‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’ Overview Trailer Highlights Battle Mode’s Return

Next month, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will drift on to the Nintendo Switch. Deluxe was announced back at Nintendo’s Switch presentation, but today Nintendo revealed some new details and a trailer.

Mario Kart 8 originally graced the Wii U, and there it received two DLC expansions to enhance the experience. All of that content will come with Deluxe by default, along with a few other boosts.

GET READY TO BATTLE IN MARIO KART 8 DELUXE

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe includes five more racers: Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, Bowser Jr., King Boo and Dry Bones. This brings the roster up to 42 characters, which is a series record. Furthermore, the Inklings have brought Splatoon-themed vehicles with them.

Mario and the Inkling Girl battle in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Image: Nintendo)

Additional items have been incorporated, including the return of Boo and the Cape Feather. And, in a nod to the GameCube’s Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, you can hold two items at once.

Battle Mode is the biggest advancement, as it will now be more in line with the prior Mario Karts. Additionally, five varieties are included:

Balloon Battle: the de facto version of Battle Mode.
Bob-omb Blast: another relic from Double Dash, where the eponymous items are the only items.
Coin Runners: first seen in Mario Kart Wii, your score here is measured by – you guessed it – collecting coins.
Renegade Roundup: created for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this variation forces players to lock up the opposing team before time runs out. Contained combatants can be freed via a button hidden underneath the cell.
Shine Thief: another Double Dash holdover, the mission here is to maintain custody of a Shine Sprite for 20 seconds.

Finally, Nintendo released a trailer giving an overview of the title. A glimpse of the Battle maps is the highlight, but there’s a brief look at another newcomer to the tracks: Gold Mario.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is set to cross the finish line and enter our collections on April 28. Plus, the optional Joy-Con Wheel accessory will launch on the same day. These products will cost $59.99 and $14.99, respectively.

Happy MAR10 Day!