Nintendo has released a surprise free update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch 2, and the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update adds eight-player local split-screen multiplayer along with several other new features.
The update lands more than a year after Switch 2 launched with Mario Kart World, a game many assumed would replace its predecessor as Nintendo’s flagship karting title. Instead, the eight-year-old Mario Kart 8 Deluxe keeps receiving new support, and this Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update is its biggest addition yet on the new console.
What’s in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update
Players can now race with up to eight people in local split-screen, provided they have enough controllers connected. Original Switch controllers work alongside Switch 2 controllers, so households do not need a full set of new hardware to use the mode.
The update also adds CameraPlay support. Anyone with an official Switch 2 camera or a compatible USB-C camera attached can see other players’ video feeds during a race, a feature already available in Mario Kart World. CameraPlay also works over GameChat for online matches, not just local play.
Nintendo says loading times are shorter after the update, and docked play now includes what the company calls a sharper picture. That change depends on a display capable of taking advantage of the higher resolution, such as a 4K television. Handheld play could already reach 1080p through Handheld Mode Boost, and the update appears to extend that resolution natively rather than through the boost feature.
Why Nintendo keeps supporting an older game
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe started as a Wii U release in 2014 before Nintendo brought an expanded version to the original Switch three years later. That version stayed near the top of US sales charts for most of the console’s lifespan, and Nintendo added new tracks and features to it repeatedly over the following years.
Nintendo has not said why it keeps supporting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe instead of directing players toward Mario Kart World exclusively. The company has also been updating Mario Kart World gradually since launch, but has not announced downloadable content plans for either title, despite how many new tracks Mario Kart 8 Deluxe received during its run on the original Switch.
Mario Kart World remains part of a recently revised Switch 2 bundle. That bundle now costs $50 more than it did at launch, though it includes a three-month Nintendo Switch Online membership that was not part of the original offer.
Here is what changes with this Mario Kart 8 Deluxe patch on Switch 2, according to Nintendo:
- Local split-screen multiplayer now supports up to eight players at once, using any mix of original Switch and Switch 2 controllers.
- CameraPlay works both locally and online through GameChat, letting racers see each other during a match.
- Loading times are shorter across the board.
- Docked play gets a sharper picture on displays that support the higher output, while handheld play can reach 1080p natively.