Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Just Got a Major Switch 2 Update

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe may be more than nine years old, but Nintendo is not ready to park it yet.

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Mario Kart 8 | Deluxe

Release Date: January 1, 1970

Genres: Racing, Arcade

More Info

Update Ver. 4.0.0 is now available, bringing substantial Nintendo Switch 2 improvements alongside a handful of changes that affect the actual racing.

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Switch 2 players get clearer visuals, shorter loading times, support for up to eight players in Multiplayer, and CameraPlay. Everyone also races slightly faster after the update, Boo has become more useful off-road, and Booster Course Pass players can finally set up a ridiculous 96-race VS session.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update 4.0.0 is out now

Nintendo released Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Ver. 4.0.0 on September 1, 2026, and this is considerably more interesting than the bug-fixing patches the game has received in recent years.

A large part of the update is focused on making the original Switch game feel more at home on Nintendo Switch 2. However, Nintendo has also adjusted driving speed and Boo, while players with access to the Booster Course Pass get a new VS Race option.

This is a normal software update rather than a separate paid Switch 2 Edition. If you already own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, updating the game gives you access to the relevant improvements on supported hardware.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe looks clearer and loads faster on Switch 2

The most obvious improvements are reserved for Nintendo’s newer hardware.

According to Nintendo, Ver. 4.0.0 adds support for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution televisions, resulting in clearer visuals.

Loading times before races and battles have also been shortened on Switch 2, which should be especially welcome when jumping through multiple events in a multiplayer session.

Switch 2 now supports 5-8 players in Multiplayer

This may be the biggest party-game upgrade in the patch.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe now supports five to eight players in Multiplayer when played on Nintendo Switch 2.

There is one controller-related catch. Nintendo says you can connect up to seven original Nintendo Switch controllers, including Joy-Con and Switch Pro Controllers, to a Switch 2 system.

To reach the full eight-player limit, at least one controller needs to be a Joy-Con 2 or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.

That makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe considerably better suited to large local gatherings, assuming everyone can still see what is happening once the shells start flying.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe now supports CameraPlay

Update 4.0.0 also brings over one of Switch 2’s more social features: CameraPlay.

With a compatible USB camera connected, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can display players’ faces during races.

CameraPlay can be turned on or off in Multiplayer with two to four players and in Online Play. It is not listed for the new five-to-eight-player mode.

Online CameraPlay also requires players to be participating in a GameChat session. Nintendo says camera footage and microphone audio are sent only to other GameChat members.

It is essentially the Mario Kart World “watch your friends suffer after a Blue Shell” experience making its way back into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Every Mario Kart 8 Deluxe racer is now slightly faster

The visual and multiplayer additions may get the headlines, but Ver. 4.0.0 also changes the actual racing.

Nintendo says player speed during races has been increased by the equivalent of one coin.

Coins already play an important role in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe by increasing kart speed as you collect them. The new update effectively raises the overall pace of racing by the amount Nintendo associates with a single coin.

It is not a dramatic redesign of the handling model, but experienced players who have spent hundreds of hours learning lines and timing should notice that races move a little faster.

More importantly, this adjustment is listed under the general changes rather than Switch 2-specific improvements, so it affects Mario Kart 8 Deluxe itself rather than being exclusive to the newer console.

Boo just became much better around off-road sections

The Boo item received another small but potentially useful change.

Previously, becoming invisible with Boo did not save you from the normal speed penalty when driving into grass, dirt, or another off-road area.

After Update 4.0.0, players no longer slow down while Boo’s invisibility is active, even when entering an off-road area.

That gives the item a little more tactical value. Depending on the course, Boo can now help you move through terrain that would normally cost speed while simultaneously hiding you and stealing an opponent’s item.

Booster Course Pass players can now race 96 times in one VS session

This one is for people who hear “one more race” and interpret it as a legally binding contract.

Players with access to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass now get a 96 Races option in the VS Race rule settings.

