We were hoping Mario Kart 9 would be revealed in last night’s Nintendo Direct. But Nintendo announced a surprise two-year DLC expansion for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe instead.
Priced at £22.49 or free for players with the Switch Online Expansion Pack, the Booster Course Passadds 48 remastered tracks from classic games to MK8 Deluxe. The 48 tracks will be released in six waves until the end of 2023, so we’ll be playing MK8 Deluxe for a long time yet.
This is the most tracks we’ve ever had in a Mario Kart game, bringing the total number of tracks in MK8 Deluxe to a whopping 96.
Available on 18 March, Wave 1 includes the following classic tracks: Paris Promenade, Toad Circuit, Choco Mountain, Coconut Hall, Tokyo Blur, Shroom Ridge, Sky Garden, and Ninja Hideaway. That leaves 40 tracks that haven’t been announced. With that in mind, here are three tracks Nintendo needs to add to the Mario Kart 8: Deluxe Booster Course Pass.
Maple Treeway
First appearing in Mario Kart Wii, Maple Treeway is one of the most challenging tracks in a Mario Kart game aside from the iconic Rainbow Road. Taking place in a forest during autumn, the tight and twisty track has you racing on treacherous treetops while avoiding Wigglers and trying not to fall off the edge.
While the steep difficulty can be frustrating, Maple Treeway is a fun, memorable, and atmospheric track with plenty of shortcuts for skilled players to discover.
Maple Treeway also appeared in MK7 and the Tour mobile spin-off, but we would love to see it get an HD remaster in MK8 Deluxe.
Waluigi Pinball
Debuting in Mario Kart DS, Waluigi Pinball is a colourful circuit where you race through a pinball machine while dodging giant pinballs, flippers, and bumpers. Twisty tunnels, huge jumps, and high-speed sections make this an enjoyable track that hasn’t appeared in enough MK games.
It’s since been remade for Tour on mobiles and featured in MK7, but this track needs to make a proper comeback in MK8 Deluxe. Filled with flashing lights, the Waluigi Pinball would look dazzling in MK8 Deluxe.
Airship Fortress
Anyone who played Mario Kart DS will remember the Airship Fortress track in the final course of the Star Cup. Inspired by the Super Mario Bros. 3’s Airship levels, this tricky track is filled with hazards from firing Bullet Bills and pesky Rocky Wrenches to moving fire columns that can burn you to a crisp.
After being fired out of a cannon, you land inside a spiral tower. Powersliding all the way down the spiral tower is pure joy Also appearing in MK7 and MK Tour, Airship Fortress will hopefully make a triumphant return in MK8: Deluxe.
All of these tracks have already been remade for MK Tour, so there's a good chance they will get added to MK8 Deluxe in the Booster Course Pass.