Mario Kart 8 Deluxe guide and tips
Also known as: Mario Kart 8, MK8 Deluxe, MK8DX
Learn Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: race modes, items, drifting for speed boosts, assist options for kids and the best tips for winning your first Grand Prix.
- Type
- Video game
- Players
- 1–12
- Age
- Ages 3+
- First released
- 2017
- Developer
- Nintendo
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a kart racing game released by Nintendo in 2017 for Nintendo Switch. It is an expanded version of Mario Kart 8 from the Wii U, with all of its tracks and extra content in one package. Characters from the Mario series race on colourful courses full of jumps, underwater sections and anti-gravity roads where karts drive on walls and ceilings. Items such as shells and bananas keep every race unpredictable, so a new player can sometimes beat an expert. Up to four people can play on one screen, and up to twelve can race together online or over local wireless. A paid Booster Course Pass later doubled the number of tracks, making it one of the largest kart games available.
Our verdict
Mario Kart is one of the easiest games to share with family and friends. A child with assists turned on can race next to an adult and still have fun, while skilled players can master drifting and item timing for years. Races are short, so it fits a quick break or a long evening. The courses are bright and imaginative, and the music is cheerful. Battle mode adds a different kind of fun for groups who do not want to race.
What works
- Very easy for beginners, with real depth for experts.
- Great local multiplayer on one console.
- A very large and varied set of tracks.
What does not
- Items can feel unfair when you lose the lead at the last moment.
- Battle mode is less deep than the racing.
How to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
You choose a character and build a kart from a body, wheels and a glider; each part changes speed, acceleration, weight and handling. Races usually last three laps. Driving through item boxes gives you a random item: mushrooms give a short burst of speed, green and red shells hit other racers, bananas make them spin, and the spiny blue shell targets whoever is in first place. Racers further behind tend to get stronger items. Holding the drift button while turning builds sparks; releasing it gives a mini-turbo boost, and longer drifts give bigger boosts. Grand Prix mode groups four races into a cup with points for each finish. Time Trials, Versus and Battle mode, where players pop each other's balloons or collect coins in arenas, add variety. Smart Steering and Auto-Accelerate options keep young players on the road.
Tips for new players
- Learn to drift on every corner; mini-turbo boosts matter more than top speed.
- Keep a banana or shell behind your kart to block attacks from the back.
- Use Smart Steering for young children so they stay on the track and enjoy the race.
- Try light characters with high acceleration if you often get hit by items.
Good for
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: common questions
How many players can play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on one Switch?
Up to four players can share one screen. More players can join through local wireless or online play, up to twelve racers.
What does Smart Steering do?
It stops the kart from driving off the track. It is ideal for small children and players who are new to racing games.
How do you get a mini-turbo?
Hold the drift button while turning until sparks appear, then release it. Longer drifts make bigger and longer boosts.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe belongs to its owners. Playdonya is not connected to them and does not sell this game; the cover is our own illustration.
