Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Fastest Kart — How To Build The Best Kart
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- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
More data than you can throw a shell at
- by Steve Bowling & Damien McFerran
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Image: Nintendo
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is easy to pick up, but difficult to master. For all that is good about it, and believe us there’s plenty, the game isn’t very good at explaining what its various stats mean, and more importantly how they affect your chances of victory.
Fortunately, we’re here to help you make sense of it all. Each character shares stats with at least one another, so we’ve grouped them together in a handy table for you. Here’s what each stat does:
- Speed: Pretty self-explanatory, the higher your speed, the faster you’ll go
- Acceleration: The higher your acceleration stat, the faster you’ll reach your top speed
- Weight: The weight of your vehicle and racer dictates whether you’ll knock someone out of the way, or get knocked out of the way when you hit another racer.
- Handling: This stat dictates how sharply you can turn. You’ll drift and corner better with this stat.
- Traction/Grip: This causes your kart to move faster on sand and snow, and slip less on ice.
Each stat can has a minimum value of 0.75 and a maximum of 5.75. To calculate what your final stats will be, you’ll take your character’s base stats, then add the values of each part you’ve selected to come up with your total. The surface you’re racing on will also have an effect on your character’s stats. Racing underwater increases your speed by .25 points and lowers your handling by .5 points, while airborne racing increases your speed by .5 points. When you’re in anti-gravity portions of the track, you’ll lose .25 points to your speed stat.
What is undeniable, then, is that everyone’s ‘best’ loadout will be different. We’ll give some context in each section, but what works for you will depend very much on your playstyle.
If you want to sort the tables below, just click on the heading for the stat you’d like to sort by.
Best Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Characters
Image: Nintendo
| Characters | Speed | Acceleration | Weight | Handling | Traction/Grip | Mini-Turbo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby Peach, Baby Daisy | 2.25 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4.25 | 4 | 21.5 |
| Baby Rosalina, Lemmy Koopa | 2.25 | 4.25 | 2 | 4.75 | 3.75 | 4 | 21 |
| Baby Mario/Luigi, Dry Bones | 2.5 | 4.25 | 2 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.75 | 21 |
| Koopa Troopa, Lakitu, Bowser Jr. | 2.75 | 4 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 4.25 | 3.75 | 21.75 |
| Toadette, Wendy, Isabelle | 2.75 | 4.25 | 2.5 | 4.25 | 3. 5 |
3.75 | 21 |
| Toad, ShyGuy, Larry | 3 | 4 | 2.75 | 4.25 | 4 | 3.5 | 21.5 |
| Cat Peach, Inkling Girl, Villager Girl | 3.25 | 4 | 2.75 | 4 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 21.25 |
| Peach, Daisy, Yoshi | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 21.25 |
| Tanooki Mario, Inkling Boy, Villager Boy | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.5 | 21 |
| Luigi, Iggy | 3.75 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 21 |
| Mario, Ludwig | 3.75 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.25 | 21 |
| Link, King Boo, Rosalina | 4 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 3.75 | 3.25 | 21. 25 |
| Donkey Kong, Roy, Waluigi | 4.5 | 3.25 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 20.75 |
| Wario, Dry Bowser | 4.75 | 3.0 | 4.25 | 2.75 | 3.25 | 2.75 | 20.75 |
| Metal/Gold Mario, Pink Gold Peach | 4.25 | 3.25 | 4.5 | 3.25 | 3.25 | 3.0 | 21.5 |
| Bowser, Morton | 4.75 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.75 | 20.5 |
When it comes to characters the top speed is generally tied to weight, and their size. Some exceptions to this, and arguably a key factor, come with characters that were DLC in the past or are ‘metal’ variations. For example Metal / Gold Mario may be a little behind the likes of standard Mario in grip and handling, but have notable advantages in weight and speed. Another case is Tanooki Mario, which favours a little more acceleration over Mario and while having a little less top speed.
It’s important to weigh up what qualities matter to you, but to also look at subtle variations and to then accentuate those stats. Importantly, you character stats then combine with your vehicle of choice.
