Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo Switch Release Date, Download Size, Price, and Everything Else You Need to Know

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch is an enhanced port of the Wii U classic, Mario Kart 8. It's easy to say that until Nintendo releases the likes of Splatoon 2, ARMS, and Super Mario Odyssey, it wants to keep Nintendo Switch buyers who are done with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild busy racing around tracks as Mario, Bowser, and Princess Peach, among others. But there’s a lot more to the game. Here’s what you need to know about Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe release date
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is out on April 28 for the Nintendo Switch. It should unlock at midnight for each region if you’re purchasing it digitally.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe download size
If you’re getting your Nintendo-themed kart racing fix digitally, you’ll need around 6.75GB free. This may vary from one region to another due to localisation but it should be around this size. The relatively low file size means that you should be able to have The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild (which clocks in at 13GB) and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe installed on the Nintendo Switch’s 32GB (which has around 25GB of usable space) storage with space to spare for some smaller games.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe pre-load time
While Nintendo is yet to officially announce whether Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can be pre-loaded, the support page for the Nintendo Switch states the following: “For pre-purchases, the game will be pre-loaded to your system at the time of your order. You'll be able to start playing it after downloading a small update, beginning at 12:00 a.m. ET on the game's release date.”

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe price
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe costs $60 (around Rs. 3,880) in the US and it costs the same digitally via Nintendo’s eShop storefront. There isn’t a special edition or variant with a racing wheel, unlike Mario Kart Wii.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe India price
Much like the Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe won’t be available officially. But that hasn’t stopped the enterprising parallel market from taking pre-orders. According to Mumbai dealers whom we’ve spoken to, expect a price between Rs. 4,200 to Rs. 4,500 — which is a bit steep versus buying it digitally, but at least it ensures that you save space on the Nintendo Switch’s internal storage.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe versus Mario Kart 8: what’s different?
Unlike most ports and remasters, Nintendo has made some thoughtful additions for this new version of the game. Here's what's different:

• Characters can now carry up to two items at once.
• In conjunction with this, there is the Double Item Box that allows players to gain an item while holding another one.
• There are two new features for beginners. Smart Steering and Auto-accelerate. The former makes driving and staying on tracks like Rainbow Road easier, while the latter lets the kart accelerate automatically.
• Time Trials have been added in the 200cc engine class.
• An additional level of boost, called Ultra Mini-Turbo has been added. It can only be accessed with Smart Steering off.
• Character and vehicle combinations can be changed during an online lobby. The Wii U version forced you to leave a lobby to do so, which made playing online painful, unless you stuck to a single combination.
• Loading times are reduced versus the Wii U version.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe removes fire hopping
Fire hopping is a controversial exploit from Mario Kart 8. By repeatedly hopping with pressing the ‘R’ button, players could get an extra boost of speed. A player could hop repeatedly from left to right with the "R" button to get extra speed from a turbo boost. This has been removed in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC
All vehicle parts exclusive to the downloadable content (DLC) for Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U is now in-game. These include the Mercedes-Benz x Mario Kart 8, The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8, and the Animal Crossing x Mario Kart 8 add-on packs. However there's a catch. You won't be able to use them immediately. Which brings us to...

How to unlock Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC
As you keep playing the game, you obtain coins. Spending them randomly unlocks the aforementioned DLC in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Are you looking forward to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or do other upcoming Nintendo Switch releases like Splatoon 2 grab your fancy instead? Let us know via the comments.