Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass Review (Switch eShop)

It was a long time coming, but the ambitious Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass DLC expansion is finally complete, roughly 20 months after the launch of the first wave. Available as a separate purchase or as part of the Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, this DLC contains an additional 48 tracks, eight new playable characters, and a whole bunch of Mii Racing Suits. Was it worth the wait, though? Well, yes — absolutely. Over the course of the six waves, each bringing eight new tracks across two cups, the Booster Course Pass has never been less than acceptable. But when viewed as a complete piece, it’s definitely more than the sum of its parts.

Note. We've reviewed each of the waves individually, so check out those reviews by clicking on the links below for a more in-depth exploration of each set.

Starting off with Wave 1 in March 2022, the first set of courses were a relatively safe start, though Ninja Hideaway and fan-favourite Coconut Mall demonstrated some early promise. It was clear from the beginning, however, that Nintendo clearly wasn’t looking to give these older tracks the anti-grav treatment that made Mario Kart 8 so unique; these were more straightforward translations of older courses. There isn’t anything particularly wrong with this, but the first wave certainly realigned our expectations regarding the later releases. Prior to that, we thought the devs might revamp old tracks with new tricks, as they did with the excellent Mario Circuit from Super Circuit in the base game.

Wave 2 (released in August 2022) stumbles a little bit. There are certainly standout courses like Waluigi Pinball, Mushroom Gorge, and the delightful newcomer Sky-High Sundae, but unfortunately, the poor circuits outweighed the good this time around.

Thankfully, Wave 3 brought things back on track in December 2022 with a selection of truly great courses, including the stunning Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 7, the iconic Maple Treeway, and the excellent festive-themed Merry Mountain. The rather lacklustre London Loop from Mario Kart Tour and the bland visuals of Alpine Pass and Peach Gardens weren’t enough to blemish this otherwise fantastic entry. In addition to the new courses, every owner of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe also received a welcome function in the form of loadout customisation in ‘VS Race’ modes. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but it's nevertheless appreciated.

Wave 4 brought another stellar set of tracks in March 2023, with only Riverside Park proving a tad disappointing, The rest, including Mario Circuit, Snowboard Cross, and Waluigi Stadium, are all certified bangers. But it was the new addition, Yoshi’s Island, that elevated Wave 4, immediately cementing itself as an all-time classic. The ever-endearing Birdo debuted here, too, giving us a new reason to replay the entire game again.

After the heights of Wave 4, Wave 5 struggled a little in July 2023. It brought excellent courses like the newcomer Squeaky Clean Sprint and bonafide classics such as Daisy Cruiser and Koopa Cape, but Nintendo also made bizarre decisions with this one with the most egregious being the distinct lack of the sun setting as the laps pass (like they used to) in Sunset Wilds; fans were, expectedly, ticked off. More racers were added, though, including Kamek, Wiggler, and Petey Pirahna, and the variety in their weight classes meant that experimenting with each was a worthwhile endeavor.

Finally, Wave 6 concluded the expansion in November 2023 with a relatively safe set of courses. Standouts include Rosalina’s Ice World, Bowser Castle 3, and Rainbow Road from Mario Kart Wii, while the two Tour tracks and the rather dire Daisy Circuit evened things out. We also got our most extensive selection of new characters, with Pauline, Peachette, Funky Kong, and Diddy Kong all hopping into the driver’s seat. We love all of these characters, even with Funky Kong’s annoying voice, so this was a great way to mark the end of the Booster Course Pass. If you're a fan of the Mii Racing Suits, this final wave also added a further 18 to the selection, including a fetching amiibo-activated Daisy number.

Ultimately, while we could spend hours upon hours lamenting the absence of certain tracks (good lord, Airship Fortress would have been a good one), we always knew there would be some omissions, and what Nintendo has done with the Booster Course expansion is nothing short of remarkable. It quite literally doubles what was already an extensive experience with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and while not all of the tracks are worth revisiting, there’s more than enough here to keep passionate fans happy for months and years to come. Weighing it as an entire DLC package, we'd liken it to binge-watching a TV show like, say, Twin Peaks that you'd previously watched on a weekly basis; some episodes are undeniable stinkers, but the complete set is a near-masterpiece.