Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a racing game in the Mario Kart series for the Nintendo Switch which was first released on April 28, 2017. The game is the first Mario game overall to be released for the Nintendo Switch. It is an enhanced port of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U. The base game has additional features such as several new characters and an overhauled Battle Mode with new courses and modes. First teased in the Switch's announcement video on October 20, 2016, the game was formally announced as part of the Nintendo Switch presentation on January 13, 2017.

From 2022 to the end of 2023, new race courses are being added via the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass paid DLC. An edition of the game that has the Booster Course Pass activated from the start, labelled the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle (Game + Booster Course Pass), is available digitally for purchase.

Dual Joy-Con / Pro Controller

 * or / or tilt: Steer
 * or up or  or auto-accelerate: Accelerate / Rocket Start (press and hold when the countdown hits 2)
 * or down: Brake/reverse
 * /: Use horn/item
 * /: Hop/drift/trick
 * or / or tilt + or  up or  or auto-accelerate + /: Drift
 * Rear view

GameCube Controller

 * Steer
 * or up or  or auto-accelerate: Accelerate / Rocket Start (press and hold when the countdown hits 2)
 * or down: Brake/Reverse
 * Use horn/item
 * or : Hop/drift/trick
 * Rear view

Joy-Con (sideways)

 * or tilt: Steer
 * or or auto-accelerate: Accelerate / Rocket Start (press and hold when the countdown hits 2)
 * Brake/reverse
 * Use horn/item
 * Hop/drift/trick
 * or tilt + or  or auto-accelerate + : Drift
 * Rear view

Toy-Con Motorbike

 * Tilt: Steer
 * forward tilt or auto-accelerate: Accelerate / Rocket Start (press and hold when the countdown hits 2)
 * Brake / reverse
 * Use horn/item
 * Hop / trick
 * Tilt + forward tilt or auto-accelerate + : Drift
 * Switch view

Toy-Con Car

 * Tilt: Steer
 * Pedal half press or auto-accelerate: Accelerate / Rocket Start (press and hold when the countdown hits 2)
 * Use horn/item
 * Pedal full press: Hop / trick
 * Tilt + pedal full press: Drift
 * Switch view

Differences from the original
The game features most of the base and DLC content of Mario Kart 8. Content excluded includes Miiverse compatibility, stamps, and the ability to upload Highlight Reels on YouTube - all of which were discontinued on the Wii U version when Miiverse was terminated on November 7, 2017. Battle Mode has been significantly altered.

Characters that were originally unlockable or exclusive to downloadable content in Mario Kart 8 are available from the start in this game, marking the largest starting roster of any Mario Kart game.

Characters can now carry up to two items at once, even if they do not equip the first item, and the game features the return of the Double Item Box from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. The game also introduces Smart Steering and Auto-Accelerate for beginners; the former makes staying on the track easier by automatically steering the vehicle away from edges on the track, while the latter makes the vehicle automatically accelerate (though this is not available in Battle Mode). If the Smart Steering mode is on, the player's vehicle will have a black antenna sticking out of its rear end; this antenna blinks yellow and bends when Smart Steering is in effect. Smart Steering and Auto-Accelerate can be toggled on and off individually for each player in the vehicle part selection menu and in the pause menu. There is also an additional level of Mini-Turbo, called Ultra Mini-Turbo, denoted by purple (pink in the British English version) sparks that appear after the orange sparks. This new level of Mini-Turbo can only be used if Smart Steering is off.

200cc engine class for Time Trials has been added (separately recorded from the 150cc Time Trials). There are new staff ghosts for 200cc, while some of the 150cc staff ghosts have slightly different times compared to the original.

The game also features an in-game guide, directly accessible from the game's menu; this guide explains various techniques, Battle Mode, and the functions of each item.

The vehicle parts that are exclusive to downloadable content in Mario Kart 8 (i.e. parts included within the Mercedes-Benz × Mario Kart 8, The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8, and Animal Crossing × Mario Kart 8 add-on packs) are now accessible in the base game and are randomly unlocked by collecting coins during gameplay.

There are more individual character weight classes when compared to the Wii U game, with several returning characters having different statistics, thus resulting in fewer characters having the same stats as each other. Similarly, the statistics of some vehicle parts have been altered, and certain physics elements, such as the speed increase per stat and the acceleration tiers, have been adjusted.

Red Shells and Spiny Shells are now slower when they lock onto their target, meaning players are able to outrun them in 200cc when they have any kind of speed boost.

The overall game difficulty has been reduced, as CPUs slow down closer to the player when compared to the original version, and do not charge Mini Turbos or Super Mini Turbos as quickly. The default speed of the CPUs in the Normal and Easy difficulties has also been reduced. CPU players now have a chance to obtain Triple Red Shells from Item Boxes, but this primarily only happens in the Shells Only item setting.

