Earlier this year, Nintendo shut down the Nintendo Network servers, the online service for its systems from the previous generation: 3DS and the Wii U. Ma??ny dedicated gamers stayed online for ??a few more months until now, since the final user has finally disconnected??.

Twitter/X user @fishguy6564 is famous among Nintendo fans for managing to stay connected to the Nintendo 3DS servers of Mario Kart 7 after the company shut down the online service. In the past, he claimed that his main goal was to keep the game alive for as long as he could, and that he was quite surprised that N??intendo even? allowed him to stay around for so many months.

However, after six long months (or 209 days), fishguy6564's mission finally came to an end. In a recent post, he revealed that his Nintendo 2DS crashed, leaving him out of the servers forever. "It's over. Rest in peace, Nintendo Network" was the Mario Kart 7 player's bittersweet final message, since this marks the official end of the ??3DS and Wii U's legacy online service.

Members of the community didn't hesitate to show up and pay their respects to both the Nintendo Network (an online service that let them connect to each other on 3DS and Wii U for over 12 years) and to @fishguy6564 himself, who surprised everyone with his ability to continuously stay connected on a single?? console for more than 6 months.

The everlasting legacy of the Nintendo Network

With @fishguy6564's departure from the Mario Kart 7 servers, we can all proclaim that the Nintendo Network is officially dead. In retrospect, Nintendo fans were not happy when the company announced that it was going to shut down the service in April 2024, mainly due to the fact that many of them were still using it to play titles like Mario Kart 7, Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U or the sixth and seventh generations of Pokemon with each other.

While the Nintendo DS and Wii were technically the first Nintendo consoles capable of online connectivity, the 3DS and Wii U are where this functionality first thrived for the company and its fans, an important legacy that eventually carried on to the Nintendo Switch, which also offers online multiplayer and a digital store to its users. It's important to point out that it is not all over, since Pokemon Bank, an app that lets players transfer Pokemon from one game to another, is still a?vailable to use on the 3DS, and it doesn't seem that there are plans for shutting it down anytime soon.

The post The legacy Nintendo Network is officially dead??, after its final user has disconnected appeared first on Destructoid.

If your love of video games crosses over with a love of LEGO sets in the venn diagram of life, I’ve got good news. Not only are there more Animal Crossing sets arriving in January 2025, but the previously teased Mario Kart sets have finally been revealed. 

Revealed during Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, there are a total of six Mario Kart sets and three Animal Crossing sets due to be released on January 1, 2025, so it’s shaping up to be a great start to next year. LEGO first teased Mario Kart sets as pa??rt of Mario Day way back on March 10, so it’s been a long almost six months waiting for more news. 

The six Mario Kart sets will not only feature all of Mario’s most well known and beloved characters and their instantly recognizable Karts, but also buildable and customizable?? tracks which will open up?? a huge amount of variation and possibility for endless layouts. 

The six new Mario Kart sets, along with t?heir brick count and price, are as follows:

Some of these sets are also designed to incorporate previously released electronic LEGO sets of Princess Peach, ??Mario, and Luigi, making them digitally interactive as well as physically. When these figures are put into the driver's seat, they’ll be able to collect c??oins and scan item boxes. 

If your interests lay more in Animal Crossing, you’ll be happy to know that three new Animal Crossing LEGO sets are also set to be releas?ed on January 1, bringing the total number of sets in the collection to a nice rou?nd 10. 

As a fan of both Animal Crossing and LEGO, I love this collection. Particularly for the relatively low price range and the fact that they’re perfect for introducing my young daughter to the worlds of both Animal Crossing and brick building sets.

The three news sets coming to the collection are as follo??ws:

The post New LEGO Mario Kart and Animal Crossing set?s coming in January appeared first on Destructoid.

Standing at over 200 games, multiple movies, and more merch than you can shake a Koopa at �the Mario franchise has become a staple in the worldwide society, even including non-gamers. Even though most Mario titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder star the plump plumber, there are actually quite a few Mario games in the series where Mario isn't the protag??onist.

Mario Games Where Mario isn't the main character

#10 - Mario is Missing! (MS-DOS)

A Nintendo game on the computer? Why, yes, it sure is! There just can't be a list of Mario games not starring Mario, without including Mario is Missing! While there are certainly better games to pick from, there??'s only one w??here Luigi is forced to learn real-world history while battling King Koopa's forces. Is it a good game? Certainly not. Is it worth playing? Maybe? If nothing else, play it for the novelty of being the first Mario game to be released on PC. Just remember, Caveat Emptor and all that jazz.

#9 - Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)

Don't click away! Yes, Mario is shown wearing that cute construction hat, and yes, he is selectable during the action mode. However, the true stars of Super Mario Maker 2 are the course creators. Mario didn't create musica??l levels where the player can walk two steps, put the controller down, and enjoy a symphony of obscene noises as ?they careen across a perfectly engineered stage. It was those awesome individuals out there who always dreamed of creating their own digital torture devices that Nintendo was more than happy to give them.

#8 - Yoshi's Cookie (NES)

Yoshi's Cookie is a puzzle game t??hat features Mario but is largely focused on Yoshi. Especially in the NES version, Mario is toiling away in the kitchen, but the recipient of said cookies is presumably Yoshi. So who really is the protagonist here? Outside of this inferred plot, the game is a matching puzzler where players line up cookies to create rows and clear them. It's a good amount of fun, especially in vers??us, and if there weren't so many great titles to pick from, would have jumped a good bit higher than number eight.

#7 - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)

Super Mario 3D World was fun on its own but the inclusion of the Captain Toad levels took it to a whole other level. It was only a matter of time until Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker took the titular explorer on his own adventure. Treasure Tracker is a fun ride through heavy puzzle ga?mes with no Mario in sight. If only Nintendo would discount it more than a measly ten percent, more players would get to experience the sheer joy of solving those cute cube dioramas.

#6 - Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (GB)

Even though his name is literally in the title, Super Mario Land 3 doesn't star Mario. Instead of the red plumber, Nintendo presents the yellow slum-er in a surprisingly fun departure from the series. Wario's signature greed, which continues all the way through WarioWare: Move It!, is fully present here. Wario's key motivation isn't to save a princess, but instead to earn enough moolah to get a castle that's bigger than Mario's. So he sets out and robs literally everyone to get it. There aren't many games out there, l??et alone Mario games, that encourage players to be greedy enough to purchase their?? own planet by the end, but Wario Land makes it happen.

#5 - Super Princess Peach (DS)

That's right. Someone remembers this game exists. Super Princess Peach was the first (technically second if Princess Toadstool's Castle Run counts), starring the Mushroom Kingdom's first lady. Unlike other main series Mario Games, Peach returns to her castle after a light stroll to find a note from Bowser explaining that he's captured Mario and Luigi. This sets Peach off and she goes on a Kill Bill-style revenge mission to save the brothers and thwart the lizard king's nefarious plans. Okay. Maybe less Kill Bill and more Carebears, but still a really awesome game! Princess Peach's adventure made this list due to its more laid-back gameplay, shift in narrative focus, and the fact that it took almost two decades years for her to get a follow-up game in Princess Peach: Showtime! She deserves so much more.

#4 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (SNES)

Super Mario World was a tall order to follow. It blew everyone's minds back in the '90s, leaving fans to wonder where the sequel would take the brotherly duo. In 1995, Nintendo released Super Mario World 2 starring Yoshi instead, and it was so much better for it. Set in a timeline where Mario and Luigi are wee babes only capable of crying so loudly that Kamek is forced to kidnap them to shut them up, a group of Yoshis take on the starring role and do a masterful job of babysitting while platforming. Yoshi's Island remains a refreshing departure for the series with its more laid-back approach, targeting-based gameplay, and visual style. The release of Yoshi's Crafted World and other great Yoshi titles continues this tradition with fans still loving every minute of them. Especially since the??re's no longer a crying baby to lasso.

#3 - Luigi's Mansion (GCN)

For years, Luigi stood quietly in the shadow of his older brother, even enduring the hell of an educational game just to bring him back so the franchise could continue. Such was his fate until Nintendo finally gave him his own game alongside a poltergeist-infested mansion to boot. Surprisingly, this still counts as part of the Mario Game Franchise, and yet another title that doesn't star Mario Mario. While Luigi's Mansion 3 has a Pixar-esque charm, it fails to hit the high notes of the GameCube original. With unique mechanics and enemy design, Luigi's Mansion is a g??reat game to play for those wanting a change.

#2 - Mario Kart (Franchise)

3,2,1, it's Mario Kart! While there are plenty of platformers not starring Mario, ignoring the spin-off games with the mustachioed one's moniker is a mistake. From 1992's Super Mario Kart, all the way to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an ensemble cast has taken to the road with Mario often being left out. While not every game in the series has stats, when they do, Mario often is middle of the road. He typically has a more balanc??ed acceleration, top speed, and handling, making him a "safe" choice for beginners. Veteran players will typically opt for characters like Bowser or Toad to have a more customized fit to their playstyles. In most play sessions, that leaves the selection of the suspendered hero of our story in dead la??st. Racing puns.

#1 - Mario Party (Franchise)

Hurt feelings, destroyed friendships, and the acrid smell of ripped flesh from sweaty bruised palms are not often associated with Mario games. Since its release in 1999, Mario Party has become a staple of the series that fans just can't get enough of. While Mario is certainly in the name, and it can be assumed that every party is somehow his party, selfish, each game features an ensemble cast. With more interesting characters to pick from, Mario is often on the bench as his compatriots skip along the gameboard without him. It takes the number one spot, not due to innovation in each entry, see Mario Party Superstars, but from pure fun factor. Every game in the series is just downright? entertaining even without the sanguine-hatted plumber leading the way.

The post Top 10 Mario games where Mario isn’t the protagonist appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Kamek

It's interesting to see how public perception of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass has changed since we've actually gotten our hands on the tracks. Before the first wave hit the Switch, there seemed to be a lot of animosity toward the DLC. People were mad that it wasn't a new game or that the added tracks didn't have the same vivid art direction as those native to Deluxe.

Yet here we are on Wave 5 and all that negativity is gone. I'm not seeing it on the socials as much as I used to. And while that might be because my main social is being driven into the ground by a butter-bodied billionaire who names his kids like they're fan-fiction Star Trek characters, I'd like to think that people are realizing more Mario Kart is always good and just having fun with it.

