Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: the Switch's ultimate kart racer

GameMario Kart 8 DeluxeNintendo Switch

96 tracks and the best-selling Mario game in history. Released on 28 April 2017 on Switch, this enhanced port of the 2014 Wii U entry serves up the whole original package from day one. This guide breaks down its mechanics, the Booster Course Pass that takes the line-up from 48 to 96 tracks, and the reasons behind its success.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (same title worldwide) is the star racing game of the Nintendo Switch, published by Nintendo. Behind this seemingly ordinary port hides a rare feat in the world of video games: becoming the best-selling Mario game of all time.

Released in 2017, it turned a low-key Wii U entry into a worldwide phenomenon, carried by tens of millions of players and an extraordinary longevity.

Contents

• A Switch port that became the sales king
• All the Wii U content, from day one
• The mechanics that make the difference
• The Booster Course Pass: from 48 to 96 tracks
• Why it sold more than 70 million copies
• Quick facts
• FAQ

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A Switch port that became the sales king

Released on 28 April 2017 on Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is not a brand-new entry: it is an enhanced port of Mario Kart 8, originally released on Wii U in 2014.

Where the Wii U sold in tiny numbers, the Switch handed the game a colossal audience. The console's success pulled the game along with it, to the point of turning it into a textbook commercial case.

The result: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe became the best-selling game on Nintendo Switch and, in the same breath, the best-selling Mario game of all time. As of 30 June 2026, Nintendo reports 71.53 million copies sold, a figure that is still climbing nearly nine years after launch.

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All the Wii U content, from day one

The port's first selling point comes down to one word: completeness. From launch day, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe includes every piece of downloadable content already released for the Wii U version.

• All the paid tracks and characters from the Wii U are unlocked right away, at no extra cost.
• The Battle mode has been completely redesigned: it drops the recycled race tracks in favour of eight dedicated arenas.
• In these battles, every player starts with five balloons instead of three, and the driver in the lead wears a crown.

For a player discovering the series on Switch, the package was therefore complete straight away, with no need to buy the old expansions all over again.

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The mechanics that make the difference

Under the hood, the Deluxe version fine-tunes the series formula with additions designed for every kind of player, from beginner to veteran.

• You can now carry two items at once, which opens up far richer attack and defence strategies.
• Every race welcomes up to twelve drivers, in local multiplayer as well as online.
• Newcomers can rely on smart steering assist that stops them leaving the track and falling into the void.

This balance between depth and accessibility goes a long way towards explaining why the game works just as well in competition as during an impromptu evening among total beginners.

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The Booster Course Pass: from 48 to 96 tracks

In 2022, Nintendo restarted the machine with the Booster Course Pass (48 extra tracks), a paid add-on rolled out in successive waves.

• Spread from March 2022 to November 2023 across six waves, it adds 48 extra tracks drawn from across the whole saga, including the mobile game Mario Kart Tour.
• The total therefore climbs to 96 tracks, an all-time record for a Mario Kart entry.
• Several brand-new playable characters come along with these new courses, wave after wave.

This massive content extension has stretched the game's lifespan by several years, regularly reviving player interest and, with it, sales.

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Why it sold more than 70 million copies

How did a simple port smash every record? The answer combines several factors lining up.

First, the Switch's gigantic install base, one of the best-selling consoles in history, handed the game a pool of potential buyers with no equivalent. Next, its status as a universal party game made it an almost automatic purchase for every household that owned the console.

Finally, the strategy of long-haul content — free online-mode updates, then the Booster Course Pass — kept the title at the top of the charts well beyond its first year. Add to that the bundles packaged with the console during certain end-of-year holiday seasons.

The result is one of a kind: more than 71 million copies, a figure that places Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ahead of every other Mario game and at the top of the Switch catalogue. Only Wii Sports, once bundled with its own console, remains ahead in Nintendo's history.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at a glance

Type	Racing game
Publisher	Nintendo
Switch release	28 April 2017
Original game	Mario Kart 8 (Wii U, 2014)
Tracks	96 (48 base + 48 from the Pass)
Drivers per race	Up to 12
Sales	71.53 million (June 2026)
Records	Best-selling Switch game and best-selling Mario game

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FAQ

• Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a new game or a port?
  It is an enhanced port of Mario Kart 8, released on Wii U in 2014. The Switch version, out on 28 April 2017, adds all the original downloadable content and a completely redesigned Battle mode.
• How many tracks does the game have?
  The game shipped with 48 tracks, raised to 96 once the 48 courses of the Booster Course Pass arrived, rolled out from 2022 to 2023.
• Is the Booster Course Pass free?
  No, it is paid content. It is, however, included at no extra cost for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.
• Why is this game so popular?
  Its accessible multiplayer, its huge choice of tracks and the Switch's very large install base have made it a party essential, with more than 71 million copies sold.
• How many players can take part in a race?
  Up to twelve drivers per race, locally or online. Each driver can also carry two items at a time.

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