Online lobbies have been changed in that players playing Worldwide or Regional VS Races between 1000 VR and 3000 VR will be randomized either a 100cc or 150cc race, and starting at over 3000 VR, players will now be randomized a 150cc, Mirror, or 200cc race. The engine class for the upcoming race in a race lobby is now shown in the lobby as the course is selected, via a "50", "100", "150", mirrored "150" (for Mirror), or "200" icon in the bottom right of the selected course icon. This extends to online battle lobbies, which will display a symbol of a yellow balloon (for Balloon Battle), a potted Piranha Plant (for Renegade Roundup), a coin (for Coin Runners), a Shine Sprite (for Shine Thief), or a Bob-omb (for Bob-omb Blast) to denote which battle mode is about to be played. There is also an option to change character and vehicle combinations in an online lobby without having to leave; this is done by pressing ( when playing with a single Joy-Con) during the course selection of an online lobby. The Mii characters that represent the players in online lobbies wear racing suits, unlike in the original version in which they wore their regular outfits. The Mii of the previous race or battle's winner will also wear a crown identical to the one worn by the first-place player in Battle Mode. The newly added wireless and LAN modes use a very similar lobby to the online lobby, albeit visually set in a garage rather than on a globe.

Players can now see the lap count or timer when spectating an online race or battle respectively. However, it is no longer possible to see the lap count when crossing the finish line nor the full results in multiplayer (including online lobbies) at the end of the race while watching Highlight Reels via Mario Kart TV.

The game now mostly renders in native 1920x1080 resolution in TV mode (sometimes switching to native 1728x972), and always renders at native 1280x720 resolution in Tabletop and Handheld Mode, instead of the dynamic 1280x720/1152x648 rendering resolution used in the original Wii U version. Motion blur when boosting is present in LAN and online mode, and in earlier builds, it was also present in splitscreen multiplayer. The shadows present in the game are of higher quality in multiplayer.

If a Blooper is about to ink the player as they cross the finish line, the player will now still get inked. This is unlike the Wii U version, where the Blooper or the ink disappeared instead. Characters also no longer verbally react when they are inked by a Blooper.

The course map color for the race courses is now white instead of blue, including the maps of all three Rainbow Roads and, which originally had multiple colors. However, the battle courses have color-shaded areas and lines on their maps to make it easier for players to determine where they are. The character icons on the course map are now slightly larger, more detailed, and of a higher resolution. In a race, the first place player no longer has a crown on their mini-map icon, though they still do in battles. When a Bob-omb or Spiny Shell explodes, its explosion is now shown on the course map. When playing with the map enabled in local splitscreen multiplayer, there will only be one map in the center of the screen, rather than each player having their own copy of the map like in the Wii U version.

All courses that feature confetti flying around the start/finish line, such as Mario Circuit, now also have confetti on the ground of the course near it.

When using the rearview mirror, the character will now move their eyes slightly to the left to look back, like how they do in Mario Kart Wii; however, their eyes will stay looking to the left as long as the rearview is active, rather than switching back after a second like in Mario Kart Wii.

Inkling Girl, Isabelle, and Link now appear on the loading screen, and the game also has reduced loading times when compared to the Wii U game; as a result, the second set of characters that originally appeared on the loading screen are almost never seen before the game finishes loading.

When playing with teams, flags colored to correspond to the teams are added behind the vehicles. If Smart Steering is on, then the Smart Steering antenna serves as the pole of the flag. These flags do not appear in Balloon Battle nor Bob-omb Blast, as the color of the balloons show the teams in these modes.

Battle Mode
The biggest change made between Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the original release of Mario Kart 8 is the Battle Mode. Battle Mode now returns to the arena-based battle and unlike previous games, each player starts with five balloons, as opposed to three. Another addition to Battle Mode is that the character in the lead now wears a crown, unlike in Mario Kart 8 where the crown is displayed only on the HUD map. Additionally, players now start out with zero points instead of Mario Kart 8 ' s default three points, and their balloons do not serve as the remaining three points. Returning from Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 7 is the ability to respawn after all balloons are popped; this causes the player's total score to halve and the player respawns with three balloons instead of five. A new addition to this mode is the feature to tell exactly which character hit whom, which appears on the bottom of the screen. Furthermore, after getting hit, players now have about 1.5 seconds of invincibility frames, unlike in Mario Kart 8. The item options also appear to have been updated; alongside the "Frantic Items" option, which chooses rare items more frequently, a "Skilled Items" option is also available for selection, which chooses only offensive items; in this mode, powerful items appear less frequently, similar to Mario Kart Wii ' s "Strategic" ("Basic" in the PAL version) item option.

