wiki_page: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a 2017 kart racing game developed and published by Nintendo and released for the Nintendo Switch. The game is an expanded and enhanced re-release of the 2014 game Mario Kart 8. Deluxe follows the same gameplay as Mario Kart 8 and the rest of the Mario Kart series, where players race in go-karts while trying to sabotage each other with items. Players can control one of several characters from the Mario franchise and other Nintendo franchises, with several additional characters being added in Deluxe. The game also introduces a revamped battle mode, featuring five sub-modes and eight battle courses.
  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was first teased in October 2016 during the Nintendo Switch reveal trailer, and was fully revealed during the Nintendo Switch Presentation in January 2017. Deluxe released on April 28, 2017, and was both a critical and commercial success. Critics widely considered it to be the definitive edition of Mario Kart 8, and some considered it the best game in the Mario Kart series or one of the best racing games of all time, while some criticized the lack of significant new content compared to the original. As of September 2022, Deluxe has sold over 48 million units, making it the best-selling Nintendo Switch game and one of the best-selling games of all time.
  Since launch, Deluxe has received several software updates. One such update edited a gesture performed by the Inkling Girl that was likened to the bras d'honneur, which is considered offensive in certain areas and cultures. Additional updates introduced compatibility with the toys-to-life concept Nintendo Labo. In February 2022, Deluxe was announced to be receiving paid downloadable content known as the Booster Course Pass, which features 48 additional race courses split into six waves, set to be released by the end of 2023.
  
  
  == Gameplay ==
  Like previous entries in the Mario Kart series, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a kart racing game that sees players controlling characters from the Mario franchise racing in locations inspired by the Mario universe while trying to sabotage other players with items. Also similar to previous Mario Kart games, players can choose to play competitive free-for-all or team-based multiplayer. Up to four players can play together on a single system, up to eight can play together with a local wireless connection, and up to twelve can play together via online multiplayer.Deluxe includes all downloadable content (DLC) released for Mario Kart 8, including characters, courses, and vehicle components. Unlike Mario Kart 8, all characters and courses in Deluxe are accessible from the start, without needing to be unlocked. In total Deluxe includes 42 characters with several new characters—including Bowser Jr., Dry Bones, King Boo, and the Inklings from Splatoon, one of multiple crossover elements in Deluxe. Several vehicle customization options are also included in Deluxe, including kart and bike bodies, wheels, and gliders—when combined with a character's weight class, the customization options determine a player's stats. 48 race courses are present in the base version of Deluxe, though the game will have 96 courses after all waves of the Booster Course Pass DLC release. Returning from Mario Kart 8 are courses that make use of anti-gravity, which allows players to drive on walls and other surfaces, as well as the underwater driving and air gliding features from Mario Kart 7. In the Booster Course Pass, some courses have layouts that differ between laps, condensing multiple variations of a course into one. Races can be played in one of four speed classes, with each speed class being considerably faster than the last. Deluxe also includes "Mirror Mode", which flips course layouts by 90 degrees. Players can also participate in Time Trials, which see the player compete a course as fast as possible, and the ability to participate in Time Trials in an additional speed class was added in Deluxe.
  Deluxe includes several changes to gameplay. In Deluxe, players can hold the drift button for longer to receive a larger boost—in Mario Kart 8, this could only be done using glitches. Players can also hold up to two items, with the second item held in reserve. Deluxe reintroduces two items from previous entries in the series: the Boo, which steals an item from another player and grants temporary invisibility when used; and the Feather, a battle mode-exclusive item that allows the player to gain a small boost in height when activated. Several accessibility features were also added in Deluxe to assist newer players. One of which is Start Steering, which prevents the player from veering off course when enabled, and the other is auto-acceleration, which accelerates the user's vehicle without the need for a button to be held.
  The largest addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the revamped battle mode. Deluxe includes eight battle mode-exclusive courses, three of which are adapted from previous Mario Kart games. These battle mode courses are designed specificsally for the mode, rather than repurposing standard race courses like Mario Kart 8. In Deluxe, battle mode is composed of five unique sub-modes: Balloon Battle sees players using items to destroy other players' balloons, though unlike the mode's previous incarnations, the mode is point-based rather than last-man-standing, meaning the winner is the person who destroys the most balloons during the time limit, with players respawning when defeated, rather than being permanently eliminated. Bob-omb Blast is a variation of Balloon Battle, though all items are replaced by Bob-ombs. In Shine Thief, players must maintain control of a Shine Sprite for as long as possible, while preventing opponents from gaining control. Each player—or team, depending on the settings—has an amount of time that they need to be in control of the Spine Sprite in order to win. Coin Runners sees players compete to have the most coins in their possession by the end of the match, with players gaining points by finding coins in the courses or stealing them from other players. Renegade Roundup, a mode introduced in Deluxe, involves a team of "renegades" trying to avoid opponent "authorities" armed with Piranha Plants, a play on the children's game "cops and robbers". Captured renegades can be freed if their teamates activate a switch near in person in which the captured renegades are held, though if all renegades are captured, the authorities emerge victorious. However, the authorities will lose if all renegades have not been captured by the end of the time limit.
  