Which is why it's good Nintendo didn't start this DLC camp??aign with the tracks of Wave 5. Because overall, this set's pretty mid.

[caption id="attachment_392198" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 5 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: July 11, 2023
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

I know not every Mario Kart track is a masterpiece. With the Booster Cours?e Pass adding 48 tracks to the game, we were bound to get some duds in there. But there is something about this wave that just didn't click with me. Even with a brand-new track in the mix, I'm not sure the Feather Cup and Cherry Cup hit on all cylinders as they should as the penultimate wave of the DLC. Nevertheless, like the other waves in the Booster Course Pass, I am ready to rank and review these eight tracks.

To see our rankings of the previous waves, click one of the following links: Wave 1, Wave 2, Wave 3, Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_392199" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

8. Moonview Highway (MKWii)

There was very litt?le question in my mind where Moonview Highway would?? rank on this list once Nintendo revealed it would be part of Wave 5.

Yes, aesthetically it looks nice. Your trip around this traffic track alternates between a serene ??moonlit highway and a pulsing, neon city. However, I considered the track's layout boring on the Wii and it's no different here. Despite the presence of other cars and bob-omb mobiles on the highway, it's far too simple of a design. Th?e track layout ensures you never have to use the brake, even when you're playing in 200cc.

It still looks nice, but there is a far better late-night city course that could have been added in its place. Or heck, even Toad's Fact??ory as that one ??has yet to appear as a retro track.

[caption id="attachment_392196" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

7. Los Angeles Laps (MKT)

Of all the tracks added from Mario Kart Tour, this is the first one where I've actually been able to point out the city's landmarks by memory. I spent a couple of years living around Los Angeles, so when I drove through Rodeo Drive, the Santa Monica Pier, Dodger Stadium, the oil fields of Culver City, and Venice Beach, all those? memories came rushing back in.

Unfortunately, just because it was a tour of my past doesn't mean it's that great of a track. It suffices in turning Los Angeles and the surrounding area into a Mario Kart track. But ??as somebody once lived in the city, it's missing the one thing I most associate with LA: traffic. If any city that should become a traffic track, i??t should be LA.

[caption id="attachment_392194" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

6. Daisy Cruiser (MK:DD)

It feels weird to put D?aisy Cruiser this low on the list as I have a lot of great memories of this track back on the GameCube. It's still a great concept, but I don't necessarily agree with all the changes that have been made to it.

The original Daisy Cruiser was a rather restrictive experience. At the starting gate, you could only go right and you had to drift around the pool on the ??top deck (or master the sliver shortcut on the right-hand side of it). In the dining hall section, the tables in the dining hall were massive and numerous, and the Item Boxes would roll independently of the tables.

Since it appeared in Mario Kart 7, a lot of those designs have changed. You can now drive through the pool, and the tables in the dining hall are smaller. I appreciate the changes made to the lowest deck, transforming it from an empty shipping container c?ompartment into an aquarium. Still, I think Nintendo made too many changes that make the course less interesting than when it first debuted. Even the addition of toobin' Goombas in this iteration of the track can't lift it up. Also, I miss the clouds with smiley faces.

[caption id="attachment_392193" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

5. Sunset Wilds (MK:SC)

If there is one thing that sells me on Sunset Wilds, it's the soundtrack to the course. The music here is absolutely alive with a 90s western-comedy vibe (think City Slickers) that I can't get enough of. The course itself has a nice layout with mud traps to slow you down, but where the heck is the sunset? How do you have a course called Sunset Wilds and not include a sunset? For Pete's sake, there was a sunset in the Game Boy Advance and Mario Kart Tour versions of this track.

I hope this is just an unfortunate oversight on the part? of the developers and the sunset gets patched in, because it really does add to the ambiance of this American Southwest-themed track.

[caption id="attachment_392191" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

4. Athens Dash (MKT)

Mario Kart Tour added Athens Dash during the Spring Tour that ran between April and May of this year. The Tour version of the track has two r?outes tied to it, both of which are combined here with a third route for this intro course to the Feature Cup. There is a lot of verticality here as the track takes racers around the Acropolis, Parthenon, and Hadrian's Arch. Like with Bangkok Rush, the landmarks of Athens Dash aren't condensed. A tremendous number of columns stand in your way, making this one of the trickier tracks of Wave 5.

I don't think there's anything particularly special about thi?s track, but as someone who loves antiquities, I appreciate its inclusion. Once this one hits online, I have to imagine it'll be a tremendous pain as heavier racers can easily knock you into those columns and pillars that'll bri?ng you to a halt.

[caption id="attachment_392197" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Vancouver Velocity (MKT)

Vancouver Velocity almost got me to reinstall Mario Kart Tour before I realized what a bad idea that was.

As a big fan of the Winter Olympics, I felt eager to see its design knowing the city's Olympic anniversary heavily influenced the track. The Olym?pic Cauldron is one of the first notable objects from the city you'll see, and it looks spectacular with the aurora borealis in winter aesthetics. Flat background forest aside, Vancouver Velocity looks wonderful. The track takes you to enough loc??ations that it feels like a complete trip rather than a brief visit.

I'm not sure if a trip through Massey Tunnel was necessary, or the two trips to the ice rink. I still enjoyed this track, though like most other courses in this wave, it remains okay at best. The addition of an anti-gravity section to the Capilano Bridge is a nice touch and arguably the best use of the feature in all the Tour tracks of this wave.

[caption id="attachment_392200" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Squeaky Clean Sprint (MK8DBCP)

The first time I drove through Squeaky Clean Sprint, I didn't really care for it. I thought it was t?oo basic in design and the concept didn't really wow me. In the first draft of this list, I had it all the way down at #7.

But as I replayed all the tracks throughout the weekend, it really started to grow on me. Aesthetically, Squeaky Clean Sprint has a lot going for it. It presents a world where Nintendo realizes the full potential of merchandising possibilities it has with its Super Mario IP. This giant bathroom (or regular-sized bathroom and all the racers are shrunk down to the size of Hot Wheels) is brimming with so many cute little design choices implementing elements from the Super Mario series that it looks li??ke the type of bathroom I would have wanted when I was 10. And the track really does take the concept and run with it. I particularly like the bath balls in the tub that fizz up to give you extra air but also bounce if you run into them. There are also a few good shortcuts and alternate routes to use.

It's a fine layout. Overall, I'?d rank it between Sky-High Sundae from Wave 2 and Yoshi's Is??land from Wave 4.

[caption id="attachment_392192" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Koopa Cape (MKWii)

Mario Kart Wii is arguably the most maligned entry in the franchise by long-time fans of the series. Yet it has great tracks, several of which have already appeared in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. Koopa Cape is another solid course from that entry, boasting a running river that tests your handling around corners, a drop that goes straight down like a roller coaster, and an underwater section that's improved ??here with the addition of anti-gravity.

In truth, I haven't really thought about Koopa Cape all that much (and yes I do spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about Mario Kart tracks) likely because I confuse it with Rock Rock Mountain. But I'll do a better job of remembering this track now thanks to how insane it is at 200cc. I play all the tracks in all the different modes when doing these reviews and I cannot stress enough? the bonkers nature of Koopa Cape when going that fast. It is the best test of your braking skills in Wave 5 and I cannot wait to take this online to see how other players adjust to its speed.

Of all eight courses, I only really like Koopa Cape and Squeaky Clean Sprint. Everything else is just okay or mediocre, which is why I'm arguing this is the weakest wave of the Booster Course Pass so far. If there's one element keeping me from scoring it any lower, it's the addition of three new racers: Kamek, Wiggler, and Petey Piranha. Wiggler is a great addition with the way he turns red when an item hits him, but I spent most of my time ??karting as Kamek. As a medium-weight-class racer, he's right in my wheelhouse.

With this, we have just one wave of tracks to come. That's eight more chances for some of the best tracks in series history to still make an appearance. If they don't, I can always take solace in the fact that Mario Kart 9 is probably on the horizon at thi??s point for what??ever the successor to the Switch will be.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass ?Wave 5 reviewed and ranke??d appeared first on Destructoid.

Also they "improved the performance of some characters and vehicle customizations"

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just got its fourth wave of DLC this week, and with it, patch notes! ?Don't worry, they're mostly good news.

In addition to adding support for the DLC, there's also a series of general improvements, as well as myriad issues that have been fixed. Thankfully, unlike many other first part Nintendo patch notes, those fixes are descriptive! If you've been having problems with items (like the Boo and lightning glitches), you're in luck. As for the general ??patch smoothing, there's "improved performance" of select characters and vehicle parts, and you can now utilize the rear view mirror in more cases (including spinning, crashing, and when you're morphing into?? a Bullet Bill).

I also really want to try this now:

"Made it so, when jumping from a Whomp in Tour Berlin Byways, karts can leap o??ver the fence."

You could say I'm into this patch.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to get better

As we saw in a semi-recent update, players now have the ability to individually toggl?e items on and off. It's something that would have saved a lot of living room and dorm fights, that's for sure!

That, combined with all of the aforementioned bug fixes and smoothing, is great news for folks who are still playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and plan to play it for years to come. This lengthy support period (on top of a prior release foundation) has basically become the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate of kart racers.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Version 2.3.0 patch notes - Released March 8, 2023 (Full patch notes)

Support for DLC

• Now supports paid DLC: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe â€?Booster Course Pass, Wave 4 (two cups, eight courses, and one character, Birdo).

General

• Improved the performance of some characters and vehicle customizations.
• Made it so that the player can see the rear view mirror when spinning, crashing, or changed into Bullet Bill.
• Made it so, if the player uses a Super Star or Boo at the same time that they are hit by Lightning, their kart will not crash or become small.
• Made it so, when jumping from a Whomp in Tour Berlin Byways, karts can leap over the fence.
• Added Golden Mushroom to Custom Items in Renegade Roundup.
• Added “Booster Course Passâ€?button to main menu. If a player does not have the Booster Course Pass, a link to the Nintendo eShop will be displayed.

