Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Wave 2 tracks review

This week in video games August 18, 2022August 18, 2022 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Wave 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Wave 2 Nintendo, Mario Kart DLC

Nintendo has released the second wave of tracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC, and this wave is arguably much better than the first one. This wave includes some of the best Mario Kart Tracks from the franchise, plus we have some new additions, and a brand new entry too.

Much like the first wave of tracks, Nintendo has added eight courses via two cups.

New York Minute

This is a track from Mario Kart Tour, which includes a bunch of landmarks from New York City. This features New York nightlife, plus a great Jazz soundtrack, Central Park and the neon lights of Broadway. Traditional yellow New York Cabs are all over the roads, plus you have the standard Mario Kart Tour shifting maps. This is a great example of what Mario Kart Tour can provide, even though the real-world maps don’t quite fit into the Mushroom Kingdom.

Mario Circuit 3

Next, we have a SNES classic with Mario Circuit 3. It’s a fairly simple map, one that’s going to trigger plenty of nostalgia from players who sat in front of their TVs with friends and family back in the day. It’s pretty much the same as the original course, and when you hold this up against modern Mario Kart courses it really shows how far we’ve come. It’s simple, fast, and just as you remember – no-frills fun.

Kalimari Desert

Moving on we have another classic Mario Kart map, this time from the N64 with Kalimari Desert. Nintendo has somehow managed to improve on the original, bringing the design up to modern-day standards. The course stays the same as the original until the second lap, where a ramp takes you onto the famous train tracks. You have to be careful to watch out for the train this time, making sure to avoid it before a final lap back on the desert for the race to the finish. This is by far the best course of this DLC wave for me.

Waluigi Pinball

This is one of the best Mario Kart courses of all time. It’s full of colour, speed and nostalgia once again. Originally a Nintendo DS course, this track is big in terms of design and making you feel like you are speeding around the course as fast as your kart can take you. This was featured as part of Mario Lart tour, but arguably this is the best iteration of Waluigi Pinball we’ve ever seen. It’s a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish, and a great end to the first cup.

Sydney Sprint

As the name suggests this one is set in Australia and another entry from Mario Kart Tour. Here we speed around the famous Sydney Harbour area, offering up a slightly different experience each lap. It’s fairly standard Mario Kart racing here, and we’ve raced on harbours before in Mario Kart games. At the end here you fly through the windows of the Opera House, which is a nice touch, and a good way to kick off the second cup.

Snow Land

The next track is from the Gameboy Advance version of Mario Kart and had a few changes from the original. It’s an ice track, so we all know what we’re getting into here, slipping and sliding all over the place. There’s ice, power sliding and loads of Penguins.

Mushroom Gorge

This track was featured in Mario Kart on the Wii, and was one of the better tracks from that game, so is a welcome addition here. It’s a fast course, which isn’t as easy as it looks with its bouncy toadstool terrain, plus running through claustrophobic crystal caves. It’s great fun and good to be back on this course.

Sky-High Sundae

Finally, we have Sky-High Sundae, which is a brand new track, although it’s going to Mario Kart Tour too. This reminded me of the food level in Super Mario Odyssey. We’ve been here before in Mario Kart 8 when it comes to racing through desserts, and this one lives up to the hype of a new track. When we start we have to fly through a hole in an ice cream cone, plus the decoration of the environment is excellent – big, colourful and really enjoyable.

That’s it for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Wave 2 DLC tracks. This is much more like it when it comes to classic and new tracks from the Mario Kart Team. To get access to these tracks, you’ll need a Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pass subscription, which now has loads of benefits including Mario Kart 8 DLC, so if you have that subscription and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, check out these new tracks and give them a try. Nintendo will be back sometime later this year with Wave 3, although leakers out there seem to have a good idea of what’s coming next.