Mario Kart (Series) | Question

[Mr EliteL]

What game does that? I can't recall Mario Kart ever featuring transformations.

I doubt MK9 will involve smart devices though. Nintendo has never released a game that's on a smart device and their home console, and Mario Kart doesn't really have a use for a companion app like Animal Crossing and Pokémon do. I do hope that the seasonal event GP things that Mario Kart World Tour has doesn't come into Mario Kart 9 though. I don't want to go through the experience of CTR: NF all over again. x.x

I meant what you said about Sonic Racing Transformed, and I assume Diddy Kong Racing too as I had no clue that may have done so. I mean different types of vehicles. Then again Mario Kart did get the inclusion of bikes, so perhaps it could after all.

Oh not GPs, hope not. Once in CTR:NF is enough, no more games need to do that. Just the normal already in-game GPs, or Cup as Mario Kart calls 'em.

[Moonface]

Ah, you mean others have done it so Mario Kart wouldn't. I don't think that would stop it, since anti-gravity was not unique to Mario Kart 8. Crash Nitro Kart did it back in 2003 and I don't even know if that's the earliest example of a kart racer featuring anti-gravity segments.

Twists aside, I wonder if the next Mario Kart could add any new modes at all. I'd really love it to feature a full-fledged adventure mode like CTR and DKR, although I'm not sure who the villain(s) would be, unless it does something like the Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Campaign where there isn't really a main boss, you just get various challenges and such instead.

[Moonface]

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Announced
Well, looks like Nintendo isn't going to be moving on from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe any time soon, with the announcement of a Booster Course Pass for the game during today's Nintendo Direct.



As per the trailer, the pass will be paid DLC, coming in at $24.99, and will offer 48 remastered courses across six waves of 8. Subscribers to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack will be able to access the Booster Course Pass at no additional cost.

---

I was irked at $25 for remastered tracks, but 48 tracks for that is a steal! That's practically the content of a full game for half the cost. For those with better knowledge of past Mario Kart courses than myself, does anyone know what the eight tracks in Wave 1 are based on the pictures?

[Mr EliteL]

I was also a bit miffed at being paid dlc, but then it was for 6 Waves of 8 tracks, which I most certainly will consider getting.

I saw Sky Gardens, looks like two more from Mario Kart Tour I don't recognise, possibly Mushroom Bridge and...something else I should know because I remember that boost pad, just not the damn name. The trailer already mentioned Coconut Mall, Choco Mountain and Tour Tokyo Blur.

[ShiraNoMai]

COCONUT MALL POGGERS COGGERS

Yeah, it was a big jebait that it wasn't a Mario Kart 9 announcement, but clearly Nintendo knows the demand exists. It just doesn't make any business sense for them to do so right now; MK8 is literally Nintendo's most profitable piece of software right now on Switch. To separate a player base so wide would be foolish. We'll get a new mainline MK game when Nintendo puts out the next console, which will come no sooner than a 2025 holiday window.

I'm absolutely getting this DLC; I get a lot of mileage out of playing Mario Kart either with Moony or with friends/coworkers.

[Moonface]

I've seen a lot of comments around social media about how the art style of the DLC tracks doesn't match the base game visuals, and I agree there is definitely a distinct difference in art style. The common consensus seems to be that the tracks are being ported straight out of Mario Kart Tour which uses a very similar aesthetic style to these DLC tracks. I'd hope Nintendo addresses the art style but I doubt they will, and it won't be enough to turn me off the DLC but I do wish there was a consistent style across the entire game.

Does anyone have any tracks they hope to see come in the later waves?

[ShiraNoMai]

Coconut Mall was my one wishlist track for sure. Off the top of my head, Waluigi Stadium would be dope to have back. It's different to the Wario Stadium we have in MK8 as it has half-pipes and such that make it quite fun

Thinking of it, DK Mountain would also be a sick comeback. I loved that track and the falling boulders section

[Mr EliteL]

I think I was wrong with one of them being Mushroom Bridge, I kinda knew it add the time I was wrong but I set on it because the tunnel looked like that section of the track, but surely the actual bridge part itself would be the image used to for the track selection icon.

I agree for Waluigi Stadium and DK Mountain. Wario Colosseum, yes and make it have the full 3 laps this time, YES. At least one of the SNES or GBA Bowser's Castles, perhaps both DD and Wii Bowser's Castle or also at least one of them. So in which case I want to see at least two Bowser's Castles returning. Would love an ultimate nostalgia trip of having DD Rainbow Road come back, because that theme I adore so much. I would have a huge grin whenever I play on it, even if I fall off the track. Would be cool if they changed it slightly to instead of having be launched up the shoot, with MK 8's mechanics you get drive up the shute, but you can drive around inside so as not to have to take a straight line up, you move and weave or what have you upwards. Or have the normal launch, I don't mind.

[Moonface]

It's hard for me to accurately pick tracks because I haven't played them, but having a look at YouTube videos I think these could be good tracks to see:

• Toad's Factory (Wii)
  
• Cheep Cheep Lagoon (7, Tour)
  
• Shy Guy Bazaar (7, Tour)
  
• Waluigi Pinball (DS, 7)
  
• Wuhu Loop (7)
  
• Rock Rock Mountain (7, Tour)
  
• Wario Shipyard (7)
  
• Maple Treeway (Wii, 7, Tour)
  
• DK Mountain (DD, Wii)
  
• Mushroom City (DD)
  
• Rosalina's Ice World (7, Tour)
  
• Dino Dino Jungle (DD, 7, Tour)
  

I wanted to look at tracks exclusively in Tour but I can't find anywhere that documents them all decently.

[Mr EliteL]

Ooh yes Mushroom City would be great to see remade, although if it had to have MK8 elements incorporated, I think I'd rather it be a standard track perhaps, or just less of it. Dino Dino Jungle I also wouldn't mind seeing included and Maple Treeway too.

[Moonface]

I actually wonder if any of the booster tracks are even going to feature anti-gravity, especially if they're coming from Tour which a lot of people believe that are as the art styles match up. It's not the end of the world if the tracks don't have that feature but it's going to be weird that half the game will suddenly have none of the gimmick that MK8 was built around.

[ShiraNoMai]

Does Tour not have anti-grav tracks? I can't see NO part of them having nothing; seems like they'll make just about all of them have some degree of it like they did with implementing the non-MK8 exclusive courses.

[Moonface]

Does Tour not have anti-grav tracks? I can't see NO part of them having nothing; seems like they'll make just about all of them have some degree of it like they did with implementing the non-MK8 exclusive courses.

From what I can tell it doesn't. If all the tracks that come over in the first pack are ported from Tour then I expect they're just going to copy and paste them all over with very little extra work done and no anti-grav.

[Mr EliteL]

I wouldn't mind so much if the Tour tracks come without anti-gravity sections, I won't play Tour ever and getting some of them in MK8 as is will be fine enough.

[ShiraNoMai]

I've heard Tour is kind of bad with it's money-grabbing mechanics. Has anyone here actually played it?