Jonesing to play Mario Kart 8 before its release? Want to shove your face 6 inches from the screen and find out for yourself if it truly is native 1080p? Well, GameStop can help you out. More than 2,700 stores nationwide will have a demo of Mario Kart 8 available for the playing this weekend, and the only cost to you is having to touch a communal GamePad. In other words, bring some hand sanitizer.
The demo will be available May 17-18, from noon to 4pm local time. The demo promises to be “action-packed,” per Nintendo’s description, and preordering while you’re at GameStop that day will net you a fancy two-sided Mario Kart 8 poster. I should have a review copy of the game soon, but I really, really want that poster. I guess I’ll have to pester my local GameStop personnel for one.
GameStop has posted a list of participating locations on its website, so definitely take a look if you want a piece of this early-access action. Its no surprise Nintendo wants people to try the game early; with the Wii U continuing to struggle, Mario Kart 8 is one of two or possibly three titles (Super Smash Bros and an eventual Zelda being the others) that have a chance to boost the console out of oblivion, making it more like a 3DS and less like a GameCube (or worse).
Regardless of what happens, it remains unlikely that 8 will ever outdo its Wii counterpart, which to date has sold 35.5 million copies. Even so, if Mario Kart 8 becomes the Wii U’s best selling title and shifts some substantial hardware in the process, I’m sure Nintendo will be more than satisfied.
[Via: MarketWatch]
