An interesting interview has been published with Mario Kart 8 producer Konno and director Yabuki. The team shared that development of the game started roughly one year ago and that it’s only being developed by EAD Kyoto, so there’s no external team helping out as there was for Mario Kart 7. Here’s a few choice excerpts from the interview.

MK8 development began just more than a year
ago.

No others studio involved, 100% EAD Kyoto.

About the Gamepad use: ”Our priority is to provide the remote display on the GamePad only. We have other ideas, but that’s all we can tell you for now.”

Why no F-Zero instead ?: ”H. Konno: It has always been a Mario Kart per console, so we wanted to get a new one to have more people interested by our new system. But I also hope that there will be an F-Zero.

About tracks size: ”In Mario Kart 8 tracks have also been narrowed compared to Mario Kart Wii and reflects more the size of the road. “

About customization: ” Like Mario Kart 7 (but) with a little more choice”

No editor even if they talk about it.

About a Double Dash mode using the Gamepad: ”H. Konno: For Mario Kart Wii, 7 and 8, we decided not to use it. But this is a request that is often heard, so maybe we can meet this desire.

Nothing new here. =/

MK8 development starting only one year ago is new. It was a mistake to me. It would have helped Wii U a lot this end of year. Now Wii U has no killer app for the end of the year

Also

"No others studio involved, 100% EAD Kyoto."

LOL at people who thought Nintendo was going to outsource his biggest licence to a SEGA developer doing the average sonic racer.

I hope they add the double dash.

So again, nothing new.. Nintendo is killing the franchise. It is true that it's always fun to play MKs, but we're still playing MK7 on 3DS, so why bother ?

Where is the new stuff? Double Dash coming back would be sweet though...

Double-dash sucked, and I'm glad they're not going back to that well again.

No Double Dash bullshit, please.



Glad to hear that F-Zero comment though.

Lucas-Rio said: MK8 development starting only one year ago is new. It was a mistake to me. It would have helped Wii U a lot this end of year. Now Wii U has no killer app for the end of the year Also "No others studio involved, 100% EAD Kyoto." LOL at people who thought Nintendo was going to outsource his biggest licence to a SEGA developer doing the average sonic racer.

Didnt nintendo have retro studios develop some of MK7 though?

Lucas-Rio said: MK8 development starting only one year ago is new. It was a mistake to me. It would have helped Wii U a lot this end of year. Now Wii U has no killer app for the end of the year

Can't really say that's new information as it was pretty obvious that they had been working on the game for some time, otherwise it wouldn't have been playable or perhaps even shown at E3. MK8 will help the Wii U when it's released regardless of how soon or late it comes out, so I don't really see the mistake here. I'd rather they take their time with the game to make sure it truely is the overall best game in the series, especially since they already rushed MK7 out of the gate, and although that game was spectacular, it could have easily been so much more.

Also, I don't think they don't need a single killer app, but a collection of great games, as I don't think many people actually buy a system solely for one game and one game alone. A particular game may be the biggest reason for getting X system, but without other games on X system, it still may not look very appealing or be of good value. That's just speculation/assumptions on my part though. But anywho, SM3DW, DKC:TP, Pikmin 3, WWHD, Wii Fit U, etc., will be that collection of games that increases the value of the Wii U. I'll also note that it's important to have a steady stream of games flowing. You don't want to release all your guns at once, less you have droughts like the one the Wii U endured, and we all saw how well that went for it.