There are five different Battle Mode types: There is also the option to randomly select one of the five available modes by choosing "Random Battle".
 * Balloon Battle: The classic mode where players use items to pop opponents' balloons or steal them in order to score points. This mode now uses the point-based set-up seen in Mario Kart Wii, and Mario Kart 7, rather than the survival set-up of Mario Kart 8 and earlier installments prior to Mario Kart Wii.
 * Renegade Roundup: A new mode in the vein of "cops and robbers", with the racers being divided into two teams. One team, known as "The Authorities", has to use Piranha Plant items (which are permanently attached to the front of their vehicle and only serve to capture the opposing team; they do not operate like the regular item) in order to capture players from the other team, known as "The Renegades". Captured Renegades are placed into one of several jail cells floating above various points on the stage. Remaining Renegades can free their teammates by driving over a key switch placed below the jail cells. The Renegades win if at least one member is still running free when time runs out, and the Authorities win if all of the Renegades get captured. All Authority team members also temporarily lose their ability to capture after being hit by an item and Renegades receive a speed boost and temporary immunity when they are freed from the cells.
 * Bob-omb Blast: A returning mode from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, in which players attack one another using Bob-ombs to score points and can carry up to 10 Bob-ombs. This version follows nearly all of the same rules as Balloon Battle, the differences being these: the only items are Bob-ombs, players cannot be hurt by their own Bob-ombs exploding, and Bob-ombs thrown forward explode instantly.
 * Coin Runners: Originating in Mario Kart Wii, this mode was last seen in Mario Kart 7. Players must collect Coins scattered across the course in order to have the most by the end of the match. Plays more akin to the Mario Kart Wii version of the mode, with players having no limit to the amount of coins they can collect, as opposed to the 10-coin limit in the Mario Kart 7 version.
 * Shine Thief: Another returning mode from Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, one player must retrieve a Shine Sprite and keep hold of it for about 20 seconds, while the opponents use items against whoever has the Shine to force that player to drop it. The driver holding the shine sprite has a slightly reduced top speed. In Team play, one team must collectively manage to hold on to the Shine for about 30 seconds.

Battle courses
Eight battle courses are present in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, five new and three classic, replacing the repurposed race courses used for Battle Mode in the Wii U version.

Similar to regular races, a course introduction scene is now added at the start.

Characters
All base and DLC characters from Mario Kart 8 are present in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Additionally, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features new characters not present in Mario Kart 8. Of these, returning characters include Bowser Jr., King Boo, and Dry Bones, who were last playable in Mario Kart Wii, Gold Mario (as a variant of Metal Mario), who was previously playable in Mario Kart Arcade GP DX, and Birdo, who is set to be added with the fourth wave of the Booster Course Pass. In addition, two new non-Mario characters are included, being the Inklings from Splatoon. Players can choose either the Inkling Girl or Inkling Boy, and they include three selectable colors each; additionally, the two Villagers have also been separated, after being present in the same character slot (with the female Villager being considered a variant of the male one) in Mario Kart 8. Excluding character variants, there are currently a total of 42 playable characters in this game.

There is only one unlockable character in this game, that being Gold Mario. He is unlocked by clearing all cups of the 200cc Grand Prix. Additionally, the version 1.6.0 update added a new variant for Link based on his appearance in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. When Gold Mario is unlocked and Breath of the Wild Link is downloaded, they become the default variations of their character, while Metal Mario and Skyward Sword Link are relegated to alternate costumes. Despite the Breath of the Wild Link being treated as an alternate costume for Link in menus and in promotional material, he is actually treated as a separate character in-game, as both Links can appear in races or battles as CPU simultaneously.

Characters and variants playable in this game that were not playable in the original Mario Kart 8 are listed in bold, while those added via updates or DLC are listed in italics.

Rival order
Like in Mario Kart 8, characters have set rivals that consistently appear when racing in Grand Prix races. They are once again restricted to Grand Prix only, not appearing in single player versus or battle mode. Unlike the previous game, more characters have rivals: the twelve characters from the previous game who had rivals retain their rivals in this game, while other characters range from having one to two rivals each, or even none at all.

Vehicle parts
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features six additional vehicle body parts. One is the Koopa Clown, returning from Mario Kart 7. Two new vehicles are Splatoon-based ATVs; the Splat Buggy and Inkstriker. These three change their colors for certain characters: the former for the Koopalings, and the latter two for all Inkling variations. Ver. 1.6.0 adds the Master Cycle Zero, Ancient Tires, and Paraglider.

Computer characters now also choose from a wider variety of kart parts than the original version, such as the Flame Rider and the Sports Coupe. However, they are still restricted to a set amount of body parts per character. A computer Baby Daisy has the tendency to choose a Wild Wiggler with Wood wheels, for example. In total, there are 41 vehicle bodies, 22 tires, and 15 gliders, resulting in up to 13,530 different combinations.

