Mario Kart 8 With Ray Tracing Enabled Looks Fantastic
A new video of Mario Kart 8 with ray tracing enabled has surfaced from German modder Digital Dreams, giving the game a whole new level of polish.
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A new video of Mario Kart 8 with ray tracing enabled has surfaced today from German modder Digital Dreams. The modder is known for uploading videos of video games with enhanced, photorealistic graphics using the CEMU Emulator, a closed-source Wii U emulator. Many of these videos apply ray tracing to older games, which is a lighting technique that is newer within game development and one of the flagship features for the next generation of consoles.
With every new console generation, companies like Microsoft and Sony have put more emphasis on the graphical capabilities of their consoles, and this generation is no different. Ray tracing is often used as a vehicle for tech demos with these systems to showcase just how powerful they are. For Nintendo, however, the focus has been less on how powerful its consoles are, and more about the art direction. In some cases, this has paid off tremendously. First-party games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are truly breathtaking, but third-party games like Apex Legends are often hit with graphical downgrades simply because the Nintendo Switch is not as powerful.
The most recent video from Digital Dreams (via Wccftech) shows off what Mario Kart 8 would look like if it had ray tracing, and the result is stunning. The video takes viewers through a multitude of Mario Kart locales. Each and every one has its own style that utilizes the ray tracing quite well. A remarkable example of the benefits of ray tracing can be found in the first level on display, Neo Bowser City. The rain effects illuminate a layer of depth and reflection to the racetrack with the added ray tracing. The mirage of lights also mesh together better when compared to the graphics in the original game. It not only complements Nintendo’s signature art style with Mario titles, but it makes each and every color pop from the neon lights to the collectable coins that also display glints of reflecting lights. Other notable graphical improvements include the lighting effects when dashing through the cave on Wario’s Gold Mine, and the water reflections in the water slide section of Big Blue.
Watch the Mario Kart 8 footage with ray tracing on YouTube here.
A new Switch model is being released in a little over a week, but it doesn’t seem like Nintendo has any intention on utilizing stronger hardware to bring out the graphics on display in the video. While disappointing, Nintendo’s mantra has never been one about graphical fidelity. The nicer graphics are a visual treat to look at, but Nintendo’s games have always had a greater emphasis on gameplay.
In the meantime, players will have to rely on the community to bring out the features Nintendo may seem reluctant to focus on. For years, communities surrounding Nintendo products have treaded where the company refuses by making fan projects, like Super Mario Galaxy being ported to the 3DS, and there is certainly no short supply of Nintendo games being emulated with enhanced visuals. Check out the video to see some stellar Mario Kart 8 visuals in action.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/mario-kart-8-ray-tracing-fantastic/