Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Wii U)

Easily the best Mario kart, and one of the best reasons for having a Wii u. The online racing is a blast, with very minimal loading and zero lag. You'll read everywhere that the graphics are stunning, but screenshots will never do the game justice so it needs to be seen in action, or better yet, in slow motion, rewinding and watching that turtle shell impact is amazing in slo-mo. The controls, the music, the course design all blend to make a game that will continue to be played for years to come.

Mario Kart 8 is one of those core games you must own for the Wii U. In fact, the Wii U is a great alternative to Xbox, PS4, etc for kids with parents actually concerned about the types of video games children have access to and play at such an early age. True, you can still get get some of those games for the Wii U but certain Nintendo exclusives such as Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, and late 2014 - Super Smash Bros are the key games to own and your child will love them. They offer great graphics & game play and parents won't have to worry about desensitizing their child to violence