Fixed Issues

• Fixed an issue where, when the player’s kart became small after being hit by lightning, it would slip into the ground.
• Fixed an issue where, when the player’s kart ran into a wall, they would be carried over by Lakitu even though they had not left the course.
• Fixed an issue where the player character would not be able to hit an opponent with a red shell when that opponent was jumping on a half-pipe.
• Fixed an issue where the player character could not drift after jumping and landing in a half pipe.
• Fixed an issue so that the player can use another item other than Boo right after using Boo.
• Fixed an issue where the player could not throw a Boomerang after catching it and it entered the second item slot.
• Fixed an issue where, when a player character hit the Blooper in an opponent’s Crazy 8, they would have ink squirted on them even though they are using the Super Star.
• Fixed an issue where, when the player stops looking at the rear view mirror, the ink would disappear momentarily even though they had Blooper ink on them.
• Fixed an issue where, when player is hit with a red shell at the same time as changing into Bullet Bill, they would go off the course.
• Fixed an issue where, at the escalator in Wii Coconut Mall, there would be a communication error when a character could not move forward.
• Fixed an issue when changed into Bullet Bill in N64 Dry Dry Desert, where the character would slip into the ground.
• Fixed an issue where the character would get stuck on the bridge posts right before and after the starting line in Tour London Loop.
• Fixed an issue where, on wavy floors in 3DS Rainbow Road, the character could be pushed way off the course.

Undocumented changes in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 4

[Update: Reddit user Meester_Tweester uncovered all of the undocumented changes to racers and karts, which is quite th??e extensive list. You can find a full link to the alterations below! And with that, the patch notes are fully complete.]

//www.reddit.com/r/mariokart/comments/11mki??0n/mk8dx_version_230_all_balance_changes/

The post The? Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 4 patch notes addr??ess a lot of bugs (Update) appeared first on Destructoid.

Yoshi's Island is a new favorite of mine

Okay, so I have to admit this upfront: I adore the Yoshi's Island series. Destructoid legend Jordan Devore and I would discuss this franchise constantly, and nearly every conversation ended in: "yeah, it's real good." It's just a natural conclusion. Well, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just dropped a track tailor-made for us in Yoshi's Island, part of th??e newest Wave 4 ?DLC. Here's why it's so great.

[gallery ??link="file" columns="2" size="lar?ge" ids="367888,367889"]

The layout is breezy and unique without being too much

Some Mario Kart tracks can employ a semi-convoluted track layout, which doesn't always gel with the folks who pick up and play with me casually. But so far, Yosh??i's Island? has been a big hit with pretty much everyone. I've raced with.

The track itself is fairly straightforward, with a main road to follow that doesn't deviate too much from the gold standard. But the combination of (tempered) land, sea, and air bits are balanced well, including a few really cute Easter eggs (like creating platforms from Question Mark Clouds). Like the Zelda map before it, there's also a bit of enemy variety sprinkled? throughout the track too.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0g6GNlI06k

The music rocks

The original Yoshi's Island soundtrack (dating all the way back to the SNES) absolutely ruled, and is still living in my head rent-free today. But to hear a classic tune remixed like this in 2023 in what I can only describe as "Yoshi by way of Toy Story,"?? is incredible. Literally as soon as I heard it, I perked up and laughed.

You can listen to it yourself above via the SoljaDreams2?4 YouTube channel. I dare yo??u to not smile once while it's playing!

[gallery size="large" ids="367890,367891,367892"]

The theming is nostalgic without being cloying

What really ties everything together is the themi??ng.

Nintendo typically goes all-out for the "brand new" tracks, as they don't really reinvent the wheel on the majority of the returning courses. But with Yoshi's Island, they can really stretch their legs creatively; drawing from the subseries' decades-old history to give us a loving, but not overdone homage. And with how cutesy this universe is, it would be really easy to overdo it. Imagine if they opted to have a baby version of a popular character constantly cryin?g throughout it. No thanks!

Anyway, cons??ider this? your PSA if you already have access to the Booster Course Pass. Give it a shot!

The post The new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC track? is an absolute banger appeared first on Destructoid.

Based on the new character select screen after the latest update

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 4 (read: more DLC tracks and Birdo) dropped? this week, and with it, plenty of speculation and intrigue.

After booting the update up and navigating through the menus to try out the new tracks, I noticed something odd: there's five "?" spots on the character select screen that didn't appear before! This is in addition to Birdo, who made the?ir debut in Wave 4.

Interestingly, instead of rearranging the character select screen, Birdo ??appears in a brand new column, with five more slots below them denoted by a "?" With the Mario ??universe as vast as it is at this point, the realm of speculation is probably limitless, as any character, no matter how small (Goombas!) could show up. Note that there are two more waves to go until these five slots are potentially filled; and of course, this might not be the definitive end of all DLC for the game.

Who could the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC characters be?

Just based on?? a few racers that have a??ppeared in other games, there's a short list:

• Funky Kong (Mario Kart Wii/Tour)
• Diddy Kong (Double Dash/Wii/Tour)
• Honey Queen (Mario Kart 7)
• Wiggler (Mario Kart 7)
• Petey Piranha (Double Dash/Tour)

This list also isn't exhaustive, and Nintendo could surprise us with out-of-left-field characters like they did with the Animal Crossing Villager and Link from the Zelda series. I can also see Pauline making it in by the end, especially given her appearance in Mario Golf: Super Rush. The sky is?? the limit when you're a ??character factory like Nintendo!

[caption id="attachment_367818" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Check out our extensive review coverage of all of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe wave so far:

• Wave 1
• Wave 2
• Wave 3

The post Mario Kart 8 ??Deluxe seemingly will get five new DLC characters appeared first on Destructoid.

Looking in the rearview mirror

This year, Mario Kart hit one of those milestones that just doesn't seem right. Have we really been slinging shells between go-karts for 30 years? As it turns out, we have (at least "we" have in the broader cultural sense �I am a few years younger than Mario Kart).

For the last 30 years, it's been seemingly impossible to unseat Mario Kart as the multiplayer game of choice for many. It doesn't have the thriving competitive scene of your average fighting game, but if you put 10 people from any walk of life in a room and ask what game they want to play, nine of them will say Mario Kart. One asshole will say Towerfall, and that asshol??e is me, but that's not relevant.

Where we've been

It's often been said that your favorite Mario Kart is either the first one you played or the newest one. Because of the iterative nature of the series, the latest title is usually "the best," but it's hard to shake off nostalgia. Sure enough, I've always been very fond of Mario Kart Wii. I played it when I was young, and beca??use my family did the same thing everyone else did and refused to buy a Wii U, I kept playing it right up until the?? Switch arrived.

The motion controls, the little plastic wheel, the fact that it was on the Wii and therefore accessible at all my friends' houses �Mario Kart Wii had it all. It remains one of three or four video games that my mom earnestly enjoys, and for that, I must give it high mark??s.

During the wait between Wii and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, I dabbled in some other Mario Karts. I got a Game Boy Advance after I got a Wii (my choice, I was a weird kid), so I played a good bit of Mario Kart: Super Circuit on my own. As the only person who still had a GBA in a post-DS world, I gained a healthy appreciation for single-player Mario Kart, which I carry with me to this day. I eventually snagged a 2DS and played a good bit of Mario Kart 7 there - that game is lovely, but, in true Mario Kart fashion, it's basically a lesser version of the next entry, ?wh??ich makes it mostly unnecessary to return to.

I've dabbled in the other Mario Kart games, but I wasn't around to play them when people actually cared about them, so I can't say too much about that experience. I quite like Mario Kart: Double Dash, I kind of hate Super, and I am utterly neutral on Mario Kart 64.

Where we're heading

Naturally, Mario Kart shows no sign of slowing down. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling Nintendo Switch game by a pretty dramatic margin, and the ridiculously expensive peripheral-based spinoff Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is somehow in the top 100. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to receive DLC tracks, and the mobile game Mario Kart Tour has been active and relatively successful for a f??ew years now.

I still play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe whenever I get the chance, and I dabble in Mario Kart Wii when I'm at my family's house (they're purists). I wouldn't say Mario Kart is a favorite franchise of mine, but it's pretty undenia?ble that it brings folks?? together.

It'll take some time, I expect, for Nintendo to bless us with another full-fledged Mario Kart entry. Thankfully, it's still pretty easy to get a group together to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and the Switch's handheld nature makes it easy to nurture my love for single-player Mario Kart, so I'm alright for now.

We'd love to hear about your history with Mario Kart �what's your favorite entry? Does the age-old first-game/newest-game doctrine hold true for you? Do you ever play the game on your own, or is it strictly a multiplayer experience for you? Fill those comments with Mario Kart stories, if you'd be so kind.

The post As the franchise hits 30, everyone’s got some Mario Kart memories appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Isabelle

The third time really is the charm for the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. After two perfectly fine, if not wildly amazing, track packs, Nintendo has managed to put together a wave of DLC that is eight tracks, zero skips, swear to God. Not only are these top-tier tracks from Mario Kart's past and present, but this is the first time the developers have really tried to lean into the gameplay innovations of Mario Kart 8, i.e., the anti-gravity mechanic. In revisiting these tracks, the developers have deftly added this feature where they can, even if it's just f??or a moment. None of the tracks here follow the footsteps of Wave 2's Sky-High Sundae, which was entirely anti-grav, but that's okay. Because what's here is fantastic and setting a high bar for the three remaining waves.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 3 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: December 7, 2022
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

As I have previously done with Waves 1 and 2, I've spent the past few days playing through the new collection of tracks for a ranking and review. Any thoughts of this being an easy list to make went right out the door when I realized the Rock Cup and Moon Cup are both bangers. It wasn't too difficult for me to pick the #1 track of this Wave, but figuring out which track belonged at the bottom was far more difficult. That is, until I tested them all?? out in the Time Trials.

8. London Loop (MKT)

One complaint that is lobbied at all the Mario Kart Tour city tracks that have found their way into the Booster Course Pass is that they're too flat. And that's not exactly a surprise. The real cities these tracks are apeing their scenery from aren't necessarily known for their extreme hills and slopes. There's a reason cities exist where they do in the world and the flatness of the land is a big part of it (unless you're Seattle or San Francisco). But flatness isn't London Loop's biggest sin. In fact, the first few times I played it, I didn't think there was anything wrong with it. The city is gorgeous and overflowing with familiar sights, from Tower Bridge to London Eye to Parliament. But when I took it into the Time Trials, I realized this track is way too long. Like the other city tracks pulled from Tour, London Loop combines three different ??routes from that game into ??one track. And as much as I love that concept and how the course is designed to get you to see everything the developers have shoved into this city, it feels like it goes on forever.

