What are the differences between the Deluxe and Standard versions of Mario Kart 8?

If you're looking for a definitive answer to this question, you're out of luck. There are a lot of differences between the Deluxe and Standard versions of Mario Kart 8, and it really depends on your individual needs and preferences. Here are a few key points to keep in mind

-The Deluxe version includes a number of bonus items, including a gold banana, a power-up that gives players a speed boost for a limited time, and a kart that is a little bit faster and has a higher top speed

-The Standard version does not include any bonus items, but it does include a number of improvements, including better graphics, improved controls, and a longer race

-If you're just looking for the best possible experience, the Deluxe version is definitely the way to go. However, if you're on a budget, the Standard version is a good option as well

The Inklings are new playable characters in this game, along with three returning characters from previous games. Bowser Jr. , Dry Bones, and King Boo. In addition, the Mario Kart battle games Shine Thief and Bob-Omb Blast are included. Renegade Roundup, a new mode, and Double Dash. return as playable options in Battle Mode

Contents

E-Shop

E-Shop Description

Whether you're racing your family in your living room, playing in the park, or visiting a friend's house, Nintendo Switch lets you play Mario Kart however you want. 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 all over the world. Up to 12 players can compete online, and two local players can even play online together from the same Nintendo Switch

DLC

The game currently includes DLC, which players can purchase through the Nintendo E-Shop. Alternatively, players can get Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC for free by purchasing the Switch Online Expansion Pass

Booster Course Pass

The Booster Course Pass will be available for $25 on March 18th, 2022. This DLC adds 48 new courses in six waves by the end of 2023. Anyone who purchases the DLC will receive all courses from the current and previous waves, as well as future waves as they become available

The Booster Course Pass reintroduces courses from previous Mario Kart games, such as Mario Kart Tour. Some courses will also be added to the Booster Course Pass for the first time. Every game has at least two of its courses included in the Booster Course Pass, with some games having as many as six. Some courses remain relatively unchanged from the original game, while others are completely revamped, adding new routes and features such as Anti-Gravity and gliding

So far, the following Mario Kart games and courses have been included in the Booster Course Pass

• Super Mario Kart (1). Mario Circuit 3
• Mario Kart 64 (2). Choco Mountain, Kalimari Desert
• Mario Kart. Super Circuit (3). Boo Lake, Sky Garden, and Snow Land
• Mario Kart. Double Dash. (0). As of yet, no courses from this game have been released
• Mario Kart DS (3). Peach Gardens, Shroom Ridge, and Waluigi Pinball
• Mario Kart Wii (3). Mushroom Gorge, Coconut Mall, and Maple Treeway
• Mario Kart 7 (3). Rainbow Road, Toad Circuit, and Rock Rock Mountain
• Mario Kart Tour (8). Paris Promenade, Tokyo Blur, Ninja Hideaway, New York Minute, Sydney Sprint, London Loop, Berlin Byways, Merry Mountain are some of the games available
• New Courses (1). Sky-High Sundae

Differences from Mario Kart 8

The game's concepts, tracks, racers, and vehicle parts are largely inspired by Mario Kart 8. These were kept and reused for the port version. However, there are a number of new features and differences from the original game. These are listed in the table below

New Features

• There are now 5 new characters and 2 new Mii suits
• For beginners, the game introduces smart-steering and auto-accelerate; smart-steering makes driving and staying on the track easier by adding invisible walls to the sides of the track that only those who activate it can collide with, and auto-accelerate automatically accelerates the vehicle, making it impossible to stand still for an extended period of time
  • If smart steering mode is enabled, an antenna will protrude from the back of their kart
• Time Trials now have a 200cc engine class
• The game also includes an in-game guide, which can be accessed directly from the game's menu. It contains information on items, driving techniques, and battle modes
• All of Mario Kart 8's battle courses have been replaced with battle maps in the style of the first seven games' battle maps
• After orange sparks, Ultra Mini-Turbo (purple sparks) are available. This feature is only available when Smart Steering is turned off
• Several races, such as Mount Wario, have confetti at the starting line
• When playing with teams, the corresponding color flags are added behind the vehicle. These flags do not appear in Balloon Battle and Bob-omb Blast because the balloons in these modes show the teams
• The engine class for the upcoming race is displayed as the course is selected in online race lobbies, via "100", "150", a mirrored "150" (for Mirror), or "200" icons in the bottom right of the selected course icon. This also applies to online battle lobbies, where 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) will be displayed to indicate which battle mode is about to be played
• When watching an online race or battle, players can now see the lap count or timer
• In the course selection menu, there are two options. 0. 0 and higher have "L" and "R" buttons in the top corners. By pressing either button, you will be taken to the other set of 48 courses. The bottom set contains all of the courses from the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC, including Wii Coconut Mall, and has a different background than the top set
  • There are now 24 additional courses (and 24 upcoming courses) available as DLC for Mario Kart 8

