A press embargo lifted today on some recent hands-on sessions that international media had with Nintendo's upcoming Mario Kart 8, bringing along with it a new official trailer for the popular kart racing series' first foray into high definition. Here's a few bits from around the web:

Eurogamer:

Mario Kart 8 will feature at least two new weapons, including the Piranha Plant item from last year's Super Mario 3D World. The portable pot plant reappears here to gobble up passers-by, while Mario's Boomerang Flower power-up is included for the first time as a three-shot weapon with homing abilities, able to pick off anyone in a large radius. Finally, you can also now earn coins from item boxes - these work in the usual way, with up to 10 to collect in a race.

Destructoid:

The graphics are crisp, detailed, and very dense in design, and not to mention this game runs at a rock solid 60FPS and at 720p -- which not only benefits the gameplay, but also the visuals. While they are a wonder to look at, there were times the visuals felt a bit too busy and got distracting. Not too often, but there were moments where they might've went a bit overboard with the bloom and flashing lights. With that said, it still looks stunning in motion, and these screenshots don't do this title justice.

Game Informer:

The pro controller worked well (as expected), but I was surprised by how improved the Wii remote option is over the last series entry. I felt more in control than I remember with Mario Kart Wii. I'd still rather play with a traditional input scheme, but steering with remote seemed improved.

Mario Kart 8 is due exclusive to Wii U on May 31st in Australia. Check out the new video below.