Between the Luigi Death Stare and the on-point DLC, Mario Kart 8 hit the sweet spot for players almost every time. But it was one shell-shocker mode that caused a ruckus in the arena, battle mode was the face of disappointment, the elephant in the room. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo has finally made a battle mode to rival those golden days from the N64 and GameCube. And it’s really that good.
It’s been three years since we graced the tracks in Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U. Since then, we’ve seen new DLC and characters released for the game to keep it fresh. With the Nintendo Switch’s release, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe promises more fun-fuelled action with the return of two item slots for double banana-stacking trouble, an all-new battle mode and six new characters – including Inkling Girl and Boy, King Boo, Bowser Junior, Gold Mario and Dry Bones – for a 42-strong karting roster. With all DLC – which includes the Mercedes-Benz crossover vehicles and upgrades – and Grand Prix modes unlocked from the get-go, there’s plenty of content for those who missed out on the Wii U version, along with new 200cc time trials for the seasoned veteran.
Playing at a solid 60 frames per second at 1080p in Switch docked mode in both single player and split screen mode, Deluxe is beautiful to play. Between drifting from corner to corner with the new ultra-boost and clocking double item boxes on the course, Deluxe just feels faster. Choose to play with the Pro Controller, the Joy-Con Grip, or as separate controllers with or without the wheel accessory. Using the tiny Joy-Con wheel with motion control is a must for younger players, as they get to experience Mario Kart in the front seat. But for those with larger hands, it’s best to stick to the familiar for a more solid and controlled drive. You can still switch controllers mid-play with the Switch’s automatic controller detection, though motion control, smart steering and auto accelerate must be manually turned on or off. Deluxe is also silky smooth and sharp on the Switch screen itself, making it easy to play on the move.
The in-game menus have also had a small refresh since the days of the Wii U, with Miiverse, Stamps and the Shop icons removed from Deluxe. Instead, players will find a cleaner menu with Play Stats, MKTV and Amiibo icons placed at the bottom of the opening main menu. When choosing your kart, players will have to locate their plus or minus button on the Joy-Cons to access vehicle specifications, along with the motion control, smart steering and auto accelerate features. The ability to turn these features on or off is surprisingly well hidden in the menus, given that smart steering is turned on by default. Though only a minor flaw, perhaps a more obvious “options” menu would have been the smarter choice in this instance.
As an additional option, smart steering is a superb choice for inexperienced Mario Kart players. Used as an assist to prevent players from falling off the track, it’s an absolute godsend for 200cc mode on Rainbow Road, slowing down your kart and steering you away from the edges with as little friction between tyre and road surface as possible. And while it does take the frustration of falling and repeatedly summoning Lakitu’s cloud to your rescue, it also takes away some of the natural fun too. As the saying goes; sometimes our greatest glory is not in falling, but in rising every time we fall – with a blue spiny shell, naturally.
Of course, the real elephant in the room for Mario Kart 8 has always been battle mode. Nintendo makes bold amends in Deluxe with five new battle modes and eight new arena courses, specifically designed for karting wars. The refined menu selection leads to better mode customisation in each of the modes; Balloon Battle, Coin Runners, Shine Thief, Bob-omb Blast and the all-new mode, Renegade Roundup. Split local co-op into randomly selected teams or take the crown without any help as you battle for the golden trophy from a minimum of four to a maximum of 24 rounds.
While each battle arena has its strengths and weaknesses, such as hidden areas for avoiding players and smaller areas for close-call action, each of the five battle modes can be played to satisfaction. Playing Bob-omb Blast with frantic items in Urchin Underpass is a particular highlight, given how each corner can be used to your advantage with those fiery blue or red bomb blasts. Team battle mode Renegade Roundup is also a great treat in Dragon Palace, with the many twists and u-turns a player can make to outrun the Piranha Plant law enforcement team. While Coin Runners in Wuhu Town is right on the money with the ability to weave in and out of streets. Battle Mode in Deluxe is such a far cry from Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U; it’s fun, well presented and exactly what every fan has been looking for.
