Looks Like Some People In The West Are Playing The Mario Kart 8 DLC Early

Looks better than I expected, but end part with the cars is a disappointment. If I can't be run over by my own Miis then what is the point?

It looks okay… still bummed over the fact we probably won’t see a Mario 9 until next gen

The cars in Coconut Mall don't move. Didn't expect that. I still trust Nintendo<3

Disappointed about the cars not moving anymore, but the DLC is definitely better than I was expecting. Based on yesterday's press release, I was worried the city tracks would just open up every route (which would make them very messy to play), but it's been confirmed that they instead change routes with every lap. Didn't think they'd actually do that, but it's even better than if they just made each variant selectable akin to the seasons in Animal Crossing. New remixes for every track is also nice

How are people playing them early as the article doesn't mention it?

The part of the track at 0: 15 of the twitter video is STUNNING!

@dil_power I'm curious. What did you want out of Mario Kart 9 that you aren't getting here?

@Clyde_Radcliffe Very bad people.😢(😁) They've hacked something.

@dil_power I don’t even think we’ll see it then, all these extra tracks take us up to 2023 and then I think we’ll get Mario Kart 8 Ultimate on the next console in 2024 which will have all this content on the cartridge.

CUE THE MUSIC!
DOORADADADADADADA DADADADADATTLELADA!

Shame they got rid of the boost pads at the end, but the moving cars were honestly pretty annoying and added a random element that could really screw you over. But anyways, WOW, IT REALLY DOES LOOK SO GOOD! You've redeemed yourselves, Nintendo! Now I just want MK8 to last forever and get every track ever made in one game. Sorry, Smash Kart and MK9 people.

So apparently a hacker in his lobby voted in the map and thats how he got to play it early.

I hear something. A song I haven't heard since...
nostalgic flashbacks

@HamatoYoshi Damn I Hope you are wrong but honestly if the next console is (hopefully) backwards compatible I don’t think we would see as many « re-releases » but then again who knows…

@Late I may be in the minority but I have been playing MK8 for so long I feel it’s visuals fairly dated compared to the competition (such as CTR) but then again waiting until next gen might help with the graphics and I also long for more single player content especially some sort of campaign. But I am sure there are loads of things other people would want out of a MK8 successor if anything I am shocked so many people are content playing the same game for so long (but then again lmao who had a Wii U?) I wish these new tracks came with new racers as well… anyways glad so many people are excited for these new tracks.

I have to admit this looks better than it did in the initial screenshots, but certain elements, like the trees, are just so dull looking when compared to what this game already offered years ago. It wouldn’t bother me so much if the base game weren't so absolutely detailed and gorgeous, but the graphical disparity between the original courses and the Booster Pass ones is just hard to ignore.

@dil_power CTR looks a little better, but most of the tracks aren't as dynamic since there's no antigravity mechanic and the game also runs pretty rough on Switch compared to other platforms. Nintendo might not be able to push the graphical fidelity much further this gen.

@ThomasBW84
Heh, ignore it? Like they did with Age of Calamity? Actually, that one was worse...

@Not_Soos I played it on PS4 pro and I think it looked a lot better beyond even just resolution but I agree Nintendo probably can’t do much more with current hardware and I don’t blame them altogether… I would rather a slightly underpowered Switch than a louder and heavier machine like the Steamdeck but hopefully next gen will be at least one Tflop

This is sad. They butchered this course all so they can implement it into tour, all without having to remake it twice.

And to think people cried about the graphics when first shown.

@ThomasBW84 Well Gamexplain got an unlock key early so perhaps they did too? 🤔

Going to restrain myself and not buy this right now. I really wanted DLC for Mario Kart 8 DX and I have zero complaints.

@IronMan30 no need to rush and buy wait until they are out and do random worldwides and play on them without buying

The static cars at the end have ruined it for me. It's just not the same course like this.

@Arkay This is Nintendolife - they'd cry even if the graphics were good.

I still don´t know if i´ll buy this DLC.

@CodyMKW very true, but I've been wanting new DLC for a while. That's the only reason it's restraint for me.

@WiltonRoots,

How dare you suggest some on here just complain for the sake of it, oh the mere thought of that happening on here is just ludicrous, wash you mouth out with soap and water.

@dil_power Fair. I only got Deluxe after the DLC announcement. I haven't played 8 since Wii U days so now it feels fresh all over again. Especially the original DLC cups which I've only played couple of times.

I'm personally happy we're getting DLC rather than a new game. My problem is that they usually drop some stuff whenever they make a new game so it's a possibility that they'd get rid of anti-gravity, which I quite like, just to have some kind of new mechanic so they can justify calling it a sequel. I wouldn't mind if they got rid of the glider, though. The glider sections are so brief, yet slow-paced, and they don't offer much variety. They could be replaced by ramps and nothing of value would be lost.

@johnvboy I'm entitled to my opinion etc etc....lol.

