Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Is Still the Best Way to Ruin a Friendship on Rainbow Road

There's nothing quite like approaching the finish line in first place, convinced you've finally won, only for a blue shell to ruin everything. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been causing moments like this since arriving on Nintendo Switch in April 2017. It's frustrating when it happens to you, of course, but watching a friend lose a race in the final seconds never gets old.

Originally released on Wii U in 2014, Mario Kart 8 got a second chance with Deluxe, adding a much better Battle Mode and more characters to its already excellent racing. The controls are easy to learn, but mastering the faster classes takes real practice. Even with Mario Kart World now available, I still think Deluxe holds up remarkably well, especially when you've got a few friends to race against.

Drifting Around Corners Never Gets Boring

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is easy to pick up, but getting consistently good at it takes practice. Drifting is especially important, since holding a drift through a corner builds up a speed boost. Once you know a track well enough, chaining those boosts together can make a huge difference.

Your choice of character and kart also affects how the game handles. A setup with high top speed might work well on long straights, but becomes harder to control through tight corners. That's particularly noticeable in 200cc, where even a small mistake can send you flying off the track.

Smart Steering and automatic acceleration make things easier for newcomers, while experienced players can focus on perfecting their racing lines and finding shortcuts. I like that the game gives you room to improve without making the basics difficult to learn.

Rainbow Road, Mount Wario, and Some Wonderful Old Favorites

Mount Wario is one of Deluxe's best tracks, taking you on a downhill race through changing scenery instead of the usual three laps. Electrodrome is another highlight, turning a racetrack into a neon-lit nightclub. And then there's Rainbow Road, where one poorly timed drift can send you flying into space.

Anti-gravity sections add another twist, letting you race along walls and even upside down. Bumping into other racers gives you a small speed boost, which makes fighting for position a little more interesting.

With 48 tracks in the original Deluxe package, there's a good mix of new ideas and returning favorites. Some of the older courses have been completely redesigned, and revisiting them with the improved handling and visuals is particularly enjoyable if you've played earlier Mario Kart games.

The Booster Course Pass Gives Old Tracks Another Lap

The completed Booster Course Pass doubles Deluxe's track selection to 96, adding another 48 courses and eight characters. It's a substantial expansion, although you'll need the paid DLC or access through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack to play the extra tracks.

Fan favorites like Coconut Mall and Waluigi Pinball return alongside courses from Mario Kart Tour. Maple Treeway is another welcome addition, with its winding paths and autumn setting. These tracks are particularly enjoyable when their familiar shortcuts still reward knowing the course inside out.

Unfortunately, the newer additions don't always match the quality of Deluxe's original tracks. Some have noticeably flatter textures and simpler environments, making them feel out of place next to the more detailed circuits.

Still, doubling the track selection is a major improvement, especially for multiplayer sessions where you've already raced through the original courses countless times.

Nothing Tests a Friendship Quite Like a Well-Timed Blue Shell

Items are what make Mario Kart so unpredictable. With two item slots, you can save a shell for protection while keeping a mushroom ready for a shortcut. Knowing when to use an item can make all the difference, especially in a close race.

Of course, even a perfectly driven race can fall apart in seconds. Getting hit by a blue shell just before the finish line is bad enough, but being struck again before you've recovered is even worse. Those moments can be infuriating when you've spent the entire race building a lead.

Still, that unpredictability is a big part of Mario Kart's appeal, especially with friends. Less experienced players always have a chance to pull off an unexpected win, while skilled racers can improve their odds by learning the tracks and using items wisely. Even then, nobody is completely safe from a last-second disaster.

Battle Mode Finally Gets the Attention It Deserves

Battle Mode was one of Mario Kart 8's biggest disappointments on Wii U, largely because it reused regular racetracks instead of proper arenas. Deluxe fixes that with dedicated maps where chasing opponents and dodging incoming shells is much more entertaining.

Balloon Battle brings back the familiar chaos, but Renegade Roundup is particularly enjoyable. One team hunts down the other using Piranha Plants, while captured players depend on their teammates to break them out of jail. The frantic chases and last-second rescues make for some hilarious multiplayer moments.

Not every mode is equally memorable, but Battle Mode finally feels worth playing on its own. It's a great alternative when everyone has had enough of racing around the same circuits.

There's Always Room for Another Race

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still holds up remarkably well, even after all these years. There's real satisfaction in mastering a difficult corner or pulling off a perfect shortcut, especially when you're racing against friends who know the tracks just as well.

The occasional unfair item streak can be maddening, and some Booster Course Pass tracks look noticeably worse than the originals. Even so, Deluxe remains one of the easiest multiplayer games to recommend, whether you're racing casually or trying to master 200cc. You can drive a near-perfect race and still lose everything in the final corner, which is frustrating enough to make you immediately want a rematch.