Best Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Karts, Bikes and ATVs
Image: Nintendo
| Kart Part | Speed | Acceleration | Weight | Handling | Traction/Grip | Mini-Turbo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Kart | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pipe Frame | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +1 |
| Mach 8 | 0 | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Cat Cruiser | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | +0.5 |
| Steel Driver | +0.25 | -0. 75 |
+0.5 | -0.5 | 0 | -0.5 | -1 |
| Circuit Special | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.5 | -0.75 | -1.75 |
| Tri-Speeder | +0.25 | -0.75 | +0.5 | -0.5 | 0 | -0.5 | -1 |
| Badwagon | +0.5 | -1.0 | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.5 | -1.0 | -1.25 |
| Prancer | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | -0.25 | -1 |
| Biddybuggy | -0.75 | +0.75 | -0.5 | +0.5 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.75 |
| Landship | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.5 | -0.5 | +0.75 | +0.5 | +0.25 |
| Sneeker | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | 0 | -0.75 | -0,25 | |
| Sports Coupe | 0 | -0. 25 |
+0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Gold Standard | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | 0 | -0.75 | -0.25 | -1.25 |
| Mercedes GLA | +0.5 | -1 | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.5 | -1.0 | -1.25 |
| Mercedes Silver Arrow | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.75 |
| Mercedes 300 SL Roadster | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blue Falcon | +0.25 | -0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | +0.5 | 0 | -0.25 |
| Tanooki Kart | -0.25 | -0.5 | +0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | +1.0 | +0.75 |
| B Dasher | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | -0.5 | -1.25 |
| Streetle | -0. 5 |
+0.5 | -0.5 | -0.5 | -0.25 | +0.75 | -0.5 |
| P-Wing | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | -0.5 | -1.25 |
| Koopa Clown | -0.25 | -0.5 | +0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | +1.0 | +0.75 |
| Standard Bike | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.75 |
| Comet | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | +0.5 |
| Sport Bike | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | -0.25 | -1 |
| The Duke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Flame Rider | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.75 |
| Varmint | -0. 5 |
+0.5 | -0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +1 |
| Mr. Scooty | -0.75 | +0.75 | -0.5 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.75 | +1 |
| Jet Bike | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | -0.25 | -1 |
| Yoshi Bike | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | +0.5 |
| Master Cycle | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | 0 | -0.75 | -0.25 | -1.25 |
| City Tripper | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +1 |
| Standard ATV | +0.5 | -1.0 | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.5 | -1.0 | -1.25 |
| Wild Wiggler | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | +0.5 | +0.25 | +0.75 |
| Teddy Buggy | -0. 25 |
+0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | +0.25 | +0.5 |
| Bone Rattler | +0.25 | -0.75 | +0.5 | -0.5 | 0 | -0.5 | -1 |
| Inkstriker | 0 | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Splat Buggy | +0.25 | -0.25 | -0.5 | -0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | -1 |
One thing is clear, the standard kart isn’t up to much, and some karts have more negatives than positives. Some of the more reliable vehicles, ie those with more positives than negatives, include the Pipe Frame, Cat Cruiser, Comet, Flame Rider, Yoshi Bike and City Tripper.
A key consideration is whether you want your vehicle to complement your character’s strengths or try to balance them out. One suggestion is to focus on two or three core strengths through your combo, as ‘balancing’ may ultimately undo your character’s positives in the process.
If you try a ‘heavy’ set and find the handling too poor, for example, then either try balancing or prioritising a new ability. It all depends on your preferred style of racing.
That same advice applies when adding Tyres and a Glider, the stats for which are below.