  
  == Marketing and release ==
  On October 20, 2016, in the initial reveal trailer for the Nintendo Switch, a brief glimpse of a Mario Kart game for the system was shown, though it was unclear at the time whether it would be a new entry in the series or a port of Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. Three months later, at the Nintendo Switch Presentation on January 12, 2017, the game was formally revealed as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It was announced that Deluxe would feature all content—including DLC—from Mario Kart 8, as well as a revamped battle mode, crossover elements from Splatoon, new mechanics, and a release date of April 28, 2017. One day after, Nintendo revealed a steering wheel accessory for the Switch's Joy-Con controllers to be used with Deluxe for motion-controlled steering. Nintendo released an overview trailer for Deluxe on March 10, showcasing the game's battle mode, including battle mode-exclusive courses and the return of the Shine Thief mode from Mario Kart: Double Dash. After the trailer, several internet memes circulated surrounding Donkey Kong appearing to perform a celebratory dab.On April 12, 2017, Nintendo's Russian storefront revealed a bundle containing the Nintendo Switch and a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, though a representative of Nintendo claimed the company had no plans at the time to release the bundle outside of Russia. Once the bundle was introduced to international audiences in 2018, it has been promoted every year since for Black Friday.
  
  
  === Fan response ===
  Several mods have been created for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In February 2022, a mod was created that added Kirby's Mouthful Mode car transformation (colloquially known as "Carby") from Kirby and the Forgotten Land as a selectable kart and character. In June 2022, a mod was published that added Green Hill Zone from the Sonic the Hedgehog series as a course.
  
  
  === Sales ===
  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold 459,000 copies in the United States on its launch day, making it the fastest-selling entry in the Mario Kart series, ahead of 2008's Mario Kart Wii by 25,000 units. Roughly one year after launch, Deluxe had sold 9.22 million copies. It surpassed Super Mario Odyssey as the best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch in 2019, and Mario Kart Wii as the best-selling Mario Kart game in 2021. Since its release in 2017, Deluxe has been a consistent top-selling game on the Nintendo Switch. As of September 30, 2022, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold 48.41 million units, making it the best-selling Nintendo Switch game, as well as one of the best-selling games of all time.
  
  
  == Updates and downloadable content ==
  On May 18, 2017, Nintendo released a software update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that changed one of the victory gestures done by the Inkling Girl. Prior to the update, the Inkling Girl performed a gesture that consisted of placing her hand on a flexed bicep and pumping her fist into the air. In Japan, the gesture means something similar to "bring it on!", though in European and Latin American countries, it was likened to the bras d'honneur, an offensive gesture that can be interpreted as "up your ass", "fuck you", or similar meanings. After the update, the Inkling Girl no longer clenches her fist around her flexed arm, instead simply performing a "fist pump", though the rest of the gesture was unchanged.On June 25, 2018, an update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe added compatibility with Nintendo Labo, a toys-to-life concept that utilizes cardboard and the technology of the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers. The first update introduced the option to use the Toy-Con Motorbike as a controller in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, allowing the player to control the game using the physical throttle, handlebars, and gyroscope present on the Toy-Con Motorbike, while actions like braking, drifting, and item pickups are still performed using the standard controller buttons. On August 24, 2018, it was announced that the Toy-Con Car, Pedal, and Key would become compatible with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe when they launched on September 14. Using the Toy-Con Car, Pedal, and Key allow the player to control their character using physical controls—including actions like braking and drifting, as well as use the horn on the steering wheel to launch items.On July 20, 2018, an update was released that added several elements from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild—including the motorbike from the game's The Champion's Ballad DLC, as well as an outfit for Link in which he wears the Champion's Tunic from Breath of the Wild.
  
  
  === Booster Course Pass ===
  
  During a February 2022 Nintendo Direct, it was announced that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe would get a paid downloadable content season pass called the Booster Course Pass. Courses in the Booster Course Pass are largely remastered from their incarnations in previous Mario Kart games. The Booster Course Pass is set to release in six waves, with each wave containing eight courses split into two cups, totaling to 48 additional tracks to be released by the end of 2023. The first wave of the Booster Course Pass was released on March 22, 2022, containing the Golden Dash Cup and the Lucky Cat Cup. Wave 2 of the Booster Course Pass released on August 4, 2022, containing the Turnip Cup and the Propeller Cup. Wave 2 also included Sky-High Sundae, an original course not introduced in a previous Mario Kart game. Alongside the release of Wave 2, Nintendo released an update to the Wave 1 course Coconut Mall that changed the cars at the end of the course to move in donuts, rather than remain stationary, except for Time Trials. This change was widely praised, especially after many were disappointed that the cars were stationary in the Booster Course Pass to begin with. Wave 3 of the Booster Course Pass is set to release on December 7, 2022,  containing the Rock Cup and the Moon Cup.
  
