Whenever Nintendo hosts a new Direct, we watch with bated breath hoping for a Mario Kart 9 reveal. Sadly, this didn’t happen in last night’s Direct.
We did, however, get a first look at the Booster Course Pass Wave 4 DLC as Nintendo continues supporting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 4 DLC announced
Just a few days after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe crossed over 50 million sales, Nintendo announced the Wave 4 DLC is coming this Spring. Like the last three Waves, the next DLC will add eight new tracks to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
New to Wave 4 is Yoshi’s Island, a new original course created for the Booster Course Pass. Filled with colourful scenery, huge jumps and underwater sections, the new track is inspired by the 1995 SNES platformer Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.
The remaining seven Wave 4 tracks were not announced, but most Booster Course tracks are remakes of classic Mario Kart circuits. The last three Waves added fan-favourite circuits like Maple Treeway, Kalimari Desert, and Waluigi Pinball.
Last seen in Mario Kart Double Dash!!! On the GameCube, Birdo is also returning in Wave 4 as a new playable character.
Wave 4 is slated for a Spring release, but the release date is yet to be confirmed. Booster Course Waves are typically released every three-four months.
Wave 3 came out on 7 December, so Wave 4 should arrive in March or April. Wave 5 and Wave 6 are also scheduled for this year.
Mario Kart Super Circuit out now on Switch Online
During the Direct, Nintendo also made the surprise announcement that a raft of retro Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games are now available on Nintendo Switch Online.
Of most interest to racing game fans are Mario Kart Super Circuit and F-Zero Maximum Velocity.
Originally released for GameBoy Advance in 2001 as the first portable entry in the franchise, Mario Kart Super Circuit blends gameplay elements of the original Super Mario Kart with Mario Kart 64.
While Mario Kart 64 made the jump to 3D, Mario Kart Super Circuit features 2D sprite scaling graphics with updated character designs and items from Mario Kart 64.
With 40 tracks including 20 from Super Mario Kart, it boasted the largest track roster in a Mario Kart game for the time. Up to four players can race online or locally in the Switch port.
F-Zero Maximum Velocity was originally launched on Gameboy Advance in 2001 and is set 25 years after the original F-Zero in the year 2585. Its sequel, F-Zero Climax released in 2004, was the last F-Zero game.
You’ll need a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription to play these retro racers on Switch, which costs £34.99 per year for a single membership or £59.99 per year for a family subscription. This subscription also includes the Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass at no extra cost.
Other retro racing games available in the Switch Online + Expansion Pack include Mario Kart 64, F-Zero X, Excitebike 64, and Wave Race 64.