Best Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Tires
Image: Nintendo
| Tire Name | Speed | Acceleration | Weight | Handling | Traction/Grip | Mini-Turbo | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Monster | 0 | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.5 | -0.25 | -0.5 |
| Roller | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.5 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.75 | +0.25 |
| Slim | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | +0.25 | -1.0 | -0.25 | -1.25 |
| Slick | +0. 5 |
-0.75 | +0.25 | -0.25 | -1.25 | -0.75 | -2.25 |
| Metal | +0.5 | -1.0 | +0.5 | -0.25 | -0.75 | -0/75 | -1 |
| Button | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | -0/5 | +0.5 | 0 |
| Off-Road | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.5 | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| Sponge | -0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 |
| Wood | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | +0.25 | -1.0 | -0.25 | -1.25 |
| Cushion | -0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 |
| Blue Standard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hot Monster | 0 | -0.5 | +0. 5 |
-0.75 | +0.5 | -0.25 | -0.5 |
| Azure Roller | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.5 | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.75 | +0.25 |
| Crimson Slim | +0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | +0.25 | -1.0 | -0/25 | -1 |
| Cyber Slick | +0.5 | -0.75 | +0.25 | -0.25 | -1.25 | -0.75 | -2.25 |
| Retro Off-Road | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.5 | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| Gold Tires | +0.5 | -1.0 | +0.5 | -0.25 | -0.75 | -0.75 | -1.75 |
| GLA Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Triforce Tires | +0.25 | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.5 | +0.25 | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| Leaf Tires | -0. 25 |
+0.25 | -0.5 | 0 | -0.5 | +0.5 | -0.5 |
Best Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Gliders
Image: Nintendo
| Name | Speed | Acceleration | Weight | Handling | Traction/Grip | Mini-Turbo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Glider | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cloud Glider | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | 0 | 0 | +0.25 |
| Wario Wing | 0 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | 0 |
| Waddle Wing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Peach Parasol | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | 0 | 0 | +0.25 |
| Parachute | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | 0 | 0 | +0.25 |
| Parafoil | -0. 25 |
+0.25 | 0 | 0 | -0.25 | +0.25 |
| Flower Glider | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | 0 | 0 | +0.25 |
| Bowser Kite | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | 0 | -0.25 | +0.25 |
| Plane Glider | 0 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | 0 |
| MKTV Parafoil | -0.25 | +0.25 | 0 | 0 | -0.25 | +0.25 |
| Gold Glider | 0 | 0 | +0.25 | 0 | -0.25 | 0 |
| Hylian Kite | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paper Glider | -0.25 | +0.25 | -0.25 | 0 | 0 | +0.25 |
How To Build The Best Kart in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Image: Nintendo
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all best Kart to build, so it’s best to find something that works for your play style.
One recommendation for you to try out is to use heavy characters, as the increased top speed combined with the ability to knock lighter racers out of your way is genuinely helpful. Time attack is a great way to get practice in with the kart you’ve built without having to contend with opponents throwing items at you.
Using the following guide, you can create a kart that has good acceleration, decent traction and excellent top speed.
- Character: Pick a level 3 ‘Heavy’ class character (Bowser, Wario, Dry Bowser, Morton)
- Kart: Blue Falcon, Pipeframe, Streetle – all three have good speed and traction
- Tires: Slick
- Glider: The glider you choose doesn’t really seem to have a massive impact, so pick whichever one you think looks nicest!
Do you have a go-to Kart combo? Are bikes best, or is it all about those ATVs? Comment with your favourite loadouts below.
This article is part of our Mario Kart 8 Deluxe guide series, featuring tips, hints, tricks and unlocks for the best kart racing game on Switch. You can find the Full Character Roster, every course in the game, including the DLC tracks, and How To Download And Access the DLC itself.
We also explain How To Build The Best Kart, How To Unlock All Gold Mario And All Gold Kart Parts, How To Avoid Blue Shells, How To Farm Infinite Coins, How To Drift, Slipstream, And Boost, and How To Get A Rocket Start, as well as Explain And Rank Every Item, list every every compatible amiibo and unlockable Mii Costumes, explore The Difference Between ‘All Items’ And ‘Frantic Items’, plus give an in-depth explanation of All Control Options And Assists and How To Turn Automatic Steering On And Off.
- Best Deals On Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Booster Course Pass DLC, Toys And Accessories For Switch
Up Next: Full Items List
- amiibo Unlocks: Mii Costumes
- Full Items List
Mario Kart 8 Wiki Guide
By Michael Koczwara, Samuel Claiborn, Brendan Graeber, +16.
