Features:

  • Hit the road with the definitive version of Mario Kart 8 and play anytime, anywhere Race your friends or battle them in a revised battle mode on new and returning battle courses
  • Play locally in up to 4 player multiplayer in 1080p while playing in TV Mode; Every track from the Wii U version, including DLC, makes a glorious return; Number of Players: up to 12 players; ESRB Content: ESRB Content Description: Comic Mischief; Genre: Racing
  • Plus, the Inklings appear as all new guest characters, along with returning favorites, such as King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr
Destroying relationships has never been so much fun

Do you have healthy relationships with your friends, family, and/or roommates? Do you want to ruin those relationships? Then this is the game for you! The number one most effective game for destroying civility is back and better than ever! Revel in triumph as you blast past those skilled gamers with your contemptuous bullet bill or blue shell items. Scream in unrequited rage as your perfect race is ruined by an errant green shell. Destroy lifelong relationships and burn bridges in under two minutes with the most entertaining and chaotic racing series devised by evil geniuses!

List of Changes (Compared to the Wii U version)

This is the definitive edition version of Mario Kart 8, and a must buy for those who never owned the Wii U version. For those who already own the Wii U version, the changes may or not be worth it depending on what you're looking for. Without further ado here are the list of changes compared to the Wii U version: 1. 1080p with higher frame rate* when docked (TV mode) instead of 720p (on Wii U). Tabletop mode it's still 720p. Frame rate TV mode is 60fps, off TV mode is 59fps. Yes, one frame makes a difference when comparing side-by-side and/or when you have been playing dozens of hours of the original 2. 5 new characters: King Boo, Bowser Jr, Dry Bones, & Inklings (Boy and Girl) 3. Characters can now carry up to two items at once, even if they don't drag the first item 4. Double Item Box. Get two items when you run through a double item box or two singles. Note that you cannot swap items back and forth 5. "Smart Steering" A mode that prevents you from running off course or into a puddle of water. Good for toddlers or young children getting into the game (especially on the rainbow road courses). If the Smart Steering mode is on, the player's vehicle will have an antenna sticking out its rear end. The antenna blinks when Smart Steering is active. 6. "Auto-accelerate" for beginners. Can be used in conjunction with Smart Steering, essentially you don't have to hold down the accelerate button. Again, good for young children who just want to drive through the track without any stop-gaps. Works well when using the wheel peripheral 7. All DLC (from Wii U) included. Everything is unlocked from beginning except kart parts and Gold Mario. Kart Parts are unlocked by playing through the game and collecting coins. Gold Mario unlocked by winning all of the 200cc grand prix cup 8. Time Trials in the 200cc engine class have been added. Also added are new ghosts of Nintendo employees to race against 9. Ultra Mini-Turbo, denoted by pink/purple sparks that appear after the orange sparks which makes you boost significantly faster. Cannot be used with smart steering on 10. Online Play. -Option to change character and vehicle combinations during an online lobby without having to leave/exit out; this is done by pressing the "Y" button during the course selection screen of an online lobby. - You can see what lap everyone is in, in spectator mode if you finish early -When you win a match you get to wear a crown in the main online menu screen for everyone in the lobby to see. Hat also present when you're in the lead during a match - More icon packs for tournament mode 11. Faster loading times. Just a few seconds, but it adds up overtime. If you purchase Mario Kart Deluxe digital over the physical you get 1-2 secs off each track loading screen 12. New amiibo compatibility. You now get racing suits when scanning in specific amiibo 13. Boo and feather (battle mode only) item return to the game 14. You get the same 48 courses racing courses. But you get 5 additional new battle stages in battle mode + 3 retro stages 15. The Villager in now split between male and female selectable characters with different stats bringing the roster to the total of 42 characters (excluding character variants. Example: different color yoshis/shy guys, create your own mii, etc) 16. Graphical change: Motion Blur, High Quality Shadows, Confetti now drop to the ground showing animation at start of match 17. Battle mode: Biggest change in terms of gameplay. There are 4 battle mode game types: -Balloon Battle. Traditional Arena Style (no more battling in a circle) Mario Kart Battle mode where you use items to pop your opponent's balloons or steal them via feather item in order to score points. -Renegade Round Up. Cops and Robbers style setup. One team with the potted piranha plants try to capture all the other team before time runs out. Once captured your teammate can also free you from your jail cell -Bob-omb Blast. Same as balloon battle, but you only carry bombs -Coin Runner. Collect as many coins in the stage as you can before time runs out -Shine Thief. A keepway style game where you have to hold the Shrine Sprite the longest before time runs out. The driver holding the shrine sprite will have their speed lower the longer they hold it ==Additional notes: - There's 4 player split screen in docked (TV mode) and handheld/table top mode. Note that the screen for table top mode is really small and may be a problem for those who are far-sighted. When playing 2 player it's 60fps, 3 or more on the same screen it'll drops down 30fps -There's no Download Play, so you have to play split screen or have another copy of the game if you don't want to share the same screen or play more than 4 players -Stamps do not make a return since the Switch doesn't have miiverse -No more gamepad/duel screen when playing TV mode, so this time around you cannot see what items everyone is holding by glancing down -No voice chat (as of this review) unfortunately. Was present in the Wii U version with mic hardware (which no one bought). There's supposed to be a smart phone app that takes advantage of voice chat, but no word yet from Nintendo -Statistics of the vehicle parts and drivers have also been changed to make game more balanced -Other balance changes: Fire Hopping have been removed: An exploit in the Wii U version where you can repeatedly hop from left to right to get extra speed from turboboost. Blue shell dodge exploit still present. It's when you fall off the cliff the last second the blue shell is about to hit you, it'll save a lot of time recovering from the hit. Note this cannot be done when smart steering mode is on If a Blooper is about to ink the player as they cross the finish line, the player will still get inked. Red Shell Nerfed: If you're holding an item behind you while in the air, you can block a red shell Easier to break while drifting (advanced tactic) -Luigi still has his signature death stare If there's anything I missed please put it in the comments. Overall, i personally think the best additions are the enhanced battle mode and the portability aspect as I can now play during my break period and commute to work. I already sunk in over 300+ hours on the Wii U version and the upgrade is totally worth it for me as I got more than my money's worth in the original game on Wii U and plan to sync 300+ on the Switch version especially with the ease of use due to it's portability, and 100+ more hours of play in battle mode play with housemates. Well that is my personal perspective, so if you are in a similar situation it's a very good buy. If not, I hope the list of changes helped you in your purchasing decision

