Happy Birthday Mario Kart 8! The best Mario Kart ever turns ten years old

Domagoj Belancic

30.5.2024

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Crazy but true: Mario Kart 8 is celebrating its tenth (!) birthday. I’m honouring this anniversary with a nostalgic look back at the game’s history.

Ten years ago today, Mario Kart 8 was released on the Wii U for the first time. Since its launch on Nintendo’s failed Wii successor, the game has become the biggest, most successful and, for many fans, the best Mario Kart of all time.

Let’s take a look back at the turbulent life of and numerous records broken by the game.

Mario Kart 8 – a glimmer of hope for starving Wii U fans

It’s 2012. A dark time for Nintendo fans. In November, the launch of Nintendo’s first HD console is disappointing. The concept behind the Wii U, with its strange second-screen controller, doesn’t convince hardcore fans or casual gamers. The initial game’s line-up is sobering. To start off, there’s boring sequels (New Super Mario Bros. U), half-baked mini-game collections (Nintendoland) and ports of ancient PS3 and Xbox 360 games (Mass Effect 3, Assassin’s Creed 3).

Nintendo seems to sense the displeasure among fans, announcing some new games at a Wii U Direct in January 2013. Hidden among them, a new Mario Kart. They don’t provide much information or even gameplay footage. More information to be expected at E3 2013.

Nintendo’s appearance at E3 2013 is met with mixed feelings and scepticism by fans. It’s the first E3 at which Nintendo is foregoing a live press conference in favour of its «Direct» video format. The games on show make fans even more sceptical. They look good, but don’t feel next-gen. Most of them are sequels to Wii and 3DS games. A new Super Mario World here and a new Donkey Kong there. Decent enough, but there’s no wow effect. The titles feel too familiar.

Only the presentation of Mario Kart 8 stands out from the crowd.

What. A. Trailer.

Finally, a Wii U game that doesn’t play it safe and doesn’t feel like an uninspired sequel. Mario Kart 8 looks absolutely fantastic. Astonishing, as the Mario Kart series hasn’t been known for its crazy graphics up to now – the games have always looked just okay. However, the E3 trailer positions the eighth instalment as a real graphical flagship for the Wii U. Detailed character models (Mario’s moustache flutters in the wind!), complex game environments full of life and beautiful lighting leave mouths agape.

As if the graphical splendour wasn’t enough, the trailer also impresses with exciting gameplay mechanics. Mario Kart 8 brings back many popular ideas from previous games. The glider and underwater carting from Mario Kart 7, bikes from Mario Kart Wii and coins from Super Mario Kart. The trailer also reveals a completely new and crazy mechanic at the centre of the game: anti-gravity. Characters in the trailer defy the laws of physics. They ride on walls, ceilings and do loops. Awesome!

Hype grows immeasurably

At E3, Nintendo states spring 2014 as a rough release date. The company later reveals that it’ll be out on 30 May. The time until launch is still bleak for Wii U owners. A meagre software calendar and sluggish hardware sales are cause for concern.

Nintendo at least manages to cheer up Mario Kart fans with various trailers and other Direct presentations. The gameplay snippets released include new items (the Boomerang and Piranha Plant), new characters (the whole Koopaling gang plus new baby variants of characters) and new tracks, all of which look incredibly fun and beautiful. Fans of the N64 spin-off get an overdose of nostalgia in the particularly successful trailer from April 2014, looking forward to the return of the legendary N64 Rainbow Road.

The April trailer makes it clear: Mario Kart 8 is going to be something very special. Hype grows to new heights.

Was Mario Kart 8 released too early?

The press is also enthusiastic about the game’s launch in May. On review aggregator sites, the game receives an average rating of 88%. The fantastic design of the 16 new tracks is particularly emphasised. Anti-gravity allows for incredibly crazy layouts that wouldn’t have been possible in previous games. The selection of 16 retro tracks is also praised – they may not be quite as crazy as the new tracks, but they’ve been spruced up with great attention to detail.

However, both fans and critics have one major point of criticism: Battle Mode in Mario Kart 8 is, to put it mildly, a travesty.

In previous games, drivers could compete against each other in various battle modes across specially created arenas. The best-known mode is probably Balloon Battle, in which you have to destroy balloons tied to opposing drivers. The chaotic competitions were a welcome change from the normal races in cups.