Returning Features

• Racers can now carry up to two items at once, even if the first item is not dragged
• The Mario Kart Double Item Box. Double Dash. has returned
• From Mario Kart 7, the backbeat that plays while the player is forerunning has returned
• Half-pipes from Mario Kart Wii make a return in a few courses

Changed Features

• Vehicle parts and driver statistics have been updated
• Some of the vehicle parts that are unique to are now unlocked at random by collecting Coins during gameplay
• Instead of, weight classes are now divided into
• Red Shells and Spiny Shells are now slower when they lock onto their target, allowing players to outrun them in 200cc with any kind of speed boost
• Course maps are now white rather than blue. The maps of the three Rainbow Roads and the GCN Baby Park have also been changed from rainbow to white (or pink and blue in the case of the Baby Park)
• The User Interface of the Race Rule screen has been modified
• The player will still be inked if a Blooper is about to ink them as they cross the finish line. This is in contrast to the Wii U version, where the Blooper or ink disappear instead. This is an aesthetic effect
• The character icons on the course map have been slightly increased in size, detail, and resolution, similar to Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7
• Instead of 16, as in Mario Kart 8, you can now download 32 Time Trial Ghosts
• Players can now play DLC courses online even if they don't own them, as long as at least one member of the lobby does
• Speaking of DLC, the original game's DLC is now included for free
• Item Boxes respawn more quickly than in Mario Kart 8

Removed Features

• The concept of Fire Hopping, in which a player could "hop" repeatedly to gain extra speed from a boost, has been banned, or, if viewed as a glitch, reinstated
• The battle courses in Mario Kart 8 have all been removed
• Stamps are missing due to Miiverse not being available on the Nintendo Switch, as well as the service being discontinued six months after the game's release
• Item Spy has been removed to prevent cheating and due to the Switch's lack of a second screen
• While watching replay videos on Mario Kart TV, 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
• The original deathmatch Balloon Battle mode from Mario Kart 8 has been replaced by 5 other battle modes. Balloon Battle is still present, but instead of becoming invisible and immune to attacks when you lose all of your balloons, you respawn and lose half of your points
• You can no longer upload Mario Kart TV footage to YouTube directly

Gameplay

Game Modes

Grand Prix

In Grand Prix mode, twelve racers compete for first place in four-race cups. Racers are awarded points based on their finishing positions in races, and the racer with the most points at the end wins

2nd

Time Trials

Time trials allow players to compete for the fastest time possible, either alone or against a ghost. This mode cannot be played with more than one player

See Staff Ghosts for more information.

VS. Race

VS. Race allows racers to race according to their own set of rules. It is not limited to a single cup, so racers can choose any course (if enabled). VS. Races can be played locally with up to four people at the same time. It cannot be played online, but tournaments serve a similar purpose

Note. VS. Races will not count towards your cup progression.

Battle Mode

One of the most significant changes in the game is the revamped Battle Mode, which has resulted in the removal of Mario Kart 8 battle courses. It reverts to the traditional arena-based combat system. In contrast to the previous games, each player starts with five balloons rather than three. Another feature added to this mode is the ability to tell which character hit whom, which appears at the bottom of the screen

The ability to respawn after all balloons have been popped returns from Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7. This reduces a player's total score by half and causes the player to respawn with three balloons rather than five

