Mario Kart 8 is a 2014 kart racing game created and released by Nintendo for the Wii U. It has similar gameplay to earlier Mario Kart games, with players controlling characters from the Mario series and other Nintendo games as they race on tracks. The tracks are inspired by places from the Super Mario series and include items that help players during races. Players can choose different difficulty levels before a race; harder levels make the game faster. New anti-gravity sections allow players to drive on walls and ceilings. The game includes single-player and multiplayer modes, such as Grand Prix racing and battle modes.

Nintendo announced Mario Kart 8 in 2013 and released it in May 2014. Additional content, including new tracks and a difficulty setting, was made available for purchase or free after the game launched. It was later released on the Nintendo Switch in April 2017 as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which included all the downloadable content, an updated battle mode, and other changes. From March 2022 to November 2023, Deluxe received more downloadable content called the Booster Course Pass, which added 48 race tracks and eight new characters.

Mario Kart 8 was well received by critics, who praised its gameplay and visuals, though some criticized the battle mode. Critics later praised Deluxe as the best version of the game due to improved battle modes and visuals. Both versions have been called among the best Mario Kart games, have won or been nominated for awards, and have been named among the greatest video games.

Mario Kart 8 is one of the best-selling video games, with over 79.05 million copies sold for both versions combined. The original version was the best-selling Wii U game, with 8.46 million copies sold, and Deluxe is the best-selling Nintendo Switch game, with 70.59 million copies sold. A sequel, Mario Kart World, was released in 2025 as a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2.

Gameplay

Mario Kart 8 is a racing game where players control characters from the Mario universe, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Splatoon (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe), or the player’s Miis. They race in go-karts around tracks and can use power-ups found in item boxes to slow down opponents or improve their speed. The game has four difficulty levels with different speeds, which players can choose before a race. "Mirror Mode" flips the course horizontally. Features from earlier games include motorbikes, 12-player racing, hang gliders, underwater racing, and vehicle customization. Up to four players can play on one system, eight through a local wireless connection (Switch only), and twelve online.

A new feature in Mario Kart 8 is anti-gravity racing, where racers can drive on walls and ceilings in certain parts of the track. Colliding with other racers or special bumpers in these sections gives speed boosts. New characters include the Koopalings and Pink Gold Peach. Vehicles include karts, motorbikes, and all-terrain vehicles. Four new items are added: the Boomerang Flower, which attacks players; the Piranha Plant, which attacks racers and obstacles while giving a speed boost; the Crazy Eight, which gives eight random items; and the Super Horn, which can attack opponents and block items like the Spiny Shell. There are 32 courses across eight cups, with 16 additional courses released as downloadable content (DLC) in four more cups.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch includes all DLC from the Wii U version, such as characters, courses, and vehicle parts. These features are available without needing to unlock them. Deluxe also adds new characters, like the Inklings from Splatoon, Bowser Jr., Dry Bones, and King Boo. Characters from other games, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, and Pac-Man, appear as costumes for the Mii character unlocked by scanning amiibo. Other changes include holding two items at once and accessibility features like auto-acceleration or smart steering to help new players. Deluxe reintroduces the Boo item, which makes the player invisible and lets them steal an opponent’s item, and the Feather, which gives a small jump boost in Battle mode. The "Booster Course Pass" includes courses with different layouts each lap.

The biggest change in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the updated Battle mode. It adds five new battle-exclusive courses and three adapted from earlier Mario Kart games. These courses are designed for battle, with layouts that make item use easier. The Feather item, reintroduced from earlier games, gives a small jump boost. Battle mode has five rulesets:

• Balloon Battle: Players destroy each other’s balloons. The winner is the one with the most balloons destroyed before time runs out.
• Bob-omb Blast: Similar to Balloon Battle, but all items are replaced with bombs.
• Shine Thief: Players compete to hold the Shine Sprite the longest.
• Coin Runners: Players collect coins and steal them from others to build the largest hoard.
• Renegade Roundup: Teams of "renegades" avoid "authorities" using Piranha Plants. Renegades can free captured teammates by driving over switches under cages controlled by authorities.

