Mario Kart 8 an Instant Success

Nintendo has an instant hit on their hands, and I’m pretty sure they – and everyone else for that matter – knew it before the game even launched.  Opening weekend sales topped 1.2 million units.  These numbers should not really be that surprising.  After all, not only was Mario Kart 8 one of the most anticipated games of this generation, but there was also that amazing Club Nintendo promotion which gave those who registered Mario Kart 8 a free copy of another popular, Nintendo title.  These titles varied by geographical location, but they all made purchasing Mario Kart 8 even more worth it.

In their press release, Nintendo also identified Mario Kart 8 as the 14th Wii U title to receive an 85/100 or better on Metacritic.  This information should put to bed the belief that the Wii U does not have quality titles.  Said Reggie, COO of Nintendo of America: “This year’s E3 is just days away, and it will be all about the future games for Nintendo platforms.  This milestone is a great place to start!”  

Great sales for Mario Kart 8 is not only good for Nintendo, but for fans as well.  Don’t be surprised if this E3 turns out to be one of the strongest Nintendo has ever had.  Expect big announcements for Nintendo’s most popular franchises.

Perhaps the third party developers can be wooed back to the Wii U; as long as Nintendo continues to release instant successes such as this, the question of if developers will return can also be forever forgotten.  For now, Nintendo needs to take the momentum earned from Mario Kart and use it to push more quality titles in the months ahead.