Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Review
After sinking close to 100 hours into Mario Kart 8 on my WiiU, I was understandably skeptical about sinking more time, and money, into another version of the same game.
When the public initially saw Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch, many figured it was just B-Roll to fill the announcement trailer with content and generate hype. After a few months, Nintendo revealed they actually were porting Mario Kart 8 from the WiiU to the Switch. With few changes, a whole new coat of paint, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is finally here, and it was well worth the wait.
For all the Kart fanatics out there, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has all the same gameplay mechanics you’ve grown to love. Everything from Grand Prix and Vs. races to the (all new) Battle modes absolutely shine on the Switch hardware. Animation is fluid with a consistent 60fps (unless more than two players play locally on one Switch), and the new HD sheen surprisingly enhances what was already a damn gorgeous game on the WiiU.
All tracks from the WiiU version are in Deluxe, and, yes, that includes all the DLC tracks as well. Arguably, these are some of the best from the original offering so it’s great to see them thrown in here for one price. With 48 total tracks to choose from, players have a lot of shortcuts to learn.
Much to the frustration of WiiU owners, Nintendo decided to remove the ability to hold two items at once in the original Mario Kart 8. As a long-standing tradition with Mario Kart games since 2003’s Double Dash, this decision was met with criticism from many players. If, like me, you found this change frustrating, I am happy to say that all players can once again carry up to two items at once.
Far more frustrating than the item changes in the original MK8 was the Battle mode. Battles were no longer fought in arenas, instead taking place on random courses from the Grand Prix lineup. This effectively removed most of the chaotic excitement players had come to love about Battle modes of the past. Even though Battle mode has been my favorite way to play Mario Kart over the year, I very rarely used it on my WiiU.
In Deluxe, however, Nintendo has gone past what was expected to fix their misstep. Not only do players get five whole modes to play, they also get a full set of arenas to battle in. Five new arenas are included alongside three, slightly tweaked, legacy maps that longtime fans are sure to enjoy. Each of the eight maps can be played in any of the five included modes; the long-standing Balloon Battle, Shine Thief, Coin Runners, Bob-omb Blast, and the brand new Renegade Roundup.
Whether you’re popping balloons, stealing coins, or playing keepaway with other players, the new Battle mode in Deluxe is far and away the best improvement in the game. Even the strange new Renegade Roundup offers a worthwhile twist on classic Mario Kart gameplay. In this mode, two teams are pitted against each other in a cops-and-robbers type game. Each “renegade” must stay away from the Piranha Plant wielding “cops”, lest they get gobbled up and their team loses. Though it features considerably less explosions than other modes, looking at you, Bob-omb Blast, Renegade Roundup is still a great addition to the Battle lineup.
Just those two major updates alone would have been enough to justify Deluxe as more than a simple port, but Nintendo wanted players to get even more new stuff. Two legacy items return, the Boo (to steal opponents items) and the Feather (allowing you to jump over the heads of opponents in Battle mode), to help make matches even more chaotic than usual.
Additionally , all base and DLC characters return from MK8 on the WiiU, with a few extras showing up for good measure. King Boo, Dry Bones, Bowser Jr., the Inkling Boy and Girl, and one secret unlockable racer are all included this time to really round out the roster.
Nintendo also added or changed multiple other things throughout the game to provide a more complete experience for players. From a third level of drifting sparks (purple now), to the addition of small “quality of life” enhancements, it’s easy to see how determined Nintendo was to make the game live up to its Deluxe moniker.
Perhaps the biggest addition to Deluxe is the inherent portability afforded to all games on Nintendo’s newest console. I cannot understate how amazing it still is to take a full console game anywhere I want. I felt blown away by this with Breath of the Wild in March, and that joy is still present with Mario Kart. With multiplayer games especially, the ability to pop out the Switch’s Joy-Cons and start an ad hoc gaming sessions adds fantastic value to the game. I will definitely have Mario Kart with me when I travel with my Switch; friends and family will get a kick out of having a race or two wherever we go.
For Nintendo, porting and repackaging Mario Kart 8 for the Switch would have been an easy way to generate more sales with minimal cost. Mario Kart always sells well and I wouldn’t see that suddenly changing on the Switch. However, as this is Nintendo we’re talking about, they very rarely compromise and take the easy way out.
Deluxe is a worthwhile upgrade to what was an already fantastic addition to the series. If you never had MK8 on the WiiU, there is no reason to pass on this installment. If, like me, you owned the WiiU version, there are still enough upgrades and included content to make Deluxe worth a double-dip. For me, I’m just happy to jump back into my favorite racing series.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is now available and Prime members can save 20% for two weeks following release as through Amazon.