Development and release

Nintendo announced Mario Kart 8 in a January 2013 Nintendo Direct presentation and showed it to the public at E3 2013. Some employees from Bandai Namco Games were thanked in the game’s credits. The "8" in the logo was designed to look like a Möbius strip, as was one of the game’s tracks, Mario Circuit. Early in development, creators considered using a drill to dig through the ground but decided anti-gravity was more interesting. Courses were designed with anti-gravity in mind, and tracks from older games were redesigned to use it. Other courses included gliding and underwater sections.

Nintendo offered a special edition of Mario Kart 8 that included a spiny shell figurine and themed bundles with items like a hat, strategy guide, Wii Remote Plus controller, Wii Wheel, and GamePad protector. Players who bought and registered Mario Kart 8 on Club Nintendo before July 31, 2014, received a code to download a selected Wii U game. As part of a promotion with Mercedes-Benz, Mario, Luigi, and Peach appeared in Japanese commercials for the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Three karts based on Mercedes-Benz vehicles were added as downloadable content on August 27, 2014. In 2014, McDonald’s released Happy Meal toys based on Mario Kart 8 characters and karts. An album with 68 tracks was given as a special reward to Club Nintendo members before the service ended in 2015.

Game updates added features like support for Amiibo figurines, a 200cc difficulty setting, player statistics, and more Mii outfits. Two paid DLC packs added characters, vehicles, and courses. Some characters and courses were based on other Nintendo games, such as Link (The Legend of Zelda), Isabelle and Villager (Animal Crossing), Mute City and Big Blue (F-Zero), and Excitebike Arena (Excitebike). Downloadable content for Mario Kart 8 is no longer available because the Nintendo eShop for Wii U was discontinued.

In March 2023, Nintendo stopped online play for Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon because of a security issue. The problem was fixed, and online play resumed in August 2023. Online services for Wii U, including Mario Kart 8, were shut down on April 9, 2024.

Nintendo introduced Mario Kart 8 Deluxe when it announced the Nintendo Switch in 2016. The game was shown in a presentation in January 2017. The trailer showed features like smart steering and elements from the Splatoon series. Later, updates added crossovers with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Deluxe was released on April 28, 2017, after the Switch launched in March 2017. Nintendo also announced a steering wheel accessory for the Switch Joy-Con controller. A trailer showed details about battle mode, including new courses and the return of the Shine Thief mode from Mario Kart: Double Dash. After the trailer, internet memes spread about Donkey Kong appearing to perform a celebratory dab. Deluxe improved battle mode and added a second item slot.

Soon after its release, Nintendo changed one of the Inkling Girl’s victory gestures. Before the update, she made a gesture that looked like “bring it on!” in Japan but was offensive in Europe and Latin America. After the update, she changed the gesture to a simple fist pump.

In 2018, updates allowed Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to work with Nintendo Labo, a toy kit that uses cardboard and Joy-Con controllers. The first update let players use the Toy-Con Motorbike as a controller, allowing them to use the physical throttle, handlebars, and gyroscope. Later updates added support for the Toy-Con Car, Pedal, and

Reception and legacy

Mario Kart 8 received "generally favorable" reviews, according to Metacritic, while Deluxe received "universal acclaim." Reviewers praised Mario Kart 8 as a strong racing game but considered Deluxe the best version of the series. Deluxe was called one of the best games in the Mario Kart series or one of the best racing games ever made. Some reviewers said it was essential for Nintendo Switch owners. Improvements in Deluxe made some features of Mario Kart 8 seem less impressive in hindsight. However, some critics pointed out that Deluxe had fewer new content additions compared to Mario Kart 8.

The main racing mode in both games was widely praised. Eurogamer called it the "most vibrant home console racing game in years." Some reviewers criticized the "rubber-banding" mechanics, where players who fall behind are helped to catch up, but others said fans had grown used to this feature. Reviewers noted that the core racing experience in Deluxe remained the same as Mario Kart 8, calling it "the same great title from the Wii U." GameSpot and Nintendo Life said Deluxe’s racing was as strong as the original. Small changes, like the ability to hold two items, were praised for adding more strategy. Accessibility features, such as smart steering and auto-acceleration, received mixed reactions. Some said these features made the game easier for new players, while others felt they made the game too easy for experienced players. Some reviewers disliked that smart steering was enabled by default and could interfere with precise controls.