7. Rainbow Road  (MK7)

Where do we stand on the "one big track" design concept? I know when Mario Kart 7 debuted, a lot of people didn't really care for them. And to their credit, Maka Wuhu and Wuhu Loop weren't exactly engaging tracks. But I absolutely dug Rainbow Road in that game, and I think the track is even better here. Seeing this course on my Switch OLED screen really highlights the incredible design concept of racing around the solar system. The asteroid you land on is now an anti-gravity section, and taking this course into 200cc mode is a real test of your braking capabilities, particularly when you're on the rings of Saturn. It's just an all-around great track and arguably the best execution of the single-lap track concept...behind the three from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that are much better.

6. Berlin Byways (MKT)

Berlin Byways is such an intricate track that it arguably could have been listed at the top of this list. Not only is it a wonderful tour of Berlin, with Whomps making up part of the Berlin Wall, but for the first time in any of these city courses, it's a traffic track. As I wrote in my review of Wave 1, there is nothing I enjoy more than a good Mario Kart traffic track, and Berlin Byways is a remarkable one in its own right. Not only do you race with traffic, something that is quite tough when driving at 200cc, but you're also forced to drive into oncoming traffic in the second and third laps. That section of the track is incredibly fun when racing against other players, but it's far too short to achieve its full potential. Still, there are so many other small tidbits about Berlin Byways that place it above and beyond the rest of the cities we've raced through, whether it's the inexplicable subway car you can drive through or the brief split path at Schiller Monument. It'll be interesting to see if any of Mario Kart Tour's other city tracks will ??be able to top this one.

5. Rock Rock Mountain (MK7)

Rock Rock Mountain is an unquestionable top-tier course from Mario Kart 7. Surely, that is why it was one of the first classic tracks to be introduced in Mario Kart Tour when it debuted during the inaugural New York Tour back in 2019. As a brilliant showcase of MK7's glider mechanic, this is one of those great course designs that really get the most of the developer's ideas and ambition. And with its introduction to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an anti-gravity section has been added to the slope climb in the final stretch of the track that helps it feel more in place with the design philosophy of this game. It may be a little addition, but it makes the difference and really highlights how tracks in previous Waves could have used the same extra bit of attention before making their debut in MK8D.

4. Maple Treeway (MKWii)

Going into Wave 3, I thought Maple Treeway would be the clear winner. After all, it's one of my favorite tracks from Mario Kart Wii, and seeing its pumpkin spice-infused color palette always brings warmth to my heart. It's still an amazing track, one that makes the most of its design concept as you race around the winding branches of autumn trees and knock your opponents into the wigglers that'll give them a good stomp. The only reason it's not any higher here is, well, I miss that bouncing net from the original version. I get that Mario Kart Wii didn't have gliders and those were a pretty prominent part of Mario Kart 7, but sometimes the original design is still the best, and this is one track where I think that's the ??case.

3. Peach Gardens (MKDS)

Before the arrival of Mario Kart 8, I long held the opinion that Mario Kart DS was the best game in the series. Not just for that single-player mission mode that I deeply miss, but the game had arguably the best tracks the series had ever seen. And Peach Gardens is a big reason why I held that opinion for so long. A beautiful race through the back of Peach's castle, this was a great track back on the DS that has taken a cue from Mario Kart Tour with its appearance in the Booster Course Pass. The first two laps of Peach Gardens happen as you remember them, making your way around that giant square track with Chain Chomps patrolling its grounds. The final lap adds an extra section that hasn't been there before, taking you to the left side of the castle and then sending you back down the track in the opposite direction. It's an excellent way to freshen up this 17-year-old track and something Nintendo should consider doing to other retro tracks in future Mario Kart games.

2. Merry Mountain (MKT)

The first time I raced through Merry Mountain, I thought, "Wow, that was pretty short." The second time I raced through it, I thought, "It's still short, but those turns near the top of the mountain are pretty devilish." I've now raced the track about 28 times, and while its brevity is too damn short for its own good, it's?? a brilliant track with a sense of verticality that is missing in most o??f the other DLC tracks. It's also arguably the most beautiful track of the Booster Course Pass so far. The lighting and textures here are a step above everything else we've seen from the DLC, and the sleigh train that circles the track dropping coins is a lovely touch with its whole Christmas theme. As for the track design itself, it's an exceptional race up and down a mountain with an anti-gravity section that makes perfect sense and plenty of opportunities for little boosts that can come back to bite you if you're not careful about it. Let me just say Slipstreaming is not your friend for parts of this track. I absolutely adore Merry Mountain, and I hope Nintendo continues to explore more holiday-themed tracks in the future.

1. Boo Lake (MK:SC)

Boo Lake might be something of a controversial choice for the #1 spot on this list, but I think this is a phenomenal track. When it comes to bringing in courses from Super Mario Kart or Mario Kart: Super Circuit to Mario Kart Tour and the Booster Course Pass, the developers have generally gone about it in two different ways: completely remake the track with a 3D design (Sky Garden) or keep it as flat as it's always been (Mario Circuit 4). Boo Lake splits the difference, creating a track that starts flat before breaking it up and taking the racers underwater. It's a stellar compromise between the two design ideas, and with the entire underwater section being anti-gravity, this course feels right at home with the original tracks of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Also, it's jus??t nice to finally see the lake at Boo Lake, considering the GBA couldn't a??ctually render it.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Delu??xe Booster Course? Pass Wave 3 reviewed and ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

I'll take a gamble on it

Mario Kart Tour gacha is no more, at least come "late September," according to a new update from the game's official ??Twitter account.

Here's the full rundown:

"Here's a peek at #MarioKartTour's update coming late September! Battle mode will be added, along with a Spotlight Shop, where you can exchange rubies for drivers, ka?rts, and gliders! Also, pipes you can fire by using rubies will be removed. See the notification for details."

So checking out that notification on the app, it seems as if "new drivers, karts, and gliders, as well as drivers, karts, and gliders that have appeared in the past, will be available." This "Spotlight Shop" system will likely work similarly to the Fornite (and company) spotlight shop??s, which only showcase a few things to buy at a tim??e, in a bid to get you to keep checking out the storefront and buy something before it leaves. The in-game update also says "lots of other things are in the works too."

Obviously, a lot of games still have gacha elements, and clearly (in addition to this primarily being a business decision rather than some gift on high) this helps Nintendo enter into markets that don't currently allow it. But for folks who didn't like the gambling element of Mario Kart Tour gacha, it's a win.

The post In a rare move,? Mario K?art Tour removes its gacha system appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Wendy O. Koopa

When Nintendo said the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass wo??uld last?? until the end of 2023, it meant it. It's been nearly five months since the first wave of DLC was released, and while I've enjoyed the time I've spent driving through the likes of Coconut Mall and Ninja Hideaway, I'm ready for something new. With the release of Wave 2 of the Booster Course Pass, new is exactly what we're getting.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 2 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: August 4, 2022
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

One of the courses featured in the Turnip Cup and Propeller Cup is new to the Mario Kart franchise, making its debut here before it pops up in Mario Kart Tour. I like the idea of Booster Course Pass players getting early access to these new tracks �because lord knows I'm never going back to MKT. But these tracks have their work cut out for them if they wa??nt to stand?? out from some of these returning classics.

Just as I did with the first wave of DLC, I've ranked the eight tracks of Wave 2 below. Unlike last time, this ra??nking wasn't so cut and dry.

8. Mario Circuit 3 (SMK)

Don't take this track's placement at the bottom of this ranking as a sign that I don't like it. I adore Mario Circuit 3 and have since first playing it back in 1992 in Super Mario Kart. That 180º turn at the center of the track was always a great test of my ability to hop around corners. It's far more devilish than the one in Mario Circuit 4, which featured a much wider driving area that greatly reduced the challenge of suc?h a turn.

While the transition to 3D racing hasn't been kind to the difficulty of this track, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's addition of Ultra Mini-Turbos and 200cc help make this track relevant and a joy to play. Sure, it's still as flat as it was back on the SNES, but when you add in those speeds and drift mechanics into a track that is this tightly compact, it's able to hark back to it?s original difficulty.

Would I have loved to see it given a more complete ??makeover? Sure, I want that for all of the SNES courses. But it does??n't need it because Mario Circuit 3's layout still works today, 30 years after it first debuted.

7. Kalamari Desert (MK64)

Like with most of the tracks from Mario Kart 64, Kalamari Desert is far more enjoyable as a returning retro course in subsequent Mario Kart games than it was back on the Nintendo 64. The N64 version of this track was just too wide and too slow to really be that enjoyable. The course has drastically improved over the years with each iteration. Its addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe comes by way of Mario Kart Tour, where a version? of ?the course known as Kalamari Desert 2 has you driving on the train tracks for the second and third laps.

Back in the N64 version, the train tracks acted as a possible shortcut if you had some booster items at the ready. Here, they're mandatory as you have to make your way through that tunnel, potentially playing chicken with the train. It's just a smart revision of this track that, coupled with its wonderful music and dusk-soaked sky, make this the best version of Kalamari Desert that Mario Kart has ever seen.

6. Snow Land (MK:SC)

Much like Wave 1's Sky Garden, Snow Land is another track from the oft-forgotten Mario Kart: Super Circuit that's been given a full 3D makeover in Mario Kart Tour. Super Circuit has already seen some of its best tracks remade in 3D with Mario Circuit appearing in Mario Kart 8 and Cheese Land and Ribbon Road b??eing added in as DLC. So I guess it's time we get some of the less-than-great tracks from the game.

Snow Land is a perfectly fine 3D update of the Game Boy Advance track with tight corners, sliding penguins, and a few smart shortcuts. It's certainly beautiful to look at, but it's also rather flat. The entire track is basically one long road of ice with no little bumps or snow piles to contend with. The penguins are also a bit too small for the width of t?he 180º turn they appear on.

Still, as a short track, it's exceptionally fun to play at high speeds. Because of its diminutive length, the track is a bit of a battleground when you enter those final few turns. It's a great drive on 150cc, Mirror, and 200cc, so I can't wait to see how the Mario Kart community takes to it when it finally hits the onl?ine mode.

