Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Reviews
Nintendo fixes one of Mario Kart 8's only shortcomings in a generous port of a modern masterpiece.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an amazing game for all the same reasons I mentioned in our original review. It's still a gorgeous kart racer and every bit as addictive as it was in 2014. This is the best entry in the series so far, and it has all the content you'll need. Returning players have seen a lot of this game before, but the overhauled Battle mode and its five additional ways to play are a great reason to pick it up. Nintendo didn't do enough to make the online experience better, but the rest of this game holds up well.
The blockbuster Mario Kart series makes its debut on the Nintendo Switch with an upgraded port, albeit one filled with a bunch of new and noteworthy content for fans.
Three years on: still a classic, and with its biggest weakness fixed. If you own a Switch it's a no-brainer – especially if it's your first time.
With multiple new additions and important improvements, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the definitive version of one of the Wii U's best games
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe makes significant updates to the original that make its racing chaos the definitive version.
Mario Kart 8 is an excellent game. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is even better.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has taken all the best parts from the Wii U version and improves quite a bit upon where it needed some adjustments.
When it comes to passing final judgement on a re-release like this it's tricky - do we scale back praise because it's content we've mostly seen before, or simply judge a release on its own merits? We've opted for the latter here, and so we have a definitive version of a fantastic Wii U game that adds its own extras to spruce up the experience.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe delivers a huge amount of racing goodness right out of the box, and it's a polished version of a Wii U entry that was a proper Battle Mode away from being top of class. Now that issue has been addressed, what we have is arguably the best Mario Kart release we've seen. Some will argue about where this entry stands in the pantheon of the franchise, but for our money it's competing for top spot.It's the definitive Mario Kart 8 experience, content-rich and a delightful feast of comedic, cartoonish karting action. It's a game that continually raises a smile and, occasionally, induces that trademark Mario Kart rage as shells strike and positions are lost. It's addictive and unifying, unfiltered fun that draws in anyone daring enough to take up the wheel. If you're a Switch owner, it's an easy choice.
This is how you spiff up an older game. What could have been a cynical attempt to double-dip into Nintendo fans' wallets actually turns out to be the Mario Kart series' definitive entry. The racing looks and feels just as great as it did on the Wii U, but the addition of battle modes finally makes it feel like a complete package. Add in the new characters and the Wii U DLC content, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a fantastic addition to the Switch's early library.
Deluxe may be the wrong word for it, but this is the definitive Mario Kart 8 experience, which ultimately makes it one of the best kart-racers ever made.
This is the best Mario Kart game ever made, expanding an already great Wii U title into a near-perfect racing game. Even so, players who have the original on Wii U may want to wait for a sale.
At the end of the day, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a Mario Kart game and (predictably) fantastic. With a fully upgraded Battle Mode and all the portability that comes with Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is undoubtedly the definitive version of the game — maybe even the series. However, with limited offerings for Mario Kart veterans who shelled out nearly $100 on the last experience, the title will be significantly less rewarding.
An excellent game that's still as good as it was 3 years ago... And now with every DLC and some subtle changes on its gameplay. If you haven't played Mario Kart 8 before this Deluxe version is a must buy.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The best Mario Kart game ever is back... even better, with a Battle Mode that has finally been fixed. Playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe anywhere, anytime is (almost) priceless.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mario Kart 8 returns with a ‘Deluxe' that comes with new features for this entertaining game. With better graphics and gameplay thanks to the Nintendo Switch, this is one of the best Mario Kart games ever made.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' bring racing chaos, and great multiplayer to the Switch.
In broad terms, I can understand why Mario Kart 8 might be hard to justify for some players. It's a re-release of a game Nintendo put out three years ago, and that Nintendo fans (who make up a large portion of the Switch audience) probably already played. That said, this is a fantastic addition to the Switch library, not just as a great game but as one that benefits from the system's core features. It adds the requisite new content and fixes the one large oversight of the original. Mario Kart 8 was already one of the best in the series. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is even better.
It seems that Nintendo Switch was made for a game like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Racing is fun and multiplayer (8 local/ 12 online) is unbeatable. Nevertheless, the only improvements from the Wii U game are 6 new characters, new items and some batte modes, and that is not enough.
Review in Spanish | Read full review