On July 12, Nintendo released the fifth wave of new tracks to “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” as part of the “Booster Course Pass DLC.” Continuing two trends that began in the previous wave, this update included new characters and major balance changes to encourage more character and vehicle diversity.
The three new characters are Petey Piranha, Wiggler and Kamek. Petey Piranha and Wiggler are both heavyweights who first appeared in Mario Kart games in “Mario Kart: Double Dash!!” for the GameCube in 2003. Wiggler is a notable character in many later games in the series, including “Mario Kart DS,” “Mario Kart Wii” and “Mario Kart 7” for the 3DS. Kamek, on the other hand, while visible in the background of many “Mario Kart Games,” was first introduced as a playable character in “Mario Kart Tour” in 2019. In “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” he is a middleweight. Though some fans have been clamoring for the return of other beloved characters such as Funky Kong, Diddy Kong, Pauline, Honey Queen, King Bob-omb and R.O.B., the inclusion of the aforementioned three has already been a great addition. With one last wave coming at the end of 2023, players will have to wait and see if Nintendo will bring back two more fan favorites—likely, since there are now two character slots on the character selection screen denoted with question marks.
With this update, Nintendo continued to make character balance changes similar to those the company had done in the previous wave. Many underused characters and vehicles received increases to their statistics, such as Mini-Turbo, Ground Speed and Invincibility. Although these two waves of balance changes have a good goal in mind, in reality it is hard to achieve character and vehicle diversity in competitive play. Those who play for casual fun will usually pick their favorite character and a nice-looking vehicle, but those who seek to eke out every possible competitive edge will invariably settle on the same optimal character/vehicle combination. While the old meta was dominated by Waluigi on the Wiggler Kart, it is now dominated by Yoshi on the Teddy Buggy or the Inkstriker. It is certainly possible that Nintendo will add more balance changes in the sixth wave, but it seems unlikely that the game will ever see a plethora of character/vehicle combinations used competitively.
Like the previous four waves, this DLC includes two Grand Prix with four tracks each, bringing the total number of DLC tracks to 40.
The Feather Cup
This Grand Prix begins with Athens Dash, a city track from “Mario Kart Tour.” Like other city tracks, this one has a different layout on every lap. Athens Dash, however, limits most of the course to one landmark—the Acropolis—and that fact sets this track apart from the other city tracks which take racers through long city streets. After beginning under the Parthenon, players must drive through other famous sites on the Acropolis, including the Theatre of Dionysus, the Arch of Hadrian and the now tragically lost Athena Parthenos statue. Athens Dash contains numerous minor shortcuts, Goombas and boulders that fall on the last lap. It requires some skill to maneuver around this track’s various obstacles, but it can still be enjoyable for newer players. The music and visuals are pleasant but not exceptional. The uniqueness of Athens Dash makes it a refreshing start to this wave.
8/10
Next comes Daisy Cruiser, a popular track from “Mario Kart: Double Dash!!” for the GameCube and later “Mario Kart 7” for the 3DS. The entire course takes place on a ship, and Nintendo made few changes to this old track. There are still the iconic sliding tables and Item Boxes in the cruiser’s dining hall. Three Innertube Goombas were added to the pool on the main deck. Overall, the track is relatively simple, with no shortcuts and sliding tables as the only serious obstacles. The visuals are bright and lively, and the music is calm and nostalgic. Daisy Cruiser makes for a nice racing experience, and its inclusion in this wave is certainly welcome.
7/10
This cup continues with Moonview Highway, an iconic track from “Mario Kart Wii.” This nighttime race is almost completely unchanged. At the start of the lap, there is a scalable cliff on both sides of the road, and the track is full of Dash Panels to speed up players. Regular cars and trucks roam around as obstacles alongside Bob-omb Cars that explode if hit. While Moonview Highway has no shortcuts, it does have a tight hairpin turn near the start of the lap. The experience of weaving around the vehicles that occupy the track is challenging yet exhilarating. The visuals are simply stunning, and the music quick and thrilling. Moonview Highway is certainly one of the best tracks to be included in the Booster Course Pass.
9/10
This Grand Prix ends with Squeaky Clean Sprint, a track first released with the Booster Course Pass but soon added to “Mario Kart Tour.” Since this track takes place in a giant bathroom, toiletries such as shampoo, soap, scissors and a toothbrush are found everywhere. Racers on Squeaky Clean Sprint must drive through a sink, bathtub and drains. A giant fan pushes players away from a shortcut through a patch of soap. On the second and third lap, a Water Geyser shoots out of a toilet, allowing racers to access an alternate route over a shelf. In fact, Squeaky Clean Sprint has several shortcuts and alternative paths, and it takes some practice to maneuver through the track efficiently. The visuals are bright, and its music is soothing. Overall, Squeaky Clean Sprint is a wonderful new track that is sure to challenge and charm most players.
8/10
The Cherry Cup
The second Grand Prix starts with Los Angeles Laps, a returner from “Mario Kart Tour.” Like most city tracks, this one has a different layout for each lap. This long race involves driving through many landmarks, including Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach and Dodger Stadium. While there are some minor shortcuts, the track is almost completely unobstructed; there are a few crabs at the start, and active oil wells on the Inglewood Oil Field serve as occasional obstacles. The visuals are bright and sunny, but the music is rather mediocre. Los Angeles Laps can be fun to race, but its length can sometimes make it feel uneventful given its simplicity.
6/10
The next track is Sunset Wilds from “Mario Kart: Super Circuit” for the Game Boy Advance. In the track’s original form, the time of day changed every lap, ending with the sun setting over the final lap. However, the time of day is static in the version of Sunset Wilds added to “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.” The track has numerous off-road shortcuts, and skillful players can even execute some without a mushroom. Three Exploring Shy Guys dance on the track as obstacles alongside their tents. The music and visuals are fine but unremarkable. Since the sun no longer sets on Sunset Wilds—and the track was already plain to begin with—it is hard to justify anything higher than an average rating.
5/10
The third track in this Grand Prix is Koopa Cape from “Mario Kart Wii.” The updated version of this track is almost identical to its original form; Nintendo only added a half-pipe to the tunnel section and removed the Koopa Zappers that shrunk players if hit. There are several shortcuts through patches of grass or running water, and a few Goombas serve as obstacles. The music is upbeat and nostalgic, and the visuals are vibrant. Koopa Cape is a challenging track—taking racers over a cliff, through a river and across a waterfall—and its inclusion in this Grand Prix is a great boon to this new wave of tracks.
9/10
The last track in this wave is Vancouver Velocity from “Mario Kart Tour.” With a different layout each lap, this track takes racers through the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Rogers Arena and the 2010 Winter Olympics cauldron. Like Los Angeles Laps, this track mostly consists of long, open roads with few obstacles. Nevertheless, there are some bats in one tunnel, and several Skating Shy Guys threaten to hit racers in Rogers Arena. There are also several minor off-road shortcuts. The dark city visuals are beautiful, but the music is nothing special. Vancouver Velocity has its fair share of challenging moments, and as one of the better city tracks, it serves as a solid end to the fifth wave of DLC tracks.
7/10