5. New York Minute (MKT)

New York Minute was one of the first tracks revealed for Mario Kart Tour. It represented a massive change in direction for the franchise with Mario and his karting crew visiting versions of real cities for the first time. In my review of Mario Kart Tour, I noted the layout and design of the original tracks such as New York Minute would probably be better suited for a Mario Kart game with proper controls.

Surprise, surprise, that is exactly the case here. New York Minute's appearance in Wave 2 is a great showcase of the course's design. The track combines three different versions of New York Minute from Mario Kart Tour that take players on an incredibly quick tour of NYC. You'll dr??ive through the park, down Broadway, into Times Square, and under the Empire State Building.

What I love about this track in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is it is a great test of your drifting capabilities. There are so many opportunities to hit those Ultra-Mini Turbos, and when you take to the track in 200cc, it can be a real nail-biter. There are a few designs I don't care for here, including the stationary taxi cabs in the final stretch, but overall, it's another example of why all original tracks from Mario Kart Tour need to find their way into a proper Mario Kart title.

4. Sky-High Sundae (MKT)

Speaking of original tracks from Mario Kart Tour, Sky-High Sundae is technically making its debut in Wave 2 before it launches for mobile on August 9th. In the reveal trailer for Wave 2, much ado was made about the fact this track would be completely anti-gravity. None of the tracks from the first Wave contained any anti-gravity portions, so for this entire track to be anti-grav is kind of a big deal. Or it would be if it wasn't so obvious that anti-gravity was tacked onto a track that, in Tour, doesn't feature the gimmick.

Still, it's nice to have anti-gravity represented in at least one of these DLC tracks. And there is a benefit to having anti-gravity with all the little boosts you can get when hitting other drivers or the poles of the staircase handrail in the first turn of the track. It's a little disappointing that Sky-High Sundae is just a long oval, but the developers did manage to squeeze a lot of different track features into the short course. There are two huge drifting turns, a quick gliding sequence, and a portion of the track that honestly feels like it dropped out of Fall Guys.

Sky-High Sundae is bright and colorful, reminding me of the Coney Island minigame from Mario Party 5 meets Super Mario Galaxy 2's Rocky Road. I just wish the track wasn't so floaty or that the final section of the course, where you're driving on ice c??ube trays, was a bit mo??????????????????????????re inventive.

3. Sydney Sprint (MKT)

Sydney Sprint might be the best "real-world" city course from Mario Kart Tour to appear in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Not only is it a long race, which has been something of an issue with these original tracks, but it features great implementation of Sydney Australia's different dynamic features into the track design and not just the scenery. Case in point, a long portion of this course is inspired by the Bay Run Sydney, a waterfront walking and biking course that creates great opportunities for drifting and mini-boosts here. You also drive into the Sydney Opera House, through a Toad-ified version of Luna Park, and across the Sydney Harbor Bridge where Toads and Yoshi t??hrow coins onto the track from the Tangara trains.

Like with New York Minute, Sydney Sprint combines multiple versions of the track from Mario Kart Tour into a single race. Unlike New York Minute, Sydney Sprint might have the best music we'll see from any Booster Course Pass. Seriously, take a listen to this.?? That saxophonist understood the assignment. Be sure to listen to that link before Nintendo hits the video with a copyright claim.

2. Waluigi Pinball (MKDS)

Waluigi Pinball is one of the all-time great tracks from a game that is full of all-time great tracks. There really isn't much to say about it that hasn't already been said over the past 15 years. The track is still a smartly designed course with blistering turns and a lot of risk/reward opportunities. I don't think Waluigi Pinball needs any alterations to its track design, but it could use some changes to the section where the pinballs are bumping against the bumpers. It's too predictable, and while other players will make this section hell fo??r you, it would have been nice if the developers had changed up how the p??inballs act in this final section.

Otherwise, it's still one of the best courses Mario Kart has ever seen and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that several other tracks from Mario Kart DS will appear in later?? waves of the B?ooster Course Pass.

1. Mushroom Gorge (MKWii)

I didn't realize how much I loved Mushroom Gorge until I played it in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The original version back on Mario Kart Wii was a fine adaptation of the Super Mario franchise's signature toadstools. The bouncy red toadstools certainly gave players a lot of opportunities to pull off trick jumps, which was then a new feature of the ?franchise. But the toadstools also slowed down the pa??ce of the race, and their haphazard placement in the cave section of the track was not very intuitive.

The track has appeared in a few games since its debut, and each time, the developers have made changes to the layout. The toadstool shortcut at the very beginning of the race disappeared for a few iterations while the placement and design of the toadstools in the cave have changed over time. Mushroom Gorge in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe alters the design even further, combining all of these different?? track layouts i??nto what I can only imagine is the best version of Mushroom Gorge we've ever seen.

This is a phenomenal track now. Not only does it move far faster than it has in the past, but, like Kalamari Desert, this is the most beautiful this track has ever been. In fact, and I know this is going to be controversial, I'm glad this course was not remade using the art direction of the native MK8D courses. I really think the Mario Kart Tour style of graphics fits this course to a T.

All-in-all, I think this is a stronger selection of tracks for the Booster Course Pass than we saw in Wave 1. There isn't a single dud here and no track has seen changes that take alter how they play in a negative way. As good as these courses are, it's not an exciting grouping as the Turnip Cup or Propeller Cup lack that one knockout course that is the clear standout of the bunch. But considering some of the best Mario Kart tracks are already in MK8 Deluxe, I think I'll be satisfied if al?l future waves of the Booster Course Pass are able to meet the standard set here.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pas??s Wave 2 reviewed and ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

There's a lot of stuff to get to!

It's almost impossible to narrow down a top five list of most iconic Mario Kart tracks �but this Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track list is?? doing a good job of ??showing us what's missing.

Crafted by Azer_FR over on reddit, the list breaks down multiple games, and lists tracks that have and have not appeared in Deluxe. There's even denotations for tracks that have been reused, or have never appeared again in any future game (and thus would be more ideal for preservation in Deluxe).

It's interesting seeing everything broken down game by game. It feels like there should be more Super Mario Kart/SNES tracks in Deluxe, but there's only three! Nintendo better pump those numbers up eventually. I always had a feeling that Mario Kart Tour was super represented, but seeing it ??on paper is something else.

Beyond that, everything seems to be pretty well spread out across the rest of the series. Maybe we could use some more Double Dash (especially since it has some un?ique tracks that haven't seen the light of?? day again)? But other than that, Nintendo has given each game a decent amount of representation.

As a note, the red exclamation mark (!) icon denotes tracks that were just recently confirmed to be part of "Wave 2" of the Booster Course [Season] Pass. We have four more waves to get to by the end of 2023, so there's plenty on the way.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track list (including what hasn't made it in yet):

The post A Mario Kart 8 Deluxe community member made a handy list of every past Mario Kart track that is and isn’t in Deluxe yet appeared first on Destructoid.

Mushroom Kingdom comes to Hollywood

When Universal Studios Japan announced the new Super Nintendo World a few years back, gamers lost their collective minds. Sure, we're used to seeing our favorite films and TV shows come to life at a theme park, but seeing a game world realized is a brand new feeling. I'm honestly shocked it took them this long, considering how well-loved, imaginative, and easily-marketable video game settings are �especially when it comes to Nintendo properties. Now, Universal is finally moving the ball down the field, because its Hollywood park is getting its very own highly-anticipated Super Nintendo World.

We knew Mario and his friends were headed our way soon, but a tweet this morning from the official Universal Studios Hollywood confirmed that the new land would be opening sometime in early 2023. A follow-up tweet also provides a?? short trailer for? one of the upcoming main attractions of Super Nintendo World: an interactive ride called Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge.

//twitter.com/UniStudios/status/??1532394497161797635

The video shows off the ride vehicles, which are themed to look exactly like the go-karts in the game, ??as well as a little bit of what the actual ride experience will be like. Riders look to be equipped with glasses of some kind, and while we don't have any confirmation on the nature of what they do just yet, it looks like they combine alternate reality elements with physical set dressing on the ride to make for a fully immersive experience.

I'm lucky enough to currently live in Los Angeles, so you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be checking this out opening weekend. I was super bummed that I ?wouldn't be able to see the one in Japan, so I'm thrilled to see that it's coming to the states now, too. It will be interesting to see how similar it is to the original park, or if they expand at all outside of the Mario Bros. IP.

The post Super Nint?endo World is coming to Universal S?tudios Hollywood in early 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

All four karts and Switch units safely housed in one place

Nearly two years ago when Mario Kart Live arrived, I said that what yo??u got out of it will vary from household to household, and that rings true to this day. And it looks like Reddit user fiveonthakush got a lot out of it with this Mario Kart Live setup.

Their case is a masterpiece, in that it holds four playable karts, as ??well as four units of Switch hardware: which double as the controllers and screen in which to view the karts as they race around a real-life "track." A??ll they'd need to do is keep the Switches charged, then carry it anywhere they want for some family fun.

The creator says the case is from mycasebuilder.com, designed with "lower foam," which they cut out based on the specifications, with a "routed lid" to ensure that the top didn't tightly press down on the karts and the Switch hardware. Interestingly, they "swapped parts on the karts" so they could tell all four apart. If you look closely, there's a green kart with a red "Mario" M on it, and a red kar?t with a red Mario M: vice versa for two karts that feature Luigi. That way you can more easily tell who "players one through four" are. They say that they hope to get even more use out of the game because? of the case, which makes it easier to transport: and had fun putting the set together.

With that said, it's sad that Velan Studios/Nintendo never released proper "player three or player four" karts: but for Nintendo's experimentation, a lack of follow-through is par for the course (RIP Labo?). I know there is a community around the game, and ?I hope it gets some sort of follow-up someday.

The post This Mario Kart Live setup is extremely cool appeared first on Destructoid.

They're live until June 6 at 6PM PT

Out with the old and in with the new. That's the motto going forward for Nintendo Switch Online digital rewards, which are constantly changing each month. Splatoon has been cycled out, and now it's time for Mario Kart 8 rewards to shine.

