To the delight of Switch users Nintendo have released the first eight courses as part of their new booster pack for Mario Kart 8. The additional content, announced during February’s Nintendo Direct, will consist of 48 courses released in six instalments. With a mix of newer tracks and remastered classics from games gone by, it seems well worth the coins.
The first cups to drop, the Golden Dash Cup and Lucky Cat Cup, include tracks revamped and revived from the N64, Wii and 3DS. Returning tracks, Coconut Mall and Shroom Ridge, are a charming jolt of nostalgia to transport any Celtic Tiger child straight back to 2007.
Other newly released tracks include Paris Promenade, Tokyo Blur and Ninja Hideaway from the mobile game Mario Kart Tour. Toad Circuit returns from Mario Kart 3DS, Choco Mountain from Mario Kart 64 and Sky Garden from Mario Kart on the Game Boy Advance. With the remaining tracks set to be released over the coming weeks, it’s a perfect way for students to spend some summer downtime in their childhood homes.
The booster pack stands to be the biggest update to the game since its 2014 release, with minor updates remastering it for a Switch release in 2017. The additional tracks will double the number of courses in the game for a fraction of the base game’s cost.
For fans impatient for new content the booster pack may be their best bet. While Mario Kart 9 is rumored to be in development, Mario Kart 8’s consistent sales suggest that it’ll be the contender at the starting line for some time to come. According to Business Insider, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the highest-selling Switch game, having sold over 15-million copies just one year after its release on the console.
The booster pack is available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership plan (€39.99) or as a one-time purchase for €24.99.
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