Available parts
The parts available are listed here in the order shown in the vehicle customization screen, with the following notation:
 * Bold = Part is available at the start.
 * * = Changes color, depending on the character.
 * ** = Changes color for the Koopalings.
 * *** = Changes color for Daisy, Baby Daisy, Rosalina, and Baby Rosalina.
 * **** = Changes color for the Inklings.
 * (DX) = Part is not available in the original Mario Kart 8.
 * (NEW) = Part is introduced in this game.

The "8" logos on the parts are replaced with the character's emblem, except on the Gold Standard and Gold Glider.

CPU combinations
All characters in the game except for variants (besides Champion's Tunic Link) and Miis can be used by CPUs. Each of these characters have four different combinations of vehicle parts that they can use as CPUs. These combinations are listed below.

Drivers' and vehicle parts' statistics

 * For the in-game tables from which these values were derived and for the tables to translate those values into the actual statistics used by the game, see Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in-game statistics.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features different statistics with respect to Mario Kart 8.

Statistics shown in the vehicle customization screen
Just like Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8, the game uses "points" ("PT") which are conferred by characters and vehicle parts to determine the final values of the game's statistics. In each statistics, the points given by the character, body, tires, and glider are summed to obtain a final value called "Level" ("Lv") which is then used by a table to convert the level into appropriate physical parameters used by the game. There are a total of 8,064 different stat combinations. The Level of five statistics is displayed in the vehicle customization screen: Said Level is represented through bars by adding three points to the sum of points, then dividing the result by four, resulting in values ranging from 0.75 to 5.75. As an example, the process through which the statistics of a certain combination of character and vehicle parts are calculated and displayed is shown below:
 * Speed: The top speed of the vehicle on land with normal gravity.
 * Acceleration: How fast the speed increases when holding the acceleration button until top speed has been reached.
 * Weight: The weight of the vehicle. Vehicles with higher weight knock away vehicles with lower weight.
 * Handling: The turning ability of the vehicle on land with normal gravity. A higher stat means vehicles turn sharper, and will continue turning normally for longer before automatically initiating a drift.
 * Traction (Grip in the British English version): The grasp of the vehicle to the ground while off-road. Vehicles with higher traction slip less on certain terrain and can stay stable on the road better. Not to be confused with handling.

Drivers' statistics
Drivers are still grouped into small groups of characters sharing the same statistics, the number of groups has been increased with respect to Mario Kart 8.

In addition to the statistics shown in the vehicle customization screen, there are the following statistics: Just like in Mario Kart 8, Miis can be Light, Medium, or Heavy, depending on their height and weight.
 * Water Speed: The top speed of the vehicle while driving underwater.
 * Air Speed: The top speed of the vehicle while gliding.
 * Anti-Gravity Speed: The top speed of the vehicle in anti-gravity mode.
 * Water Handling: The turning ability of the vehicle while driving underwater.
 * Air Handling: The turning ability of the vehicle while gliding.
 * Anti-Gravity Handling: The turning ability of the vehicle in anti-gravity mode.
 * Mini-Turbo: The length of the vehicle's mini-turbo speed boosts and how fast mini-turbos can be charged. Also affects the length of jump boosts from tricks.
 * Invincibility: The length of time the vehicle is invincible after spinning out. Added in v2.2.0.

The statistics are shown in points.

Parts' statistics
The number of groups of vehicle parts sharing the same statistics has increased as well when compared with Mario Kart 8.

The statistics are reported in points. There is an unused stat for on-road traction, which can be viewed here. * sport bike

Gold Mario
The only unlockable playable character in this game is Gold Mario, who is unlocked by winning all twelve base-game gold cups at 200cc. Once unlocked, he replaces Metal Mario on the character select screen. Metal Mario is from then on treated as a color variant of Gold Mario. The two differ only in their color scheme and the voice clip used when selecting them. Their other voice clips, horn sounds, animations, and statistics are identical.

Vehicle parts
A vehicle part is randomly unlocked every 30 coins. Once reaching 450 coins this changes to every 50, and once reaching 1500 coins this changes to every 100. Eventually, the last non-gold vehicle part is unlocked on reaching 3100 coins.

Special parts
Special gold parts are unlocked with the following criteria:
 * Gold Standard: Unlocked by achieving at least 1 star ranking on all base-game Mirror Cups.
 * Gold Tires: Unlocked by defeating all base-game 48 staff ghosts in 150cc Time Trials.
 * Gold Glider: Unlocked by collecting 5,000 coins.

Alternate title screens
Additional title screens can appear on start-up and are unlocked by obtaining a gold trophy in every base-game cup on Mirror Mode and 200cc.

Courses
There are 48 race courses in the base game (including all four cups that were DLC in the original Mario Kart 8), these being the 25 courses introduced in the original game and 23 classic courses, which includes two courses from Super Mario Kart, three courses each from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii, and four courses each from Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, and Mario Kart 7. It is also the first Mario Kart game since Mario Kart 64 to have all courses available from the start.

In the British English version of the game, Toad Harbor is spelled "Toad Harbour", Bone-Dry Dunes is formatted "Bone Dry Dunes", and, , and are respectively known as 3DS Melody Motorway, 3DS Piranha Plant Pipeway, and 3DS Koopa City.

Booster Course Pass
The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass DLC, which includes 48 additional courses (mostly classic courses), will release in six waves of eight courses each from March 18, 2022 to the end of 2023, increasing the game's total number of courses to 96. Currently, the classic courses in the DLC include one course from Super Mario Kart, two courses from Mario Kart 64, three courses each from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii, and Mario Kart 7, and eight courses from Mario Kart Tour (making Mario Kart 8 Deluxe the first game in the series to feature classic courses of a Mario Kart game released after it), which increases the total number of courses from each game to three courses from Super Mario Kart, six courses each from Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart Wii, and seven courses from Mario Kart 7. Sky-High Sundae and Yoshi's Island, both new courses to the Mario Kart series, are also included, increasing the number of new courses to 27.

In the British English version of the game, is known as 3DS Alpine Pass.

150cc Staff Ghosts
In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the times for staff ghosts in 150cc are slightly different from the original Mario Kart 8. Also, unlike the original game, players will not unlock any stamps if they beat the ghosts.

200cc Staff Ghosts
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features a new option for players to race in Time Trials in the 200cc engine class. This option also features entirely new staff ghosts for each of the courses.

New items
The Boo and Feather items make a return in this game, functioning as they had previously. All other items from the Wii U version return as well. Also, the item distributions have been altered beside the addition of the new items.

New course elements
All of the course elements from the original Mario Kart 8, including enemies and obstacles, are retained in this game, along with several elements exclusive to the Booster Course Pass courses.

New amiibo compatibility
In addition to all of the compatible amiibo in Mario Kart 8 with their respective Mii Racing Suits, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe adds compatibility with amiibo from the Splatoon line, which unlock a Mii Racing Suit based on Splatoon. Additionally, more amiibo can be used to unlock the returning Mii Racing Suits, as all Animal Crossing related amiibo being compatible and unlocking the Animal Crossing Mii Racing Suit, and the Pikmin amiibo unlocking the Pikmin suit.

Update history
Note that in order to play online, players must have downloaded the most recent software update.

Ver. 1.1.0
An update was released on May 17, 2017. The following changes were made:
 * Opponents' names are displayed in the rear view mirror view in online matches.
 * Invincibility period after a spin-out or crash is longer in online matches.
 * Up to two players can spectate a friend group while they wait to join.
 * "Worldwide" and "Regional" modes add players to Mirror and 200cc matches less often.
 * Players can now properly create a friend lobby when having 100 or more friends.
 * The starting positions in online races now properly reflect the order in which the players join (just like the original).
 * Miis now properly show facial expressions during matches.
 * The Tournament clock now properly reflects real-world time.
 * One of Inkling Girl's animations has been modified.
 * The original animation was considered by some to resemble an.

Ver. 1.2.0
An update was released on June 28, 2017. The following changes were made:
 * Players can use Pikmin-themed amiibo to unlock a Pikmin Suit for the Mii driver.
 * Race rules and course name are now displayed on loading screens for online and wireless play, as well as Mario Kart TV.
 * Players who are behind in online matches will receive items geared toward catching up more frequently.
 * In online matches, no more than two Piranha Plants will be granted as items at the same time.
 * Controls are no longer unresponsive when the timer runs out when choosing a Mii racing suit for online matches.
 * When a player uses an item right after the Super Horn in online matches, that item will now remain available for other players.
 * Item wheel no longer spins continuously in online matches.
 * Online matches now end as intended 30 seconds after the first place racer finishes.
 * The Boomerang now returns to the first slot, if possible, after a player catches it.
 * Items shown in a player's item slots now display correctly when holding an item behind them.
 * No longer possible to use an item after it has been used to block an attack.
 * Communication errors no longer occur frequently while spectating or after spectating online matches.

Ver. 1.2.1
An update was released on August 9, 2017. The following changes were made:
 * Corrected an issue that prolonged the time to return to the lobby after races near the start and end times of online tournaments.

Ver. 1.3.0
An update was released on October 18, 2017. The following changes were made:
 * Video capture compatibility added. Hold the Capture Button to capture up to 30 seconds of the previous footage.
 * This system must be updated to Ver. 4.0.0 or higher to use this feature.
 * Now more difficult to float down using the glider when Smart Steering is ON.
 * Blue Shells no longer hit the second place player when the first place player has not crossed the finish line.
 * Extended the invulnerability period after spinning out or crashing.
 * Changes made to Online Play prior to Ver. 1.2.1 now apply to Wireless Play and LAN Play as well:
 * When further back in a race, will receive better items to help catch up to other players.
 * No more than one Piranha Plant will appear at a time.
 * Updating to Ver 1.3.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on Ver. 1.2.1 or lower.

