Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

This article is about the Port of Mario Kart 8 (aka Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) released for the Switch. For the original version released for the Wii U, see Mario Kart 8.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The box art of the North American release.
Information
Developer(s)	Nintendo EAD Namco Bandai Games
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo Switch
Released	April 28, 2017 December 15, 2017 March 16, 2020
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player Multiplayer Online Play
Ratings	ESRB: - Everyone PEGI: - 3 years and older CERO: - All ages ACB: -General USK: - All ages DEJUS: - General audience

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (stylized in all caps and abbreviated to MK8DX or MK8D) is a Mario Kart racing game exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. It's an enhanced reboot of the original Mario Kart 8 game released exclusively for Wii U systems. A few short months after it's announcement on January 13th, 2017, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released worldwide on April 28, 2017. It was released in South Korea on December 15th, due to the Nintendo Switch being released on December 1st there. Additional paid downloadable content going by the name of the Booster Course Pass is available for this game.

E-Shop Description:
Whether you’re racing your family in your living room, playing in the park, or visiting a friend’s place, Nintendo Switch lets you play Mario Kart any way you like!

Up to eight players can connect for local multiplayer fun and up to four players can enjoy split-screen multiplayer! You can also challenge racers from around the world! Up to 12 players can take part in online races, and two local players can even play online together from the same Nintendo Switch.

Contents:
Gameplay
Controls
Racers
Vehicle Parts
Statistics
Courses
Battle Courses
Items
Amiibo
Toy-Con
Differences compared to MK8
Media
Updates
Trivia!
Reception

What's New?

Below is a brief summary of changes between Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Better Battles

Battle Mode has been expanded in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! 4 new modes: Shine Thief, Renegade Roundup, Coin Runners, and Bob-omb Blast have been added, as well as 5 new and 3 returning Battle Courses.

New and Returning Characters

This game includes the Inklings (Inkling Boy/Girl, each available in 3 unique color costumes) as new playable characters along with 3 returning characters from previous games: Dry Bones, King Boo, Bowser Jr.

Returning Items

The Boo and Feather items return from Super Mario Kart. The Feather is exclusive to Battle Mode, whereas the Boo will also appear in races. This marks the Feather's first appearance in a 3D Mario Kart game.

Booster Course Pass DLC

The Booster Course Pass DLC (first released on March 18, 2022) brings a total of 48 returning Tracks and 8 returning characters, all released by November 9, 2023.

Custom Items

As of Version 2.2.0, you can now customize exactly which items appear in a VS Race or Battle. Certain item combinations have unique interactions, so experiment with each one!

Half-Pipes Return

As of Version 2.2.0, Half-Pipes return from Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart Tour in select DLC courses, such as Wii Maple Treeway and GCN DK Mountain. These now take the appearance of Anti-gravity panels.

Music Player

As of Version 3.0.0, you can now play the music from all 96 Courses (even if you don't own the Booster Course Pass DLC) and 8 Battle Tracks straight from the main menu!

Gameplay

Main Article: Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features similar gameplay to Mario Kart 8, but new features have been added, including new options for starters, such as Auto-Accelerate and Smart Steering, Ultra Mini-Turbos (purple Mini-Turbos which happen after Super Mini-Turbos), two Item slots, as well as the reintroduction of Double Item Boxes, new characters, and a revamped Battle Mode, using the original battle stages whilst adding returning and new game modes.

Game Modes

Grand Prix

In Grand Prix mode, twelve racers compete for first place in one of 24 cups (comprised of four races each). Racers are awarded with points based on their placements at the end of races, and the racer with the most points at the end wins.

Point System
Finishing Place	Points Received
1st	15
2nd	12
3rd	10
4th	9
5th	8
6th	7
7th	6
8th	5
9th	4
10th	3
11th	2
12th	1

Engine Classes

There are 5 selectable Engine Classes:

50cc
Slow, Low-Speed fun for everyone.

100cc
Moderately Fast.

150cc
High-Speed thrills.*

Mirror
Mirror-Image Courses (150cc).

200cc
Super Fast - Breaking is crucial.*

• Available in Time Trials

Upon Completing a Grand Prix, you will receive a trophy for that cup if you placed in top 3 overall. You may also receive a star rating, based on how well you did:

Grand Prix Star System
⭐️	⭐️⭐️	⭐️⭐️⭐️
54-55 Points	57 Points	60 Points

Time Trials

Time trials allow players to race for the best time possible, either on their own or against a ghost. This mode is exclusive to single player.

For this game's staff ghosts, see Staff Ghosts.

VS Race

VS. Race allows racers to race with their own custom rules. It's not restricted to a specific cup, so racers can pick any course (if enabled). VS. Race can be played alone with up to four people locally at one time. It cannot be played online, however, tournaments fill a similar role. (Note: VS. Races will NOT count towards the progression of your cups in Grand Prix).

Vs Race Options
Setting	Options	Default
Engine Class	See Engine Classes	100cc
Teams	Teams, No Teams	No Teams
Items	Default, Frantic, [Specific Item only], None.	Default
CPU	Easy, Normal, Hard	Normal
CPU Vehicles	All, Karts, Bikes	Karts
Courses	In Order, Choose, Random	In order
Races	4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, 36, 48	48

Battle

One of the biggest changes of the game is the revamped Battle Mode (and the consequential scrapping of Mario Kart 8 battle courses as 8DX returns to traditional arena-based battles). A notable new feature in MK8DX is also an indicator which tells you exactly which character recently hit whom (this appears on the bottom of the screen).

Five different Battle Modes are present in the game and are listed in the following:

Balloon Battle

The classic mode where players use items to pop opponents' balloons or steal them in order to score points. This time, everyone starts with 5 balloons (2 more than the original 3). Returning from Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 is the ability to respawn after all balloons are popped. After respawning, a player's total score will halve and the player respawns with three balloons instead of five.

Bob-Omb Blast

A returning mode from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, in which players attack one another using Bob-ombs to score points. In this mode, players can carry up to 10 Bob-ombs. In Bob-Omb Blast, unlike in normal modes, Bob-ombs detonate as soon as you drop them.

Coin Runners

Originating in Mario Kart Wii, players must collect Coins that are scattered across the course; the player with the most at the end wins. Players lose coins when they get hit by items from opposing players. Note: Any coin collected after the 10th in each round will not count towards the progression of Kart Parts.

