Poll of the Day > I hate items in Mario Kart so much

(+) Yeah! (+)

They make me a sad panda... T_T
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They're designed to make shitty people think they're good.

The game as a whole is a big fuck you in so many ways.

My friends and I seriously wish you could pick each and every item like smash. Get rid of blue shell, thunder, and edit how often they appear
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The items are part of the fun. Winning isn't everything.
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We dont think blue shell and thunder are fun.
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Golden Road posted...

Winning isn't everything.

It's the only thing!
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They can be annoying but I don't think I'd enjoy Mario Kart without them. The idea that you pretty much always have a chance is part of the fun. If there were no items I might as well play a realistic racing game at that point.

Blue shell is kind of annoying, especially in more recent games when it's stupidly hard to avoid. I don't really mind the lightning too much because it at least fucks the leaders over equally. It was really unfair sometimes in MK64 (like if you got caught over a jump), but I think in more recent games they made that kind of thing more forgiving.

The Bullet Bill is the most bullshit though. At least make the players have to put some effort into catching up. Were stars and golden mushrooms not enough?

I heard someone describe Mario Kart, especially the newest one, in a pretty accurate way.

"Mario Kart is a game that punishes skill."
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items are what make it fun. (even though blue shell hurts me more than it helps...)

regular racers are boring. i would buy fatal inertia for ps4 if they rereleased/remastered it.

(hovercraft racer with various weapons. vehicle damage slowed you down)
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That's why I only play the racing mode.
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That's why I like F-Zero
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That's why I just stay in not first place until as late in the race as possible.
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Zeus posted...

Golden Road posted...

Winning isn't everything.

It's the only thing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPZ3JX6M7Y4" data-time="
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Krazy_Kirby posted...

regular racers are boring. i would buy fatal inertia for ps4 if they rereleased/remastered it.

(hovercraft racer with various weapons. vehicle damage slowed you down)

The Wipeout collection is awesome if you haven't played that. But yeah, a Fatal Inertia remaster would be very welcome.
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As someone who is normally in the lead for most of the race, items don't really bother me.

Green and red shells shouldn't really ever hit you because you should be keeping a banana or shell on your tail to stop them from hitting you.

Blue shells can be avoided by paying attention to the items people have and dropping into second if it's fairly close when someone gets them. If you can't drop into second, you're probably far enough ahead that it doesn't matter. And if it does, if you have a boost, you can dodge it. If your good enough, you can also use the boost pads, or at the very least use them to pick up speed after so that it barely slows you down. You can also go off the edge if there is one before it hits you because it slows you down significantly less, especially if you get the boost.

Lightning is probably the worst thing that can happen, but still isn't even all that bad unless it hits you while you're jumping over a void.

Anything else shouldn't really be affecting you while your in first unless it's a really close race. Stars, bullet bills and some others shouldn't even be near you. You should be able to avoid any bananas unless the guy directly behind you is really good at throwing them, in which case, if you can't return the favor, he's simply better than you. Same goes for fake item boxes. And most other things aren't even a problem if you're keeping your shell/banana behind you like you should be.
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My only issue with items is computer players should never get blue shells.
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Chewster posted...

They can be annoying but I don't think I'd enjoy Mario Kart without them. The idea that you pretty much always have a chance is part of the fun. If there were no items I might as well play a realistic racing game at that point.

Blue shell is kind of annoying, especially in more recent games when it's stupidly hard to avoid. I don't really mind the lightning too much because it at least fucks the leaders over equally. It was really unfair sometimes in MK64 (like if you got caught over a jump), but I think in more recent games they made that kind of thing more forgiving.

The Bullet Bill is the most bullshit though. At least make the players have to put some effort into catching up. Were stars and golden mushrooms not enough?

I agree with the first part so much. I tell people that, too. Play a realistic racing game if you don't like the items. They make the game what it is. The items are what makes it fun. I don't think I'd play the games with out 'em. But honestly, I feel the same about smash, too.

AllstarSniper32 posted...

That's why I just stay in not first place until as late in the race as possible.

I did this playing it at school with friends. It did work well...
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Call it humblebrags or whatever you will, but I'd say that about 25% of the time a Blue Shell hits me, I'm so far ahead that I still maintain first place. There's a trick where you purposely fall off the edge and time it so that the Shell follows you down but blows up as Lakitu grabs you, which is faster and less coins than recovering from an explosion. It helps substantially in keeping a lead.

I view a Mario Kart without the items the same way I view Super Smash Bros. without the items or any stages outside of Final Destination: BOOOOOOOOORIIIIIING! I didn't pick up a fighting game filled with zany Nintendo characters to make it as close to a run-of-the-mill fighter as I possibly can and I certainly didn't buy a racing game with Mario characters to have safe and sane races.

