Earlier today, Nintendo update Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Switch 1 and 2. Wait, what?
Yeah, in a move that shocked a large portion of the community, the company put out a surprise update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which improved performance on Switch 2 and added a surprising number of new features to the game.
#MarioKart 8 Deluxe now has added features when played on Nintendo Switch 2!
Find out more about the free update here: https://t.co/w5D6CiTyge pic.twitter.com/CmpbimbA5I
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 2, 2026
These include up to 8-player local multiplayer functionality, Switch 2 camera support, various visual fidelity upgrades to make it look better on the new console, plus the option to play up to 96 races in a row if you have the Booster Course Pass DLC.
It’s a strange turn of events for sure, and a surprising number of new additions for such a sudden update. And, that’s not even the weirdest part here.
No, it’s the small things that baffle us the most. Since well, they didn’t just improve the performance or add new features to the game.
Instead, they also tweaked various elements of the base game too. These include Boos letting the player not slow down when going off-road under one’s effect, and every kart’s speed being increased by the equivalent of one coin.
Yeah, time trials have been thrown into chaos, and the item meta has been shaken up too. Talk about a strange change to make after nearly a decade!
And it raises a few interesting questions. Most notably, what other games could get changed like this in future?
Since well, the existence of another Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update post-World (as well as a similar update for Pikmin 3 Deluxe) implies that older instalments in a series are able to get major updates and overhauls on Switch 2. That even games you’d think Nintendo would have long moved on from (Paper Mario: The Origami King, Pokémon Sword & Shield, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Tropical Freeze, etc) could get the Switch 2 update treatment. That major elements of old games could be randomly overhauled, even after a newer instalment took the spotlight.
So, the floodgates seem to be well and truly open here. The possibilities for Switch 2 editions and updates are crazier than ever before.
Regardless, that’s the latest update in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and what it brings to the table. But what are your thoughts on it? Are you surprised to see a change like this at this stage?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or on our Discord server today!
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