Renegade Roundup

A new mode inspired by cops and robbers. Racers are divided into 2 teams: The Authorities, which have a permanent Piranha Plant item, with the objective of capturing the opposing team (The Renegades). If The Authorities are able to capture all the Renegades before the time runs out, they win, otherwise the Renegades win. Renegades captured by Authorities will be locked in cells floating around the course, and uncaptured Renegades can free them by hitting the key button below each cell. When released, Renegades will gain a brief period of invincibility.

Shine Thief

Another returning mode from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Players compete to retrieve the Shine Sprite and keep hold of it for about 20 in-game seconds, while opponents have to use items against whoever has the Shine, as you drop the shine when you are hit.

When played locally, Battle Mode has customizable options:

Battle Options
Setting	Options	Default
Battle Mode	See Above	Renegade Roundup
Teams	Teams, No Teams	Teams
Time Limit	1 Minute, 2 Minutes, 3 Minutes, 4 Minutes, 5 Minutes	3 Minutes
Items	Custom, Default, Frantic, None (Coin Runners only)	Custom
CPU	Easy, Normal, Hard, Off (Cannot turn off CPU in single player)	Normal
CPU Vehicles	All, Karts, Bikes	Bikes
Courses	In Order, Choose, Random	Choose
Rounds	4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, 36, 48	8

Online

Players can race and battle online with players around the world as long as they own Nintendo Switch Online. At the end of a race, players earn or lose VR (a continuous ranking/scoring system) based on how well they did the race. DLC Tracks can be played, regardless of whether players in the lobby own the DLC or not.

LAN

Players can race and battle with nearby players who also own both a Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. DLC Tracks can be played, regardless of whether all players in the lobby own the DLC or not (however, at least one player in the lobby must own the Booster Course Pass to play those tracks). Nintendo Switch Online is not required for LAN play.

Controls

Default:

Default Controls when in Handheld or playing with 2 Joy Cons.

Controls
Button	Action
Joystick*	Steer (Left and Right), Launch item forward/backward (Up and Down)
A/Y	Accelerate
B	Brakes
L	Use item
X	Look Behind Racer
R	Jump/Trick (R + Joystick = Mini-Turbo)
+/Touch screen	Pause the Game

Horizontal Controls:

The Controls when holding your Joystick horizontally.

Controls
Button	Action
Joystick*	Steer (Left and Right), Launch item forward/backward (Up and Down)
X/A or Left/Right	Accelerate
Down/A	Brakes
SL	Use item
Y/Up	Look Behind Racer
SR	Jump/Trick (SR + Joystick = Mini-Turbo)
+/-	Pause the Game

Toy Con Motorbike:

The Controls while using the Toy Con Motorbike.

Controls
Button	Action
Tilt	Steer (Left and Right)
Forward Tilt	Accelerate
A	Brakes
ZL	Use item
Left Arrow	Switch View
Tilt+Forward Tilt+R	Jump/Trick (This + Joystick = Mini-Turbo)
+/-	Pause the Game

Toy Con Car:

The Controls while using the Toy Con Car.

Controls
Button	Action
Tilt	Steer (Left and Right)
Pedal	Accelerate
R	Use item
X	Switch View
Tilt+Pedal Full Press	Jump/Trick (This + Joystick = Mini-Turbo)
+/-	Pause the Game

* - Tilt controls are also available, meaning racers can use the gyro sensor to steer instead.

Racers

All the Mario Kart 8 racers have returned, including the DLC racers, and are available from the start. The only unlockable racer in the game is Gold Mario (A Gold style of Metal Mario). Three other racers from the previous games have also returned to the game, along with eight others being added as DLC through the Booster Course Pass. The Inklings also made their debut in Mario Kart with this game.

Main

Mario
Medium

Luigi
Medium

Peach
Medium

Daisy
Medium

Rosalina
Heavy

Yoshi
Medium
9 Color Costumes

Toad
Light

Koopa
Light

Shy Guy
Light
9 Color Costumes

Lakitu
Light

Toadette
Light

Bowser
Heavy

Donkey Kong
Heavy

Wario
Heavy

Waluigi
Heavy

Lemmy
Light

Larry
Light

Wendy
Light

Ludwig
Medium

Iggy
Medium

Roy
Heavy

Morton
Heavy

Mii
Any

Reskins

Tanooki Mario
Medium

Cat Peach
Medium

Baby Mario
Light

Baby Luigi
Light

Baby Peach
Light

Baby Daisy
Light

Baby Rosalina
Light

Metal Mario
Heavy
Gold Variant

Pink Gold Peach
Heavy

Collaborations

Link
Heavy
Alternate Costume

Villager
Medium
M/F

Isabelle
Light

New to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

King Boo
Heavy

Dry Bones
Light

Bowser Jr
Light

Inkling
Medium
M/F

Booster Course Pass (DLC)

Birdo
Medium
9 Color Costumes

Petey Piranha
Heavy

Wiggler
Medium

Kamek
Medium

Diddy Kong
Medium

Funky Kong
Heavy

Pauline
Heavy

Peachette
Medium

Mii Suits

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Goomba

Pokey

Note: CPUs can't use any color variations of Yoshi, Shy Guy, Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl or Birdo, Gold Mario, or Miis.

Vehicle Parts

Every Vehicle part returns from Mario Kart 8, and 6 new ones have been added. When compared to Mario Kart 8, the statistics of vehicle parts have also been altered.

Bodies

Karts

Standard Kart*/**	Pipe Frame*	Mach 8	Steel Driver**	Cat Cruiser	Circuit Special*/**
Tri-Speeder	Badwagon	Prancer	Biddybuggy*	Landship*	Sneeker*/**
			Buggybud		Bounder
Sports Coupe	Gold Standard*****	GLA*	W 25 Silver Arrow	300 SL Roadster	Blue Falcon
	Gold Kart
Tanooki Kart	B-Dasher	Streetle**	P-Wing	Koopa Clown*
Tanooki Buggy				New

Bikes

Standard Bike*/**	Comet**/***	Sport Bike*/***	The Duke	Flame Rider	Varmint
Mr. Scooty	Jet Bike***	Yoshi Bike***	Master Cycle***	Master Cycle Zero**/****/*****	City Tripper*/**
Mr Scooty				New

ATVs

Standard ATV*/**	Wild Wiggler	Teddy Buggy	Bone Rattler	Splat Buggy*/**	Inkstriker*/**
				New	New

Wheels

Standard**	Monster**	Roller**	Slim**	Slick	Metal
Normal
Button	Off-Road**	Sponge**	Wood	Cushion	Blue Standard*****
			Wooden		Normal Blue
Hot Monster*****	Azure Roller*****	Crimson Slim*****	Cyber Slick*****	Retro Off-Road*****	Gold Tires*****
Funky Monster					Gold Wheels
GLA Tires	Triforce Tires	Ancient Tires**/****	Leaf Tires
GLA Wheels	Triforce Tyres	Ancient Tyres	Leaf Tyres
		New

Gliders

Super Glider*/**	Cloud Glider	Wario Wing	Waddle Wing	Peach Parasol*	Parachute**
Parafoil**/*****	Flower Glider	Bowser Kite	Plane Glider**	MKTV Parafoil	Gold Glider*****
Hylian Kite	Paraglider**/****	Paper Glider
	New

• - changes color depending on the racer.
  ** - Available from the start.
  *** - An inside-drifting bike.
  ****Available as of July 19, 2018.
  ***** - Variation

Unlocking Criteria

Racers:

The only unlockable racer in this game is Gold Mario. Once unlocked, his icon appears on the character select screen instead of Metal Mario. Metal Mario can still be selected, but there is now a variant of Gold Mario too. To unlock him, one must get gold in all cups in 200cc Grand Prix.

Vehicle Parts:

At first, a random vehicle part is unlocked every 30 Coins. Once the total reaches 450 Coins, this changes to every 50 Coins. Once a total of 1,500 Coins is reached, this changes to every 100 Coins.

3,100 Coins are required to unlock all standard (non-Gold) vehicle parts. In multiplayer split-screen games, only Coins collected by the first player count towards the total, unlike in Mario Kart 8. This limits the maximum number of collectable Coins per race to 10.

Coins Required
30	270	600	1000	1400
60	300	650	1050	1450
90	330	700	1100	1500
120	360	750	1150	1600
150	390	800	1200	1700
180	450	850	1250	1800
210	500	900	1300	...
240	550	950	1350	3100

Special Parts:

• Gold Standard: Unlocked by achieving at least one star rank on every cup in Mirror Mode.
• Gold Tires: Unlocked by defeating all 48 staff ghosts in 150cc Time Trials.
• Gold Glider: Unlocked by collecting 5,000 coins.
• Gold Mario; Unlocked by winning every cup in 200cc (no stars required)

Alternate Title Screens:

Upon completing all cups in 200/150cc and Mirror Grand Prix, you will unlock the Alternate Title Screens. Instead of the N64 Rainbow Road image or Excitebike Arena, the game will cycle through several screens randomly.

Statistics

Similar to Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8, racers in a specific class have their own stats. However, there are more divisions in weight classes than in Mario Kart 8.

• Speed: the top speed of the vehicle on land with normal gravity.
• Acceleration: the rate of the vehicle it takes to reach its top speed from a standing position.
• Weight: the weight of the vehicle.
  • Vehicles with higher weight can knock other vehicles more easily with lower weight.
• Handling: the turning ability of the vehicle on land with normal gravity.
• Traction: the grasp of the vehicle.
  • Vehicles with higher traction can stay stable on the road better than vehicles with lower traction.
• Mini-Turbo: the length of the vehicle's mini-turbo speed boosts.
• Invincibility: How long the character cannot get hit after he got hit (invincibility frames)
• Air-speed: How fast the character is when it is not touching solid ground

Below are the current Vehicle Part and Character statistics in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe:

Characters:

Character Statistics
Class		Speed	Water Speed	Air Speed	Anti-Gravity Speed	Acceleration	Weight	Handling	Water Handling	Air Handling	Anti-Gravity Handling	Traction	Mini-Turbo
L		+2.5	+2.75	+3	+2.25	+4	+2	+5	+4.5	+5	+5	+4.25	+4
		+2.5	+2.75	+3	+2.25	+4.25	+2	+4.75	+4.25	+4.75	+4.75	+3.75	+4
		+2.75	+3	+3.25	+2.5	+4.25	+2.25	+4.5	+4	+4.5	+4.5	+4	+4
		+3	+3.25	+3.5	+2.75	+4	+2.5	+4.5	+4	+4.5	+4.5	+4.25	+3.75
		+3	+3.25	+3.5	+2.75	+4.25	+2.5	+4.25	+3.75	+4.25	+4.25	+3.5	+3.75
		+3.25	+3.5	+3.75	+3	+4	+2.75	+4.25	+3.75	+4.25	+4.25	+4	+3.75
M		+3.5	+3.75	+4	+3.25	+4	+2.75	+4	+3.5	+4	+4	+3.75	+3.5
		+3.75	+4	+4.25	+3.5	+3.75	+3	+3.75	+3.35	+3.75	+3.75	+3.75	+3.75
		+3.75	+4	+4.25	+3.5	+3.75	+3.25	+3.75	+3.25	+3.75	+3.75	+3.25	+3.5
		+4	+4.25	+4.5	+3.75	+3.5	+3.5	+3.75	+3.25	+3.75	+3.75	+3.25	+3.5
		+4	+4.25	+4.5	+3.75	+3.5	+3.5	+3.5	+3	+3.5	+3.5	+3.5	+3.5
H		+4.25	+4.5	+4.75	+4	+3.25	+3.75	+3.25	+2.75	+3.25	+3.25	+3.75	+3.25
		+4.5	+4.75	+5	+4.25	+3.25	+4	+3	+2.5	+3	+3	+3	+3
		+4.75	+5	+5.25	+4.5	+3	+4.25	+2.75	+2.25	+2.75	+2.75	+3.25	+2.75
		+4.25	+4.5	+4.75	+4	+3.25	+4.5	+3.25	+2.75	+3.25	+3.25	+3.25	+3
		+4.75	+5	+5.25	+4.5	+3	+4.5	+2.5	+2	+2.5	+2.5	+3	+2.75

Karts:

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.5

Kart Statistics
Class	Speed	Water Speed	Air Speed	Anti-Gravity Speed	Acceleration	Weight	Handling	Water Handling	Air Handling	Anti-Gravity Handling	Traction	Mini-Turbo
Standard Kart*	0
Pipe Frame*	-0.5	0	-0.5		+0.5	-0.25	+0.5		-0.25	+0.25	+0.25	+0.5
Mach 8	0	0	+0.25	+0.5	-0.25	+0.25	-0.25	0	-0.25	+0.25		0
Steel Driver	+0.25	+0.5	-0.75	-0.25	-0.75	+0.5	-0.5	+0.5	-0.5		0	-0.5
Cat Cruiser	-0.25
0	+0.25	0	+0.25				0	+0.25
Circuit Special*	+0.5
-
-0.75	+0.25	-0.5	-0.25	-0.75	-0.25	-0.5	-0.75
Tri-Speeder	+0.25	+0.5	-0.75	-0.25	-0.75	+0.5	-0.5	+0.5			+0.5	-0.5
Badwagon	+0.5	-0.25	-0.5	0	-1	+0.5	-0.75	-0.25	-0.75	-0.5	+0.5	-1
Prancer	+0.25				-0.5	-0.25	0	+0.25	0	-0.25
Biddybuggy* Buggybud	-0.75				+0.75	-0.5	+0.5				-0.25	+0.75
Landship*	-0.5	+0.5			+0.5	-0.5	+0.25				+0.75	+0.5
Sneeker* Bounder	+0.25				-0.5	0					-0.75	-0.25
Sports Coupe Sports Coupé	0				-0.25	+0.25	-0.25				+0.25	0
Gold Standard Gold Kart	+0.25				-0.5	0					-0.75	-0.25
GLA*	+0.5				-1	+0.5	-0.75				+0.5	-1
W 25 Silver Arrow	-0.25				+0.25	-0.25	+0.25				+0.5	+0.25
300 SL Roadster	0
Blue Falcon	+0.25	-0.25	0	+0.25	-0.25	-0.5	-0.25	+0.25	-0.5	+0.5	0	-0.25
Tanooki Kart	-0.25	+0.25			-0.5	+0.25	+0.25				+1	-0.25
B Dasher	+0.5				-0.75	+0.25	-0.5				-0.5	-0.75
Streetle	-0.5				+0.5	-0.5	+0.25				+0.75	+0.5
P-Wing	+0.5
-0.75	+0.25	-0.5				-0.5	-0.75
Koopa Clown*	-0.25
0	0	-0.5	+0.25	+0.25
		+1	-0.25
* - changes color depending on the racer. Bold denotes the part being available from the start.

Bikes:

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.25

1

Bike Statistics
Class	Speed	Water Speed	Air Speed	Anti-Gravity Speed	Acceleration	Weight	Handling	Water Handling	Air Handling	Anti-Gravity Handling	Traction	Mini-Turbo
Standard Bike*	-0.25
0
+0.25	-0.25	+0.25				+0.5	+0.25
Comet+	-0.25
0	+0.25	0	+0.25				0	+0.25
Sport Bike+ *	+0.25			0	-0.5	-0.25	0
		-0.25	-0.25
The Duke	0
Flame Rider	-0.25
0		+0.25	-0.25	+0.25				+0.5	+0.25
Varmint	-0.5	0
	+0.5	-0.25	+0.5				+0.25	+0.5
Mr. Scooty Mr Scooty	-0.75
	+0.75	-0.5	+0.5				+0.25	+0.75
Jet Bike+	+0.25	0			-0.5	-0.25	0	+0.25	0	-0.25	-0.25	-0.25
Yoshi Bike+	-0.25				+0.25	0	+0.25				0	+0.25
Master Cycle+	+0.25
0	0	-0.5	0						-0.75
Master Cycle Zero
City Tripper*	-0.5	0			+0.5	-0.25	+0.5				+0.25	+0.5
* - changes color depending on the racer. Bold denotes the part being available from the start. + - denotes an ability to perform inside drifts.

ATVs:

0.25

0.5

0.25

0.25

0.25

0.5

ATV Statistics
Class	Speed	Water Speed	Air Speed	Anti-Gravity Speed	Acceleration	Weight	Handling	Water Handling	Air Handling	Anti-Gravity Handling	Traction	Mini-Turbo
Standard ATV* Standard Quad	+0.5
0	-1	+0.5	-0.75
		+0.5	-1
Wild Wiggler	-0.25
0
+0.25	-0.25	+0.25				+0.5	+0.25
Teddy Buggy	-0.25
0	0	+0.25	0	+0.25				0	+0.25
Bone Rattler	+0.25
-0.75	+0.5	-0.5				0	-0.5
Splat Buggy*	+0.25
0
-0.25	-0.5	-0.25
	0	-0.25
Inkstriker*	0	0
-0.25	+0.25	-0.25				+0.25	0
* - changes color depending on the racer. Bold denotes the part being available from the start.

Wheels:

0.50

0.50

Wheel Statistics
Class	Speed	Water Speed	Air Speed	Anti-Gravity Speed	Acceleration	Weight	Handling	Water Handling	Air Handling	Anti-Gravity Handling	Traction	Mini-Turbo
Standard Normal	0
Monster	0				-0.5	+0.5	-0.75				+0.5	-0.25
Roller	-0.5				+0.5	-0.5	+0.25				-0.25	+0.75
Slim	+0.25				-0.5	0	+0.25				-1	-0.25
Slick	+0.5				-0.75	+0.25	-0.25				-1.25	-0.75
Metal	+0.5				-1	+0.5	-0.25				-0.75	-0.75
Button	-0.25				+0.25	-0.5	0				-0.5	+0.5
Off-Road	+0.25				-0.25	+0.25	-0.5				+0.25	-0.5
Sponge	-0.25				0	-0.25	-0.25				+0.25	+0.25
Wood Wooden	+0.25				-0.5	0	+0.25				-1	-0.25
Cushion	-0.25				0	-0.25	-0.25				+0.25	+0.25
Blue Standard Normal Blue	0
Hot Monster Funky Monster	0				-0.5	+0.5	-0.75				+0.5	-0.25
Azure Roller	-0.5				+0.5	-0.5	+0.25				-0.25	+0.75
Crimson Slim	+0.25				-0.5	0	+0.25				-1	-0.25
Cyber Slick	+0.5				-0.75	+0.25	-0.25				-1.25	-0.75
Retro Off-Road	+0.25				-0.25	+0.25	-0.5				+0.25	-0.5
Gold Tires Gold Wheels	+0.5				-1	+0.5	-0.25				-0.75	-0.75
GLA Tires GLA Wheels	0
Triforce Tires Triforce Tyres	+0.25				-0.25	+0.25	-0.5				+0.25	-0.5
Ancient Tires Ancient Tyres	0
Leaf Tires Leaf Tyres	-0.25				+0.25	-0.5	0				-0.5	+0.5
Bold denotes the part being available from the start.

