MK8D Courses/Cups

Quick Stats

General Information

Total Number of Courses: 96 (Base game: 48, DLC: 48 from the Booster Course Pass)
Course Types: Original (new tracks designed for the game) and Retro (remastered tracks from previous Mario Kart titles)
Release Date:
- Base Game: April 28, 2017
- Booster Course Pass DLC Waves: Released between March 2022 and December 2023
Number of Cups:
- Base Game: 12 Cups (4 courses per Cup)
- DLC: 12 Cups (4 courses per Cup)

Base Game Course Stats

Original Courses: 16
Retro Courses: 32
Retro Course Distribution:
- Super Mario Kart (SNES): 4 tracks
- Mario Kart 64: 4 tracks
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit (GBA): 4 tracks
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN): 4 tracks
- Mario Kart DS: 4 tracks
- Mario Kart Wii: 4 tracks
- Mario Kart 7 (3DS): 4 tracks
- Other Titles: Additional courses incorporated as applicable

DLC Course Stats (Booster Course Pass)

Wave Release Schedule:
- Wave 1: March 18, 2022
- Wave 2: August 4, 2022
- Wave 3: December 7, 2022
- Wave 4: March 9, 2023
- Wave 5: July 12, 2023
- Wave 6: December 7, 2023
Booster Course Pass Breakdown:
- Retro Courses: 40
- New Courses: 8

Booster Course Pass New Courses

Ninja Hideaway (Wave 1)
Sky High Sundae (Wave 2)
Merry Mountain (Wave 3)
Tour Vancouver Velocity (Wave 4)
Tour Los Angeles Laps (Wave 5)
Tour Singapore Speedway (Wave 6)
Yoshi’s Island (Wave 6)
Squeaky Clean Sprint (Wave 6)

Environmental Features

Thematic Diversity: Courses range from tropical beaches, icy mountains, haunted mansions, bustling cities, underwater sections, space stations, and rainbow-filled tracks.
Interactive Elements: Moving platforms, shifting hazards, alternate routes, and environmental interactivity like bouncing on mushrooms or gliding through wind tunnels.
Terrain Types: Asphalt, dirt, snow, sand, ice, underwater, and anti-gravity zones.

Base Game Iconic Courses

Rainbow Road (N64): A remastered version of the iconic course, shortened for fast-paced gameplay.
Wario’s Gold Mine (Wii): Introduces narrow tracks and dynamic mine carts.
Tick-Tock Clock (DS): Gears and pendulums create a challenging but exciting environment.
Mount Wario (Original): A unique course split into sections rather than laps.

Notable DLC Retro Courses

Coconut Mall (Wii): A fan-favorite mall setting with escalators and Shy Guy drivers.
Peach Gardens (DS): A tranquil garden-themed track with multiple paths.
Choco Mountain (N64): A mountainous course with falling rocks and sharp turns.
Maple Treeway (Wii): A visually stunning autumnal track featuring falling leaves.
Koopa Cape (Wii): A water-themed course with rushing rapids and underwater sections.

Gameplay Mechanics

Anti-Gravity Sections: Found on tracks like Electrodrome and Mute City, allowing players to defy gravity and perform Spin Boosts.
Underwater Zones: Featured in tracks like Dolphin Shoals and Water Park.
Glider Sections: Found in tracks like Cloudtop Cruise and Wuhu Island.

Music

Dynamic Music System: Track themes adjust based on the intensity of the race, such as speeding up in the final lap.
Orchestrated Soundtracks: Many tracks feature live recordings for a richer audio experience.

Course Trivia

Longest Course: Mount Wario, with no laps, just continuous downhill racing.
Shortest Course: Excitebike Arena, due to its simple oval design.
Most Reused Retro Course: Rainbow Road, appearing in multiple iterations.
Most Visually Stunning DLC Track: Sky High Sundae, a vibrant dessert-themed course debuting in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Technical Details

Resolution: 1080p (docked), 720p (handheld)
Frame Rate: 60 fps (up to two players), 30 fps (four players split-screen)
Course Design: Tracks optimized for multiplayer, with attention to balance and shortcuts.

Reception and Impact

Top-Selling Racing Game: As of 2025, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold over 60 million copies worldwide.
Critical Acclaim: The extensive track roster, including DLC, is often praised for variety, creativity, and nostalgic value.
Fan Favorites: Tracks like Coconut Mall, Waluigi Pinball, and Rainbow Road have sparked dedicated fan discussions and rankings.

This robust collection of courses, enriched by the Booster Course Pass, cements Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a definitive title in the Mario Kart franchise.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe boasts a robust selection of courses that encapsulate the franchise’s hallmark creativity and diversity. The base game includes 48 tracks, spread across 12 cups, blending newly designed courses with remastered retro tracks from earlier entries in the series. These courses span various themes, including bustling cities, serene beaches, icy mountains, and fantastical dreamscapes, offering players a dynamic racing experience. Signature tracks such as Mount Wario, with its continuous downhill design, and Rainbow Road (N64), with its remastered visuals, showcase the game’s ability to innovate while honoring its legacy.

The addition of the Booster Course Pass DLC expands the course roster to an impressive 96 tracks, doubling the original selection. Released in six waves between 2022 and 2023, the DLC includes a mix of retro tracks and new designs, such as the vibrant Sky High Sundae and the nostalgic Yoshi’s Island. Fan-favorite tracks like Coconut Mall and Maple Treeway were meticulously remastered, preserving their charm while enhancing visuals and gameplay to meet modern standards. The DLC also introduced courses from Mario Kart Tour, such as Tokyo Blur and Ninja Hideaway, integrating new racing environments into the console experience.