Ver. 1.4.0
An update was released on December 12, 2017. The following changes were made:
 * Language support for Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Korean has now been implemented.
 * Players can change languages in Settings on the console.
 * An issue has been resolved that prevented background music from playing after players reach the finish line.
 * Updating to Ver 1.4.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on Ver. 1.2.1 or lower.

Ver. 1.5.0
An update was released on June 25, 2018. The following changes were made:
 * Now supports the use of the Toy-Con Motorbike from the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Variety Kit.
 * Players can now set whether or not use the Toy-Con Motorbike from the Toy-Con settings in the main menu.
 * At the screen right before the game begins, the Joy-Con needs to be set inside the Toy-Con Motorbike.
 * When using the Toy-Con Motorbike, the camera will look over the character's shoulder.
 * Pressing the downward directional button will allow the player to play with normal view again.
 * Addressed an issue where, after setting up a tournament, the "Search by code" feature would stop functioning.
 * Addressed an issue that made it impossible for a player to proceed after colliding with a Super Thwomp.
 * Updating to Ver 1.5.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on prior versions

Ver. 1.6.0
An update was released on July 19, 2018. The following changes were made:
 * Link in the Champion's Tunic from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been added as a variant for Link.
 * The Master Cycle Zero, Ancient Tires, and Paraglider have been added as kart parts.
 * Updating to Ver. 1.6.0 will prevent users from Wireless Play or LAN Play with users on prior versions.

Ver. 1.7.0
An update was released on September 19, 2018. The following changes were made:
 * Now compatible with Toy-Con Car in Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 03 Vehicle Kit.
 * Players can select which Toy-Con to use in Toy-Con settings in the main menu.
 * Now compatible with Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app.
 * If an application is running on any device when entering an online match, players can receive a prompt on their smartphone asking whether if they would like to join a voice chat with their opponents.
 * Worldwide, Regional, Friends, and Tournaments allow players to use this function.

Ver. 1.7.1
An update was released on January 23, 2019. The following changes were made:
 * Fixed an issue that caused the game to become unresponsive to any input except for the HOME Button.

Ver. 1.7.2
An update was released on May 25, 2021. The following changes were made:
 * Addressed an issue that caused tournament points to be reset.
 * Addressed an issue that caused match history with friends to be reset.

Ver. 2.0.0
An update was released on March 17, 2022. The following changes were made:
 * Support for DLC
 * Now supports Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass (Wave 1: 8 courses)
 * If someone in the lobby has the “Booster Course Pass,” all players can select one of the pass courses.
 * This supports “Friends,” “Wireless Play,” and “LAN Play.”
 * Starting March 21st, you can select course from the Booster Course Pass in online play.
 * Supports “Worldwide,” “Regional,” and “Tournaments.”
 * Even if the player does not own the “Booster Course Pass,” they can play courses from the pass randomly.
 * General
 * Shortened the time it takes for an Item Box to regenerate when it gets taken by someone else.
 * Fixed Issues
 * Fixed an issue where a communication error occurs when 12 people matched during online play.
 * You need to download the latest update data in order to play online.
 * If you download the latest update data, you will not be able to do “Wireless Play” or LAN Play” with other players who are using data from a previous update.
 * The update data contains fixes to issues that improve gameplay experience, and other content that is not listed here.
 * In order to download the update data, you need enough space on your system memory or microSD Card.

Ver. 2.1.0
An update was released on August 4th, 2022. The following changes were made:
 * Support for DLC
 * Now supports paid DLC: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, Wave 2 (two cups and eight courses).
 * General
 * Increased the number of ghosts you can download from 16 to 32.
 * Adjusted the extent to which a vehicle is thrown, depending on its weight.
 * Further shortened the time it takes for item boxes to regenerate after another player takes them.
 * Shortened the time it takes for one player to be able to pick up a coin that another player has dropped.
 * Made it so that it is easier to face the way forward in mid-air when using Smart Steering.
 * The cars that the Shy Guys are riding in in Wii Coconut Mall now move from time to time in all modes other than the Time Trial mode.
 * Fixed Issues
 * Fixed issue where player could not choose a DLC course even though a player in the lobby in “Friends” has the Booster Course Pass.
 * Fixed issue where player did not receive coins even though they used the Feather in Coin Runners to steal a rival’s coins.
 * Fixed issue where player could receive two items from one item box in N64 Toad’s Turnpike.
 * Unlisted changes
 * The course icons for the Booster Course Pass Wave 1 courses are now slightly brighter than at launch.
 * Dirt marks are now left on tires when driving on Booster Course Pass Wave 1 courses.
 * An issue where sounds of a character while boosting were not properly randomized when viewing a Time Trial replay was fixed.
 * CPU drivers' speeds on 200cc on Hard difficulty have been adjusted on the Booster Course Pass Wave 1 courses on VS Races.
 * How Lakitu decides where to respawn players on the track after they fall off has been adjusted.
 * An issue introduced in version 2.0.0 was fixed where CPUs would no longer replace players who disconnected in a friend room in the subsequent race when the CPU racers option was turned on.