With the arrival of two item slots, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is certainly double the trouble. Each player, CPUs included, all have the ability to collect two items – either from one single or stacked question mark block on the track. Working as they’ve done in previous iterations, players must use their first item before they can use the second. Perfect for those who want to secure their first-place victory with triple bananas and a green shell, or for those who need to catch up with a Bullet Bill and a lightning bolt. As a sorely missed feature on the Wii U, having two items in your arsenal just adds that extra spice to race and battle modes in Deluxe.
Deluxe’s online mode for racing runs exactly the same as it did on the Wii U, with global and regional rooms. Each player selects one of three available courses, with the other relegated to a random course choice. The interaction options between players are still there, of course, and you’ll still be able to race with just two players if you’d rather not wait for additional people. Battle mode works a little differently, however. Each player will select a course in the same way, but there’s no control over which battle mode you’ll get. From what I’ve played, it appears to be chosen in a cyclical fashion, adding in CPUs for Renegade Roundup if there’s only a few Miis occupying the room. When there’s only a few players occupying the arena, online battle mode certainly gets dull, fast. It’s a shame CPUs aren’t added in for every mode as Renegade Roundup was a treat with a full roster. And despite the rooms being less than full, Deluxe is still plagued with communication errors when a fellow racer drops out, booting everyone out of the field.
Perhaps the only real downfall for Deluxe is its lack of bonus content for those who owned the Wii U version. Bonus tracks or exclusive vehicle items for those who own the DLC via the same Nintendo Account would be a neat reward for those loyal to the genre. It can’t help but feel a little bittersweet. But that said, the slickest, most polished version of Mario Kart 8 can only be experienced on the Nintendo Switch. For now, Switching it up is as good as it gets.
9/10
I’m on the fence. I own the Wii U version and all DLC, so this is a tough sell at full price for me…
I’m in the same boat. I think I’ll purchase it again because this time around I have friends who own a Switch so I can connect with them. I wish there was more new content, though. I completed 100% of everything on the Wii U version.
Me too I’m all over the place with this tbh.
just wait for a sale.
But Nintendo never puts things on sale. Compared to every other company which drops prices on games months after release, Nintendo has games from like 10 years ago that are only like 10 bucks off.
If they are 10 years old, Nintendo wouldn’t sell them as the console would of been discontinued.
A lot of times, Nintendo games hold their value.
My copy of Mario kart just stopped working on my Wii U. No scratches, no problems with it, it just stopped. It will get to the loading screen and never go past it. Every other game works fine, so that’s why I’m getting it haha.
If you’re in the US buy it from Amazon. If you pre-order or buy a game within two weeks after release you can get the game 20% off normal retail price. I believe Best Buy has a similar deal as well.
I’ve decided to double dip. The idea of taking this game anywhere is enough to make me take the plunge again following paying for the Wii U version and both DLC packs.
There’s very little else to play on Switch at the moment, and while Zelda is fantastic for long play sessions, the MK series has that pick up and play vibe to it. Releasing this port early in the life of the console is a pretty inspired move – people will be in the same boat – wanting something else to play.
I’m sure the problems mentioned with the online features will be fixed soon, as more players own the game; more players means less lonely rooms. And then with the players dropping, they’ll probably put out a patch relatively close to launch to smooth out those issues.
are there ranked matches on battle mode?
Two thumbs up for your excellent review, Collette. If I had the Switch right now I would buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in a heartbeat!
Thank you! :)
I own the Wii U version with all DLC too and I just can’t make my mind up at all on whether I should buy this or not. I just think €50 for a Battle Mode I’m not going to use is a bit steep, extra characters and items don’t really matter tbh but it would have been nice if new tracks were thrown in.
I said this was a rip off before and I stand by that but I love the Mario Universe and ugh this is so difficult for me :S
The main thing that sold me on it is that I can now play MK8 online on my lunch breaks at work.
Full price for pretty much battle mode makes it hard to want jump in again as I played this game to death on Wii U… regardless it is one of the most fun games I’ve ever played so if battle mode really is that fun then I guess I’ll throw more money at Nintendo 😋. Still would have been nice if there were at least 4 new tracks for racing along with more Karts.
