I dunno why I really feel the need to write this but I've been playing some Mario Kart 8 since ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and I gotta say I really don't like the ranking system... There's something about it that just puts be in a really bad mood.
In Mario Kart DS I'm basically at best a one star player, I've gotten a couple twos and threes at 50cc and maybe 100cc, but in 150cc+ even getting a star is tough for me. I've got no clue - and I don't want to know tbh - how the rankings are determined in MKDS, but it somehow or other actually cares about *how* you play, not just the place you finish in, you can get 1st place every lap and still get not even get a star, in MK7 and newer (I think? I don't remember how Wii ranks work) the ranking is based purely on what place you finish in each race, get 1st four times, get three stars. And stars are the only ranks, no F - A or whatever DS had.
I'm not really sure why but when I play DS if I'm in a casual mood then I don't even tend to care if I get 2nd once or twice, I just find it fun to play, but when I play 7 and newer even if I try not to care unless I'm playing with someone else I'll just quit the grand prix early if I don't get 1st every race. In DS its like so you got 2nd, who cares, who knows what the rank would be anyways. In MK8 if I get second I already know I've failed three stars while if I'd just played that little bit better I wouldn't have... Sure I may still get one or two stars, but I know exactly what I missed that prevented three stars and its just really demoralizing...
And since its relatively so easy to get the best rank if I do feel more like trying to get a better rank in DS I can usually get first every time so its worth playing the whole cup to see if I can improve, some cups I've still only got an A on so there's usually several opportunities to improve, in MK8 I've either already got the best rank, or I'm just a slightly above averge luck grand prix away, once you get four 1st's in a row you've done it, no need to try optimize your time. Sure other modes like time trials exist, but I've never into that, I play Mario Kart for the items and the chaos, not just to drive a loop three times, but I still like the rewarding feeling DS gives when you do well, in MK8 I just feel like I'm done, on to the next one. There's a reason I haven't come back to MK8 Deluxe after I three stared every course about a week after getting it while MKDS is still one of my favorite games to come back to, MKDS offers me a challenge that I can't overcome in a week by simply beating out the AI, when I play MKDS I feel I can still improve myself, and when I do it feels rewarding, In MK8 I just feel like I've already done all it wants.
Sorry about a random rant about Mario Kart 8
I don't mean to say and Mario Kart is bad, I find them all fun, but I just really miss the old ranking system and have been finding the new one not just less satisfying but to be stressing me out whenever I play MK8 so I just wanted to let that out I guess, I don't want to create an argument ;P
Also just gonna say I don't particularly enjoy online play all that much so sure that's a way to keep playing against difficult opponents, but its just not how I like to play it.
In Mario Kart DS I'm basically at best a one star player, I've gotten a couple twos and threes at 50cc and maybe 100cc, but in 150cc+ even getting a star is tough for me. I've got no clue - and I don't want to know tbh - how the rankings are determined in MKDS, but it somehow or other actually cares about *how* you play, not just the place you finish in, you can get 1st place every lap and still get not even get a star, in MK7 and newer (I think? I don't remember how Wii ranks work) the ranking is based purely on what place you finish in each race, get 1st four times, get three stars. And stars are the only ranks, no F - A or whatever DS had.
I'm not really sure why but when I play DS if I'm in a casual mood then I don't even tend to care if I get 2nd once or twice, I just find it fun to play, but when I play 7 and newer even if I try not to care unless I'm playing with someone else I'll just quit the grand prix early if I don't get 1st every race. In DS its like so you got 2nd, who cares, who knows what the rank would be anyways. In MK8 if I get second I already know I've failed three stars while if I'd just played that little bit better I wouldn't have... Sure I may still get one or two stars, but I know exactly what I missed that prevented three stars and its just really demoralizing...
And since its relatively so easy to get the best rank if I do feel more like trying to get a better rank in DS I can usually get first every time so its worth playing the whole cup to see if I can improve, some cups I've still only got an A on so there's usually several opportunities to improve, in MK8 I've either already got the best rank, or I'm just a slightly above averge luck grand prix away, once you get four 1st's in a row you've done it, no need to try optimize your time. Sure other modes like time trials exist, but I've never into that, I play Mario Kart for the items and the chaos, not just to drive a loop three times, but I still like the rewarding feeling DS gives when you do well, in MK8 I just feel like I'm done, on to the next one. There's a reason I haven't come back to MK8 Deluxe after I three stared every course about a week after getting it while MKDS is still one of my favorite games to come back to, MKDS offers me a challenge that I can't overcome in a week by simply beating out the AI, when I play MKDS I feel I can still improve myself, and when I do it feels rewarding, In MK8 I just feel like I've already done all it wants.
Sorry about a random rant about Mario Kart 8
I don't mean to say and Mario Kart is bad, I find them all fun, but I just really miss the old ranking system and have been finding the new one not just less satisfying but to be stressing me out whenever I play MK8 so I just wanted to let that out I guess, I don't want to create an argument ;P
Also just gonna say I don't particularly enjoy online play all that much so sure that's a way to keep playing against difficult opponents, but its just not how I like to play it.