There are no dedicated battle tracks in Mario Kart 8. Instead of open arenas, battles are fought on normal tracks. A crazy proposition – the tracks aren’t logically designed as competition arenas, but as race courses. Little remains of the wonderfully chaotic combat from previous games. The competitions are boring and feel ill-conceived.

Theories emerge in the community as to why Battle Mode is so lacklustre. Did Nintendo have to release Mario Kart 8 too early to counteract the software drought on the Wii U?

Online mode, on the other hand, is much more sophisticated. Races run smoothly and are even more fun with real opponents. The online feature Mario Kart TV is also new. It can be used to create short highlight clips to be shared on Miiverse (RIP) or on social networks.

We have this replay function to thank for the legendary Luigi Death Stare meme. Mario’s brother stares grimly at Waluigi after an attack – in epic slow motion. If looks could kill…

Successful updates and… Mercedes product placement?!

Apart from the half-baked Battle Mode, character selection is also criticised initially. It’s bigger than ever, but many popular characters from previous games are missing. Instead of Diddy Kong, Birdo and co., there are seven ugly Koopalings and… Rose Gold Peach? Who the heck is Rose Gold Peach?

Nintendo is aware of the criticism – at least in part. In summer 2014, the company announced two paid DLCs with lots of new content, including new characters. The selection is surprising. For the first time since cute robot R.O.B. popped into Mario Kart DS, characters from outside the Mario universe can also race against each other.

The two DLC packs include Link from The Legend of Zelda as well as Isabelle and the villager from Animal Crossing. In addition to new characters, the DLCs also offer new tracks, some of which are based on crossover characters.

Nintendo doesn’t just support Mario Kart 8 with paid updates. In between, there are always smaller patches and improvements. One update from August 2014 is particularly bizarre. Thanks to a cooperation with Mercedes-Benz, various cars from the manufacturer are integrated into the game. I never thought I’d see Donkey Kong in a Mercedes.

With all the improvements and new content, Nintendo forgets one major point of criticism. The company never delivers an update for Battle Mode, e.g. more modes and real arenas.

Death on the Wii U…

Apart from Mario Kart 8, life for Wii U fans in 2014 remains bleak. Nintendo is unable to release any more must-have titles for the ailing console. Hardware sales are plummeting. Third-party software output is declining even more – well-known studios such as EA have already communicated that they’ll no longer release games for the Wii U.

Nintendo seems to recognise the severity of the situation, confirming in March 2015 at an investor conference that the company’s working on new hardware. As a reminder, the Wii U was released just two and a half years (!) earlier. The code name of the next console: Nintendo NX. More information to be expected next year.

Shortly after the surprise announcement, the final content updates for Mario Kart 8 on Wii U are released. Among other things, Nintendo gives the game an ultra-fast 200 cc mode. After that, the game goes quiet. It seems that Nintendo has definitely given up on the Wii U.

… rebirth on the Switch

October 2016. Nintendo unveils the teased NX console in a video. It primarily explains the Switch’s handheld hybrid concept. You can see players using the device at home in front of their TV and on the move on planes, in cars or in the garden. You’ll also notice some already known and previously unannounced games.

There’s also a very brief clip of several players enjoying a game of Mario Kart together. Looks like Mario Kart 8. But is it really Mario Kart 8? After all, the short gameplay snippet shows players having two items equipped at the same time. This wasn’t possible in the Wii U version.

Discussions about the material shown are heated among fans. Nintendo itself doesn’t comment on this.

In January 2017, Nintendo holds a big Switch presentation, revealing all the details about the March launch of the new console. After the event, the company releases a trailer, confirming that the Mario Kart shown was indeed the eighth instalment – albeit a revised version. The name of the Switch port: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Nintendo has answered fan prayers. The announcement trailer begins with a completely revamped Battle Mode featuring real arenas. Amen and hallelujah! The video also shows new crossover characters and tracks – including Inklings and arenas from the colour shooter Splatoon. Nintendo also confirms that all DLC content will be included in the Switch version. Terrific.

Switch buyers won’t have to wait long for the upgrade after the hybrid console launches. The Deluxe version will be released a few weeks after the Switch market launch on 28 April 2017.

The game thrills both critics and fans alike, scoring top marks. On review aggregator sites, the rating even climbs to 92 per cent. No wonder, the Deluxe version eliminates all the weak points of the original – more game modes, more tracks, more characters. Small but nice features, such as the new Smart (assisted) Steering and Smart (automatic) Acceleration, also make the game even more accessible.