Makes Me Feel Like a Kid at Christmas!!!

Really great gaming experience. Smooth as butter, great music, fun sound effects, very immersive. We've come a long way from Kart 64. I haven't really played much video games since the N64 (skipped both the Wii and WiiU, so I kinda feel like an old man jumping back into the World of Nintendo). It's made me feel like a kid again, and with how much stress I've been under these last few years with my health... that's a pretty big deal to me. Thank you, Nintendo. You guys are still making quality gaming experiences, and now I get to share it with my niece and nephews, which makes it 100x better. Take care. -Ken Jones, OKC, OK

Nintendo is not messing around, this is a must own

Mario Kart 8 deluxe is an update of the wii u game. So what do you get new? Battle mode that is alot of fun New characters Double item slots Increase to 1080p An assist mode for small children So before I start grab the mario and luigi steering wheels for the Switch if you have kids. This is the best way to play if you have one joycon and is really fun to boot. Remember the joy cons are split up for two player use. They are the best wheels for this and motion controls work like magic. My kids won't play without them, and it's easy enough a 3 yo can be competitive. And he is. As for the game itself. It's simply the best Mario Kart ever. Better than double dash or 64. Some of the courses feel much lower quality than others, but with some classic courses in here it can hit you with nostalgia. Well you are bound to have a good time. Splatoon characters fit surprisingly well, and battle mode is s no brainer. But let's not play down this is a full scale Mario Kart that can go to grandmas, and can be played while you drive there. If you have a Switch, the choice is simple. Buy it.

Much improved from WiiU.

