Mario Kart 8
The greatest Mario Kart ever made — anti-gravity racing, 48 tracks, a cast of 30+, and the best-looking Nintendo game of its generation.
Mario Kart 8 is the eighth mainline entry in the series and, at the time of its release in 2014, the most ambitious and visually spectacular Mario Kart ever made. For the first time, the series arrived in full HD — and the leap was extraordinary. Tracks shimmer, characters glow, and the entire game has a polish that made it one of the best-looking Nintendo releases of the generation. It also introduced the series’ most transformative new mechanic: anti-gravity.
Anti-gravity sections let karts drive on walls, ceilings, and the undersides of tracks. These sequences flip your perspective entirely — and crucially, bumping into other racers or special boost pads in anti-gravity increases your speed rather than slowing you down, creating a fundamentally different risk-reward calculation from traditional flat racing. The tracks were designed around this from the ground up, and the result is some of the most inventive course design in the entire series.
Mario Kart 8 shipped with 32 tracks across eight cups, then added 16 more via two DLC packs — making 48 total, the largest selection in series history at that point. It sold over 8 million copies on Wii U, becoming the console’s best-selling game, and received an 88 on Metacritic. It was later expanded into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch, which added battle mode and additional content — but the original Wii U version remains a landmark game in its own right.
The core Mario Kart formula is intact — race, collect items, knock out rivals, reach the finish first. But MK8 stacks several layers of innovation on top of that foundation.
Mario Kart 8 launched with 30 playable characters — the largest base roster in the series at the time — split into Light, Medium and Heavy weight classes. Each weight class handles differently: Light characters accelerate fast and are nimble; Heavy characters have higher top speed but wider drifts and harder recovery. Two DLC packs added further characters including Link, Villager, Isabelle, Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach.
Light
Medium
Heavy
Mario Kart 8’s 16 new tracks are some of the best the series has ever produced. Every single one has been designed with anti-gravity, underwater and gliding sections baked in from the start. Highlights include Mount Wario (one continuous descent down a mountain), Electrodrome (a neon-drenched nightclub circuit) and Rainbow Road (a jaw-dropping tour through space that uses every trick in the book).
Mario Kart StadiumClassic introductory stadium circuit — a smooth lap with a gentle anti-gravity section as an introduction to the new mechanic
Water ParkA water theme park full of slides, fountains and Cheep Cheeps — anti-gravity on the giant water wheels
Sweet Sweet CanyonA candy-themed canyon with giant food and confectionery decorating the course
Thwomp RuinsAncient ruins with giant Thwomps blocking the track — an early showcase of the anti-gravity ceiling sections
Mario CircuitA classic figure-of-eight circuit through Mario’s world — one of the most technical courses in the cup
Toad HarborA coastal city tram-route inspired by San Francisco, complete with cable cars and water views
Twisted MansionA haunted mansion where the track twists and turns — extensive use of anti-gravity in the ceiling sections
Shy Guy FallsA waterfall course where racers drive up the falls and along cliffsides — stunning visually
Sunshine AirportA tropical airport with runway sections, hangars and planes taking off overhead
Dolphin ShoalsAn underwater/surface course alongside a school of dolphins with saxophonist Spike in the background
ElectrodromeA spectacular neon nightclub circuit — lights pulse in time with the music, anti-gravity everywhere
Mount WarioOne continuous descent down a mountain — skiing, dam sections, and a forest finale. No lap structure, just one run.
Cloudtop CruiseRace through the clouds past a giant beanstalk, through thunderstorms and into space
Bone-Dry DunesA desert with Dry Bones decorations, sand dunes and Egyptian architecture
Bowser’s CastleBowser’s imposing fortress — lava, anti-gravity loops, and Bowser’s face everywhere
Rainbow RoadThe definitive special course — a three-lap space odyssey that combines every mechanic in one stunning finale
Sixteen classic tracks from across the Mario Kart series — N64, SNES, GBA, GCN, DS and Wii — all rebuilt from scratch in HD with anti-gravity, glider and underwater sections added where they fit. Some are barely recognisable compared to the originals. All are better.
Moo Moo Meadows WiiGentle rolling fields with cows — a welcome relief after tougher cups
GBA Mario Circuit GBAThe classic GBA circuit rebuilt beautifully in 3D
DS Cheep Cheep Beach DSA beach-side race now with an underwater section through the sea
N64 Toad’s Turnpike N64The famous highway course with oncoming traffic — stunning at night in HD
GCN Dry Dry Desert GCNA vast sandy desert with Pokeys and quicksand
SNES Donut Plains 3 SNESA simple SNES course that holds up beautifully in HD
N64 Royal Raceway N64Peach’s classic circuit — a loop past the castle, now with gliding sections
3DS DK Jungle 3DSA jungle track through DK’s territory with ropes and vegetation
DS Wario Stadium DSWario’s massive stadium with jumps and ramps
GCN Sherbet Land GCNAn icy circuit now with an underwater section beneath the frozen lake
3DS Music Park 3DSGiant musical instruments as obstacles — triplets hit karts, piano keys bounce
N64 Yoshi Valley N64The branching-path classic — all routes lead to the same finish
DS Tick-Tock Clock DSThe giant clock interior track — gear platforms and pendulums
3DS Piranha Plant Slide 3DSA pipe-interior course with snapping Piranha Plants
Wii Grumble Volcano WiiA volcanic course with lava geysers — dramatically rebuilt in HD
N64 Rainbow Road N64The iconic N64 Rainbow Road condensed to three turns — and it’s magnificent
Two paid DLC packs added eight new cups (16 tracks) and six new characters, bringing the total track count to 48 — and they’re arguably the best tracks in the game. The Zelda and Animal Crossing guest packs crossed Nintendo franchises into Mario Kart for the first time, with extraordinary results.
