Everything New in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Battle Mode

While Battle Mode has been seen in the Mario Kart series prior to Deluxe’s release, Nintendo has opted to listen to player feedback and revamp the popular mode. In 2014’s Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, players had to battle it out on the standard racing tracks of the game. However, these were far too big and sprawling to really allow for the fast-paced chaotic action synonymous with Battle Mode.

That’s why, in Deluxe, Nintendo has opted to include eight Battle Mode-specific levels for players to duke it out on. There are also five different modes to choose from, too. From fan-favorites like Balloon Battle to the all-new cops and robbers-style Renegade Roundup, there’s a chaotic mode of fun for everyone. If you owned the Wii U version and are looking for a reason to pick it up again on the Switch, the revamped Battle Mode is most definitely it.

Characters & Vehicles

While Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U already had a fairly substantial roster consisting of 30 iconic Nintendo characters, Deluxe goes ahead and pushes that number even higher. On top of these 30 characters found in the base Wii U release, players will also get the additional six racers added into Mark Kart 8 via its two DLC packs. For reference, these characters are:

• Tanooki Mario
• Cat Peach
• Link
• Villager Boy/ Girl
• Dry Bowser
• Isabelle

On top of that, however, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has an additional five exclusive characters that never featured in the Wii U version. Players can look forward to racing with Inkling Boy and Girl from Splatoon, King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr. Oh, and there’s also a special unlockable character for completing every cup at 200cc, but we won’t spoil the surprise for you.

Deluxe also includes a few new vehicles that weren’t present in the Wii U MK8. The Koopa Clown makes its return from Mario Kart 7, while two Splatoon-inspired vehicles – the Splat Buggy and Inkstriker – are brand-new additions to the series.

Items

Though you’re not going to see an entirely new set of items to use in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there are a couple of new additions to factor into your strategy as you race around the tracks. The first of which is Boo, an item we’ve seen in the series’ past that allows players to steal items from other racers and use them yourself. Perfect for swiping that blue or red shell from the opponent behind you.

The other new item in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe comes in the form of the Feather item. While you’ll only be able to use this item in Battle Mode, it is incredibly handy. It allows users to leap into the air, avoiding incoming attacks or pesky banana skins.

Finally, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ups the number of items you can carry from one to two, just as it was in Double Dash. While you won’t be able to change their order, nobody’s gonna turn down double the firepower. Just make sure to wait until the perfect opportunity to use your items. You don’t want to waste them, after all.

Full Track List

Just like the characters, players can expect to have access to all of the tracks that originally featured in the vanilla Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. However, with this being the definitive edition of the game, you can expect all of the additional DLC content thrown in there too.

For anyone unsure, that means you’ll be getting all 32 previous courses from the vanilla Wii U Mario Kart 8, plus the additional 16 tracks that came in the DLC packs. This includes tracks inspired by the Animal Crossing and Legend of Zelda series too.

What this means is you’ll have access to 12 different Grand Prix’s from the very first time you play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While there are no brand-new tracks included in the base version of Deluxe, there’s nothing to say that Nintendo couldn’t release further DLC packs in the future. For now, though, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Other Improvements

While the bulk of Deluxe’s improvements come in the form of actual new content like tracks, characters, and vehicles, there are some smaller improvements that have been made. For newcomers, Nintendo has added a Smart Steering option which allows players to stay on the track and navigate corners more easily.

To make use of the Switch’s additional power over its predecessor, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s performance is improved, too. When docked in TV mode, the Switch will display the game in 1080p visuals at 60 fps. When un-docked, you’ll be playing Mario Kart 8 at 720p 60fps when you’re on the go, not too shabby for a handheld experience.

Finally, with the multitude of different controller inputs for the Switch comes a bunch of different ways to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. You can choose from the typical handheld mode, using the Joy-Con in the grip, playing with the Pro controller if you have it, or turning the Joy-Con on their side and using them as mini controllers for some multiplayer action.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will release on the Nintendo Switch next week on April 28.