Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Games review
As of Jun 23, 2026, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is rated 91/100 on OpenCritic (133 critic reviews), and 92/100 on Metacritic (99 critic reviews). Each source is shown in its own units, never blended into one score.
Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe worth it in 2026?
Scoring 91, 92 out of 100 across two major critic aggregators is not noise, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a genuinely excellent kart racer, and the fully overhauled battle mode plus all previously released DLC bundled in make it the most complete version of the game by a meaningful margin. The Switch's portability turns what was already an addictive multiplayer experience into something you can take anywhere, which is a real functional upgrade rather than a marketing bullet point. The honest catch is that the core racing content is largely the same game released on Wii U in 2014, the online experience went untouched, and anyone buying primarily for online multiplayer will run into a stagnant mode in a genre where that matters. For anyone coming in fresh this is an easy recommendation; for players who already know the tracks, the upgrade amounts to a fixed battle mode, bundled DLC, and portability, worthwhile only if those specifics justify the full price to you.
Switch owners who never played the Wii U original and want a polished, content-complete game that works equally well as a living-room party game or a portable one.
The overwhelming majority of tracks and race content is recycled from 2014, the online mode was not improved, and the new additions are essentially the overhauled battle mode and bundled DLC, players who have spent real time with Mario Kart 8 in any form, or who plan to play primarily online rather
ReviewPond's conclusion, drawn only from the verified scores and review themes below. Not a paid or editorial opinion.
Different sources measure different things, so each is shown in its own units and never merged into one number.
Pros
- overhauled battle mode7
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- 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. T...
- 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.
- 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...
- definitive version of original6
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- Nintendo fixes one of Mario Kart 8's only shortcomings in a generous port of a modern masterpiece.
- 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.
- included dlc content4
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- 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.
- 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...
- 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 Delux...
- switch portability4
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- 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 Swit...
- 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.
- 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 (w...
- great multiplayer3
see reviews +-
- 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. T...
- 'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' bring racing chaos, and great multiplayer to the Switch.
- 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 fr...
- visuals and polish3
see reviews +-
- 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. T...
- 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...
- 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 be...
Cons
- limited new content for veterans4
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- 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...
- 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 Swit...
- 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 (w...
- mostly seen-before content3
see reviews +-
- 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. T...
- 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...
- 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 Swit...
Themes and quotes are drawn from 19 sampled reviews with text; the scores above reflect all 232 ratings. Counts are how many of the sampled reviews mention each point.