After some serious build-up from Nintendo and rising anticipation amongst fans, the Japanese multinational video game company finally released the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC – well, kind of. Nintendo announced the arrival of the DLC back in February, or rather, Wave 1 of the DLC. In a teasing twist, the content of the DLC is to be released in six waves, spanning until the end of 2023 (source). So, the DLC is here, but only partly for now.
Wave 1 saw the introduction of eight new racecourses, which you can test out when competing against Mario and the rest of the gang in the Golden Dash Cup and Lucky Cat Cup – an enticing thought.
So, how can we actually catch a drift on these new tracks, then? Well, to drive and compete in these courses will require the Booster Course Pass, which provides the buyer access to the downloadable content. Once purchased, owners will gain access to all waves of the DLC as they are released so that they can enjoy all the new content, alongside all of the existing fun. That means drivers can jump straight back into their favorite, fast-paced 150c mode, which was introduced new in the raw, original Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game in eight completely new maps!
According to well-established gamer community hubs like Win.gg, it shouldn’t be too long before we can expect the second wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC, too. The game is apparently set for a July release, followed by the third wave in November/December, according to TheVerge. This is great news for newcomers to the game who won’t have to trawl through the depths of the single-player game mode to unlock new maps and characters. For all of you who hold an active membership to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack – good news! You will automatically be granted access to all of these freshly released courses as soon as they hit the Switch. There is also no extra charge above the one you already paid for the membership subscription.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members will also be given free access to some of the best Nintendo 64™ and SEGA Genesis games, as well as the opportunity to play the latest DLC from Animal Crossing™: the New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC.
While some fans were disappointed that Nintendo released the Mario Kart 8 DLC instead of released ‘Mario Kart 9’, the size and quality of the DLC surely do not disappoint. It’s easy to see Nintendo’s reasoning behind the decision, as the raw game continues to sell week by week. They sure know how to butter us up though: the iconic Coconut Mall from the original Wii U game is included in the first wave of tracks released in the DLC, dishing out ample nostalgia to players of the game. Other tracks to be released in the first wave also include Choco Mountain (Mario Kart 64) and Toad Circuit (Mario Kart 7), so the starting selection looks to be a tasty one.
So, no Mario Kart 9 for now, but this DLC might just prove the perfect tick-over content until Nintendo does release the game – likely to be paired with the announcement of their newest console.
Last Updated: August 12, 2022
