Mario Kart Info for a Mario Kart 8 newbie

[SilverOwl]

So i never had a wii u, but i have preordered mario kart 8 deluxe and it comes out in 8 days. And i was wondering if anybody had any pointers for me. I did play MK7 on my old 3ds so i know the general mechanics or the series. Does mk8 have like some sort of speed boost or sliding?
I have been reading and saw that the different karts and wheels?? have different properties, so what are some of those that you would recommend.
What are some of your guys fav tracks that i should try out first?
Do you guys have any random info that would be useful for me? im all ears, let me know, thanks.

 

[Wariomovie]

MK8 plays pretty much identically to MK7, but with a few changes. First off, you have purple drift now, which is just a more powerful version of the drift that takes longer to charge. Second, you have 200cc mode, which makes the kart significantly faster and requires the use of well-timed braking. Other than that, you should be good to go.

 

[Bagel]

Although purple drift is powerful, its not really practical, mainly in online. Your better off with Blue drift tbh. Also, A lot more bikes are competitive play viable, if you're into competitive.