The way it's rolling out is gradual, with two new icons debuting each week of the month. For each set of Mario Kart 8 rewards, there's a "cup" icon, on top of a character. This is on top of the ongoing Animal Crossing digital rewards, which cycle out each month depending on resident birthdays. Those will also change on June 6 at 6PM PT. You can check out the full schedule here.

As a reminder, if you want physical rewards, you can find our full Platinum Point guide here, which has been updated with details on weekly missions: bookmark it for when you need quick points for a reward. A handful of points is incredibly easy to get, as that’s basically just 15 minutes with Super Mario Run, or a quick sign-on to the 3DS or Wi?i U 3Shop. Also remember that any shipments are bundled together, so you can pay a flat rate for multiple items instead of paying it each time. Just know that items go out of stock on My Nintendo frequently, and some are never restocked.

The post You can get digital Mario Kart 8 rewards from Switch Online until Ju?ne 6 appeared first on Destructoid.

April 29-May 1

The April 2022 Mario Kart 8 open tournament is being held this coming weekend on Switch, with the ability to ??earn My Nintendo Gold Points in the process.

Nintendo periodically runs these little contests to spur interest in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and there's another one ready to go for April. It takes place this weekend on April 29,?? 30, and May 1, from 12PM PT to 6PM PT on each day. Here ar?e the full instructions:

"To enter, you must participate in the Tournament in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game during the Tournament Period. To access the Tournament, select the following, in order, within the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game: Online Play, Tournaments, Search by Code. Enter the following code [below] to enter the in-game tournament.�/p>

Each day, the top eight players will win 2500 My Nintendo Gold Points that will be deposited into their account. That's essentially $25 in moon bucks that you can use directly on the eShop: if you haven't used Gold Points in a while, Nintendo has a handy explainer on their site.

Y?ou can find the tournament IDs for each day below, and you can enter all three or any combination of them.

Mario Kart 8 open April 2022 tournament IDs:

• Tournament Day 1 ID: 2347-7093-0219
• Tournament Day 2 ID: 3799-9451-1915
• Tournament Day 3 ID: 3059-0632-6059

The post There’s an online Mario Kart 8 open tournament this weekend appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll softlock your kart if you aren't careful

If you haven't encountered the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Ninja Hideaway glitch, consider yourself lucky. To everyone else who had it happen to them while their spouse/friend/sibling?? was laughing at them, as they were unable to actually finish the race: my condolences.

As shown by the Gaming Reinvented YouTube channel below [thanks Nintendo Life], the Ninja Hideaway glitch is actually fairly easy to replicate. Very early on in the track you'll come across a boost ramp: going off it and l??anding on the wooden platform above the track will glitch your kart.

This effectively "softlocks" your kart, meaning you will need to eventually lose the race, or quit the game manually to proceed. It differs from a hardlock in that it doesn't actively brick/crash your game, but it's annoying nonetheless. Note that this happens more often in higher cc matches, as your speed isn't always swift enough to carry your kart over the boost ramp and into the ??glitch spot.

Other YouTubers have been slowly finding ??more glitches related t??o Ninja Hideaway, so it seems like a bugged track in general. Keep that in mind if?? you're running a local tournament, or want to compet?e online! Hopefully Nintendo can address it soon enough.

The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Ninja Hideaway glitch:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHgsA5jDt5M

The post PSA: The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Ninja Hid??eaway tra?ck has a noticeable glitch appeared first on Destructoid.

Starring Waluigi

After years of rumors that Nintendo was r?e??ady to drop a proper sequel to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch owners, we found out in February that wouldn’t be the case. While I have no doubt? th??e next proper entry in the Mario Kart franchise is already in the works, we’re all going to have to make do with the next best thing: DLC. Rather than potentially splitting up its player base, Nintendo is keeping its best-selling racer relevant, adding 48 remastered tracks throughout 2022 and 2023 as part of the "Booster Course Pass."

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Wave 1 (Switch)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: March 18, 2022
MSRP: $24.99 (or part of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack)

The first batch of tracks released as part of Booster Course Pass Wave 1 gives us a good look at what should and shouldn’t be expected from these remastered legacy courses. The eig???ht tracks that are part of the Golden Dash Cup and Lucky Cat Cup have certainly received a glow-up from their series debuts.

They're clean, bright, and charming. They're also pretty simple, and as has been pointed out repeatedly across social media, these tracks do not feature the outstanding art direction found in the rest of Mario Kart 8. That textured style that has made MK8 the best looking kart racer since 2014 is absent as these DLC tracks appear to be modeled after thei?r look in Mario Kart Tour.

That’s obviously going to be a big point?? of contention, but if you're looking for somebody to drop the hammer on "Nintendo's laz?y ways," I am not the guy to do it. I don't really mind the look of these tracks. In fact, I think one or two of them are actually quite beautiful.

??A far lar?ger concern for me is none of these tracks implement Mario Kart 8’s signatur?e anti-gravity mechanic. There is no wall-riding here, even though some courses could benefit from it in a few s??ections. And the reason for that, if I were to guess, is that Mario Kart Tour doesn’t have anti-gravity sections, and it really seems as though these tracks are meant to be?? s??hared between the two games. All but two tracks in Booster Course Pass Wave 1 have already appeared in Tour, and any significant track changes that were made for the mobile title are present here?? a?s well.

There is always the possi?bility that could change as? we get more waves of DLC. For now, we just have Wave 1, which not only brings back one of my most-played tracks from Mario Karts past bu?t also ma?kes a great case for introducing those Tour-exclusive courses to Nintendo’s flagship racer. Of course, some of the included tracks are better than others, which is why I’ve gone?? ahead and ranked each of them below.

8. Toad Circuit (MK7)

It’s hard to get too excited about what is essentially the tutorial ??track from every Mario Kart game. The first course of every game’s Mushroom Cup is t??here not really to challenge or trick players with its design but rather to introduce them to the di?fferent mechanics of the game. For Mario Kart 7, for example, it had to introduce players to the ?new glider mechanic in the safest way possible. Enter Toad Circuit, an extremely simple track with a few turns players can use to get familiarized with the drifting? mechanic and a long straightaway that gains glider ramps on the second lap.

This course wasn’t all that exciting back on the 3DS and it sure as h?ell hasn’t gotten better with age. In all honesty, it's kind of a waste of space.

7. Choco Mountain (MK64)

??I’m sure some people will consider it sacrilegious for me to list a classic from Mario Kart 64 s?o low on the list, but what might have been hectic and nail-biting back on the Nintendo 64 is pretty rote?? on Switch. Choco Mountain carries over some of the track changes that were made in Tour, including the addition of an unnecessary glider section, but it doesn’t find a way to amp up the suspense of drivi?ng along a dangerous mountain path with falling boulders. Even on 200cc. This might be the only track in Wave 1 I actually prefer in its original game.

6. Sky Garden (MK:SC)

Sky Gard???en is an interesting case. The track just recently debuted in Mario Kart Tour and, unlike the Super Mario Kart tracks that have been brought over to the gacha racer, it received a significant visual upgrade. It’s not the same flat track in the clouds it once was. The course ?has some elevation to it, with a few little shortcuts that can give you the advantage if you play your cards right. It may not be as dynamic of a remake as we saw with Mario Kart 8’s Ribbon R?oad and Cheese Land, but it’s certainly more interesting and thoughtful than what Tour did with Super Circuit’s Bowser’s Castle tracks. 

5. Tokyo Blur (MKT)

A few years ago, I lamented the fact ??that al?l of the great little original creations found in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp seemed destined to die with the mobile game as Nintendo wasn't interested in transporting them to its console brethren. The same fate could ha??ve befallen Mario Kart Tour’s exclusive tracks ?as well, but thankfully, that’s not the case. Wave 1 of the Booster Course Pass includes three Tour originals, which not only give console players a chance to see what they’ve been mis??sing but also give Tour fans a chance to experience these tracks with proper controls??. Tokyo Blur, which condenses Godzilla’s favorite stomping grounds into a bright and beautiful bite-sized course, actually combines three different versions of the Tour track into one race.

As with many of the Tour originals, Tokyo Blur’s design allows for? multiple routes depending on which version of the race you’re participating in. In the Booster Course Pass, Tokyo Blur, Tokyo Blur 2, and Tokyo Blur 3 routes each make an appear?ance as individual laps of the race. So you’re never taking the same route twice. It’s a neat gimmick that shows you everything the developers managed to create for this track, but boy is it a short race.

4. Shroom Ridge (MKDS)

You know, I am a sucker for a good traffic track. Whether it’s Toad’s Turnpike, Mushroom City, or Moonview Highway, I love the chaos that comes with dodging cars while dodging green she?lls and banana peels. Shroom Ridge isn’t exactly the best example of a traffic track, but when you’re playing it on 200cc, it can be pure pandemonium. And when there is absolute chaos on the track, that’s when Mario Kart is at its best.

3. Paris Promenade (MKT)

Like with Tokyo Blur, Pari???s Promenade combines multiple versions of the track from Mario Kart Tour into a single race. Unlike with Tokyo Blur, there is really only one route here. The first two laps follow the course design of Paris Promenade and Paris Promenade 3 which takes you around the Arc de Triomphe, ??over the Jardins du Trocadéro, under the Eiffel Tower, and by the Luxor Obelisk. For the final lap, you do it all in reverse. Carefully placed barriers guide you back down the track, potentially running into any slowpokes struggling at the rear.

That’s one of the t?hings I love about Nintendo’s design philosophy wit?h Mario Kart Tour and it’s something I hope it carries into the inevitable ninth entry in the series. Plus, this is ??easily the most beautiful track of Wave 1.

2. Coconut Mall (MKWii)

When it was released, I think Mario Kart Wii took a lot of flack for its course design and just how wide it made everything to accommodate motio??n controls. A lot of that flack was well earned, but I do think several of the courses found within the game are all-time greats. Grumble Volcano already received an HD makeover in Mario Kart 8, so it’s only fair that MK Wii’s best track, Coconut Mall, gets one as well. The course now sports a positively radiant American Southwest color palette, which certainly beats the original’s faded pastel look. Some parts of the track have been tweaked from the original version, but overall, it’s still the same, amazing course that I played ad nauseam back on the Wii. And how about that music?!

