Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 5: Release date, tracks, characters, patch notes & more

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe came out back in 2017, and yet the kart racer’s popularity is showing no signs of slowing down. While players are patiently waiting for Mario Kart 9 to be announced, Nintendo is still supporting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the Booster Course Pass adding new tracks every few months. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 5 is the latest DLC, but what does it include?

From the new tracks and characters to the latest patch update, we’ve got everything you need to know about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 5.

Tracks

Like every Booster Course Pass DLC, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 5 adds eight new colourful circuits to race on. Seven of these are remastered tracks from past Mario Kart games with HD textures, but one of them is brand new to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Set in a bathroom filled with obstacles to avoid, Squeaky Clean Sprint sees you race underwater in a giant bath.

The eight tracks are split into two cups:

Cherry Cup tracks

• Los Angeles Laps (Mario Kart Tour)
• Sunset Wilds (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)
• Koopa Cape (Mario Kart Wii)
• Vancouver Velocity (Mario Kart Tour)

Feather Cup tracks

• Daisy Cruiser (Mario Kart: Double-Dash!!)
• Moonview Highway (Mario Kart Wii)
• Athens Dash (Mario Kart Tour)
• Squeaky Clean Sprint (New)

Characters

Alongside the new circuits, Wave 5 includes three new characters. You can race as Kamek (Mario Kart Tour), Petey Piranha (Mario Kart Double Dash!!) or Wiggler (Mario Kart 7).

Despite first appearing in 1995’s Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, this is the first time Kamek appears as a playable character in a mainline Mario Kart game.

Release date

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 5 launches today, 12 July. There’s no specific launch time, but the Nintendo eShop usually updates around 3 pm BST, so we expect Wave 5 to go live around then.

To download the Wave 5 tracks, you’ll need the Mario Kart 8 Booster Course Pass. This can be downloaded separately from the eShop for £22.49/$24.99 or is included with the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership at no extra cost.

There’s still one final Wave left after Wave 5. The release date for Wave 6 is yet to be announced, but Booster Course Pass waves usually release every three-four months. With that in mind, we expect Wave 6 to arrive later this year in October or November.

In total, the Booster Course Pass will add a whopping 48 courses, doubling the number of tracks in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update 2.4.0 patch notes

Coinciding with Wave 5 is a new patch update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. As well as adding the new tracks and characters, update 2.4.0 brings several bug fixes and gameplay improvements.

You can find a full list of changes in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update 2.4.0 patch notes below.

Support for DLC

• Now supports paid DLC: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, Wave 5 (two cups, eight courses, and three characters).

General

• Improved the performance of some characters and vehicle customizations.
• Adjusted the invincibility time of some characters.
• Adjusted random item selection method in races where Custom Items is set, for when there are four players or less.
• Expanded range for when a warning displays when a Red Shell or Spiny Shell approaches from behind.
• Made it so that warnings about a Red Shell or Spiny Shell will be displayed with priority over other warnings.
• Made it so that a warning is not displayed when a Red Shell is targeting opponents.
• Made it so that L/R button operation on the class selection screen and course selection screen in the Grand Prix can be conducted on touchscreen as well.
• Lowered the appearance rate of Mirror and 200cc races in Worldwide and Regional settings.

Fixed Issues

• Fixed an issue where a communication error occurs when a character catches a boomerang at the same time that a Boo brings an item.
• Fixed an issue where, when equipping an item and catching a boomerang at the same time, the player could not throw that item.
• Fixed an issue where the graph for the Mii Heavy weight class’s parameters didn’t match the actual abilities.
• Fixed an issue where a warning would not appear when an opponent used a Bullet Bill in online matches.
• Made it so the kart doesn’t spin or crash when running into an obstruction if the player uses a Super Star, Bullet Bill or Boo at that same time.
• Fixed an issue where the kart would get stuck between a cliff and small mushroom and be unable to move in Wii Mushroom Gorge.
• Fixed an issue where the player would go off the course when transformed as Bullet Bill right in front of the goal in GBA Riverside Park.