The main criticism of Mario Kart 8 was its battle mode, which was not as well received as earlier games. Easy Allies called it "abysmal," and Kotaku said it was "borderline unplayable." Critics noted that battle mode used race tracks from Mario Kart 8 instead of new, dedicated battle tracks, making it harder to find opponents. Deluxe’s battle mode received widespread praise, with Easy Allies and Kotaku saying it was much better than the original. Pocket Gamer said Deluxe brought battle mode back to its "original arena-battling glory." VentureBeat said Deluxe fixed the issues with Mario Kart 8’s battle mode. However, Electronic Gaming Monthly said the battle mode was more of a flaw in the original game than a strength in Deluxe. Some critics said Renegade Roundup was the best battle mode in Deluxe, while others said it was their least favorite.

Reviewers also praised the visual style of both games. Eurogamer said the courses had a "vast sense of scale" and "exquisite details." Digital Foundry called the graphics "near perfection" and highlighted the smooth gameplay, which ran at 60 frames per second. Reviewers for Deluxe said its graphics were an upgrade from the original Wii U version. GamesTM praised the lighting in Deluxe, saying courses like Rainbow Road and Electrodrome were "fantastic showcases" of the Nintendo universe. IGN said the "great art direction" in both games was a major reason for their "gorgeous" graphics. Easy Allies called the soundtrack "something special," saying the music was "fantastic and catchy." Eurogamer said the soundtrack was "outrageously upbeat," and the live band version of the Super Mario Kart theme was a highlight of Deluxe.

When the "Booster Course Pass" was announced, fans had mixed reactions. Some were upset that new content for an older game was being released instead of a new Mario Kart game, especially since Mario Kart 8 had been on the Wii U for nearly eight years. Others criticized the graphics of the courses in the "Booster Course Pass," saying they were not as detailed as those in Deluxe.

After release, critics had mixed opinions. Metacritic said Waves 1 and 5 received "mixed or average reviews," while Waves 2–4 and 6 received "generally favorable reviews." Critics noted that the courses in the "Booster Course Pass" had lower detail compared to the main game. Digital Foundry said this was because the courses were based on versions from Mario Kart Tour. However, some reviewers praised courses from Tour, like Ninja Hideaway in Wave 1 and Waluigi Pinball in Wave 2, for their graphics. Others said the "Booster Course Pass" lacked Mario Kart 8’s anti-gravity and underwater features. GameSpot said the "Booster Course Pass" only added new courses, not new characters or customization parts. Nintendo Life praised the audio design, calling it "stellar" and "a delight." The feature of having different courses each lap was praised and wished to become a regular part of the series.

Mario Kart 8 won several awards. Eurogamer readers and staff named it their game of the year, and GameSpot gave it the "Best Wii U Game" award. It was nominated for "Best Wii U Exclusive" in GameTrailers’ 2014 Game of the Year Awards, "Best Game" in Giant Bomb’s 2014 Game of the Year Awards, and "Overall Game of the Year" and "Wii U Retail Game of the Year" in Nintendo Life’s 2014 Reader and Staff Awards. It also won "Game of the Year" from The Guardian and was nominated for "Best Multiplayer" and "Best Racing" in IGN’s 2014 Best of Awards.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also won awards in the 2017–2018 season. It was nominated for "Best Switch Game" and "Best Remake/Remaster" in IGN’s 2017 Best of Awards. Destructoid nominated it for "Best Switch Game" in their 2017 Game of the Year Awards, and it won "Old Game of the Year" at Giant Bomb’s 2017 Game of the Year Awards.

Mario Kart 8 became the fastest-selling Wii U game in its first four days, selling over 1.2 million copies worldwide. Within a month, sales reached 2.82 million. As of September 2021, over 8.46 million copies were sold, making it the best-selling Wii U game. More than half of Wii U owners owned a copy. In the United Kingdom, sales of the Wii U rose 662% after Mario Kart 8’s release, with 82% of consoles sold in bundles with the game.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sold 459,000 copies in the United States on its launch day, making it the fastest-selling Mario Kart game. One year after launch, it sold 9.22 million copies. It surpassed Super Mario Odyssey as the best-selling Switch game in 2019 and Mario Kart Wii as the best-selling Mario Kart game in 2021. As of December 31, 2024, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had sold 67.35 million copies, making it one of the best-selling games of all time.

"Luigi's death stare" is an Internet meme that describes the automatic facial expression Luigi makes when he attacks or passes other players during a race. His expression appears to show a serious or intense look.