Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's New Characters - What You Need to Know

Mario Kart 8 was one of the best games on the Nintendo Wii U and now it's released for the Nintendo Switch as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This is an improved version of the game with a quite a few big changes when compared to Mario Kart 8.

Much like its predecessors, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a racing game featuring some of Nintendo’s most iconic characters such as Mario, Luigi, and Bowser. Nintendo has ensured that swapping between them isn't just for show. The differences are more than just cosmetic, as some of them are great at handling, while others offer better speed or acceleration. Every character class has a different driving experience and that makes the game all the more fun to play.

This makes the inclusion of new characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe an interesting move. It adds another layer of depth to the fan favourite franchise, making your character choices in the games many modes and racetracks all the more meaningful. If you were wondering what to expect from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's six additional characters, we have you covered.

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New characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
There are a total of six new characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The first five are unlocked from the get-go, so you can start racing with them right away. For the last one, there's a little extra that needs to be done, as we've mentioned below. Here’s a quick roundup of the new characters.

Bowser Jr
Everyone knows Bowser, the chief antagonist from the Super Mario franchise. Bowser Jr is his son, and he’s a playable character in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. In the mainline game series , Bowser Jr is seen helping his father kidnap Princess Peach. He also helps Bowser carry out all his evil plans. Bowser Jr is likely to be a light class character so expect better handling stats than his father’s character, at the cost of speed and acceleration.

Inkling boy and Inkling girl
Inklings are a race seen in the game Splatoon and soon to be released Splatoon 2. They can transform themselves into squid form at will. In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe you can play as an Inkling boy or an Inkling girl. Both can turn into squids when they’re performing tricks, and have their own battle course in the game.

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King Boo
Just as Bowser is Mario’s biggest enemy, King Boo is the nemesis of Luigi. King Boo is a ghost villain who relies on other Boos (ghosts) for his power. His magic amplifies itself if several other Boos are nearby. He was first seen in the Luigi’s Mansion series. We’re actually quite excited to race as King Boo because driving a racecar around a track is probably the last thing we thought he’d be doing.

Dry Bones
Remember the tortoise-like Koopas from the Super Mario series? Dry Bones are the skeletal versions of these Koopas, usually seen underground in the Super Mario games. We’re not sure how good a driver Dry Bones is, but as long as he doesn’t let Mario crush him, we won’t mind trying the character out.

Gold Mario
Gold Mario is a variant of the Metal Mario character from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. We’re not sure if the changes to Gold Mario are simply cosmetic but we’re very sure that unlocking Gold Mario is going to be a daunting task for many players. Unlike the other five characters, you can't play with Gold Mario from the very start.

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How to unlock Gold Mario in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
You have to win all the 200cc cups in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to unlock Gold Mario, making this the only character that’s not available off the bat. It's not going to be easy and you're going to have to put in the effort, which makes us hope that it's going to be a powerful character.

These are the six new characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Which of these are you looking forward to playing as? Let us know via the comments.