Ver. 2.2.0
An update was released on December 7th, 2022. The following changes were made:
 * Support for DLC
 * Now supports paid DLC: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, Wave 3 (two cups and eight courses).
 * General
 * Added “Custom Items” to item Rules.
 * This is a feature that lets you decide which items appear.
 * This is supported in VS Race, Balloon Battle, Coin Runners, Shine Thief, Renegade Roundup, Playing with friends, Tournaments, and Wireless Play.
 * Items that have not been set to appear may still appear according to the connection environment and game situation.
 * When getting struck by lightning while gliding through the air, the glider no longer closes.
 * The period of invincibility after spinning or crashing now changes, depending on the driver or machine parts.
 * When a user cannot download any new ghost data, they can now delete all the ghost data they downloaded until then.
 * Deleted “Recommended” in Tournaments.
 * Fixed Issues
 * Fixed an issue where coins would not be added when touching an opponents’ Crazy Eight coin.
 * Fixed an issue where there was a communication error when using the item Boo.
 * Fixed an issue where using the Super Horn would not hit more than one opponent at the same time.
 * Fixed an issue where images in SNES Mario Circuit 3 would look distorted.
 * Fixed an issue where a player could not acquire multiple items in a row in GBA Snow Land.
 * Fixed an issue where points would not be added to a member list, when spectating an online match.
 * Fixed an issue where, when selecting a team, the COM characters that actually play in the game were not the same as shown on selection screen.
 * Fixed an issue where the warning sound was not playing when a Red Shell or Spiny Shell comes from behind.
 * Other adjustments and corrections were made to improve the gameplay experience.
 * Unlisted changes
 * An issue introduced in version 2.1.0 was fixed where Metal Mario, Pink Gold Peach, Tanooki Mario, and Cat Peach no longer appeared as a driver's rivals.

Ver. 2.2.1
An update was released on December 21st, 2022. The following changes were made:
 * Fixed Issues
 * Fixed issue where, when playing online in Berlin Byways, the image would get choppy.
 * Fixed issue where, when playing in London Loop, player is carried in by Lakitu after falling off of course and they were not returned to the appropriate location.

Official tournaments
Nintendo has sponsored many Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tournaments, held either online or at special events, with prizes ranging from virtual My Nintendo points to physical merchandise and memorabilia. Nintendo's online tournaments are restricted to one country or region, and may be recurrent on a weekly, monthly, or seasonal basis as part of a named series. Tournament series include the Mario Kart North American Open, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Seasonal Circuit (held in European countries), and the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: AU/NZ Grand Prix (held in Australia and New Zealand).

Early Booster Course Pass course designs
Some of the courses in the Booster Course Pass had several differences between promotional material and their final release, some of which made the courses better resemble their Mario Kart Tour counterparts:
 * In the Wave 1 Launch trailer, had simpler detailing overall, particularly in the lighting, trees, and the road. At the left turn that leads to the Luxor Obelisk at the end of the track, the right path, which is used in the final lap, is blocked by fences, some of which have arrows, rather than the backside of a metal ramp like in the final version. The ramp in front of the Eiffel Tower, though still functioning like a Glide Ramp, had the appearance of a normal ramp, similar to Paris Promenade 3.
 * Prior to Wave 1's launch, the sand in was a very dark yellow color, as opposed to the bright sand-like color in the final version.
 * Prior to Wave 1's launch, 's exterior was a bright, pale peachy color, but in the time between its reveal and release, it was updated to be a more vibrant orange. This also applied certain parts of the interior. Likewise, the stone floor in the center of the mall was originally gray, while it was changed to orange in the final version. The reflections on the windows had also been changed during this time. However, the results screen following a Grand Prix or a VS match uses an image of the old design.
 * When was shown in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct, the loop at the beginning of the course lacked the barriers blocking off the right side, similar to previous iterations of the course, and even had at least one Coin present. The first flowerbed shortcut was also much smaller, and the route used to turn around on lap three also appears to be absent, with no visible gap in the hedge.