1. Ninja Hideaway (MKT)

Ninja Hideaway is a track that has me asking, “How the hell does this work on mobile?�An absolute masterclass in stacked track design, the Wario-themed course features multiple levels for drivers to choose from as they work their way through a ninja Shy Guy-infested dojo. You can stay on the bottom floor or work your way up to the rafters above looking for the best route that’ll give you the edge over your competitors. It wasn’t until my seventh race aroun?d the track that I found a brilliantly placed shortcut, and I know it's going to take me another several dozen playthroughs until I find the ideal route. Ninja Hideaway is easily the best track included in Booster Course Pass Wave 1, and arguably one of the better tracks available in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Overall, I think these eight tracks are really effective in preparing players for what to expect with the Booster Course Pass. Some are old favorites, others are finally getting a chance to? be played the proper way. They may not feature the same radiant art style as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s core tracklist, but they look good. ?And some??, dare I say, even look great.

If none of these tracks really tickle your fancy, you’re probably better off just waiting for the next prope??r e??ntry in the Mario Kart series. For me, I’m cautious but optimistic the rest of the Booster Course Pass will be worth the $25 entry fee once all is said and done. Obviously, there are some great tracks inc?luded already with Wave 1, but?? if Toad Circuit's inclusion is any indication, I shouldn't completely dismiss the possibility of some stinkers getting through too.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the DLC purchased by the reviewer.]}

The post Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booste??r Course Pass Wave 1 reviewed and ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

It's live now

If you want a good look at the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 1 Booster Course Pass tracks, wait no longer! There's a new trailer out that showcases al??l the trac??ks, which we'll list off for you below.

Among the games represented in wave 1 include Mario Kart Wii, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart Tour, Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. Tour is the clear winner here, with three out of eight tracks represented. Curiously, there is no Double Dash track to kick things off, but there's stil?l time.

You can find the tracklist? below, in the order they appea?r in the trailer.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 1 track list:

Lucky Cat Cup

• Tokyo Blur (Mario Kart Tour [mobile])
• Shroom Ridge (Mario Kart DS)
• Sky Garden (Mario Kart: Super Circuit [GBA])
• Ninja Hideaway (Mario Kart Tour)

Golden Dash Cup

• Paris Promenade (Mario Kart Tour)
• Toad Circuit (Mario Kart 7 [3DS])
• Choco Mountain (Mario Kart 64)
• Coconut Mall (Mario Kart Wii)

As a reminder, these will be released in wave?s "by the end of 2023" in six waves. Each pack will have six courses, and the entire affair will cost you $24.99, or you can get it included via the expansion pack subscription.

For a first wave, it's a decent selection. I mean you know they had to have something from Mario Kart 64 in there, but maybe not so much from Mario Kart Tour? It feels like a shameless plug for the mobile game that has a subscription system and microtransactions: but that's marketing! And at the very least, you can play these tracks in a premium game without having to play Mario Kart Tour.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAMh9ZG4k8E

The post Here’s a look at the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 1 Booster Course Pass tracks, and a full list appeared first on Destructoid.

A celebration of our favorite plumber

There's nothing I love more than a cleverly-conceived holiday, like the pun-centric Star Wars celebration of May 4th, or The Last of Us' Outbreak Day, which coincides with the in-game date that the cordyceps outbreak started (which also happens to be Joel's birthday). March 10 is yet another one of those holidays that makes me giddy because of how serendipitous it? is. Yes, Mar. 10 does indeed look like it says Mario, and we are right to make festivities surrounding that. So happy MAR10 Day everyone!

As someone who was familiar with games growing up, but didn't play them as much as I would have liked, Mario games were still able to pierce through the casual nature of my gaming habits. I would jump at the chance to play Mario Kart at youth group meetings or at the adult dinner parties where the kids were sequestered to another room. I even tried to play a mainline Mario game on my Nintendo DS when I was a kid, but had to gi?ve up after the first level because I'm terrible at platformers, and still probably couldn't beat that game to this day.

I don't think there's any question why the Mario franchise is as successful as it is �the characters and world are adorable, the games are so polished and well-designed, and it's enjoyable for gamers of all ages. Considering how reliably good the Mario games are, I'm happy that he's become not only the face of Nintendo, but one of the faces of gaming as an entire industry, not just to fans, but to those who aren't a part?? of the gaming space at all.

If you ask just about anyone who has so much as glanced at a video game in the past 40 years, pretty much everyone has a fond memory of a Mario game in some form or another. That ubiquity, I think, comes from well-designed characters and games, sure, but also speaks to the earnestness of the brand. Mario has always been about t??he fun and community ?of games, an ideal that I think has fallen to the wayside in recent years.

In a time of social media, news cycles that move at lightning speed, and cynicism, the Mario franchise stands for a type of simple, earnest fun that many fans are hungry for. It's why endeavors like the Dr. Mario mobile game, riddled with microtransactions and cheap gimmicks, fall flat �they are fundamentally untrue to the core of the Mario brand.

To me, I like to think of MAR10 Day not just as an excuse to put some Nintendo games on sale (although that perk is appreciated). Instead, ??I see it as a sort of celebration of what I think makes gaming such a wonderful hobby, which is easy to lose sight of when I'm ready to complain about whatever I think is wrong with the industry at every turn.

Other fans have taken to sharing their love of the Mushroom Kingdom gang as well, posting their artwork online as an homage, which I recommend checking out.

Am I over-sentimentalizing a blatantly capi??talist "holiday" that was likely created for brand awareness and sales? Probably, but sometimes it's just nice to enjoy things.

Happy MAR10 Day, gamers!

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January 21, 22, and 23

A heads-up Mario Kart tournament is one of my favorite childhood pastimes. When you absolutely needed to throw down, that was the way. Well, that or GoldenEye. But back then, Mario Kart SNES or N64 were both viable picks!

Nintendo is bringing that nostalgic spirit back this weekend with a new "Mario Kart North American Open" for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe from January 21 to January 23. US, Canada, and Mexico can participate, and there's going to be three separate tournaments: one on each day. If you're serious about this, here's the instructions straight from Nintendo:

"To enter, you must participate in the Tournament in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game during the Tournament Period. To access the Tournament, select the following, in order, within the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game: Online Play, Tourname?nts, Search by Code. Enter the following code to enter the in?-game tournament."

It's that simple! You don't need to go anywhere or do anything special other than be available one or more of those days, from 12PM PT to 6PM PT. But the low effort involved also translates to a smaller pot. The prize is 2,500 My Nintendo Gold Points for the "top eight players" on each tournament day. So literally $25, but in "Nintendo Bux." Still, if you were going to be playing Mario Kart those days anyway, why not?!

January 2022 Mario Kart tournament times and IDs:

Tournament Day 1 ID: ?5245-8261-0475: ??January 21, 2022 12pm PT - 6PM PT:

Tournament Day 2 ID: 3254??-0350-?2123: January 22, 2022 12pm PT - 6PM PT

Tournament Day 3 ID: 1114-6044-3691: ?January 23, 2022 12pm PT - 6PM PT

The post There’s an official Mario Kart tournament this weekend on Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Could the rumors be true?

Mario Kart is one of the most beloved gaming franchises of all time, even to those who don't consider themselves "gamers." The series has a rich history, going all the way back to 1992 with Super Mario Kart, so naturally the game has had to reinvent itself a few times. We've had the two-character carts that were introduced in Double Dash, bikes that came in during the Mario Kart Wii era, and most recently, the anti-gravity sections in Mario Kart 8. It sounds like we might be looking at yet another reimagining of the classic racing mechanics, because industry analyst Dr. Serkan Toto recently stated that Mario Kart 9 is currently in de?velopment, ??and moreover, may include a "new twist."

Fans have been celebrating the alleged confirmation of the sequel's mere existence online, but many have already begun speculation on just what this new twist could be. Theories have already started cropping up on Twitter that it might be a Formula 1-themed addition, likely due to the sport's more mainstream popularity this year after the release of the Netflix documentary series Formula One: Drive to Survive.

On the other hand, some fans aren't so sure that Nintendo would be ready for another mainline entry to the series quite yet, as Mario Kart 8 has continued to sell exceptionally well on the Switch. Toto himself acknowledged the game's sales numbers, which surpassed 40 million combined units last April, making it the best-selling game in the series.

While it's easy to get excited about Mario Kart 9 and the future of the series, we kind of have to take all this news with a grain of salt �after all, there hasn't been any official statement from Nintendo as of yet. It is fun to speculate, though, because it's pretty likely that the series will continue to evolve to stay fresh. Just look at the changes we've seen from the Mario Party series in recent years.

So, what do you think this twist could be, assuming that it i??s indeed in the works? How would you like to see a new spin on the classic mechanics? Let's discuss below.

The post Mario Kart 9 reportedly in development, may feature ‘new twist’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle a smash seller

While the Black Friday weekend typi??cally brings with it a few smashed sales records, it seems no one publisher did better than Nintendo, as far as the UK is concerned. For the week ending November 27, Nintendo Switch had its single most successful UK sales week ever, with an eye-catching in-store offer leading to an enormous increase in hardware sales.

The offer in question saw customers pick up a Nintendo Switch console, a digital copy of mega-seller Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a three-month Switch Online subscription for £259.99. This specific deal accounts for a solid 54% of all Nintendo Switch sales in t?he region for that week, leading to a 22% increase in Nintendo hardware sales when compared to the same week last year. Factor in Nintendo's game and accessories sales for the same time period, and Christmas came early for? the publisher.

"Only Switch had an exceptional week, PS5 and Xbox Series did not have many offers and actually PS5 Digital was out of stock and Series X had a major stock drop the week prior," said GfK statistician Dorian Bloch in comments to GamesIndustry.biz.? "In 2020, both had massive launch weeks [which were the weeks immediately before Black Friday] and therefore both had ve?ry low stock for Black Friday week."

Amusingly, the success of the Nintendo Switch bundle offer was enough to see Mario Kart 8 Deluxe return to the number one spot of this week's UK charts. As regular readers will be aware, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a UK chart veteran �retaining a Top Ten position almost every week, (with a few minor excepti?ons), since its original release way back in spring 2017.

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

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A wasted opportunity

?Take a look at t??his top-selling Switch sales chart again, straight from Nintendo. You good? Notice that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which was released on Switch in 2017 (as an updated version of a 2014 game), is number one still? Like, it's beaten out the entire last four years of the Switch's lifespan, including Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is still?? super popular? It feels like they should be doing someth??ing with that.