When you you look at the whole picture though, there really is a ton of content here and crazy good times await!
Good review by the way!
MK8D may be a $50-$60 update, but I’d still buy it because portability, and I’m almost done with Zelda, so I need a new game to play.
Great review Colette and I agree with the score. MK8 Deluxe is obviously a great racing title with some extra perks but as you said bonus DLC like more tracks would’ve made this game the ultimate thrill ride. I’m getting it day one regardless, the all new Battle Mode makes it all worth it
Thank you! :) Maybe perks will come in the future? Who knows.
One question: does it have download play like mk7 and mkds does? Like with one copy of the game?
GameXplain did a Q&A on this, and sadly, no, everyone needs a copy of the game.
Dang it
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Has Scored 94 On Metacritic – My Nintendo News
Super excited to jump in, I’m another first timer and this really seems like the definitive edition!
Love your review, C. Looking more forward to the game now, even though it’s a bittersweet feeling when one owns the Wii U-version. Keep up the awesome work!!
Thank you! :3
Pingback: Mario Kart Themed Shopping Carts Appear In Target Stores – My Nintendo News
Why only a 9/10?
I’ll be double-dipping the brains out of this masterpiece.
Gimme some Switch DLC for this game and I’ll buy it again. More tracks, guaranteed sale. How terrible would it be if they announced Mario Kart 9 at E3.
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Director Reaches Out To Mario Kart 7 Players Via Swapdoodle – My Nintendo News
I’m getting it because my Wii U and all the games were stolen
Pingback: US: Target Reveals $299.99 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch Bundle For Black Friday 2018 | My Nintendo News
Pingback: US: Nintendo Announces Super Smash Bros Ultimate Demo At Select Shopping Centres Starting 10th November | My Nintendo News
Pingback: US: Nintendo Announces Super Smash Bros Ultimate Demo At Select Shopping Centres Starting 10th November | Welcome
Pingback: US: Mario Kart 8 Is The Second Best-Selling Racer Of All-Time | My Nintendo News
Pingback: UK Charts: New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe Slips To 4th | My Nintendo News
Pingback: UK Charts: Three Nintendo Titles In Top Ten | My Nintendo News
Pingback: UK Charts: New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe Holds Steady At 6 | My Nintendo News
Pingback: UK Charts: New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe Holds On At 7 | My Nintendo News
Pingback: UK Charts: Three Nintendo Games In Top Ten | My Nintendo News
Pingback: UK Charts: Two Nintendo Games In The Top Ten | My Nintendo News
Pingback: Nintendo Switch My Way advert focusses on Overcooked 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | My Nintendo News
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe North American Online Open kicks off on 17th January – Sikkim Gaming
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe North American Online Open kicks off on 17th January – Latam Gamer
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe North American Online Open kicks off on 17th January - Gamer Clouds
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe North American Online Open kicks off on 17th January - Gaming Blog
Pingback: UK charts: Two Nintendo Switch exclusives in top ten – Latam Gamer
Pingback: UK charts: Two Nintendo Switch exclusives in top ten – Natsis Games
Pingback: UK charts: Two Nintendo Switch exclusives in top ten - Gamer Clouds
Pingback: UK charts: Two Nintendo Switch exclusives in top ten – Awesomeninjagamer
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe North American Open May 2020 tournament starts 8th May - Pascin Gaming
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe climbs to No.1 this week – My Nintendo News | Pro Game World
Pingback: New Horizons remains at No.1 – My Nintendo News – Cassavatree
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Golf: Super Rush remains No.1 and Zelda: Breath of the Wild is back in Top Ten | My Nintendo News - News
Pingback: UK charts: Zelda Skyward Sword HD remains at No.2 and Neo: The World Ends with You enters at No.10 | My Nintendo News - NEWS YRP
Pingback: UK charts: Zelda Skyward Sword HD remains at No.2 and Neo: The World Ends with You enters at No.10 - GAMESABC.CYOU