Gliders:

0.25

Glider Statistics
Glider	Speed	Acceleration	Weight	Handling	Traction	Mini-Turbo
Super Glider*	0
Cloud Glider	-0.25	+0.25	-0.25	0		+0.25
Wario Wing	0		+0.25	0	-0.25	0
Waddle Wing	0
Peach Parasol*	-0.25	+0.25	0		-0.25	+0.25
Parachute	-0.25	+0.25	-0.25	0		+0.25
Parafoil	-0.25	+0.25	0		-0.25	+0.25
Flower Glider	-0.25	+0.25	-0.25	0		+0.25
Bowser Kite	-0.25	+0.25	0		-0.25	+0.25
Plane Glider	0		+0.25	0	-0.25	0
MKTV Parafoil	-0.25	+0.25	0		-0.25	+0.25
Gold Glider	0		+0.25	0	-0.25	0
Hylian Kite	0
Paraglider	0	0
0
Paper Glider	-0.25	+0.25	-0.25	0		+0.25
* - changes color depending on the racer. Bold denotes the part being available from the start.

Courses

Course Select Interface.

Tracks are one of the main parts in any Mario Kart Game. They allow racers to play on a variety of different maps, including: Jungles, Grasslands, Snow, Mountains, and a Giant Ice Cream. Each course has its own unique route, with some courses having 3 laps and some having more. Some courses change between laps, while others remain the same.

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, all cups are available from the start, unlike most other games where you have to unlock most cups. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has 48 Tracks in the Base Game and 48 Tracks in the Booster Course Pass DLC, totaling to 96 Courses.

New Cups

Mushroom Cup	Flower Cup	Star Cup	Special Cup
	(Toad Harbour)		(Bone Dry Dunes)

Retro Cups

Shell Cup	Banana Cup	Leaf Cup	Lightning Cup
			(3DS Piranha Plant Pipeway)
		(3DS Melody Motorway)

Bonus Cups

Egg Cup	Triforce Cup	Crossing Cup	Bell Cup
			(3DS Koopa City)

Wave 1		Wave 2
Golden Dash Cup	Lucky Cat Cup	Turnip Cup	Propeller Cup

Wave 3		Wave 4
Rock Cup	Moon Cup	Fruit Cup	Boomerang Cup
		Tour Amsterdam Drift	Tour Bangkok Rush
		GBA Riverside Park	DS Mario Circuit
(3DS Alpine Pass)		Wii DK Summit (Wii DK's Snowboard Cross)	GCN Waluigi Stadium
		Yoshi's Island	Tour Singapore Speedway

Wave 5		Wave 6
Feather Cup	Cherry Cup	Acorn Cup	Spiny Cup

As of March 18th 2022, the game includes the Booster Course Pass DLC which players can purchase through the Nintendo eShop. Alternatively, Players can purchase the Switch Online Expansion Pass to get the DLC for free. This DLC adds 48 additional courses and 8 additional characters over 6 waves. Anyone who purchases the DLC will receive all waves of courses and characters.

Battle Courses

There are 8 unique Battle Tracks in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, used for Battle Mode. These replace the repurposed tracks in the original Mario Kart 8. There are 5 new Battle Courses and 3 retro courses. Surprisingly, only 2 of the Battle Courses feature Anti-Gravity (Battle Stadium and Lunar Colony).

Items

All the items from Mario Kart 8 have returned, as well as 2 "new" items from past Mario Kart games (the Boo and the Feather). Racers can now hold two items, similar to Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, but these must now be used in sequential order as the ability to swap between items has been omitted.

Banana	Triple Banana	Green Shell	Triple Green Shell
Throw it onto the floor to send anyone who hits it into a spin. Defence	Three Bananas rotate around your kart, press L to use them one by one.	Throw a Green Shell at your Opponent to spin them out. Defence	Three Green Shells rotate around your kart, press L to use them one by one.
Red Shell	Triple Red Shell	Spiny Blue Shell	Bob-Omb
A Green Shell that locks on to the opponent ahead of you. Defence	Three Red Shells rotate around your kart.	Pursues the leading vehicle, knocking out any others in its path.	Bob-Ombs explode after a short time once thrown. Defence
Mushroom	Triple Mushroom	Golden Mushroom	Bullet Bill
Use for a temporary speed boost.	Three Mushrooms rotate around your kart.	Unlimited Dash mushrooms for a short time.	Gain a large temporary speed boost and invincibility.
Blooper	Lightning	Super Star	Fire Flower
Squirts ink on vehicles ahead of you, obscuring drivers' views.	It will shock other players and cause them to lose their items as well as slowing them down	Gain a small temporary speed boost and invincibility.	Throw fireballs for a short period to spin out opponents' vehicles.
Boomerang Flower	Piranha Plant	Super Horn	Crazy Eight
The boomerang flower can be thrown up to three times the 3rd time it will go further	Attaches to your vehicle and bites, propelling you forward.	Destroy incoming opponents and items with a high-volume honk.	8 items rotate around your kart including the coin, red shell, green shell, bomb-omb, blooper, invincibility star, mushroom, banana,
Coin	Feather	Boo
Gives you 2 extra coins. The more coins you have, the faster you will be.	Allows you to do a high jump and gives you a speed boost when landing only available in battle mode	Makes you invisible and make you invincible for a short time and it will steal an item from another player

Tip: Items marked as defence can be held behind your kart to block some incoming items.

Accessories

Amiibo

Some of the amiibo that can be used to unlock Mii Racing Suits in the game.

Main Article: Mario Kart 8#amiibo

All Amiibo compatible with Mario Kart 8 are compatible once again in the game, with some new features. Tapping any Animal Crossing Series Amiibo will give the Animal Crossing Mii Racing Suit, and tapping the Boy or Girl Inkling Amiibo will give the Boy and Girl Inkling Mii Racing Suits, respectively.

Toy-Con

Toy con allows for a new immersive racing experience. You can now drive a kart or motorbike to steer in Mario Kart. Toy-con features can be enabled through the main menu in the Toy-con section.