@Golden_Road got it right: winning isn't everything. Those items played a huge part in my enjoyment of the games and creating memorable stories that my friends, family and I still bring up today. The series just wouldn't be as fun to play without them.

Besides, you ever watched someone's evil grin disappear when you destroy their Blue Shell with a Super Horn? Feels good, man.

GanglyKhan posted...

Call it humblebrags or whatever you will, but I'd say that about 25% of the time a Blue Shell hits me, I'm so far ahead that I still maintain first place.

bro that's just bragging
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Chewster posted...

I don't really mind the lightning too much because it at least f***s the leaders over equally.

Not if the person using it knows what they are doing (90% don't however). Best times to use it are when a bunch of people ahead are over a pit, right after the folks ahead pass some item boxes so you don't have to worry about surprise red shells, or when you coming up to some item boxes so you can immediately get another power item. If I get lightning on the third lap and I don't finish in at least 4th, something went wrong.

EnvyFox posted...

I view Super Smash Bros. without the items or any stages outside of Final Destination: BOOOOOOOOORIIIIIING! I didn't pick up a fighting game filled with zany Nintendo characters to make it as close to a run-of-the-mill fighter as I possibly can

This opinion has always been awful and based in genuine ignorance of fighting games. Even without the items and without the crazier stages, Smash Bros is still extremely different on a fundamental level from other fighters. Air dodges, dodge rolls, shields, 4-way throws, percentages, playing under the stage, screen knock outs, multiple stocks. All of these are something you won't find in Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. Smash is still fun and unique as a fighter even without all of the items.

GanglyKhan posted...

EnvyFox posted...

I view Super Smash Bros. without the items or any stages outside of Final Destination: BOOOOOOOOORIIIIIING! I didn't pick up a fighting game filled with zany Nintendo characters to make it as close to a run-of-the-mill fighter as I possibly can

This opinion has always been awful and based in genuine ignorance of fighting games. Even without the items and without the crazier stages, Smash Bros is still extremely different on a fundamental level from other fighters. Air dodges, dodge rolls, shields, 4-way throws, percentages, playing under the stage, screen knock outs, multiple stocks. All of these are something you won't find in Mortal Kombat or Street Fighter. Smash is still fun and unique as a fighter even without all of the items.

It still looks boring. And it's boring to play, too. At least for me and all my friends. I 100% agree with @EnvyFox on this one. And I'm so glad I found someone who agrees with me. I don'tthose other games as much because they're not fun. I love smash with all the items. Without items, it just one person dies, then the other, and back and forth like that till the match is over. Items change everything, though. I'm not on Smash for competitiveness. I play it to have fun. And the items make it so much better. And while I don't mind final destination much, it's the bottom of the stages I'll pick. I like moving or changing stages. It can help, or totally mess up everything. I like both Smash and Mario Kart because of the crazy mess that can happen. And nothing is actually over until it's over.
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blorfenburger posted...

My friends and I seriously wish you could pick each and every item like smash. Get rid of blue shell, thunder, and edit how often they appear

This would actually be really awesome.

You could make an only-mushroom race or only green shells.

Or you could, one time only (and likely when you are drunk), do nothing but blue shells.
.
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LinkPizza posted...

It still looks boring. And it's boring to play, too.

That's probably due to you not knowing what's really going on in a match. Knowing character match-ups, move properties, what sort of mindgames and set-ups are being done, it all adds greatly to the depth of a game. Much more exciting and interesting than "Oh, he got The Daybreak and won!" Items look flashier, but they won't ever hold a candle to watching a Pac-Man player in high level tournaments once you realize how skilled and nuanced that gameplay is. I'm not assuming about you when I say this, nor am I claiming that this is your case, but I find that most people who turn down the competitive scene as something viable are usually bad at the game and feel too inadequate to bother understanding the difference in skill levels involved. People can make the argument that items and stage hazards take skill, and they do, but it ultimately takes away from the point of competition and that's "how well do my personal skills and abilities stand out alone without outside advantage?"

Edit: I should also mention that I've played both styles over the years. Melee was usually 50/50, Brawl almost always had items on, and Smash 4 I usually play without items.

Sephiroth C Ryu posted...

blorfenburger posted...

My friends and I seriously wish you could pick each and every item like smash. Get rid of blue shell, thunder, and edit how often they appear

This would actually be really awesome.

You could make an only-mushroom race or only green shells.

Or you could, one time only (and likely when you are drunk), do nothing but blue shells.
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I do like the aspect of only having certain items. That part seems fun. The off completely seems pointless...

GanglyKhan posted...

LinkPizza posted...

It still looks boring. And it's boring to play, too.