9k more
updated
| Release Date | Platforms |
|---|---|
| May 30, 2014 |
Wii U Nintendo Switch |
| Developer | Publisher |
| Nintendo EAD | Nintendo |
| Official Sites | |
| North American — Japanese | |
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Officially revealed during E3 2013 on June 11, 2013, Mario Kart 8 is set to arrive on May 30, 2014 worldwide. This latest installment in the Mario Kart series introduces a new Anti-Gravity mechanic that will allows racers to race on walls and ceilings at certain points in the tracks. The Gliding and Underwater features return from Mario Kart 7, as well as the ability to customize your Vehicles. Mario Kart 8 is set to feature 32 Tracks in all, 16 brand new tracks, and 16 remastered tracks from previous entries in the series.
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On April 30, 2014, Nintendo announced a Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle and a Pre-Order Bonus Game promotion for Mario Kart 8.
Mario Kart 8 currently features a roster of 30 Characters and comes packed with 16 brand new Tracks and 16 retro tracks, making for a total of 32 tracks split into eight different Grand Prix Cups. Another 16 new courses are currently available as DLC for the game, which also include the 3 new characters Link, Cat Peach and Tanooki Mario. Another DLC pack is slated for release in May of this year. Mario Kart 8 features a total of 20 Items, four of which are brand new to the series.
Up Next: Deluxe DLC — Booster Course Pass
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drifting, items, and everything you need to know
The latest game in the franchise is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch, and while it’s a Wii U port of Mario Kart 8 , and so has a ton of similar mechanics as you race, there are some small details and differences you will want to know. Whether you’re an experienced card racing veteran or a beginner, check out our guide to the basics and more advanced tricks of racing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
BASIC CONTROLS /
In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe , the control scheme is the same from Mario Kart 8 , You have button A as acceleration and button B acts as brakes you use to avoid sharp corners.
You can also use the R button to drift around corners to maintain speed. We will delve into drift in a later section.
When you complete a course, passing through the question mark fields will give your rider an item. You can hold up to two items at the same time and launch one at a time with the L button.
Everything else just comes down to your skill as a racer and a bit of luck.
To get a good start from the exit, you can hold the boost button the same way the timekeeper counts to 2. If you do it right, you will get momentum from the start, but if you hold the boost too early, you will spin and fall behind everyone else.
Each course also has many secret areas that can help you catch up with your opponents or put distance between you and the rest of the competition. Some secret areas need to be buffed by the fungus, while others are hidden from view.
Explore each course and experiment with different areas to find these secret tracks.
Character Select Screen for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
SELECT KART PARTS
Before you can start a race, you will need to select a character and your kart parts. Characters don’t change the way you race (unlike past games), but parts of karting are where you can differentiate your racer from the competition and add a layer of strategy to what you’re doing.
You must select the hull, wheels and airframe. Each part changes the acceleration, speed, handling, weight and traction of your kart.
Acceleration determines how fast you can get to top speed. Speed - the maximum speed of your kart.
Handling determines how well your kart can turn corners, while traction determines how well your kart moves off-road. So if you veer off course and hit mud or water, the more thrust you have, the better your car drives without losing speed.
Weight in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe determines how you interact with other karts. If you have a heavier kart you can knock other riders to the side if you use the mushroom.
If you manage to hit them in the air, you can knock them off course.
Consider all of this when choosing your go-kart parts. You can unlock more details when you collect coins in the Grand Prix.
Grab Coins are required to achieve maximum speed.
COINS
As you drive, you will see coins in the middle of the road and sometimes you will receive them as an item. But what are they doing?
Coins in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe actually make your car faster. Players can only hold 10 coins at a time, and their maximum speed increases with each coin you receive. However, if you hit the shell or fall off course, you will lose coins and lower your top speed.
Grab as many coins as you can to increase your top speed; they also help you unlock kart parts.
You can now drift to pink and get even more speed boost.
drifting
The most important aspect of racing in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is your ability to drift.
