Finally more Mario Kart! That was the first reaction of MeinMMO author Max Handwerk when the new DLC for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was announced for the Switch. But not everything about the announcement is great.
Cheerful music, colorful tracks, and roaring engine sounds – when this combination raced across the screen during the Nintendo Direct, I was immediately captivated. After all, like many others, I have been waiting forever for a new Mario Kart.
This time, it was quickly clear: it was neither about Mobile like in Mario Tour, nor about a toy AR hybrid like Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit. No, this time a completely normal Mario Kart for the Nintendo Switch was in the spotlight.
But it wasn’t Mario Kart 9. Instead, it was just Mario Kart 8 Deluxe again.
The great thing about the new announcement for the Mario Kart 8 DLC
I really don’t want to complain too much. Because what Nintendo showed looks like a lot of fuel for the tank of Mario Kart fans like me, who have raced all tracks in the current game countless times.
After all, the new “Booster Course Pass” contains such a large amount of content that it could have sufficed for a completely new Mario Kart.
A total of 48 tracks from already known Mario Kart games will be newly released for the Switch. In the first wave, there is, for example, one of my favorite tracks, the Coconut Mall from the Wii, but also classics like the Chocolate Island from Mario Kart 64, which you can now enjoy in beautiful Mario Kart 8 style.
So for nostalgics, the pass definitely has something in the trunk. In addition, tracks from the mobile game “Mario Kart Tour” or “Mario Kart 7” are included, which was released for the Nintendo 3DS. A platform I never owned, which is why I don’t know the seven tracks at all.
This whole package is supposed to
- cost 24.99 euros
- or be available as an extra with a Nintendo Online membership with an expansion pack.
This seems quite fair to me given the amount of tracks coming your way.
Furthermore, the gameplay in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still a lot of fun. That this will now simply be extended to even more tracks – that doesn’t sound too bad.
This thing is still selling like hotcakes. No wonder that there seems to be no rush regarding a successor.
Nevertheless: Overall, it’s already a great thing that there’s new content for Mario Kart fans. Because that means that some fun evenings with friends are ahead, who hopefully can endure when a blue shell bursts all dreams of victory just before the finish line. After all, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still one of the best couch co-op games on the Switch.
Waiting for Mario Kart 9 – well, one has gotten used to that by now.
What do you think of the DLC? Are you excited about the new tracks or would you have preferred to have a Mario Kart 9 instead? Tell us in the comments!
On the other hand, this exciting announcement also comes with a bitter pill.
Second gear instead of full throttle with Mario Kart 9
While I am definitely looking forward to racing on the new, old tracks, they ultimately remain just that: “old tracks.” Yes, I love the Coconut Mall. But I have already completed it countless times, just like many other tracks.
That’s why I’ve been waiting for a long time for a new game in the series – Mario Kart 9. Because you have to put it in perspective:
- Mario Kart 8 was originally released in May 2014 for the WiiU – almost 8 years ago now.
- In April 2017, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released for the Nintendo Switch with additional tracks, drivers, and more content.
- What is now being created with the DLC is essentially “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Deluxe”.
What’s particularly striking is that the 48 tracks are not released all at once, but in six waves. The first comes on March 18, 2022, bringing 8 tracks. The remaining five packs are scheduled to be released by the end of 2023.
End of 2023!
This probably means not only more waiting for the additional content for Mario Kart 8: it seems extremely unlikely that a potential Mario Kart 9 will appear before this cycle is finished. And that also pushes additional drivers, fresh gameplay elements, a new look, or new mechanics even further into the future.
If we assume that Mario Kart 9 will then be released after the end of this Booster Pass – which is pure speculation – we are already talking about 2024. A full 10 years after the original release of Mario Kart 8.
That’s GTA and Elder Scrolls level waiting. And even GTA has now hinted at the successor, after the boss explained last year why it’s good to delay releases of major game series.
On the other hand, this approach is also understandable. Because Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is at around 43 million units the best-selling Nintendo Switch game ever (via statistaa), ahead of Animal Crossing and Super Smash Bros.
This thing is still selling like hotcakes. No wonder that there seems to be no rush regarding a successor.
Nevertheless: Overall, it’s already a great thing that there’s new content for Mario Kart fans. Because that means that some fun evenings with friends are ahead, who hopefully can endure when a blue shell bursts all dreams of victory just before the finish line. After all, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still one of the best couch co-op games on the Switch.
Waiting for Mario Kart 9 – well, one has gotten used to that by now.
What do you think of the DLC? Are you excited about the new tracks or would you have preferred to have a Mario Kart 9 instead? Tell us in the comments!