There are five different Battle Modes in the game, which are listed below

• Balloon Battle - The classic mode in which players use items to pop or steal their opponents' balloons in order to score points
• Renegade Roundup - A new mode similar to "cops and robbers," with racers divided into two teams. One team is called "The Authorities," and they have a Piranha Plant attached to the front of their vehicle. They must capture the opposing team, called "The Renegades. ". The authorities will win if they can apprehend all of the renegades. If the Renegades have at least one uncaptured member when time runs out, they win. Authorities' ability to capture is also temporarily lost if they are hit by an item, whereas Renegades have a short boost and temporary capture immunity when they are released. Renegades apprehended by authorities will be placed in floating jail cells around the course, and any uncaptured Renegades can free their teammates by pressing the key switch beneath said jail cells
• Bob-omb Blast - A Mario Kart returning mode. Double Dash. , in which players score points by attacking one another with Bob-ombs and can carry up to ten Bob-ombs. Bob-ombs, unlike normal modes, detonate as soon as you drop them
• Coin Runners - In Mario Kart Wii, players must collect Coins scattered throughout the course in order to have the most at the end of the match. Players lose coins when they are hit by opposing players' items. Coins collected in Coin Runners, unlike normal modes, do not count toward the coin total required to unlock items
• Shine Thief - Another Mario Kart mode that has returned. In Double Dash. , one player must retrieve a Shine Sprite and hold on to it for about 20 (and somehow long) seconds (or 30 if playing team battle), while the opponents use items against the player who has the Shine to force that player to drop it

Battle Mode has customisable options when played locally

Online

Using Nintendo Switch Online, players can race and battle online, either alone or with another player. At the end of a race, players earn or lose VR based on their performance

LAN

Using Nearby Nintendo Switches, players can also race and battle locally, either alone or with another player

Engine Classes

• 50cc. Slow, Low-Speed fun for everyone
• 100cc. Moderately Fast. Requires some skill level
• 150cc. High-Speed thrills. Requires some skill level. *
• Mirror. Mirror-Image Courses (150cc)
• 200cc. Breaking must be done quickly. Requires Advanced Skill Level. *

* - Time Trials are available

Controls

Default

Default controls when in handheld mode or using two Joy Cons

Horizontal Controls

The Joystick Controls when held horizontally

Toy Con Motorbike

The Controls for the Toy Con Motorbike

Toy Con Car

While driving the Toy Con Car, use the controls

* - Tilt controls are also available, allowing racers to steer using the gyro sensor instead

Racers

All of the Mario Kart 8 racers, including the DLC racers, have returned and are available right away. Gold Mario (a gold version of Metal Mario) is the only unlockable racer in the game. Three other racers from previous games have also made a return. The Inklings made their debut in Mario Kart as well

Main Racers

Style Options for Racers

Note. CPU Racers are unable to take on the roles of Link, Inkings, Colored Yoshi, Colored Shy Guy, Gold Mario, or Miis

Racer Statistics

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

• Speed. the vehicle's top speed on land with normal gravity
• Acceleration. the time it takes a vehicle to reach top speed from a standing position
• Weight. the weight of the vehicle
  • Vehicles with a higher weight can easily knock other vehicles with a lower weight
• Handling. the vehicle's turning ability on land with normal gravity
• Traction. the grasp of the vehicle
  • Vehicles with more traction can stay more stable on the road than vehicles with less traction
• Mini-Turbo. the length of the mini-turbo speed boosts on the vehicle

Vehicle parts

The Koopa Clown returns from Mario Kart 7, along with two new Splatoon-based ATVs, the Splat Buggy and Inkstriker. The statistics of vehicle parts have been changed in comparison to Mario Kart 8

Karts

Speed

Speed

Handling

Handling

Bikes

Speed

Speed

Handling

Handling

Handling

ATVs

Speed

Speed

Handling

Handling

Wheels

Speed

Speed

Speed

Handling

Handling

Handling

Ancient Tyres

Gliders

Unlocking criteria

Racers

Gold Mario is the only unlockable racer in this game. Once unlocked, his icon replaces Metal Mario on the character select screen. Metal Mario is still available, but it is now considered a variant of Gold Mario

• Gold Mario. One must complete and win all 200cc cups

Vehicle parts

Every 30 Coins, a random vehicle part is unlocked. When it reaches 450 Coins, this is changed to every 50 Coins. When you reach 1500 coins, this is changed to every 100

• 30
• 60
• 90
• 120
• 150
• 180
• 210
• 240

• 270
• 300
• 330
• 360
• 390
• 450
• 500
• 550

• 600
• 650
• 700
• 750
• 800
• 850
• 900
• 950

• 1000
• 1050
• 1100
• 1150
• 1200
• 1250
• 1300
• 1350

• 1400
• 1450
• 1500
• 1600
• 1700
• 1800

Special Parts

• Gold Standard. It is obtained by obtaining at least one star rank on each cup in Mirror Mode
• Gold Tires. It can be obtained by defeating all 48 staff ghosts in the 150cc Time Trials
• Gold Glider. It can be obtained by collecting 5,000 coins