Booster Pass makes this game the ultimate Mario Kart

Nintendo has struck a real goldmine with the Switch. The small handheld-console hybrid sells like hotcakes right from the start and is constantly supplied with high-quality software by both Nintendo and third-party publishers.

Despite strong software competition, the new edition of Mario Kart 8 is also a great success. As a result, it’s all the more surprising that the game is hardly supported with any significant updates at first. In addition to minor cosmetic updates, there’s only one significant announcement in the first five years. With a free update in June 2018, the racer will be made compatible with Nintendo’s cardboard crafting package Nintendo Labo. The game can now be operated via motion controls with a cardboard toy. A nice idea, but not relevant for most players.

Five years after the launch of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, many fans have come to terms with the fact that the game will no longer receive any new content. And then, out of nowhere, Nintendo announces the Booster Course Pass in February 2022. You can hear the jaws of Nintendo fans dropping all over the world. Incredible.

Nintendo promises a total of 48 (!) new tracks to be released in six waves over a period of one and a half years. This doubles the number of courses in the game. Price: just 25 francs or euros. The courses are included in the paid extension package for the Switch online subscription at no extra charge.

Surely there must be a catch? Yes. Well, two to be precise. Firstly, they’re mainly retro tracks from old Mario Kart games. And secondly, they were ported from the mobile game Mario Kart Tour. In the announcement trailer, the graphical difference between the original Mario Kart 8 tracks and the booster tracks is clearly visible.

The quality of the new tracks will continue to be hotly debated, even after the release of the last wave of DLC in November 2023. Some tracks, such as the new Yoshi’s Island or the Gamecube classic Waluigi Arena, are celebrated almost without exception. They come close to the original Mario Kart 8 tracks in terms of both graphics and gameplay. Other tracks are avoided like the plague by many fans – especially the confusing city tracks from Mario Kart Tour and some uninspired retro levels such as the boring Toad’s Circuit.

However, the fan community seems to agree on added characters. The Booster Pass includes some crowd favourites from old games – including Funky Kong (Mario Kart Wii), Diddy Kong (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) and Wiggler (Mario Kart 7). The music in the Booster Course Pass has also been acclaimed by the fan community. New tracks feature some of the best Mario Kart songs of all time.

My favourite: the soundtrack to Berlin Byways (starting at 0:42:00 in the video).

Broken records and a look into the future

After the last wave of DLC and shortly before the announcement of a new Switch, the life of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe seems to be slowly coming to an end. New updates are no longer expected.

Across its ten-year career, the game has broken some considerable records:

• Mario Kart 8 is by far the most successful Wii U game with 8.46 million units sold. Super Mario 3D World is in second place with 5.89 million, and in third place New Super Mario Bros. U with 5.82 million. A considerable figure when you consider that the Wii U has only sold 13.56 million units in total.
• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is by far the most successful Switch game with 61.97 million units sold. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is in second place with 45.36 million, and in third place is Super Smash Bros Ultimate with 34.22 million. The Switch has sold 141.32 million units to date.
• With both versions combined, Mario Kart 8 has sold 70.43 million units. This makes it the most successful Nintendo game of all time – with the exception of Wii Sports, which sold a total of 82.9 million copies bundled with the Wii. This also makes Mario Kart 8 the best-selling Mario Kart. Mario Kart Wii is in second place with 37.4 million, and in third place is Mario Kart DS with 23.6 million.
• On the list of the best-selling games of all time, Mario Kart 8 is in 6th place behind PUBG (75 million), Wii Sports (82.9 million), GTA V (195 million), Minecraft (300 million) and Tetris (approx. 520 million).
• With 96 (!) tracks and 48 (!) characters, it’s the biggest Mario Kart game of all time. Far behind that you have mobile game Mario Kart Tour with 72 tracks and GBA classic Mario Kart: Super Circuit with 40.

With this large number of tracks and characters, the question arises: what’s next for Mario Kart? The franchise is facing a similar challenge to Super Smash Bros after the Switch spin-off Ultimate. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the ultimate Mario Kart. How can such a complete package be improved even further? Is it even possible? And can such an ingenious gimmick as anti-gravity ever be topped?

I also ask myself: will Mario Kart develop even more in the direction of Nintendo Kart with the next game? The numerous crossover characters from Zelda, Animal Crossing and Splatoon will certainly not be the last.

I’m definitely excited to see where the race leads and look forward to the next ten years of crazy tracks, blue shells and numerous Nintendo characters. Long live Mario Kart!

Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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