MKWii wasn't really very good and additionally you wont be able to play it online anymore. MK8 has new tracks, more interesting tracks, new items, cart customization, underwater sections, gliding sections, antigrav, in addition to looking infinitely better and having a better soundtrack (live instrumentation). Also, you have the ability to choose what items you would like to use and the game has been rebalanced (the combo of those two things should fix most balance issues that MKwii was notorious for). Additionally, there is MKTV and the potentially more things that haven't been announced (such as the two weapons that we haven't seen in use and the Battle modes which haven't really been talked about yet)...

Basically, this is a pretty big step for MK (especially when looking at only console versions) and Mario Kart games have shown that there is demand, no matter how many people purchased the previous game.

By that logic why do people buy 99% of the games that come out?

There's a difference between picking it up because it looks good and the kind of extreme postivity on here and Neogaf.

So it's EA level extortion. Nintendo gets a free pass on that I guess?

Game will be great but it won't save this system imo.

le blasphemy XD. That really sucks given the insane amount they made off that game alone. Im no insider but the servers shouldnt cost a fortune. I guess its one way to force an upgrade

If I ever get a Wii U, I will certainly be picking this game up. I do like it. But I'm struggling to understand what's triggering this level of reaction. Did no one expect the graphics improvement?