The definitive kart racer on Switch. Driving is wildly accessible yet the skill ceiling stays deep, and with the DLC the track count is staggering. Local or online, it's still the safest bet for any game night.
Your verdict
Category
Racing8 players3+
Co-op
Split screen
Description
Mario's cast races across colourful tracks, trading items and power-slides. Published by Nintendo, released worldwide in 2017. Forty-eight courses, doubled to ninety-six with the extra tracks, anti-gravity driving, a Battle mode and play for up to eight.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The switch to live recording transfigured the series: funk guitars on Mute City, a driving big band, drums that push the throttle down. Every track has its instrumental colour, tuned to speed and drifting. That organic energy galvanises both solo races and nights with friends, turning every restart into a sonic party you never tire of chaining.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Drifting in antigravity along a wall, holding your line amid the shell chaos: the handling clicks at once for beginners while leaving real room for experts. The Pass's forty-eight tracks swell an already generous package. Battle mode disappoints and luck frustrates near the top of the pack, but local or online, the party holds up beautifully.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Drift through a bend, trigger the mini-turbo, drop a blue shell at the last second: every race flips in an instant. With eight players the room becomes a joyful battlefield where items upend every prediction. Tight drifting and nonstop chaos guarantee belly laughs with a controller in hand, time and again.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
A race lasts three minutes, the rematch menu is one button away, and a loss always begs for 'one last round.' Items constantly reshuffle the standings, so no lead is safe and no gap is hopeless. Unlocking parts, karts and tracks keeps a clear goal between each cup. The immediate fun crosses the years without wrinkles; the luck factor of items can frustrate players chasing pure mastery.
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Forty-eight tracks bundled from the start, every racer and kart part to unlock, plus a refreshed battle mode: it's the most complete edition the series has had. Chasing three stars in 200cc, polishing your racing lines and challenging the world online sustains a ceiling-free replayability. Instant approachability paired with genuine depth makes it a long-haul companion.
Technical info
💾6,9 GB📅28/04/2017
Published by Nintendo
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
Up to eight drivers in the same room plus a frantic battle mode: racing quickly turns into a duel of friendships. Competition reigns, yet items sow a delicious chaos where the trailing racer can leapfrog the leader. The blue shell rips legendary howls from everyone, and it's exactly that shared injustice that turns every evening into a story worth retelling.
Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still worth playing in 2026?
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is arguably the most complete kart racer ever released. Its anti-gravity driving, clarity and technical stability make it a safe bet, enriched further by the Booster Course Pass's forty-eight tracks. The sense of speed and the variety of layouts hold up perfectly today. You might lament a less inspired Battle mode and a luck factor that can frustrate at the top of the standings. But locally and online, it is an accessible party that brings every skill level together. It is hard to find a better arcade racer for multiplayer on Switch.
