Nothing says the holidays like spending time with the family, which makes the timing for the new Mario Kart 8 DLC even better. Arriving on December 7th are eight new courses for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch. This is the third of six waves of DLC content for the game.
Mario Kart 8 was originally launched for the Nintendo Wii U 2014. The Nintendo Switch version, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, came out three years later and has become the best Mario Kart game of all time. It continues top sales charts even today and was the UK’s top-selling Black Friday game last year. With the influx of Mario Kart DLC, don’t be surprised if that’s true again this year.
After experiencing beloved classics such as Coconut Mall, Waluigi Pinball, and Mushroom Gorge, it’s time to dive into a new batch of Mario Kart 8 tracks.
The eight new Mario Kart 8 courses are from five different Mario Kart games. We’ve listed each track alongside the game they first appeared in.
Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo Wii)
- Maple Treeway
Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo 3DS)
- Rainbow Road
- Rock Rock Mountain
Mario Kart Super Circuit (GameBoy Advance)
- Boo Lake
Mario Kart Tour (Mobile)
- Berlin Byways
- London Loop
- Merry Mountain
Mario DS (Nintendo DS)
- Peach Gardens
A trailer is also available for the new Mario Kart 8 DLC on Nintendo’s website.
Some Nintendo fans hoped we’d see one last Nintendo Direct this year. A first-party direct was streamed in September, headlined by a new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. We got a tease of the tracks coming for the third wave of Mario Kart DLC with the announcement of Peach Gardens and Merry Mountain. Nintendo‘s decision to stealth-drop the new Mario Kart 8 DLC announcement all but confirms we won’t see a new Direct until next year.
An Indie World Nintendo Direct took place recently, highlighting upcoming indie games for Nintendo Switch.
These eight new Mario Kart 8 DLC courses will make up the Rock Cup and Moon Cup Grand Prix.
A Glimpse At The Future of Mario Kart 8 DLC?
A couple of these tracks were hinted at during a leak earlier this year. YouTuber recordreader discovered music tracks for London Loop, Peach Gardens, Rock Rock Mountain, Berlin Byways, Merry Mountain, Rainbow Road, Boo Lake, and Maple Treeway. Wouldn’t you know, they’re all in this batch of courses.
Seven tracks are still datamined for a potential release down the line:
- Waluigi Stadium/Wario Colosseum from Mario Kart: Double Dash
- Amsterdam Drift from Mario Kart Tour
- Singapore Speedway from Mario Kart Tour
- Los Angeles Laps from Mario Kart Tour
- Sunset Wilds from Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Bangkok Rush from Mario Kart Tour
- Vancouver Velocity from Mario Kart Tour
Fan reaction is extremely pleased with the arrival of the 3DS version of Rainbow Road. Maple Treeway is also an early fan favorite for the third wave of the Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass. Others are disappointed that we aren’t seeing Waluigi Stadium. Even if the listed seven tracks represent what’s to come, there are still a total of 17 unknown courses coming in future Mario Kart 8 DLC waves.
The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass consists of six waves released through the end of 2023. We’re now halfway through the patch of tracks that will eventually add 48 new courses to Mario Kart 8. It is available for purchase as a direct download from the Nintendo eShop for $24.99. If you are subscribed to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass bundle, you’ll receive the Mario Kart 8 DLC for free.
The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass annual subscription is available for $49.99. A Family Membership is also available for $79.99.
If you do not own the DLC, you’ll still be able to play the new tracks online.