Pingback: European eShop charts: Top 15 Nintendo Switch games for July 2021 - GAMESABC.CYOU
Pingback: European eShop charts: Top 15 Nintendo Switch games for July 2021 - Gaming News
Pingback: European eShop charts: Top 15 Nintendo Switch games for July 2021 - Game FAQs App
Pingback: European eShop charts: Top 15 Nintendo Switch games for July 2021 | Game Sweepers
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has climbed back to No.1 this week - NEWS YRP
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has climbed back to No.1 this week – Gaming Brings
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has climbed back to No.1 this week - Game FAQs App
Pingback: Британские чарты: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe снова поднялся на первую строчку на этой неделе - Shop & Magazine
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Kart 8: Deluxe climbs to No.3 and Cruis’n Blast lands at No.37
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Kart 8: Deluxe climbs to No.3 and Cruis’n Blast lands at No.37 – gameraider
Pingback: US NPD: Nintendo Switch 33 consecutive months as best-selling system has now been broken by PS5 - NEWS YRP
Pingback: US NPD: Nintendo Switch 33 consecutive months as best-selling system has now been broken by PS5 - JayMan Games
Pingback: US NPD: Nintendo Switch 33 consecutive months as best-selling system has now been broken by PS5 - Game Bowl
Pingback: US NPD: Nintendo Switch 33 consecutive months as best-selling system has now been broken by PS5 - Let's Play
Pingback: US NPD: Nintendo Switch 33 consecutive months as best-selling system has now been broken by PS5 - The Morning Globe
Pingback: US NPD: Nintendo Switch 33 consecutive months as best-selling system has now been broken by PS5 – My Blog
Pingback: Nintendo reveals best-selling Switch games so far - NEWS YRP
Pingback: Nintendo reveals best-selling Switch games so far – Digiwar
Pingback: UK Charts: Mario Party Superstars holds steady at No.3 - NEWS YRP
Pingback: UK charts: Minecraft for Nintendo Switch is this week’s No.1 | TechFeed365.com
Pingback: UK charts: Minecraft for Nintendo Swap is that this week’s No.1 - Full Time Game
Pingback: UK charts: Pokemon Legends Arceus enjoys big sales and shoots to No.1 - Gaming News
Pingback: UK charts: Pokemon Legends Arceus enjoys huge gross sales and shoots to No.1 – ChicHue.com
Pingback: UK charts: Pokemon Legends Arceus enjoys big sales and shoots to No.1 - DropKick Gaming
Pingback: Mario Kart North American Open March 2022 tournament announced - DropKick Gaming
Pingback: Switch Online + Expansion Pack members can now pre-download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Pass - DropKick Gaming
Pingback: Swap On-line + Growth Pack members can now pre-download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Go - FunZapy Lite
Pingback: Swap On-line + Growth Pack members can now pre-download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Cross - Full Time Game
Pingback: Switch Online + Expansion Pack members can now pre-download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Pass – ChicHue.com
Pingback: Switch Online + Expansion Pack members can now pre-download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Pass – NBA 2K Tips
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 2.0.0 update available now - DropKick Gaming
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 2.0.0 update available now - GAMING NEWS
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 2.0.0 replace out there now – ChicHue.com
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 2.0.0 update available now - Gaming Recent News
Pingback: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 2.0.0 update available now - BD Gamers
Pingback: Nintendo Switch Sports remains No.1 this week, despite 32% drop in boxed sales - Naijal
Pingback: Nintendo Switch Sports remains No.1 this week, despite 32% drop in boxed sales - n-cryptech
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Strikers: Battle League Football slips to No.3 this week – Enjoy Subway
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Strikers: Battle League Football slips to No.3 this week - NextWeb News
Pingback: UK charts: Mario Strikers: Battle League Football slips to No.3 this week - News Daily Today
Pingback: Nintendo reveals best-selling Change video games up to now – nintendoMofo