Each course is meticulously designed with varied terrains and mechanics to challenge players. Anti-gravity sections, introduced in Mario Kart 8, add a fresh layer of strategy, while underwater zones and glider sections diversify gameplay. Many tracks also include shortcuts and interactive elements, such as shifting hazards, alternate routes, and environmental changes, which keep races engaging and unpredictable. Tracks like Electrodrome and Big Blue emphasize fast-paced action, while others, like Animal Crossing, adapt their environments based on seasons, adding unique replayability.

The course selection in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe reflects the series’ legacy while embracing innovation, solidifying its status as a quintessential kart-racing game. The variety and sheer number of tracks ensure that every race feels fresh and exciting, catering to both casual players and competitive racers. By blending nostalgia with modern gameplay mechanics, the courses have become a defining feature of the game, offering countless hours of enjoyment for players of all ages.

Base Game Cups

Mushroom Cup

Mario Kart Stadium
A beginner-friendly course showcasing anti-gravity sections and wide turns.
Water Park
A vibrant amusement park with underwater tunnels and scenic attractions.
Sweet Sweet Canyon
A candy-themed track with split paths and colorful confections.
Thwomp Ruins
A ruin-themed course with crumbling architecture, shortcuts, and imposing Thwomps.

Flower Cup

Mario Circuit
A figure-eight course with vibrant visuals and anti-gravity loops.
Toad Harbor
A seaside town with trolleys, winding paths, and alternate routes.
Twisted Mansion
A haunted mansion filled with eerie corridors and underwater areas.
Shy Guy Falls
A scenic waterfall track with steep inclines and Shy Guys hard at work.

Star Cup

Sunshine Airport
A bustling airport featuring planes taking off and luggage conveyors.
Dolphin Shoals
An underwater course with twisting pipes and sea life.
Electrodrome
A neon-lit, music-themed track with pulsing visuals and energetic beats.
Mount Wario
A single-lap course that descends from a snowy mountaintop through various terrains.

Special Cup

Cloudtop Cruise
A whimsical track in the clouds, featuring airships and a stormy section.
Bone-Dry Dunes
A desert track with dry, skeletal remains and anti-gravity pathways.
Bowser's Castle
A fiery castle track with spinning hazards and a giant Bowser statue.
Rainbow Road
A futuristic, space-themed Rainbow Road with sharp turns and anti-gravity segments.

Shell Cup (Retro)

Wii Moo Moo Meadows
A peaceful countryside track with cows and rolling hills.
GBA Mario Circuit
A simple circuit with tight corners and retro-style design.
DS Cheep Cheep Beach
A tropical beach course with underwater elements and scenic views.
N64 Toad's Turnpike
A highway track where players navigate traffic and dodge vehicles.

Banana Cup (Retro)

GCN Dry Dry Desert
A desert course with shifting dunes and quicksand traps.
SNES Donut Plains 3
A retro track with sharp corners and uneven terrain.
N64 Royal Raceway
A scenic track with a long jump and a view of Peach’s Castle.
3DS DK Jungle
A jungle-themed course with a temple, swinging vines, and lively atmosphere.

Leaf Cup (Retro)

DS Wario Stadium
A dirt track with large jumps, mud pits, and fiery obstacles.
GCN Sherbet Land
An icy track with slippery sections and underwater segments.
3DS Music Park
A music-themed course with bouncing notes and rhythmic pathways.
N64 Yoshi Valley
A labyrinth-like course with multiple routes and a giant Yoshi egg.

Lightning Cup (Retro)

DS Tick-Tock Clock
A mechanical-themed course featuring gears, pendulums, and rotating platforms.
3DS Piranha Plant Slide
A sewer-themed track with twisting pipes and Piranha Plants.
Wii Grumble Volcano
A fiery volcanic course with crumbling terrain and hazardous lava flows.
N64 Rainbow Road
A shorter, streamlined version of the iconic N64 track with a starry backdrop.

Egg Cup (DLC Included in Base Game)

GCN Yoshi Circuit
A winding track shaped like Yoshi, featuring sharp corners and scenic views.
Excitebike Arena
A dirt arena inspired by Excitebike, with ramps and a randomized layout.
Dragon Driftway
A dragon-themed course with tight curves and anti-gravity elements.
Mute City
A fast-paced track from F-Zero featuring speed boosts and futuristic visuals.

Triforce Cup (DLC Included in Base Game)

Wii Wario’s Gold Mine
A mine-themed track with minecarts and treacherous curves.
SNES Rainbow Road
A flat, colorful version of Rainbow Road with sharp turns and Thwomps.
Ice Ice Outpost
A glacial track with split routes and icy hazards.
Hyrule Circuit
A The Legend of Zelda-themed track with rupees and iconic locations.

Crossing Cup (DLC Included in Base Game)

GCN Baby Park
A chaotic, oval-shaped track with seven laps and constant action.
GBA Cheese Land
A cheese-themed course with tight corners and Mouse enemies.
Wild Woods
A forest-themed track with a treehouse village and water sections.
Animal Crossing
A seasonal track inspired by the Animal Crossing series with changing layouts.

Bell Cup (DLC Included in Base Game)

3DS Neo Bowser City
A rain-soaked city course with sharp turns and a slick surface.
GBA Ribbon Road
A toy-themed track with winding roads and vibrant visuals.
Super Bell Subway
A subway-themed course with trains and alternate routes.
Big Blue
A high-speed F-Zero track with continuous boost pads and futuristic scenery.