Data science is being in ways to collect information and see how life can be improved by using that information. It has now reached video games and it is telling us which Mario Kart 8 character is the best. A data scientist is able to show that Wario is the best character in the game.
In the same study, the scientist also figures out what is the best combination for a vehicle in the game.
Wario Is The Best Mario Kart 8 Character
Video games in which players are able to choose different characters always create a debate as to which character is the best one to play with. Data scientists Henry Hinnefeld decided to settle the debate in Mario Kart 8 by finding out which character was the best one to play with. Hinnefeld found that each character had almost the same stats just allocated differently.
Hinnefeld used a concept called the Pareto efficiency. It is applied to situations in which there is a limited set of resources and multiple outcomes are determined by how those resources are used. All of these points are then graphed and it produces a curve on the graph called a Pareto frontier. It's impossible to increase one value without diminishing another value, acceleration may increase but speed may decrease.
When all of the characters and vehicle combinations are put into a graph, it shows that there is one character that reigns above all the others. Wario featured in 11 out of 15 best configurations in the game. Donkey kong came in second with 3 of the best configurations along with Baby Mario, Toad, and Peach.
Other Observations From The Study
Hinnefeld is able to show that Wario is the best character in the game but he also made some other discoveries in Mario Kart 8. The worst character in the game is Metal Mario and Pink Gold Peach. They make no appearances on the Pareto frontier meaning that picking Metal Mario could lower the chances of winning a race.
Hinnefeld also learned that the best vehicle in the game is the Biddybuggy. It can be found in 7 out of 15 best configurations in the game. Roller tires dominated the list of best configurations, they appeared on the list nine times. The other tires included Slick, Standard, and Wood.
Research also showed that heavy characters are more versatile than light characters. Wario is able to get to around 77 percent of max acceleration while Baby Mario can only reach up to 50 percent of the max speed.