I was just looking at a couple of the tracks on Gamexplain - think I will be getting this DLC this weekend via purchasing the Expansion Pass. I only bought MK8 the other week during the sale because I want these extra tracks.

Glad to hear you just recently got a hold of MK8D! You are right about being somewhat apprehensive of what new features will be added/dropped with the next instalment… I heard some people say MK9 is already pretty much finished and Nintendo just recently changed their minds about postponing it to next gen seeing how MK8 is selling so well on Switch still 5 years later. I don’t know if it’s true but I can imagine how that makes a lot of sense from a business point of view and in the meantime I will probably give those new tracks a shot too

@6thHorizon i don’t think they are completely static. They wobble a bit.

Looking better than i though. Just shroom ridge looks really tour-y

@dil_power do you really think ctr looks better? Maybe in a resolution sense but they don’t have much inspiration. An airport. A mall. A murene. Thay’s mario kart.

How are people playing it already? It’s not as if a retailer can ship it early as its dlc so presumably only available through the e-shop. Looking forward to playing this either late tonight or tomorrow.

@WiltonRoots,

The Online expansion pack is a pretty sweet deal with hings like this, and you get the N64 and Genesis as well, not too mention the Animal crossing paradise DLC as well.

They should release it in the next hour or two so I don’t have to wait till late tomorrow

@romanista I personally think it looks better beyond resolution (textures, details in environments, cars, lighting etc) but I also think although it looks better from a technical point of view it doesn’t necessarily have a better art direction and I do much prefer the gameplay in MK8

@romanista

My criticism wasn’t about the graphics, they do look better than expected.
Navigating the cars at the end of the lap took fair amount of skill/ judgement/ luck that now just isn’t required. The nature of the track has been changed because part of what made it a classic has been removed.
Surely it wouldn’t have been that much effort to upscale the MK7 model instead?

@Arkay
wasnt much in the way of crying but there were a few people who were concerned that they would just be the tour tracks ported over and not the complete reimagining's that the previous MK8 retro tracks got.

the end result does look like they have definitely been remastered, while i feel like they arent quite as detailed as the current mario kart 8 courses i do feel they look very nice and definitely a step up from the tour versions.

definitely feels like they went all out with the music arrangements though.

overall im very much looking forward to the DLC, the tour content coming to MK8 was something i definitely wanted but didnt expect to happen. (also it meanst maple treeway in mk8 is likely now)

Just change your system region to Australia

The Paris track is cool, the last lap sees you going round the opposite way, driving into the racers behind.

The new tracks are great! But after not playing for ages, I had a warm up on online multiplayer whilst waiting for the tracks to drop and came 12th twice in a row 😥

@gcunit It's out in the EU now, so no need to do that. And same here, I'm liking the (new) courses very much.

Have been practicing last few weeks.

@sanderev really is it? Because in Greece I see that I can play the new cups by purchasing the Booster Pass or the Expansion Pack (which I have with family pack) it should have been available by now!

@john_lennon999 I had to still go into the eShop to "download" the dlc even though I have the NSO Expansion pack. After that the Switch checks if you are able to play the DLC and it let me right through. I'm in the Netherlands, though.

Just been on Choco mountain and it looks awesome, at no point did i feel it was out of step with all the existing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe courses.

Anyone else notice they haven't stated Ninja Hideaway is from MK tour... wonder why

@sanderev ha! That was it! So strange! I thought it was ok because it made an update with around 500MB! Thank you so much! Enjoy the new old courses!

Ugh.. Still not available in the US. When does it go live here? I'm in Pacific time and its 5:30 here.

@Crumpet123 Yeah, I'm assuming it was just a mistake and they'll fix it in an update.

@vio @Crumpet123 I’m seeing a lot of speculation on Reddit that presumes “Tour” is literally just for courses based on actually worldly locations, which I think is dumb, and/or that Ninja Hideaway and the entirety of the booster pack courses were meant to be released way earlier but Covid messed everything up and so it got ported to Tour first.

If it doesn’t get “corrected” soon, all we have to do to find out what Nintendo thinks of its origins for its courses, is to see if they release Merry Mountain in a future DLC pack and e see if it had “Tour” listed in the track. If it doesn’t, then Nintendo simply doesn’t count non-real world locations as MKT courses, even if they originated there.

Where is the cars with the Miis? D:

@Nameless_Shame I did wonder if it was potentially supposed to be a new track for the dlc. Wonder if there will be anymore. I always thought it was a bit odd adding an original course to tour that isn’t a city

@Late Odd question. What do you expect form any new game in a series? New tracks not old ones ported over, though they are fun in addition. New characters, New items, New mechanics/gimmicks.

You know. New stuff that we haven't seen and played elsewhere already.

I'd also like it to be visually on par at least with the MK8 original tracks rather than the paired down versions in this DLC. No they don't look bad, but they certainly don't look the same level and it's not an art direction it's a cut back.

Any new battle tracks?!