This not only maintains speed when turning corners, you can get some small boosts if you’ve drifted correctly. Drifting needs to be learned and takes a lot of practice to get down but once you do a lot better at racing.
When you reach the corner, you can hold the R button while turning your kart in the direction you want to go. You will see sparks flying from the back of your kart, which means you are drifting. However, if you keep holding the R button and move your directional pad left and right, you’ll start to see the sparks change color (if you’re doing it right).
Sparks will change from blue to red to pink (change only for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ), then release the R button to get promoted. The longer you do this, the greater your momentum.
But be careful, judge how long it drifts by the size of the turns. If you’ve been drifting for too long, you’ll fall off the stage or go out of your way.
Use items to keep your opponents at bay.
DEFENDING THE LEADERS
So you’re in first place, but in front on a knee or two before you’re crowned with victory, how do you defend your lead?
In addition to racing well enough to avoid obstacles, you can use your drift incentives and secret areas to build your lead.
But a more effective and easier way to protect your guide is to use the elements as protection.
While in the first place, the items you get will usually be bananas or green shells. They may seem useless to someone who comes first, but you can use them to protect yourself from green and red projectiles. By simply holding the L button, you can keep a shell or banana behind you to absorb any projectiles that may come.
There are items and powers that you cannot defend against by simply holding your item behind you. In these cases, you’ll need a special item to protect yourself (such as a horn with blue shells) or avoid driving them.
Again, there is a lot of luck in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but if you follow and understand the basics, you may win more often than not.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is available on the Nintendo Switch.
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Overview of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Fast and Too Fast — Gambling
Congenial
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Mario Kart is an arcade racing series from the Nintendo and turns twenty-five this year.
During this time, Mario Kart has come a long way: five games for home consoles, three projects for handhelds and three more for arcade machines. Each of these games received some kind of feature that changed the usual gameplay and allowed you to take a fresh look at the series. And just recently, an improved version 9 was released for the Nintendo Switch0123 Mario Kart 8 , subtitled Deluxe .
Mario Kart — simple game
No story, no cutscenes, no tutorials — just gameplay. The basics of control will become clear after half an hour of play, and that’s enough.
The choice of characters in the game is large enough to make you think.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe users are in luck—unlike Mario Kart 8 on Wii U, there are no characters to unlock. All forty-two riders are available from the start. It’s very easy to start playing: just choose a character, then choose a vehicle, wheels and a glider for him.
Press the «-» or «+» button and five parameters will be shown to you: speed, acceleration, mass, handling and throughput.
Here you can also turn on smart controls, one of the innovations in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, it can help novice racers. Thanks to him, you will not fly off the track, AI will drive the car for you.
The second novelty of the Deluxe version is auto-acceleration, in which you do not need to constantly hold the «A» button. These features are suitable for those who plan to play Mario Kart with young children, as it will be easier for them to learn. The only problem with smart steering and auto-acceleration is that they are enabled by default, and it’s not mentioned anywhere. This can be confusing for those who are surprised to find that the kart rides straight down the track on its own. So, if you don’t need these features, don’t forget to turn them off.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has four single player modes, local multiplayer, online multiplayer and wireless play. It is best to hone your skills in single Grand Prix, Time Attack, Race and Combat. In the «Grand Prix» and «Race» you can choose the speed of the racers on the track: 50, 100, 150 or 200 cubes.
By the way, in the Wii U version, 200 cubes were added only in one of the updates, but here everything is available immediately. Well, if you want more variety, you can put mirror tracks, however, they are only available at a speed of 150. There are twelve cups in the Grand Prix, in each of which you need to complete four tracks.
There are forty-eight tracks in the game: original Mario Kart 8 locations and remastered tracks from previous games. Unfortunately, full-fledged new tracks were not added to the Deluxe version. But only those who have played Mario Kart 8 on Wii U will notice this.
The Race mode offers you a flexible competition setting: from four to forty-eight races, three levels of bot difficulty, speed and tracks. You can choose the latter yourself, turn it on randomly or put it in order. «Race» is very useful for training!
In the «Timed» mode, you will be allowed to drive any track alone at a speed of 150 or 200 cubes — of course, for a while.