The number makes perfect sense. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe includes 48 courses, while the Booster Course Pass adds another 48 remastered tracks, bringing the complete selection to 96.

The new rule option lets you configure a VS Race session with 96 races without having to stop and create another competition after the old limit is reached.

Access to the Booster Course Pass can come from purchasing the DLC or through an eligible Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.

How to download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update 4.0.0

The update should download automatically if your console is online and automatic software updates are enabled. If it does not, Nintendo provides a simple manual method:

1. Connect your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 to the internet.
2. Highlight Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the HOME Menu without launching it.
3. Press the + or – Button.
4. Select Software Update.
5. Select Via the Internet.

You can confirm the installed version from the same software menu. The latest version should read 4.0.0.

Nintendo notes that the update is required to use the game’s internet features and everyone playing together must be using the same software version. Your existing save data remains compatible after updating.

You can also check the complete update history on Nintendo Support.

Does this make Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a replacement for Mario Kart World?

No. The update makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe considerably nicer to play on Switch 2, but the two games still have very different ambitions.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains the traditional circuit-focused Mario Kart experience, now with 96 tracks if you have the Booster Course Pass.

Mario Kart World was designed specifically for Nintendo Switch 2 and expands races to as many as 24 drivers. It also introduces interconnected environments, Free Roam, Knockout Tour, wall riding, rail grinding, and other mechanics built around its larger world.

Update 4.0.0 does not add those systems to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Instead, it makes the older game a stronger alternative for players who prefer its enormous course selection and more traditional structure.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Booster Course Pass on G2A.COM

If the update has convinced you to return to the starting grid, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and its DLC currently have several active G2A Marketplace offers.

More Mario Kart and Nintendo Switch 2 coverage

• Mario Kart World Previewed for Nintendo Switch 2 – see how Nintendo’s newest racer differs from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
• Best Kart Racing Games – more arcade racing once Rainbow Road has finally broken you.
• Best Nintendo Switch Games You Have to Play – more essentials from Nintendo’s hybrid console.
• Nintendo Switch 2 First-Party Games – every major Nintendo release, upgrade, and upcoming game.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update 4.0.0 FAQ

What is the latest Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update?

The latest update is Ver. 4.0.0, released on September 1, 2026.

What does Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Update 4.0.0 add?

It adds clearer visuals and shorter loading times on Switch 2, 5-8 player Multiplayer support, CameraPlay, a small global speed increase, an off-road improvement for Boo, and a 96 Races setting for players with access to the Booster Course Pass.

Is the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Switch 2 update free?

Ver. 4.0.0 is delivered as a normal Mario Kart 8 Deluxe software update. Nintendo has not introduced a separate paid Switch 2 upgrade pack for these improvements.

Does Mario Kart 8 Deluxe support eight players on one Switch 2?

The new update adds support for 5-8 players in Multiplayer on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo says up to seven original Switch controllers can be connected, while an eight-player setup requires at least one Joy-Con 2 or Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Does Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have CameraPlay?

Yes. CameraPlay is now supported on Switch 2 for 2-4 player Multiplayer and Online Play. A compatible USB camera is required, and online camera use requires a GameChat session.

Is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe faster after Update 4.0.0?

Yes. Nintendo says player speed during races has been increased by the equivalent of one coin.

What is the new 96 Races option?

Players with access to the Booster Course Pass can now select 96 Races in the VS Race settings. The complete game contains 48 base courses plus 48 additional Booster Course Pass tracks.

Nine years later, the engine is still running

Mario Kart World may be Nintendo’s new flagship racer, but Update 4.0.0 makes it clear that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is not being sent to the garage just yet.

The Switch 2 improvements make an already enormous game nicer to play on new hardware, while eight-player Multiplayer and CameraPlay give local sessions some genuinely new tricks.

Then there are the quieter changes. Everyone is a little faster, Boo can ignore off-road slowdown, and the most committed Booster Course Pass owners can now schedule a 96-race session and discover exactly how strong their friendships really are.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched in 2017. Somehow, Nintendo has just found another reason to boot it up in 2026.