That's probably due to you not knowing what's really going on in a match. Knowing character match-ups, move properties, what sort of mindgames and set-ups are being done, it all adds greatly to the depth of a game. Much more exciting and interesting than "Oh, he got The Daybreak and won!" Items look flashier, but they won't ever hold a candle to watching a Pac-Man player in high level tournaments once you realize how skilled and nuanced that gameplay is. I'm not assuming about you when I say this, nor am I claiming that this is your case, but I find that most people who turn down the competitive scene as something viable are usually bad at the game and feel too inadequate to bother understanding the difference in skill levels involved. People can make the argument that items and stage hazards take skill, and they do, but it ultimately takes away from the point of competition and that's "how well do my personal skills and abilities stand out alone without outside advantage?"

Edit: I should also mention that I've played both styles over the years. Melee was usually 50/50, Brawl almost always had items on, and Smash 4 I usually play without items.

I know what's going on. My brther of friends that did that would explain. But it was still
Boring to not only watch, but play. Especially since whoever I was watching would basically play the same way almost. It was like watching a rerun. And I've played and grow bored before the first match is over. Whether I'm winning or losing. The reason I don't play competitive is because they don't play with items or other stages, AFAIK. I don't care about winning or losing, though. I just feel that it's more fun. I just like that anything can happen. And usually doesn't. It's not about how good I am, either. TBH, around most of my friends and family(save for a few), I usually better than them. As for winning or losing, I've played lots of games online. And win and lose all the time. And sometimes, a game where I lost can be more fun. I could play a game of smash with items on crazy course, lose every game and still have more fun the playing on final destination with no items. But that's me. That's usually why I don't play online with random people as much. Just friends and family online or in person.
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Eh, I can play Smash without items, but I'd rather have them on, it's not like I play in any serious competitions. Some items are so annoying though that I almost always have them off. And I don't think "git gud" is really fair to say considering that competitive players use techniques that sometimes require frame-perfect precision, and weren't really even intended by the developers. It would be pointless for me to try to learn stuff like that, because I have no use for it against my friends in our casual games. And I don't think I'd enjoy playing against a serious competitor, since they're going to be way out of my league, even if I do understand their advanced techniques.

Mario Kart without items sounds boring though. If you fall behind early you don't have much chance of catching up. The courses are too short and without hazards from items, people won't make a lot of mistakes that give others a chance to catch up. More realistic racing games tend to have longer races and certain areas where you can make up a huge amount of ground.

The item spam doesn't seem too bad in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. But in vanilla 8, 7, and especially Wii? Holy hell some races make you wanna just put the controller down from how long you'll be stuck in place from being bombarded with items.
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Vanilla 8 has more item spam than Deluxe? I never played it much, so I'm not saying you're wrong, but that seems weird to me considering Deluxe lets you carry two at a time.

It's strange, but yeah I feel like the races have been more fair in Deluxe when I was 3 starring everything. There's still BS of course but I don't feel as afraid to maintain 1st place now. It could just be my experience, though.
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You could just turn the items off...
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Mario_VS_DK posted...

Green and red shells shouldn't really ever hit you because you should be keeping a banana or shell on your tail to stop them from hitting you.

But when I get 14 coin items in a row then what?
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Final Fantasy2389 posted...

Mario_VS_DK posted...

Green and red shells shouldn't really ever hit you because you should be keeping a banana or shell on your tail to stop them from hitting you.

But when I get 14 coin items in a row then what?

Then you hold onto the coins until the next item box, just in case you get hit. That way, you can replenish almost immediately.

Why does everyone else get Bullet Bills when they're last and I get 3 fucking mushrooms? I'm now a salty as fuck Panda. Well actually I was a salty as fuck Panda like 15 races ago but that isn't the point. The point is that items aren't fun when you get chained by 3 of them and go from second to second last and then you only get mushrooms.

Mario Kart isn't fun online... T_T
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Why would you want a bullet bill? Depending on the course and how good you are (or were, I heard Deluxe took out firehopping), it's actually faster NOT to use them because they're garbage at turns.

demonfang178 posted...

Why would you want a bullet bill? Depending on the course and how good you are (or were, I heard Deluxe took out firehopping), it's actually faster NOT to use them because they're garbage at turns.

It's better than mushrooms 90% of the time. It provides invincibility and a way to harm opponents as well as being a speed boost. You also can't get stolen by a boo when using it. Hell, I had my Golden Mushroom stolen while I was using it. Why is that even a thing?
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There are ways to counter the items though. Like if you're in first keep bananas and green shells to defend against red shells. It is annoying though when the game decides to give the last place player like 3 lightning bolts or 5 stars in a row

Chewster posted...

If there were no items I might as well play a realistic racing game at that point.

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Bullet Bill is OK, I guess. Not as much fun to use as the star or lightning, though.
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When I played with friends at school, i tended to stay in last place. And in the last lap, I'd get a star and zip past everyone to get first in every race...
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