?

looks much better in motion and quite funny.. its free so whatever!! gimmey!!

lol my character selection rate is going to be literally 100% Shy Guy.

but yeah whether fire hopping gets patched or not is going to be really interesting. i wonder what's going to happen to the current TT world records? will they be deleted somehow? or will they remain and never be beaten because fire hopping is inaccessible?