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If ever there was a console in dire need of a system-seller it's the Nintendo Wii U. Fortunately for Ninty, two such titles just so happen to be racing over the horizon. The latter of which, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, looks set to float like a Butterfree and sting like a Beedrill when it releases sometime this Winter, while the former, Mario Kart 8, will be with us at the tanooki tail end of May.
Ahead of the game's impending release, rumors have been revving up over the possibility of a Kart-centric Wii U bundle. Today the vast majority of these tall tales were laid to rest, courtesy of an official confirmation from Nintendo. The Mario Kart 8 Premium Pack: Special Edition may sound like a bit of a mouthful — enough certainly to muss up Mario's moustache — but the premise is actually quite simple.
The set is available in two flavors: the first is a retail bundle featuring a 32GB Black Wii U and copy of the game; the second is a slightly more expensive Nintendo Store exclusive that includes a Mario/Luigi branded Wii Remote and wheel, a corresponding GamePad protector, a hat, and a Mario Kart 8 strategy guide. These packages are set to appear at £249.99 and £300, respectively. Given some of the additions made in the latter pack — namely the Mario/Luigi hat, wheel, Prima guide and GamePad protector, the set is likely to prove popular with longtime fans and Wii U holdouts alike.
The Big N also unveiled two new special edition Wii Remotes designed after Princess Peach and Yoshi. While neither of these controllers or the Premium Packs themselves have been officially announced for North American release, expect Nintendo to follow up its UK reveal with a similar deal for stateside players.
Is the Mario Kart 8 Premium pack enough to kick start the ailing Wii U? What kind of goodies should US gamers expect from a comparable announcement? Let us know in the comments below!
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Mario Kart 8 will appear in stores and online — via the Nintendo eShop - on May 30, 2014. The game is currently exclusive to the Wii U.
Follow Sam on Twitter @GamingGoo.