Courses

Mario and Luigi race through Peach Gardens on the Nintendo DS

Courses are an important part of any Mario Kart game. They enable racers to compete on a variety of maps, including. There are jungles, grasslands, snow, mountains, and a giant ice cream cone. Each course has its own distinct route, with some having three laps and others having more. Some courses change between laps, while others do not

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, all cups are available right away, unlike most other games where you must unlock the majority of them. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there are 48 tracks in the base game and 48 tracks in the Booster Course Pass DLC, for a total of 96 tracks

Nitro Cups

Retro Cups

Bonus Cups

DLC Cups

(aka 3DS Alpine Pass)

Upcoming Courses

Note. The following datamines are subject to change, but because the prefix datamine is no longer accurate, we are unsure of their placements; however, we do know we will receive the following courses at some point

• GBA Sunset Wilds
• GCN Waluigi Stadium/GCN Wario Colosseum (probably the former)
• Tour Vancouver Velocity
• Tour Los Angeles Laps
• Tour Singapore Speedway
• Tour Amsterdam Drift
• Tour Bangkok Rush

If the prefix datamine holds true, we could get 1 more Super Mario Kart course, no more Mario Kart 64 courses, and 2 more Mario Kart courses. Super Circuit, four new Mario Kart courses. Double Dash. , 1 more Mario Kart DS course, 3 more Mario Kart Wii courses, no more Mario Kart 7, 8 more Mario Kart Tour courses, and 5 more "new" courses

Battle Courses

In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, there are eight distinct Battle Tracks that are used in Battle Mode. These take the place of the repurposed tracks from the original Mario Kart 8. There are five new (nitro) Battle Courses and three retro Battle Courses. Surprisingly, only two of the Battle Courses (Lunar Colony and Battle Stadium) have Anti-Gravity

Items

All of the items from Mario Kart 8 have been reintroduced. Racers can now carry two items, as in Mario Kart. Double Dash. Some items from previous Mario Kart games have reappeared

What's new in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?

The table below contains items from previous games that were not present in the original Mario Kart 8

Returning Mario Kart 8 Items

Accessories

Amiibo

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

All amiibo compatible with Mario Kart 8 are back in the game, along with some new features. Tapping any Animal Crossing Series amiibo will give you the Animal Crossing Mii Racing Suit, while tapping the Boy or Girl Inkling amiibo will give you the Boy and Girl Inkling Mii Racing Suits

Toy-Con

Toy con creates a new immersive racing experience. In Mario Kart, you can now steer by driving a kart or a motorcycle. Toy-con features can be enabled in the Toy-con section of the main menu

Updates

1. 1. 0

On May 7, 2017, an update was released that changed the following

• In online matches, opponents' names are displayed in the rear view mirror
• In online matches, the invincibility period after a spin-out or crash is longer
• While waiting to join, up to two players can observe a friend group
• "Worldwide" and "Regional" modes add fewer players to Mirror and 200cc matches
• Players with 100 or more friends can now properly create a friend lobby
• Starting positions in online races now accurately reflect the order in which players join
• During matches, Miis now show proper facial expressions
• The Tournament clock now accurately reflects real-time time
• The pose of Inkling Girl, which resembled a potentially offensive gesture, has been changed

1. 2. 0

On June 28, 2017, an update was released that changed the following

• Players can unlock a Pikmin Suit for the Mii driver by using Pikmin-themed amiibo
• On loading screens for online and wireless play, as well as Mario Kart TV, race rules and course names are now displayed
• No more than two Piranha Plants will be granted as items at the same time in online matches
• When selecting a Mii racing suit for online matches, the controls are no longer unresponsive when the timer runs out
• In online matches, the item wheel no longer spins indefinitely
• Online races now end 30 seconds after the first-place finisher, just as they did in Mario Kart Wii
• When a player holds an item behind them, the items in their item slots now display correctly
• Items are now destroyed after being blocked by an attack

1. 2. 1

On August 9, 2017, an update was released that changed the following

• Fixed a bug that made it take longer to return to the lobby after races near the start and end times of online tournaments

