Mario Kart 8 Deluxeis now not only the best-sellingMario Kartgame ever, but also the best-selling Nintendo Switch game. That alone is an impressive achievement, but considering the game was originally released in 2014 for the Wii U (a console that sold poorly), it becomes all the more remarkable. It’s no surprise, though, given how fun it is to whizz around anti-gravity tracks and play renegade roundup with friends. The game’s flawless execution makes it difficult to imagine Nintendo releasing a sequel that outperformsMario Kart 8.
At this point, the necessity of such a sequel is worth debating. The newly released tracks forMario Kart 8show that Nintendo is still very much invested in the title, and whileMario Kart 9is rumoredto be in development, it probably won’t release for a long time. Almost anything that could be added to a new game in the series could be added as DLC toMario Kart 8 Deluxe, similar toSuper Smash Bros. UltimateorAnimal Crossing: New Horizons. The prospect of regular updates makes the idea of a sequel seem redundant.
RELATED:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Opens the Door for More Surprise Expansions
Mario Kart 8’s DLC Tracks
Prior to February’s Nintendo Direct, the idea ofMario Kart 9didn’t seem so far-fetched. It had been five years since the release ofMario Kart 8 Deluxe, and while the game was still selling well, its content had run its course for many players. Then, Nintendo announced that eight courses were to be added at a time, over six waves of releases, right up until the end of 2023.Reactions toMario Kart 8 Deluxe’sDLC were mixed, but the game’s lifespan had almost instantly been rejuvenated because of this announcement.
New Online Content for Mario Kart
If Nintendo is willing to put out DLC for new racetracks, then what’s stopping the company from doing something similar with racers or game modes?Mario Kart 8 Deluxealready provides a substantial roster of characters to choose from, including characters from both the Mario universe and other games likeSplatoonandAnimal Crossing. Even so, there are still plenty of others that could be added, like Birdo, Funky Kong, and Wiggler. It would make sense to offer such characters as DLC akin to howSuper Smash Bros. Ultimateprovided new fighters.
RELATED:Mario Kart 9 Needs More Tracks Like Ninja Hideaway
Moreover, Nintendo could regularly update the game with free content, too. Weekly challenges and rotating game modes would giveMario Kart 8 Deluxeongoing, live content. Rather than having to wait for the next wave of DLC, players would have an opportunity to play something new each week. It’s another addition that helps justify the arguably steep price ofNintendo Switch Online’sExpansion Pack.
More and more developers are utilizing alive-serviceapproach to games. The technology that makes this possible is relatively new, and like other trends in gaming, Nintendo was slow to embrace the change. In some ways, that’s a good thing, but Nintendo will have to make difficult decisions when updating games likeMario Kart 8 Deluxe. Otherwise, the company risks putting out titles that are redundant for gamers to buy. Nintendo has admittedly released a handful of redundant titles in the past, though, at least in the case of theNew Super Mario Bros.series.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxeis available now for Nintendo Switch.
MORE:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Dataminers Discover Future Booster Course Track Hints