  
  == Reception ==
  
  
  === Critical reception ===
  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe received "universal acclaim" according to the review aggregate website Metacritic. Many reviewers considered it to be the definitive version of Mario Kart 8, as well as one of the best games in the Mario Kart series or one of the best racing games of all time. Some reviewers also consiered the game to be an essential purchase for Nintendo Switch owners. However, many reviewers criticized the lack of new content in Deluxe compared to Mario Kart 8.The core racing mode present in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was praised. The rubber-banding mechanics present in the game's AI competitors was criticized, though Game Informer noted that "fans accepted that pitfall as a series mainstay long ago", and that Deluxe is still "the same great title from the Wii U". GameSpot and Nintendo Life also considered Deluxe's core gameplay to be as strong as the original. GamesTM's reviewer disliked the return of sponsored crossovers, despite otherwise appreciating the return of all content in Deluxe. The mechanical changes in Deluxe also received praise. The ability to hold two items in Deluxe was praised, with many liking how it added more strategy to Deluxe's item play, as well as making gameplay more exciting. Kotaku and Eurogamer both appreciated the change, though they felt that the change wasn't major. Accessibility options like Smart Steering and Auto-Acceleration were also praised. Many felt that the additions made Deluxe the most accessible Mario Kart game, and others appreciated how they helped less experienced players enjoy the game, despite making the game too easy for veteran players. However, some reviewers disliked how Smart Steering was enabled by default upon first launching the game. Other reviewers disliked the accessbility mechanics' implementation, saying that they would sometimes overcorrect, or otherwise lack precise control.Deluxe's revamped battle mode received wide acclaim. Easy Allies and Kotaku claimed that the new battle mode far outshined the original game, and Pocket Gamer said that Deluxe returned battle mode to its "original arena-battling glory". GamesRadar+ found that the quality present in Deluxe's battle courses "ranges from solid to excellent", with VentureBeat saying that they remedied the issue with the original Mario Kart 8's battle courses. However, Electronic Gaming Monthly said that the improved battle mode was "not so much a point for Deluxe that these modes are included as it is a retroactive demerit for the original Mario Kart 8". Many critics considered Renegade Roundup to be the best of Deluxe's battle modes, though GameRevolution and USgamer said it was their least favorite of the battle modes.Reception towards Deluxe's single-player and online multiplayer offerings was mixed. 4Players said that those playing alone or online "should think twice" about buying the game, calling the game's single-player options "unimaginative", and Nintendo World Report felt that Deluxe was lacking an important element. IGN called Deluxe's online multiplayer "as barebones as ever", though Kotaku felt that it was "as solid as its ever been".The graphics and soundtrack of the game was praised by critics. Many described the game's graphics were 'gorgeous' or 'beautiful', with some saying that the graphics of Deluxe were an upgrade from the Wii U original. GamesTM praised the "incredible" lighting of Deluxe, saying that courses like Rainbow Road and Electrodrome stood out as "fantastic showcases for the Nintendo universe and its creative spirit", as well as praising the game's sound design. IGN felt that the "great art direction" in 8 and 8 Deluxe was largely responsible for the game's graphical quality, and PCMag described the game's performance as "consistently solid", aside from the lowered framerate when playing in four-player split screen. Easy Allies called Deluxe's soundtrack "something special", saying that its renditions of both original and returning songs were "fantastic and downright catchy". Eurogamer called the game's soundtrack "outrageously upbeat", and that Deluxe's "definining moment" was perhaps the game's live band rendition of Super Mario Kart's main theme.
  
  
  ==== Booster Course Pass ====
  
  Upon announcement, the Booster Course Pass received mixed reception from fans. Many fans disliked that additional content for a previous game was being prioritized over a new entry in the series, citing how it had been nearly eight years since Mario Kart 8 first released on the Wii U. The graphics of the courses in the Booster Course Pass were also a point of contention, with some saying that they fell short of the standards set by Deluxe.After release, critics were mixed—according to Metacritic, Wave 1 received "mixed or average reviews", and Wave 2 received "generally favorable reviews". Criticism focused on the graphics, which were lower in detail compared to courses from the main game. Digital Foundry attributed this to the courses being built upon their versions from Mario Kart Tour. On the other hand, many reviewers felt that the courses that originated in Tour were among the best gameplay-wise, and Ninja Hideaway in particular was praised as a highlight of Wave 1. Some courses in Wave 2 were lauded, with Nintendo Life calling Waluigi Pinball's graphics "stunning". Another common disappointment was that many courses did not include Mario Kart 8's signature anti-gravity or underwater features. GameSpot lamented how the Booster Course Pass only introduced new courses, rather than new characters or customization parts. Nintendo Life praised the audio design, calling it "stellar" and "a delight", and Destructoid called Sydney Sprint's soundtrack "the best" music of the Booster Course Pass. The addition of courses that vary every lap was praised by critics, with Nintendo Life wishing it would become a "mainstay" feature of the series.
  
  
  === Accolades ===
  Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been nominated for multiple awards. The game was nominated for "Best Switch Game" and "Best Remake/Remaster" in IGN's Best of 2017 Awards. Destructoid nominated the game for its "Best Switch Game" in their Game of the Year Awards in 2017, and the game was awarded "Old Game of the Year" at Giant Bomb's 2017 Game of the Year Awards.
  
  
  == Notes ==
  
  
  == References ==
  
  
  == External links ==
  Official website