Pingback: UK charts: LEGO Star Wars: Skywalker Saga climbs again to No.1 (18th July, 2022) – nintendoMofo
Pingback: Europe: The best-selling video games during first half of 2022 - Naijal
Pingback: Nintendo reveals prime ten best-selling Swap video games since 2017 – nintendoMofo
Pingback: Nintendo reveals high ten best-selling Swap {games} since 2017 - DGN
Pingback: Dataminers find music tracks for future DLC courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - LunaticTech
Pingback: Dataminers in finding tune tracks for long run DLC classes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Gaming News
Pingback: Dataminers find music tracks for future DLC courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Alka New
Pingback: Digital Foundry não é conquistado pela implementação dos cursos Mario Kart Tour em Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - GamersBlog
Pingback: Digital Foundry isn’t won over by implementation of Mario Kart Tour courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - News Daily Today
Pingback: Virtual Foundry isn’t received over via implementation of Mario Kart Excursion lessons in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Gaming News
Pingback: UK charts: Splatoon 3 stays on prime at No.1 – nintendoMofo
Pingback: Paradas do Reino Unido: Splatoon 3 permanece no topo no número 1 - GamersBlog
Pingback: UK charts: Splatoon 3 stays on most sensible at No.1 - Gaming News
Pingback: Grupo NPD dos EUA: jogo Madden NFL 23 No.1 e console PS5 No.1 em agosto de 2022 - GamersBlog
Pingback: US NPD Workforce: Madden NFL 23 No.1 sport and PS5 No.1 console in August 2022 - Gaming News
Pingback: US NPD Group: Madden NFL 23 No.1 sport and PS5 No.1 console in August 2022 – nintendoMofo
Pingback: Europe: August 2022 gaming charts sees Grand Theft Auto V at No.1 - Rvpg media
Pingback: 任天堂の古いゲームの最近のアップデートは、重大なセキュリティ上の欠陥が原因でした
Pingback: I recenti aggiornamenti ai vecchi giochi Nintendo sono dovuti a un grave difetto di sicurezza
Pingback: Nedávne aktualizácie starších hier Nintendo boli spôsobené veľkou bezpečnostnou chybou
Pingback: كانت التحديثات الأخيرة لألعاب Nintendo القديمة بسبب ثغرة أمنية كبيرة
Pingback: Pembaruan terbaru untuk game Nintendo yang lebih lama disebabkan oleh kelemahan keamanan utama
Pingback: Latest updates for older Nintendo video games had been as a consequence of a serious safety vulnerability - Mining Technology
Pingback: Nintendo reveals up to date gross sales figures for all-time best-selling Switch video games
Pingback: Nintendo reveals updated sales figures for all-time best-selling Switch games - GamersMove
Pingback: Nintendo reveals updated sales figures for all-time best-selling Switch games - Gaming And News
Pingback: Toyota reveals particular customised Grand Highlander Nintendo Switch version
Pingback: Toyota reveals special customised Grand Highlander Nintendo Switch edition - Gaming And News
Pingback: Newest Nintendo eShop charts for twenty fifth March, 2023
Pingback: Latest Nintendo eShop charts for 25th March, 2023 - Fortechnite - Fortechnite The Gamers Blog
Pingback: Latest Nintendo eShop charts for 25th March, 2023 - GamersMove
Pingback: Latest Nintendo eShop charts (22nd April, 2023) - Gaming And News
Pingback: Latest Nintendo eShop charts (22nd April, 2023) - Gaming Pro News
Pingback: Nintendo Canada says to expect new Booster Courses for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe “soon” - luckhalo.com
Pingback: Top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch video games since launch
Pingback: UK charts: Armored Core VI: Fires Of Rubicon dethrones Mario Kart 8 Deluxe this week
Pingback: UK charts: Starfield is No.1 this week
Pingback: UK charts: Starfield is No.1 this week – jeslieenterprises
Pingback: Nintendo reportedly planning Switch OLED with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe & 3 months Switch Online bundle
Pingback: Nintendo reportedly planning Change OLED with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe & 3 months Change On-line bundle - Slightly Sarcastic
Pingback: Nintendo reportedly planning Switch OLED with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe & 3 months Switch Online bundle - DataGamer
Pingback: Nintendo reportedly planning Switch OLED with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe & 3 months Switch Online bundle – jeslieenterprises