1. 3. 0

On October 18, 2017, an update was released that changed the following

• Video capture compatibility was added. Hold down the Capture Button to record up to 30 seconds of previous footage
  • The firmware on your Nintendo Switch must be updated to Ver. 4. 0. 0 or higher is required to use this feature
• When Smart Steering is enabled, it is now more difficult to float down using the glider
• When the first place player hasn't yet crossed the finish line, Blue Shells no longer hit the second place player
• After spinning out or crashing, the invulnerability period is extended
• Changes made to Online Play before Verification. 1. 2. 1 now applies to both wireless and LAN play
• When you're further back in a race, you'll get better items to help you catch up to other players
• Only one Piranha Plant will appear at a time
• Updating to Ver 1. 3. 0 will prevent users from participating in Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on Ver. 1. 2. 1 or lower

1. 4. 0

On December 12, 2017, an update was released that changed the following

• Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean language support is now available
• Languages can be changed in the console's Settings
• An issue that prevented background music from playing after players crossed the finish line has been resolved
• Updating to Ver 1. 4. 0 will prevent users from participating in Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on Ver. 1. 2. 1 or lower

1. 5. 0

On June 25, 2018, an update was released that changed the following

• The Toy-Con Motorbike from the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Variety Kit can now be used
• Players can now choose whether or not to use the Toy-Con Motorbike in the main menu's Toy-Con settings
• The Joy-Con must be placed inside the Toy-Con Motorbike on the screen just before the game begins
• When the character is riding the Toy-Con Motorbike, the camera will look over his or her shoulder
• Pressing the downward directional button returns the player to normal view
• Fixed an issue where, after creating a tournament, the "Search by code" feature would stop working
• Fixed an issue that prevented a player from continuing after colliding with a Super Thwomp
• Updating to Ver 1. 5. Users on version 0 will be unable to play Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on previous versions

1. 6. 0

On July 19, 2018, an update was released that changed the following

• New Link character skins and vehicle parts dedicated to The Legend of Zelda. Breath of the Wild

1. 7. 0

On September 19, 2018, an update was released that changed the following

• Toy-Con Car is now compatible with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 03 Vehicle Kit
• Now works with the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app
• To play online, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required

2. 0

On March 18, 2022, an update was released that changed the following

• 48 new courses have been added to the Booster Course Pass
  • These courses will be made available over time. From the start, there are eight courses available
• The time between picking up an item box and it reappearing has been reduced

2. 1

On August 4, 2022, an update was released that changed the following

• 8 new courses have been added to the Booster Course Pass
• Further The time between picking up an item box and it reappearing has been reduced
• The maximum number of time trial downloads has been increased from 16 to 32
• Wave 1 course icons' contrast and brightness have been adjusted
• When a player approaches the cars in Coconut Mall, they now move

2. 2

On December 7, 2022, an update will be released that will change the following

• 8 new courses have been added to the Booster Course Pass
• Half-Pipes (Last Seen in Mario Kart Tour) make a comeback in select Booster Course Pass Courses
• The ability to choose which items appear in races has been added

Media

Images

Booster Course Pass Wave 1

Booster Course Pass Wave 2

Booster Course Pass Wave 3

Gameplay Videos

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Gameplay

-005- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Switch Longplay

Soundtrack

Trivia

• When the game first comes out, Mario still says "Mario Kart 8," leaving out the deluxe part of the game's name
• Engine noises can be heard on the startup screen. This was first seen on the startup screen of Mario Kart 64
• The Online Matchmaking system in 8 Deluxe allows users to play DLC tracks that they do not own if another player does
• Unlike every other Mario Kart game, 8 and 8 Deluxe are the only mainline Mario Kart games that do not have an Award Ceremony following a Grand Prix, instead simply displaying your position and a cup if you earned one
• The only games that have both Retro and Nitro courses in the same cup are Mario Kart 8 and Deluxe
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has the most Rainbow Roads of any Mario Kart game (including Tour if number and r/t variants are excluded)
• This (and 8) are the only Mario Kart games that offer 200cc for free
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the only Mario Kart game to include collaboration characters and tracks in the base game (rather than as DLC)
• This is the only game that includes Retro Tracks, which are tracks released after it

Reception

The game has received universal acclaim, with higher aggregate scores than its predecessor. The game has received praise for being well-suited to the Switch's portability, improved performance, and, in particular, the redesigned Battle Mode. Mario Kart 8 receives "generally favorable" reviews on Metacritic, with a metascore of 88/100 based on 82 critic reviews. Its Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, received "universal acclaim" and was dubbed a "must-play" title, with a metascore of 92/100 based on 95 critic reviews

What makes Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition different?

Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a good buy?

What is included in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Edition?

Are characters important in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?