Mario Kart 8 deluxe has the same racing courses as on the WiiU, but they made a few changes that greatly improved the game. Battle This was the biggest, best change they made. Instead of driving aimlessly through regular courses hoping you pass someone, they have created battle-specific courses, making battle more intense. There are 5 different modes in battle: balloon battle, coin runner, renegade roundup, ba-bomb blast, and shine thief. All are great. Our family favorite is Renegade Roundup. Beginner mode They have added two new features that make this game more bearable while playing with small children. You can turn on your rc (at least that's what we call it. It gives you an antenna that makes your kart look like an RC car). This will make it so you cannot fall off the track. If you have this on, the game doesn't allows you to take some of the secret shortcuts. They also have an auto accelerator. This makes it so you do not have to push the gas the entire race. We were hesitant to buy this because it's basically the same as the WiiU version, but their improvements made it worth the money.

Great Kart Racer for Any Nintendo Fan

A fantastic time all around. Whether you have friends to enjoy this game with you or not, there is plenty to do in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Everything that made the Wii U original game great is present here (as it is a boosted port) and the amount of content and gameplay is sure to have you coming back time and time again. Paired with the easy accessibility of the Switch and the simple controls, this game is a perfect fit for the casual or hardcore gamer, and potentially the most accessible and fun the Mario Kart series has ever been. My favorite feature personally has been the worldwide online races, where 12 people from all around the globe race against one another on tracks voted on by the players. Not to mention the various other modes to keep you entertained both offline and online. If you're looking for games to add to your Switch collection or picking one up for the first time, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an amazing game through and through.

Best Mario Kart. Great for All!

All Mario Kart games have always been a great game for friends and family of all ages. I had the Wii U version and already knew this is an amazing game. The fact that it has all the DLC included makes it an incredible deal. So many courses and if Nintendo made more DLC courses available for purchase I would buy them all in a heartbeat. The added steering assist option is great for kids and non-serious gamers. It helps them stay in the race and keeps then from feeling bad about their performance. Don't worry if you are a serious Mario Kart racer rest assure that the steering assist disable the purple drift boost and forces the kart to stay on the main path, which makes it hard to take advantage of shortcuts. My only very minor complaint is you cannot choose the battle mode to play; they cycle through the battle modes. Probably cause everyone only only play the balloon battle mode. My girlfriend and I only play the course races online now and that is more than enough fun. This is the best Mario Kart to date and should be in every Switch owners game library.

Dry Bowser w25 silver arrow sponge wheels glider = EZ mode

Last time I played a Mario Kart was on SNES. This game is so fun with the Grand Prix, Battle mode, online, and co-op. I really enjoy the changes of 2 items, it offers alot of strategy. I especially enjoy the drift features and motion control. I started off with just doing the 50cc Grand Prix using the smart steering, no motion control, and not using drift at all. Now I've played so much that I'm on 200cc with only motion control, no smart steer, drifting like a King! Game is so fun and I really like the way it lets people jump into it from any point in their skill level.

One of the best video game series ever made.

I play this game a lot. Mario Kart is a great series to play when you just want to relax, and don't want to strain your brain with puzzles, or get frustrated with a really difficult game. Pros: Bright, colorful, cartoon like graphics. Lots of different tracks. Lots of characters to choose from. Customizable vehicles. Unlockable vehicles. Different kinds of vehicles. 4 different racing speeds. Single player, and online player. Cons: The only cons I can think of is that it doesn't have all the tracks from all the Mario Kart games, and it doesn't have the two person vehicles of Mario Kart: Double Dash. Overall this is one of the best games ever made.

Another great Mario game.

I've been playing Mario Kart since the first one was released for the Nintendo 64 many years ago. Although the game has changed throughout the years, it's still so much fun. You can play with family and friends, and it makes for a great party game for everyone to enjoy. If there are no little kids around, you can even make up tons of drinking games around Mario Kart as well! If you prefer for the more serious route there are tons of challenges that you can take on, either through solo player or online against people all around the world which will really test your skills. I should warn you though that nothing is more frustrating than having Baby Mario from China hit you with a shell on the final lap which causes you to lose haha. Definitely happy I bought this game!

Full Reviews