Wii Wario’s Gold MineWii retro — the classic mine cart course rebuilt spectacularly
SNES Rainbow RoadThe original Rainbow Road — actually three laps of it
Ice Ice OutpostNew track — a split-lane ice course where the two halves switch direction
Hyrule CircuitRace through Hyrule Castle’s grounds — Rupees replace coins, it’s magnificent
GCN Yoshi CircuitYoshi-shaped track returns — now with a figure-of-eight glider section
Excitebike ArenaBased on the NES classic — randomised bumps each race, dirt everywhere
Dragon DriftwayA Chinese-dragon-shaped course through swirling clouds — one of the most beautiful tracks
Mute CityThe F-Zero track — no coins, charge strips instead. A completely different experience.
GCN Baby ParkSeven laps of a tiny oval — pure item chaos at its finest
GBA Cheese LandThe cheese-themed course returns with giant mice eating the track
Wild WoodsA forest course through Shy Guy homes in the treetops — breathtaking
Animal CrossingSeasons change in real time — each race is in a different season of the year
3DS Neo Bowser CityA rainy neon city circuit — one of the best-looking retro remakes
GBA Ribbon RoadRibbon Road reimagined as a giant toy room — extraordinary
Super Bell SubwayBased on 3D World — underground Tokyo metro vibes, cats everywhere
Big BlueAnother F-Zero track — fast, futuristic, and unlike anything else in the game
DLC Pack 1 added Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach and Link. DLC Pack 2 added Villager (male), Villager (female), Isabelle and Dry Bowser. All characters handled identically to existing medium/heavy weights but brought huge fan excitement — especially Link, who came with his own complete Blue Falcon kart vehicle.
Mario Kart 8 returned to one item per box (removing the double items of MK7) and tweaked the distribution system. Items are weighted to your position — first place gets mostly defensive items, last place gets the powerful ones. A new Super Horn was added specifically to counter the much-hated Blue Shell.
Mario Kart 8 was met with near-universal acclaim. Critics praised it as the best Mario Kart ever made at that point — the combination of anti-gravity innovation, stunning HD visuals, a massive track selection and superb online play left little to criticise. It scored 88 on Metacritic and became the best-selling Wii U game.
Praised for
- Anti-gravity — genuinely innovative track design
- Stunning HD visuals — best-looking Wii U game
- 48 tracks (with DLC) — massive value
- Mount Wario, Cloudtop Cruise, Hyrule Circuit — all-time greats
- Smooth online for up to 12 players
- 200cc update — transformed expert play
- Mario Kart TV — brilliant highlight sharing
- DLC packs — exceptional quality and value
Minor criticisms
- Battle Mode uses racing circuits — no dedicated arenas
- Pink Gold Peach and Metal Mario — fan backlash over “echo” characters
- Items slightly unbalanced at higher player counts
- Coin item divisive among players
The game was also credited with being a significant sales driver for the Wii U itself — over 1.2 million copies sold in its launch weekend, making it the fastest-selling Wii U game at the time. Nintendo ran a promotion offering a free game with purchase, further boosting hardware sales. The DLC packs, released in 2014–15, were widely considered to represent exceptional value and set a new standard for Nintendo post-launch content.
- Mario Kart 8 was the first mainline Mario Kart in full HD — the graphical leap from the Wii entries was extraordinary and helped establish the game as a visual showcase for the Wii U.
- Development was partially handled by Bandai Namco Studios alongside Nintendo EAD — the first time a non-Nintendo studio significantly contributed to a Mario Kart title.
- The 200cc engine class was added as a completely free update in April 2015. It runs so fast that players must brake before corners — the first time braking has been required in a Mario Kart game.
- Anti-gravity bumping mechanics mean that in anti-gravity sections, hitting other karts or spin pads increases your speed. This was specifically designed to encourage aggression in those sections.
- Mount Wario is the only course in the game (and one of very few in the series) where you don’t return to the start line — it’s a single continuous descent from top to bottom.
- The N64 Rainbow Road retro track was condensed from the original’s five-minute epic into three turns. Many fans consider it one of the best retro remakes in series history.
- Link from The Legend of Zelda was the first non-Mario-universe character to appear in a mainline Mario Kart game. His inclusion generated enormous fan excitement when announced.
- Animal Crossing’s track dynamically changes season between races — if you play the same track multiple times, it might be spring, then summer, then autumn, then winter.
- The Super Horn is the first item in the series that can reliably destroy a Blue Shell before it hits — Nintendo deliberately added it in response to years of fan complaints about the Blue Shell.
- Baby Rosalina and Pink Gold Peach were added as new characters but received fan criticism for being “clone” or “echo” characters. This feedback influenced the roster decisions in MK8 Deluxe.
- Mario Kart 8 sold 1.2 million copies worldwide in its launch weekend — making it the fastest-selling Wii U game and helping keep the struggling console commercially viable longer.
- All eight Koopalings (Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, Ludwig) were added to the series for the first time — all as separate playable characters in the Heavy class.
- The game’s soundtrack features a live band — instruments are performed by real musicians rather than synthesised, giving the music an unusually warm and dynamic quality.
- Mute City (from F-Zero) and Big Blue (also F-Zero) were included in the DLC. Neither has appeared in a Mario Kart game since, making them two of the most requested returns for future entries.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch (2017) is the best-selling Mario Kart ever — but it is essentially this game with additions. The Wii U original was the foundation for one of Nintendo’s all-time commercial successes.
Six videos from our channel covering Mario Kart 8: