Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled vs Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

[DaHeckIzDat]

I picked up CTR: Nitro Fueled for PS4 on Black Friday, but I wasn't too impressed with it. For one thing, it was too difficult. I enjoy a challenge (Dark Souls nut, remember?) but this didn't feel challenging, it felt cheap. When I'm struggling to come in at seventh place in the first race of the game, you know the developers screwed up somehow. I looked into it, and it seems a lot of people actually like the difficulty, and I guess I can see why. But for me, if I lose a game, I want it to feel like its because I did something wrong. Not because the computer has an unfair advantage. (Same reason I didn't enjoy Darkest Dungeon, now that I think of it)

So I resold it and picked up Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Switch, and let me tell you, the difference is night and day. It's easier, yes, but not a cakewalk. I still have to fight for every win, but I also don't feel like making a single mistake will cost me the whole race. Plus the tracks feel better designed for a smooth race, while CTR is more chaotic. Drifting feels a lot better too.

So what about you guys? Any thoughts? Which do you prefer and why?

[Robotrek]

CTR NF was EXCELLENT fan service for those of us who love the original. I feel like that's why it's so difficult, it's more for people who adored the originals than for newbies. It's not that the computer is cheap (it's generally not items that knock you back to 7th place), it IS that you're bad at it. It CAN be tough for newbies in a way that I feel like warrants a better adjusted difficulty for starters, however. But if you have foreknowledge of the tracks and a good understanding of the boost mechanics, it shouldn't be THAT bad. It's not like a game like say, Mario Kart 64, where you can be MILED ahead for a moment and then by the end of the last lap you've got a computer kart breathing down your neck.

As far as MK8 goes, it's a solid experience, but I prefer the simplicity of CTR's course designs more.

[DaHeckIzDat]

(it's generally not items that knock you back to 7th place)

Actually, that's exactly what was happening to me. If I ever managed to get anywhere near the front of the pack, I'd suddenly start getting hit by so many attacks that I couldn't recover from the last one before the next one came.

[Voor]

Good timing. We have just about work out MK8D, and I was thinking of another racer, and I came across CTR. My plan is to rent it to see how much I (and the kids) enjoy it.

[DaHeckIzDat]

Good timing. We have just about work out MK8D, and I was thinking of another racer, and I came across CTR. My plan is to rent it to see how much I (and the kids) enjoy it.

For playing against your family in split screen, you'll probably have a good time. Depending on how young your kids are, though, single player might aggravate them.

[ThePixelatedGenocide]

CTR NF was EXCELLENT fan service for those of us who love the original. I feel like that's why it's so difficult, it's more for people who adored the originals than for newbies. It's not that the computer is cheap (it's generally not items that knock you back to 7th place), it IS that you're bad at it. It CAN be tough for newbies in a way that I feel like warrants a better adjusted difficulty for starters, however. But if you have foreknowledge of the tracks and a good understanding of the boost mechanics, it shouldn't be THAT bad. It's not like a game like say, Mario Kart 64, where you can be MILED ahead for a moment and then by the end of the last lap you've got a computer kart breathing down your neck.

As far as MK8 goes, it's a solid experience, but I prefer the simplicity of CTR's course designs more.

I enjoy CTR...the original. Never played the remake. But I can assure you that the first few tracks weren't any kind of a challenge. And that I wasn't worried about maximizing any boosting chains.

I don't have patience for that modern nonsense. It's an artificial difficulty mechanic that turns a perfectly good racing game into a glorified rhythm game instead.

I'd much prefer the developer take the time to learn the art of level design, instead of pandering to the egos of amateur speed-runners. At least when it comes to games that are marketing themselves to a wider audience, and counting on the money of people who won't actually get anything out of the experience.

I may enjoy sadomasochistic experiences like Ghouls N' Ghosts, but that series never pretended to be anything other than what it is.

[MSR1701]

MK8D, no contest. Mario games always have that nice sweet-spot of nostalgia even causal gamers can appreciate.

That, and I don't think CTR:NF has the MK8 equivalent of Link holding the Triforce over his head as he sails over a pit, only to suddenly be hit by a Lightning Bolt and dropped into said pit... And yes, that did happen to me, and it was HILARIOUS...