Differences compared to Mario Kart 8

New Features

• 6 new Characters and 2 new Mii suits have been added to the base game.
• The game introduces smart-steering and auto-accelerate for beginners; smart-steering makes driving and staying on the track easier by adding invisible walls onto the sides of the track that only those who activate it can collide with, and auto-accelerate makes the vehicle automatically accelerate, making it impossible to stand still for a long time.
  • If smart steering mode is toggled on, there will be an antenna sticking out the rear of their kart.
• 200cc engine class for Time Trials has been added.
• The game also features an in-game guide, directly accessible from the game's menu. It features item info, driving techniques, and battle mode information.
• All of Mario Kart 8's battle courses have been replaced with battle maps in the style of the battle maps from the first 7 games.
• Ultra Mini-Turbo (purple sparks) are available after orange sparks. This feature is only enabled when Smart Steering is off.
• Confetti appears at the starting line of several races like Mount Wario.
• When playing with teams, the flags of the corresponding colors are added behind the vehicle. These flags do not appear in Balloon Battle and Bob-omb Blast, as the balloons show the teams in these modes.
• During online race lobbies, the engine class for the upcoming race is shown as the course is selected, via "100", "150", a mirrored "150" (for Mirror) or "200" icons in the bottom right of the selected course icon. This extends to online battle lobbies, as it will display a yellow balloon (Balloon Battle), a potted Piranha Plant (Renegade Roundup), a Coin (Coin Runners), a Shine Sprite (Shine Thief), or a Bob-omb (Bob-omb Blast) to denote which battle mode is about to be played.
• Players can now see the lap count or timer when spectating an online race or battle.
• The resolution has been improved up to 1980p x 1080p in docked mode.
• The overall quality and colors have been improved.
• The main menu has some major changes:
  • All of the Toad icons are now aligned to the left.
  • The mode buttons appear larger and shorter.
• The "Online Play" button is now singular and has the two Toads wear spacesuits.
• The "Wireless Play" mode has been added for portable play if undocked.
  • The "Mario Kart TV" mode is now located at the bottom section, with its own logo.
  • The game features an in-game guide, this guide explains various techniques, Battle Mode, and the functions of each item.
  • For each selection, there's now a sub-menu to choose the amount of players to participate with.
  • In-game messages and pop-ups now use a different font.
  • Most artwork form the Wii U version are modified to use colorized backgrounds to match the new artwork in 8 Deluxe.
  • The Amibo icon has been made notably more square.
  • The pause menu has been redesigned to unify the stick and tilt control options.
  • The button inputs have been changed to match the Switch controls.
  • The buttons to choose "OK" or "Back" have form elements on the buttons, and have been slightly adjusted.
  • The map is now a transparent white color instead of a blue gradient.
  • The lap and coin counter have been moved more towards the corner.
  • All scrollbars have been removed.
  • Since all DLC content is included in-game, the "Shop" option has been removed.
  • The Crazy 8's icon is now a red/pink and blue gradient, rather than a flat blue icon. This reflects the new design of the 8 in the game's logo to signify that the game is deluxe.
  • The VS Race Option screen's User Interface has been redesigned, and less so resembles Mario Kart Wiis.
  • Due to a lack of a second screen on the Nintendo Switch, Item Spy has been removed.
  • Similarly pressing minus no longer turn's on the minimap (which is now turned on by default) instead this is done through the pause menu, at witch point it can be toggled by pressing X.
  • Players can no longer see the lap count when crossing the finish line and full results in multiplayer (including online lobbies) at the end of the race while watching replay videos via Mario Kart TV.
  • When playing with the map enabled in local splitscreen multiplayer, there will only be one map in the center of the screen, rather than each player having their own copy of the map like in the Wii U version and Mario Kart 64.

Changed in a Post-Release Update:

• In the course selection menu, "L" and "R" buttons in the top corners are present. Pressing either button will swap to the other set of 48 courses. The bottom set is filled with all the courses from the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC, such as Wii Coconut Mall, while also having a different background then the top set.
• There are now 48 additional DLC Courses and 8 additional DLC Characters, available in the Booster Course Pass.

Returning Features

• Racers can now carry up to two items at once, even if they don't drag the first item.
  • The Double Item Box from Mario Kart: Double Dash!! has returned.

Changed in a Post-Release Update:

• Half-pipes from Mario Kart Wii return in select Tracks.

Changed Features

• The statistics of the vehicle parts and drivers have been changed.
• Some of the vehicle parts that are exclusive to DLC are now randomly unlocked by collecting Coins during gameplay.
• Weight classes are now split into 16 weight classes instead of 9 weight classes.
• Red Shells and Spiny Shells are now slower when they lock onto their target, meaning players are able to outrun them in 200cc when they have any kind of speed boost.
• If a Blooper is about to ink the player as they cross the finish line, the player will still get inked. This is unlike the Wii U version, where the Blooper or the ink disappear instead. This is an aesthetic effect.
• The character icons on the course map are now slightly larger, more detailed, and are of a higher resolution, akin to Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7.
• The four DLC cups from the Wii U release of Mario Kart 8 (Egg, Crossing, Triforce, and Bell) are no longer DLC and are now included with the game for free.

Changed in a Post-Release Update:

• Item Boxes respawn faster than in Mario Kart 8.
• You can now download 32 Time Trial Ghosts, instead of 16 in Mario Kart 8.
• In online mode, players are no longer forcibly partitioned into lobbies including and excluding DLC tracks.
  • So as long as a single player within a lobby owns the Booster Course Pack (BCP), BCP tracks are unlocked for all players to vote for during track select - including those who do not own the BCP.

Removed Features

• Fire Hopping, a technique in which a player could "hop" repeatedly to get extra speed from a boost, has been removed, or fixed if you look at it as a glitch.
• All of Mario Kart 8s "battle courses" are now inaccessible.
• Stamps are absent due to Miiverse not present on the Nintendo Switch, and also due to the service being discontinued six months after the game's release.
• The original deathmatch Balloon Battle from Mario Kart 8 can no longer be played until Mario Kart Tour, being replaced with 5 other battle modes. Balloon Battle is still present but, once you lose all of your balloons, instead of turning invisible and immune to attacks, you respawn and lose half of your points.
• You can no longer upload Mario Kart TV footage directly to YouTube.

Changed in a Post-Release Update:

• Item Bagging, a technique in which a player could reverse through an item box in order to get better items, has been removed, or fixed if you look at it as a glitch. However, it's not completly fixed, when you are in last place, you still get the same items, but driving back to an item set will give you worse items.

Media

Title Screens:

These aren't all title screens. Peach, Animal Crossing and Cloudtop Cruise are missing.