Smash Ultimate is going to age like fine wine. Years from now people will be picking the game up, which feels 100% complete even without any DLC in the equation. Now Mario Kart 8 Deluxe feels similarly robust (it better be, it's still full price!), but there was a huge opportunity there to add in more old tracks over time, and allow old fans to see them in a new light. New DLC for Mario Kart is a no-brainer. Add ?in a few classic battle levels, an old track here and there (you wouldn't even need to do any hard work redesigning them f??rom the ground up), and you're good to go.

Of course, without a tenacious lead like Masahiro Sakurai that holds the franchise together, this sort of thing is harder to will into existence. The Mario Kart series is also all over the place sometimes, with uneven entries and fans who coast from game to game w??ithout the same amount of gusto in between.

Naturally, this is all a "what if" situation, as Nintendo is no doubt hard at work on Mario Kart 9, to be revealed at some point when they need to break the emergency glass and hit the "print money fast" but??ton. But for the past four years, they've missed an opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.

There's still time! Add Mario Party Superstars to this "Ultimate treatme??nt" list while we're at it.

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Nintendo's Black Friday deals for Switch hardware and games are live

Nintendo has given shoppers a heads-up about what to expect from 2021's Nintendo Switch Black Friday deals, and oh my goodness, they're doing it again �they're rolling out the $300 Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle that we've seen for years.

I'm not complaining, mind you �it's just a bit funny. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a freaky force of nature that continues to sell super well, and if you're going to buy a Nintendo Switch for the first time in 2021, you're probably gonna want Mario Kart to go along with it.

Apart from the pack-in game and the normal Switch console with a dock (not the newest and priciest OLED model), this bundle has a three-month subscription for Nintendo Switch Online (not the new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier). Simple, but effective.

In terms of physical games, Black Friday (or should I say the days surrounding Black Friday) will bring a $20 off discount for select Nintendo Switch titles.

Nintendo will have deals starting November 21 at participating r??etailers, and there will also be a Nintendo eShop sale on digital games, though the timing isn't announced yet.

Nintendo Switch deals for Black Friday 2021

**GameStop currently has physical and digital Switch games for $26.99**

• This is likely your best bet for first-party Nintendo games for Black Friday.

$300 Nintendo Switch console bundle

• Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + three months of Nintendo Switch Online (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Target)

Nintendo Switch physical games are $40 instead of $60

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• Super Mario Maker 2 (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Target)
• Splatoon 2 (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• Paper Mario: The Origami King (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• Kirby Star Allies (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• Fire Emblem: Three Houses (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)
• Astral Chain (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Target)
• Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Target)

Ring Fit Adventure is $55 instead of $80

• Ring Fit Adventure (GameStop | Best Buy | Amazon | Walmart | Target)

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit is $60 instead of $100

• Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Mario Set and Luigi Set (GameStop | Best Buy | Walmart | Target)

Nintendo says that Black Friday deals will last until November 2?7, or until supplies run out.

Definitely try and scoop up Ring Fit Adventure at that price if you're interested �I can't guarantee that you'll stick with it, but I can guarantee that it's a great game in its own right. You will feel the burn. Mario Kart Live is pretty fun and novel at that price too.

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It's either "all online" or "all local" for N64 games with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

We're only a couple of days removed from the launch of N64 games on Switch with the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, and the issues, complaints, and caveats are piling up. One of them �a problem that reveals itself when local players try to compete together in Nintendo 64 online multiplayer �ticks all thr??ee boxes at once.

It's kind of a clunky issue to explain, but basically, if you and another local player want to compete together in Mario Kart 64 with additional online players in the same match, that isn't possible. You can't have two players on one Switch in a match with two other players on another Switch. That goes for Mario Tennis, Dr. Mario 64, Star Fox 64, and WinBack, too.

As pointed out by Reddit user Newblius, the brick wall comes when you try to connect multiple controllers for an onl??ine N64 match-u?p. The Switch will spit out a message that says "You can play online with a single controller. Would you like to continue?"

As the user succinctly puts it, "you can play locally, or you can play online, but there is absolutely no mixing of the two. [...] I kind of thought this would?? be a no-brainer."

Does that go without saying? Cynicism aside, not necessarily. It's one of those "wait really, why not?" situations that sometimes crop up with Switch games, like when we couldn't play Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! or Super Mario Party using a Switch Pro Controller.

To the average player who loves Nintendo 64 games enough to want to pay $50 (or more for a family plan) per year for the ?Ex??pansion Pack subscription, this should "just work."

For many people, there are much bigger fish to fry with the Expansion Pack plan's pricing and N64 emulation quality, but?? that doesn't lessen this particular disappointment, which I really sympathize with as someone who has tried �and often failed �to jump into online multiplayer with my partner in the same room, playing on the same console. As a quick aside, I get that netcode can be tricky, but I wish that more developers (especially big studios!) prioritized this blended local/online multiplayer support in their games.

I mean, there's ??still lag to stress about, but at least give us the option t??his time, Nintendo.

The post PSA: You can’t do Nintendo 64 online multiplayer with another local Switch player in the mix appeared first on Destructoid.

Ring Fit Adventure is in the Switch software top 10

In case you never noticed, Nintendo provides everyone with publicly released information on what their best-selling Switch games are at any?? moment on this page. While it's only updated every so often for fiscal considerations, we just got a new glimpse into the current state of things via a financial report this morning, ??which covers through Ju??ne 30, 2021. All told? Switch software sales are looking good.

So in terms of newcomers, Mario Golf: Super Rush sold 1.34 million units since its launch: which is roughly five days as far as this report is concerned. New Pokemon Snap i??s commanding a respectful 2.07 million sold from April 30 to June 30.

Of course, the most fun fight to break down is the battle between Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and I think we may have a winner here. Although Animal Crossing was coming in hot with over 33 million, smashing into the top two, it seems like Mario Kart has longer legs. As Nintendo notes, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe actually sold 1.69 million units this past fiscal quarter, compared to 1.27 million for New Horizons.

The latter has clearly lost its momentum, likely in part due to a lack of regular updates and a stark drop in interest from a general audience. It boggles the mind how Nintendo still hasn't capitalized on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with ??more DLC, but the power of the series is enough to keep ?it alive indefinitely.

Other than that, the top 10 list is mostly the same. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has the fourth spot, followed by Breath of the Wild, Pokemon Sword/Shield (still one entry), Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Party, Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee (same as Sword/Shield), Splatoon 2, and...Ring Fit Adventure!

Previously that last spot was secured by New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, but it's been taken and surpassed by Ring Fit by nearly one million units: Ring Fit managed to muster 11.26 million in sales and became a smash-hit for the company. Since it's Nintendo, I wouldn't be surprised if we never see it again! Maybe it'll be a trophy in the next Smash.

The post Nintendo gives us ??updated Switch software sales figures, and Ma?rio Kart is still king appeared first on Destructoid.

I'd be tempted to throw them like power-ups, too

When I was in Japan, I was a sucker for all sorts of themed food. I mean it's everywhere: Capcom cafes, Gundam cafes, Pokemon cafes. You name it, if it's a popular IP, it likely has a little rice dish in the shape of a head somewhere, among other flavored drinks in the theme of some other character. But this assortment of Mario Kart chocolate shared by Redditor ronberg really needs to be official, and shipped worldw??ide.

According to the post ronberg didn't make it, as the title is "my gf made Mario Kart chocolate." Commenters managed to court some more info, and ronberg confirms that they're actually? pralines of the pistachio, nougat, and caramel variety. The yellow things are bananas and the black chocolates are Bullet Bills. Their significant other apparently makes them at home and "sells a?? bit." I think it's time to bring this thing to conventions: make it national!

Weirdly, this amazing craft comes at the perfect time, when Nint????endo is doing an Edible Arrangements promotion. A selection of chocolates and fruits from the gift-purveyor is ??up for grabs, and you can allegedly earn 100 My ??Nintendo Platinum Points for taking part.

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Cable runner

Mario Kart Live is a fun little game, but as I noted in my review, depending on what you make of it, it could be so much more. This Mario Kart Live fix from Twitter user Kenny England is proof of that.

It's a story in four photos! England needed to run cable below their floorboards, and decided that Mario was the best man for the job. They tied cable to the kart, which can be controlled remotely via the Switch like a drone, and drove it underneath the floor to the other side. Retrieving the kart, they were able to successfully transport the wiring. As someone points out, it's great that Mario wore an appropriate in-game outfit in the game to take on this Mario Kart Live fix.

England notes "up until it was a success I though??t it was the stupidest idea" and that it was a "last resort." While it might have seemed silly at the time, thousands of people are now in awe and are weighing in on how smart it is. The positive power of the internet!

I can't really express how much I love this Mario Kart Live fix. I've spent my writing career cataloging offbeat solutions to problems, and this ranks up there as? one of the more creative concepts. I remember having to run CAT-5 cable to craft a home network several decades ago, snaking wire through multiple floors (and a good deal of network engineering afterward). It's tough work!

//twitter.com/knny/status/1418546892502413312

The post This real-l?ife Mario Kart Live do-it-yourself fix i??s absolutely genius appeared first on Destructoid.

8 + 8 Deluxe = Profit

So Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been doin??g swimmingly fo??r Nintendo. So good, in fact, that it's the top-selling Switch game of all time.

You thought it was Zelda? No, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is actually three whole spots ahead of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, with a whopping 12 million? more units? sold. It's a complete powerhouse of a series on pretty much every platform it's on. It even sold on Wii U!

Speaking of, those legacy Wii U sales have come in handy, because with the combined numbers from the original version of Mario Kart 8 with the Switch Deluxe edition, ?the game has now taken the spot of the best-selling racing game in US hist?ory.

Taking to Twitter, the NPD group's Mat Piscatella sha??red the latest data, and explains that so far year to date in all of 2021, Mario Kart 8 is the sixth ranked game in terms of sales: right above Minecraft! And they made sure to point out that Mario Kart 8 just surpassed Mario Kart Wii for the top spot.

For a (now) four-year-old port of a seven-year-old game, that's not too shabby. It's cra??zy that Nintendo hasn't capitalized on it in a??ny way in recent years, even with some free DLC to get people talking again. But that's Nintendo for you.

Mat Piscatella [Twitter]

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