Your record can be uploaded to the Internet and compared with the achievements of other players. You can even learn from the most successful participants! Just download the recording of someone else’s race to find out how the other player managed to cut their time.
In Sharoboy, the main thing is to aim.
Another new addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the Combat mode. Here you will be offered five types of competitions, each with its own characteristics.
Balloons are attached to the racers in Sharoboy. Pop balloons from opponents and take them out of the game to win. Piranha Chase is a variant of the game with cops and thieves. Law enforcement officers must catch up with violators and catch everyone, and they, in turn, must hold out for the allotted time. In Bob Omb Battle, only bombs will remain in your arsenal. And here the players are waiting for the balls, just like in the «Sharoboy».
In Time is Money mode, whoever collects the most coins wins. And in Feistafet, you need to capture the fairy of the sun and keep her with you until time runs out.
In all these modes, you can fight both alone and in multiplayer.
Mario Kart is a fun game
All items in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Mario Kart wouldn’t be Mario Kart if it wasn’t for the items. Their use is a key element of the gameplay. There are twenty-three items in total in the game: twenty-two of them you can use in races, and the 23rd only in the «Fight» mode.
Unlike Mario Kart 8, in the Deluxe version, racers can take two power-ups instead of one. Some of them give speed, some protect, some attack — you always need to think about whether to use the item now or hold it for a while. Nintendo keeps a good balance in Mario Kart, in the first place you will almost never get speed-up items, as well as protective ones.
But the riders in the last rows can fall «Bill Bullet», rushing on autopilot, knocking everyone in its path. It happens that only coins are pouring down the entire track for you, only slightly increasing your speed, and rivals are constantly throwing shells at you — a sad situation.
And it happens that stars (invulnerability) or accelerator mushrooms fall out completely, but you constantly fall, stop in place and still lag behind.
It happens that you lead two and a half laps, and then unsuccessfully catch a few unpleasant enemy «buns» … and now you finish twelfth with surprise! But do not think that everything is so bad, it happens vice versa: from the last place on accelerator mushrooms and Bill-bullets straight to the favorites of the tournament.
In general, each race is unique, it all depends on what items you drop and who you play with — that’s why Mario Kart is loved!
Bullet Bill in action.
Thanks to the hybrid nature of the Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has gained a wide range of multiplayer options. You can play from the console with four people, or connect eight Switches to a local network, or even go online and go up in the rankings there alone, as well as together with one console.
But for one Switch, it is best for several people to play in TV mode.
In the desktop, unfortunately, it is more difficult — the screen is still small. If the two of you can still bend over the tablet and drive normally, then when the six-inch screen is divided into four parts, the image becomes too small.
In this sense, it is most convenient to play with a local connection. You can sit with friends at Mario Kart and recklessly comment on the race. After all, everyone with their own Switch and no one interferes with anyone! True, it was not without a fly in the ointment: in the middle of the race, the “Communication error” window often appears, and then the player crashes. It remains only to recreate the race, otherwise the «flyer» will not be able to go back to the lobby.
This, by the way, is also found online. A “communication error” occurs at the most inopportune moment and forces you to reconnect. But the Wii U didn’t experience such frequent tearing, so we hope Nintendo fixes the software soon.
Despite the crashes from the lobby, playing online is incredibly pleasant.
Ranked races on normal tracks and in the «Battle» mode, competitions, races with friends — all this multiplayer variety will provide hundreds of fun hours in the game.
Mario Kart is a complex game
Many Nintendo games have deep mechanics, and Mario Kart is no exception. After online losses, you begin to notice what your opponents are driving and why they are always ahead of you. Initially, not all maps, motorcycles, wheels and gliders are open. New fixtures can be exchanged for coins collected during the race. The game counts the total number of coins, and for every 50 (and subsequently for 100 and 200) it gives access to one random part. In total, you need to collect 5000 coins. For them, you will open the last item — a golden glider. When you get it, you can start testing builds and not worry about missing something.
Nintendo has made a very clever system based on the racer. Each character has its own characteristic, and the car, wheels and glider affect it in one way or another.