User Interface:

Gameplay:

Lakitu if the player fails to get a trophy

Booster Course Pass Promotional Material:

Wave 1	Wave 2	Wave 3
Wave 4	Wave 5	Wave 6

Booster Course Pass Launch Trailers:

Wave 1	Wave 2	Wave 3
Wave 4	Wave 5	Wave 6

Gameplay Videos:

MK8DX Longplay

MK8DX+DLC Longplay

Updates

Current Version: v3.0.1

Jump to Latest Version

v1.1.0

An update was released on May 7, 2017, which changed the following:

• Opponents' names are displayed in the rear view mirror view in online matches.
• Invincibility period after a spin-out or crash is longer in online matches.
• Up to two players can spectate a friend group while they wait to join.
• “Worldwide” and “Regional” modes add players to Mirror and 200cc matches less often.
• Players can now properly create a friend lobby when having 100 or more friends.
• The starting positions in online races now properly reflect the order in which the players join.
• Miis now properly show facial expressions during matches.
• The Tournament clock now properly reflects real-world time.
• Inkling Girl's pose resembling a gesture, which may have been considered as offensive, has been changed.

v1.2.0

An update was released on June 28, 2017, which changed the following:

• Players can use Pikmin-themed Amiibo to unlock a Pikmin Suit for the Mii driver.
• Race rules and course name are now displayed on loading screens for online and wireless play, as well as Mario Kart TV.
• In online matches, no more than two Piranha Plants will be granted as items at the same time.
• Controls are no longer unresponsive when the timer runs out when choosing a Mii racing suit for online matches.
• The item wheel no longer spins continuously in online matches.
• Online matches now end 30 seconds after the first place racer finishes, just like it does in Mario Kart Wii.
• Items shown in a player's item slots now display correctly when holding an item behind them.
• Items are now destroyed after blocking an attack.

v1.2.1

An update was released on August 9, 2017, which changed the following:

• Corrected an issue that prolonged the time to return to the lobby after races near the start and end times of online tournaments.

v1.3.0

An update was released on October 18, 2017, which changed the following:

• Video capture compatibility was added. Hold the Capture Button to capture up to 30 seconds of the previous footage.
  • Your Nintendo Switch must be updated to Ver. 4.0.0 or higher to use this feature.
• Now more difficult to float down using the glider when Smart Steering is ON.
• Blue Shells no longer hit the second place player when the first place player hasn't yet crossed the finish line.
• Extended the invulnerability period after spinning out or crashing.
• Changes made to Online Play prior to Ver. 1.2.1 now apply to Wireless Play and LAN Play as well:
• When further back in a race, will receive better items to help catch up to other players.
• No more than one Piranha Plant will appear at a time.
• Updating to Ver 1.3.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on Ver. 1.2.1 or lower.

v1.4.0

An update was released on December 12, 2017, which changed the following:

• Language support for Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean has now been implemented.
• Players can change languages in Settings on the console.
• An issue has been resolved that prevented background music from playing after players reach the finish line.
• Updating to Ver 1.4.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on Ver. 1.2.1 or lower.

v1.5.0

An update was released on June 25, 2018, which changed the following:

• Now supports the use of the Toy-Con Motorbike from the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Variety Kit.
• Players can now set whether or not use the Toy-Con Motorbike from the Toy-Con settings in the main menu.
• At the screen right before the game begins, the Joy-Con needs to be set inside the Toy-Con Motorbike.
• When using the Toy-Con Motorbike, the camera will look over the character's shoulder.
• Pressing the downward directional button will allow the player to play with normal view again.
• Addressed an issue where, after setting up a tournament, the "Search by code" feature would stop functioning.
• Addressed an issue that made it impossible for a player to proceed after colliding with a Super Thwomp.
• Updating to Ver 1.5.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on prior versions

v1.6.0

An update was released on July 19, 2018, which changed the following:

• New character skin for Link and new vehicle parts dedicated to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

v1.7.0

An update was released on September 19, 2018, which changed the following:

• Now compatible with Toy-Con Car in Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 03 Vehicle Kit.
• Now compatible with Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.
• Nintendo Switch Online subscription required to play online.

v2.0.0

An update was released on March 18, 2022, which changed the following:

• Added 8 Courses to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Tour Paris Promenade, 3DS Toad Circuit, N64 Choco Mountain, Wii Coconut Mall, Tour Tokyo Blur, DS Shroom Ridge, GBA Sky Garden, and Ninja Hideaway.
  • These courses will be released over time. 8 Courses are available from the start.
• Shortened the time between picking up an item box and it respawning.
• Introduced Arrow Fields, present in some of the Booster Course Pass courses.

v2.1.0

An update was released on August 4, 2022, which changed the following:

• Added 8 Courses to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Tour New York Minute, SNES Mario Circuit 3, N64 Kalimari Desert, DS Waluigi Pinball, Tour Sydney Sprint, GBA Snow Land, Wii Mushroom Gorge, and Sky-High Sundae.
• Further Shortened the time between picking up an item box and it respawning.
• Increased the max number of time trial downloads from 16 to 32.
• Adjusted the Contrast and Brightness on Wave 1 course icons.
• The Cars in Wii Coconut Mall now move when a player approaches them.

v2.2.0

An update was released on December 7, 2022, which changed the following:

• Added 8 Courses to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Tour London Loop, GBA Boo Lake, 3DS Rock Rock Mountain, Wii Maple Treeway, Tour Berlin Byways, DS Peach Gardens, Merry Mountain, and 3DS Rainbow Road.
• Half-Pipes (Last Seen In Mario Kart Tour) Return in Select Booster Course Pass Courses.
• Added the option to customize which items appear in VS races and battles.
• Getting shocked whilst gliding will no longer disable your glider.
• The length of Invincibility Frames is now affected by your character and kart combination.
• If a user can't download anymore ghost data, they can delete all the ghost data they downloaded until then.
• Removed "Recommended" in Tournaments.

v2.2.1

An update was released on December 21st, 2022, which changed the following:

• Addressed an issue where, during online play, the image would get choppy when playing in Tour Berlin Byways.
• Addressed an issue where, when playing in Tour London Loop, Lakitu does not return the player to the appropriate location.

v2.3.0

An update was released on March 8th, 2023, which changed the following:

• Added 8 Courses to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Tour Amsterdam Drift, GBA Riverside Park, Wii DK Summit, Yoshi's Island, Tour Bangkok Rush, DS Mario Circuit, GCN Waluigi Stadium, and Tour Singapore Speedway.
• Added Birdo to the Booster Course Pass DLC.
• Improved the performance of a few characters and vehicles.
• Made it so that the player can now use the rear view mirror when spinning, crashing, or using a Bullet Bill.
• Made it so that, when jumping on a Whomp in Tour Berlin Byways, the player could leap over the fence.
• Added the Golden Mushroom to the Custom Items selection for Renegade Roundup.
• Added "Booster Course Pass" button to main menu. A link to the Nintendo eShop will be displayed if the player does not own the Booster Course Pass.

v2.4.0

An update was released on July 11th, 2023, which changed the following:

• Added 8 Courses to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Tour Athens Dash, GCN Daisy Cruiser, Wii Moonview Highway, Squeaky Clean Sprint, Tour Los Angeles Laps, GBA Sunset Wilds, Wii Koopa Cape, and Tour Vancouver Velocity.
• Added 3 Characters to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Kamek.
• Improved the performance of some characters and vehicles.
• Adjusted the invincibility frames of some characters.
• Adjusted random item selection method in races where Custom Items is enabled and there are four players or less.
• Expanded the range for when a warning displays when a Red Shell or Spiny Shell approaches from behind.
• Warnings about a Red Shell or Spiny Shell will now be displayed with priority over other warnings.
• Made it so that a warning is not displayed when a Red Shell is targeting opponents.
• Made it so that L/R button operation on the class selection screen and course selection screen in the Grand Prix can be conducted on touchscreen as well.
• Lowered the appearance rate of Mirror and 200cc races in Worldwide and Regional settings.

v3.0.0

An update was released on November 8th, 2023, which changed the following:

• Added 8 Courses to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Tour Rome Avanti, GCN DK Mountain, Wii Daisy Circuit, Piranha Plant Cove, Tour Madrid Drive, 3DS Rosalina's Ice World, SNES Bowser Castle 3, and Wii Rainbow Road.
• Added 4 Characters to the Booster Course Pass DLC: Diddy Kong, Funky Kong, Pauline, and Peachette.
  • Inkling Boy and Villager (Female) are now alternate costumes to make space on the Character Select Screen.
• Added 18 New Mii Suits to the game, 17 of them are available through the Booster Course Pass.
• Added “Music” button to the main menu.
  • This is allows you to listen to the background music that plays while racing.
  • Even players who don’t own the Booster Course Pass can listen to the background music of the DLC courses.
• Non-Friends can now join a room.
  • You can now create a Room even if you have 0 friends registered.
• Added staff credits for the Booster Course Pass.
• Increased the invincibility time of a portion of characters and vehicle customizations.
• You can no longer acquire strong items when taking an Item Box by stopping or driving in reverse, or taking an Item Box that is in same location multiple times during a race.
• Shortened the time between when an Item Box is acquired by someone until it is restored.
• When selecting a costume in the Character select screen, the icon of the character on the roster now updates to reflect its costume.
• You can now unlock the Daisy Mii Suit using the Daisy Amiibo.
• Further lowered the appearance rate of Mirror and 200cc races in Worldwide and Regional settings.

v3.0.1

An update was released on November 28th, 2023, which changed the following:

• Fixed an issue where the player was unable to acquire a strong item even though they did not take an Item Box by stopping or going in reverse during a race, or take an item countless times from an Item Box in same location, when the communication is unstable during an online match.
• Fixed an issue where the glider did not open when getting on a glide ramp that is past the suspension bridge in Tour Vancouver Velocity.
• Fixed an issue where the player might fall into a crevice in the cliff and not be able to move in Tour Rome Avanti.
• Fixed an issue where the player would be floating in mid-air after driving out of the course without being carried back in by Lakitu in GC|*GCN DK Mountain.
• Fixed an issue where the player would sometimes not be able to move when riding on the statues in Wii Daisy Circuit.
• Fixed an issue where actions and expressions did not match for some characters that were added in the Booster Course Pass.
• Fixed an issue where a Mii’s head would get extremely large or small when playing the highlight reel.

Trivia

• Unlike every other Mario Kart Game, 8 and 8 Deluxe are the only mainline Mario Kart game to not have an Award Ceremony after a Grand Prix, instead just showing a Highlight Reel, then your placement and a cup if you earned one.
• Mario Kart 8 and 8 Deluxe are the only games whose cups contain both Retro and New courses in the same cup (excluding Tour), and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the only Mario Kart game to feature tracks that released after it as Retro Tracks.
• This is the only console Mario Kart game where multiple balancing changes have been made since its release, and the only one (alongside 8) where major new features (such as double item slots and custom item selection) have been added after release.
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, including DLC, has 3 times the amount of courses than in DS, Wii, and 7; and 6 times the amount of courses than in Double Dash!! and 64.
• Almost every full version of the main Circuit music themes from past games have been rearranged in this game, the Circuit theme from Wii is the only exception. However, a portion of the Circuit theme from Wii can be heard in the arrangement for 3DS Neo Bowser City.
  • If including any and all Circuit music themes, however, then technically one from each game has been rearranged, with Wii Daisy Circuit's theme meeting these requirements.
• This is the 4th game since Super Circuit where every Character (minus one costume) is unlocked from the start.
• This (and 8) is the only game to feature non-Mario collaboration tracks.
• When selecting the Animal Crossing track in VS Race, you can hold down one of the trigger buttons to select a specific season, instead of relying on the default random selection (L for Spring, R for Summer, ZL for Autumn, and ZR for Winter).
  • This does not work in Time Trials or Online Races, as Time Trials will always choose Summer, and Online will always choose random.
• In VS Race, if you disable every item except the Crazy 8 and an item found in it (such as the Dash Mushroom, triple variants also work) and you pull a Crazy 8, 8 of the other item will circle your kart.
• As of version 3.0.0:
  • This game is no longer the only one to not have a retro Bowser's Castle, with SNES Bowser Castle 3 being included in Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass DLC.
    • However the Wii U version still lacks a retro Bowser's Castle.
    • It is, however, the only game thus far to not feature a Bowser Castle originating from Super Circuit.
  • Every character included in Mario Kart Wii's roster is now in this game.
    • The only exception being Mii Outfit B, however the Mii costumes fill a similar role.
• This game contains the highest amount of retro courses from a single game (not counting Tour courses), with a total of 11 courses from Mario Kart Wii!
• Every track from Mario Kart Wii's Star Cup is present as of Wave 6 of the Booster Course Pass:
  • Daisy Circuit in the Acorn Cup.
  • Koopa Cape in the Cherry Cup.
  • Maple Treeway in the Rock Cup.
  • Grumble Volcano in the Lightning Cup.

Reception

The game has been received with universal acclaim, garnering higher aggregate scores than its original version. The game has been praised for being well-suited to the Switch's portability, the increased performance, and particularly the redesigned Battle Mode. On Metacritic, Mario Kart 8 receives "generally favorable" reviews on Wii U holding a metascore of 88/100 based on 82 critic reviews. Its Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe received "universal acclaim" reviews and was tagged as a "must-play" game holding a metascore of 92/100 based on 95 critic reviews.

References

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