Original Wave 3 order
In version 2.1.0 of the game, the internal file names for some of the courses in Wave 3 of the Booster Course Pass suggest that their order in their respective cups was going to be different than the final release. The Rock Cup's order would have been, , , and , while the Moon Cup's order would have been , an unidentified GCN course, Merry Mountain, and. This is further supported by an unlisted advertisment posted by Nintendo of America on YouTube, which uses the same order, except with (whose internal file name suggests that it was to be the second course of the Acorn Cup) in place of the GCN course. In the final release of the wave, GBA Boo Lake and 3DS Rock Rock Mountain were moved up to be the second and third courses of the Rock Cup respectively, Wii Maple Treeway was moved to the fourth course of the Rock Cup, and DS Peach Gardens was made the second course of the Moon Cup.

Critical reception
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been received with universal acclaim, garnering higher aggregate scores than the original Mario Kart 8. The game has been praised for being well-suited to the Switch's portability, the increased performance, and particularly the redesigned Battle Mode, although several reviews noted Mario Kart 8 Deluxe would not be as appealing of a proposition to players who already own Mario Kart 8 and its downloadable content.

Sales
In the United Kingdom, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe debuted at No. 1 on the sales chart, making it the first Nintendo game to be No. 1 in the UK since 2011's Pokémon Black and White, and the first Mario game to place such since Mario Kart Wii.

The game sold 459,000 copies for its US launch day, making it the fastest-selling Mario Kart game in the US and meaning 45% of US Switch owners purchased the game.

As of December 31, 2017, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had sold 7.33 million units worldwide. On March 31, 2018, it reached 9.22 million units, exceeding the original Mario Kart 8's 8.42 million and making it the second best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch behind Super Mario Odyssey. As of January 31, 2019, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had sold 15.02 million units worldwide, exceeding Super Mario Odyssey's sales and making it the best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch. By June 30, 2021, the game had sold 37.08 million units worldwide. By September 30, 2021, the game had sold 38.74 million units worldwide, surpassing Mario Kart Wii as the best-selling game in the series. By December 31, 2021, the game had sold 43.35 million units worldwide, making it the single best-selling game in the Mario franchise, surpassing Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System. By December 31, 2022, the game had sold 52 million units worldwide.

Awards and acknowledgements
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was nominated for the "Best Family Game" and "Best Multiplayer" awards at The Game Awards 2017. However, it won neither, losing the former to Super Mario Odyssey and the latter to .

References to other games

 * Super Mario Kart: The Feather item returns from this game, with the same function. Battle Course 1 reappears as a classic battle course; a billboard in the course background is modeled after the player select screen from this game. Mario Circuit 3 is included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass.
 * Mario Kart 64: Similar to this game, all courses in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are unlocked from the start. Choco Mountain and Kalimari Desert are included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass.
 * Mario Golf: Metal Mario has an alternate color scheme where he can be selected into gold like in this game. However, unlike this game, Gold Mario is an unlockable skin.
 * Mario Kart: Super Circuit: Sky Garden, Snow Land, and Boo Lake are included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass.
 * Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: Luigi's Mansion reappears as a classic battle course. The Double Item Boxes and the two Battle sub-modes, Bob-omb Blast and Shine Thief, return.
 * Mario Kart DS: An arrangement of Luigi's Mansion's music is used in . Shroom Ridge, Waluigi Pinball, and Peach Gardens are included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass.
 * Mario Kart Wii: Dry Bones, Bowser Jr., and King Boo's voice clips are reused from this game. Coconut Mall, Mushroom Gorge, and Maple Treeway are included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass.
 * Mario Kart 7: The Koopa Clown kart body returns from this game. Wuhu Town reappears as a classic battle course, and Toad Circuit, Rock Rock Mountain, and Rainbow Road are included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass. Lunar Colony has a moon section with low gravity just like Rainbow Road from this game.
 * New Super Mario Bros. 2: Gold Mario returns as a character.
 * Super Mario 3D World: The crown mechanic in Battle Mode is similar to the mechanic in this game's multi-player, where the player with the highest score from one stage will be wearing a crown in the next stage.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U: The Koopa Clown's propellers in anti-gravity sections emerge from circular panels on the side of the vehicle, much like the Junior Clown Car's weapons. Also, the Koopalings' Koopa Clowns match the Clown Car colors they use in this game.
 * Mario Kart Tour: New York Minute, Tokyo Blur, Paris Promenade, London Loop, Merry Mountain, Berlin Byways, Ninja Hideaway, and Sydney Sprint are included among the courses in the Booster Course Pass. Additionally, the designs of the courses in the Booster Course Pass are based on their designs from Mario Kart Tour, and 's second and third laps are based on the variant Kalimari Desert 2 from said game.

References in later games

 * Mario Kart Tour: The third level of Mini-Turbos, Ultra Mini-Turbos, returns. The Koopa Clown retains its appearance from this game. King Boo reuses his face icon from this game.