Therefore, it is important to find an option that will allow you to ride comfortably. Although, of course, you can peep the top assemblies on the Internet. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, build stats are no longer rounded to a whole number like they used to be, so a lot of the details are more useful.
When I was driving in first place and nothing foreshadowed trouble…
Complicating matters is that the characteristics of the riders are hidden from the players. You can’t see all the parameters, and it is not clear why Nintendo still does not show the full statistics in the game. However, you can see that some characters (for example, Rosalina, King Boo and Link) differ only in appearance, and their characteristics are the same. But to find out the exact parameters of the characters, you have to search on fan sites.
One of the main mechanics in the game is drifting. You can enter it by holding «R». Drift is a technique that, in a long controlled skid, causes a sheaf of sparks from under the wheels of the car.
Release the «R» button right in these flashes — and you will get a short-term acceleration. Drifting used to give two kinds of sparks: blue and orange. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe added a third variety, purple. You can get them in a longer skid. Wait for the purple sparks and the acceleration will last longer.
Another tricky mechanic is wind. If you follow an opponent close enough to him for a while, a whirlwind of acceleration will appear around your character for a few seconds. A very useful thing, especially when you need to catch up with opponents, and you just don’t come across suitable items for this.
One of the innovations of Mario Kart 8, anti-gravity is, of course, also in the Deluxe. It is easy to see on the track — the transition is marked with blue stripes, behind which you can move along the walls or along the ceiling. In addition, it is useful to push with other racers in the anti-gravity zone: in a collision, each of you will receive a slight acceleration.
When everyone overtook you.
Advanced players can try to get Golden Mario, golden kart, wheels and glider. We already wrote that for the golden glider you need to collect 5000 coins. Beat other racers on all tracks at 150cc in Time Trial to earn Gold Wheels. Gold cards will be given for the first places on all mirror tracks in the Grand Prix mode. Well, you will get the Golden Mario when you take first places on all tracks at a speed of 200 cubes in the Grand Prix mode. Unfortunately, such a valuable Mario is absolutely useless — only cosmetic changes, nothing more.
Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The Deluxe version takes Mario Kart 8 up a level. The game runs at 1080p at 60 fps in TV mode on the Switch, which is much more than the original version (it ran at 720p) gave out. The load time has been greatly reduced — from 22 seconds to 9. The music is still on top, you can listen to it endlessly, and it does not get bored even after fifty hours of play.
Many minor fixes have been made, such as the ability to change cars directly in the online lobby, the absence of blocked characters, tracks and cubes, changes in the characteristics of cars, wheels and gliders.
There are many additions: five new characters; Golden Mario as a costume for Metal Mario; two new items — Boo and a feather, three new karts and a super glider, a third type of drift, a 180-degree turn, the ability to hold two items and double boxes with bonuses on the track.
Wii U had two screens, Switch, as you know, is completely different, so during the game it will no longer be possible to spy on opponents’ items. Now bonuses are visible only on the mini-map, and even then not all of them.
More screenshots from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Stream Recording Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe takes the best of Mario Kart 8 and makes it even better! All the DLC, improved battle mode, lots of multiplayer options, great controls, HD Rumble, nice graphics and great music, what’s not to love here?
If you don’t have a Wii U but have a Switch, this game is a must buy! If you’ve played Mario Kart 8 and are now thinking about buying the Deluxe version, get it! The gameplay has changed enough for you to discover new sensations.
Get together with your friends, play Mario Kart, and you will see how beautiful it is. You will not regret the many hours spent with this game.
Pleased
- almost nothing to unlock;
- new «Fight» mode;
- new characters and items;
- Mario Kart 8 is now playable in handheld format;
- two items from the rider.
Disappointed
- frequent crashes from online and local network;
- too few characters from other Nintendo games;
- no new tracks.
How we played
What: game provided by the publisher.
On what: Nintendo Switch.
How much: sixty hours.
Editorial Achievement
«The Very Best»
Reach five thousand online rating points — despite the fact that the rating starts with a thousand.
About localization
The game is fully translated into Russian.
