Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Guide#
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the best-selling racing games on the Nintendo Switch, developed jointly by Nintendo EPD and Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is the definitive enhanced version of the Wii U’s Mario Kart 8: every piece of the original’s DLC is built in, alongside new battle modes, characters, and items. Since its release on April 28, 2017, worldwide sales have surpassed 60 million copies, making it one of the best-selling games on the platform.
Platform: Nintendo Switch | Release: April 28, 2017 (Wii U original: May 29, 2014) | Genre: Racing
Game Overview#
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a kart racing game starring Nintendo’s classic characters. You pick from 42 racers — Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and more — and drive all kinds of karts around tracks packed with gadgets and shortcuts. Items such as shells, banana peels, mushrooms, and the Spiny Shell can wreck any race plan, keeping every heat unpredictable.
Compared with the Wii U original, the Deluxe version adds:
- Every original DLC course, built in
- New characters, including Bowser Jr. and Birdo
- A new item: the Feather (Battle Mode)
- A heavily reworked Battle Mode — dedicated battle arenas instead of repurposed race tracks
- 200cc added across all modes
- Smart Steering and Auto-Accelerate, making the game friendly to newcomers
- 2022-2023: the Booster Course Pass, adding 48 more courses
System Specs#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Platform | Nintendo Switch |
| Storage | about 7.0 GB (with DLC) |
| Local multiplayer | 1-4 players; two can play with one Joy-Con each |
| Online multiplayer | requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership |
| Controllers | Pro Controller / third-party gamepads |
| TV mode | 1080p 60fps |
| Handheld mode | 720p 60fps |
| DLC | Booster Course Pass (paid add-on) |
| Updates | latest version Ver. 3.0.0+ |
Key Features#
42 Playable Characters#
The roster mixes Mario series regulars with hidden unlocks. Each character sits in a weight class that changes top speed and handling.
Weight classes at a glance:
| Class | Example characters | Top speed | Acceleration | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feather | Koopa Troopa, Boo, Nabbit | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Light | Yoshi, Toad, Birdo | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Medium | Mario, Luigi, Peach | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Heavy | Waluigi, Rosalina | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Super Heavy | Bowser | ★★★★★ | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
Kart Customization#
More than 30 bodies, 15 sets of wheels, and 10 gliders — mix and match to build your own ride.
32 Base Courses + 48 DLC Courses#
The base game includes 8 cups of 4 courses — 32 in total (16 new + 16 retro) — plus 8 battle arenas. The Booster Course Pass adds another 48 retro courses, bringing the game to 96 courses in all.
A Deep Item System#
| Item | Effect |
|---|---|
| Mushroom | a small speed boost |
| Triple Mushroom | three small boosts |
| Golden Mushroom | unlimited boosts for a limited time |
| Red Shell | homes in on the racer ahead |
| Green Shell | flies straight and bounces off walls |
| Spiny Shell (Blue Shell) | chases the leader and explodes on impact |
| Banana Peel | a dropped trap that makes racers spin out |
| Bob-omb | a thrown explosive with area damage |
| Super Star | invincibility plus a speed boost |
| Piranha Plant | automatically bites at racers or items ahead |
| Crazy 8 | orbits your kart with 8 items |
| Coin | raises top speed (up to 10 held) |
| Boomerang Flower | throws a returning boomerang |
| Super Horn | a screen-wide soundwave that destroys nearby items |
Battle Mode#
8 dedicated battle arenas and 5 battle modes — Balloon Battle, Shine Thief, Bob-omb Blast, Coin Runners, and Renegade Roundup.
Version Differences#
| Version | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 8 (2014) | Wii U | the original, with 32 courses and no dedicated battle arenas |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017) | Switch | all DLC built in, 42 characters, reworked battle mode, 200cc across all modes |
| + Booster Course Pass (2022-2023) | Switch add-on | 48 retro courses plus new characters such as Birdo |
Beginner Setup#
- Character: Mario (medium weight, balanced)
- Body: Standard Kart (balanced)
- Wheels: Standard Tires
- Glider: Super Glider (balanced)
- Enable: Smart Steering + Auto-Accelerate (both can be switched on in the settings)
Game Modes#
| Mode | How it works |
|---|---|
| Grand Prix | race a 4-course cup at 50cc / 100cc / 150cc / 200cc / Mirror difficulty |
| Time Trials | solo laps chasing your best times |
| VS | custom-rule races against CPU or friends |
| Battle | 5 battle modes across 8 arenas |
| Online | worldwide matchmaking, including tournaments and friend rooms |
Useful Resources#
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Mario Kart Wiki | full character data, course info, version history |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Subreddit | community, technique discussion, clip sharing |
| MK8DX Builder | online kart-build tool with simulated stats |
| Speedrun.com | time-trial world records and leaderboards |
| Nintendo Support | official tech support and network troubleshooting |
Controls#
| Action | Button | Single Joy-Con |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerate | A | A |
| Brake | B | B |
| Steer | stick or d-pad | stick |
| Drift | R | R |
| Item / drift boost | L | L |
| Use item | L | L |
| Switch camera | right stick click | — |
| Pause | + | + |
| Smart Steering | enable in settings | — |
| Auto-Accelerate | enable in settings | — |
Glossary#
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CC | engine class — 50cc is the slowest, 200cc the fastest |
| Drift | hold R through a corner to slide, then release for a boost |
| Rocket Start | hold accelerate at the “2” of the countdown for a launch boost |
| Fire Hopping | chain small hops to keep your drift boost alive |
| Shortcut | a special route that skips part of the track |
| Mushroom Jump | use a mushroom to leap over obstacles or reach shortcuts |
| Defensive Driving | dragging an item behind your kart to block attacks from behind |
| Racing Line | the ideal route through a corner for maximum speed |
| Coins | raise your top speed; up to 10 count at once |
| MKT | Mario Kart Tour, the mobile game |
| BCP | Booster Course Pass |
Update History#
| Date | Version | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 2017.04.28 | 1.0 | launch — 42 characters, 48 courses, 8 battle arenas |
| 2022.03.18 | 2.0 | Booster Course Pass wave 1 — 8 courses, Birdo |
| 2022.08.04 | 2.1 | wave 2 — 8 courses |
| 2022.12.07 | 2.2 | wave 3 — 8 courses |
| 2023.03.09 | 2.3 | wave 4 — 8 courses |
| 2023.07.12 | 2.4 | wave 5 — 8 courses |
| 2023.11.09 | 3.0 | wave 6 — the final 8 courses, 96 in total |
Disclaimer#
This guide was written by NTGame for reference only. All characters, courses, and items are trademarks and copyrighted content of Nintendo. Game data is based on the latest version, Ver. 3.0.0; where anything has changed, official information takes precedence.
Version note: this guide reflects Ver. 3.0.0 — for later versions, see the official changelog.
Related Games#
- Donkey Kong Bananza — another Nintendo first-party Switch hit made for couch play
- Overwatch 2 — colorful team-based multiplayer that anyone can pick up
- Street Fighter 6 — head-to-head competition with simple basics and deep skill
- Roblox — a family-friendly online playground full of user-made games
Related Rankings#
Best Co-Op Games · Most Anticipated Games of 2026
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, the full 42-character roster, kart building, item mechanics and drop rates, cup-by-cup course guides for the Mushroom, Flower, Star, and Special Cups, the retro cups, the DLC cups, all three Booster Course Pass waves, battle mode, advanced techniques, online play, and the DLC history — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe section.