Par Online Games VIP Editorial
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Nintendo has updated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Switch 2 with eight-player local racing, shorter loading, higher resolution, and other changes.
Nintendo has updated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Switch 2 with a larger local multiplayer option and several other improvements. According to Game Informer, the update raises the local racing limit from four players to eight, while also adding shorter load times, higher resolution, and USB camera support in selected modes.
The update is available now, Game Informer reports. It also includes changes that apply to the Switch 1 version, including a speed increase for all players, a change to the Boo power-up, and expanded VS Race support for owners of the Booster Course DLC. The result is a notable refresh for a game originally released in 2017, even though Nintendo’s newer Mario Kart World was positioned as the major launch game for Switch 2.
The clearest change is local multiplayer. Game Informer reports that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe previously capped local play at four racers, but the Switch 2 version now supports as many as eight. That gives larger groups a way to race together on one console, although Game Informer notes that the shared screen can become cramped with so many players.
The controller requirement is an important practical detail. According to Game Informer, a Switch 2 can connect up to seven Switch 1 controllers. An eight-player session therefore requires at least one Switch 2 Pro Controller or one Joy-Con 2 among the connected controllers. The source does not specify every supported controller combination beyond that requirement, so players planning a full lobby should check Nintendo’s complete instructions before setting up a session.
Game Informer also reports shorter load times and higher resolution on Switch 2. Those improvements apply both when playing on the console’s display and when using a connected television. The publisher does not provide measured loading comparisons or a specific resolution figure in the supplied report, so the practical scale of those upgrades remains unconfirmed here.
USB camera support is another Switch 2 addition. Game Informer says a USB camera can now be used in Online Play and local Multiplayer. Camera-enabled local Multiplayer remains limited to four players, however, meaning the new eight-player mode does not also become an eight-camera session. The report does not identify a complete list of compatible cameras or describe how camera features are presented during races.
Not every part of the update is exclusive to Switch 2. Game Informer reports that the Switch 1 version also receives several gameplay adjustments. All player speeds have been increased by the equivalent of one coin, according to the publisher’s summary. The supplied source does not explain how that adjustment affects individual vehicle combinations, time trials, online competition, or established racing strategies.
The Boo power-up has also been changed. Game Informer reports that Boo now makes a player immune to slowing down while offroading. That is a specific change to how the item interacts with terrain, rather than a general statement that Boo has become stronger in every situation. The source does not list any other changes to the item’s behavior.
Players who own the Booster Course DLC can now take part in VS Races across up to 96 courses, Game Informer reports. The update therefore affects more than the size of local groups. It also expands the course pool available for this particular race format, though the supplied report does not clarify whether the 96-course figure requires every piece of the Booster Course DLC or how the selection is organized in menus.
These additions matter because they serve different kinds of players. The eight-player mode is aimed at groups sharing one console, while the camera option concerns players who want to use external video hardware during Online Play or smaller local sessions. The speed and Boo changes affect the feel of racing itself, and the 96-course VS Race option is most relevant to players who have built up the game’s additional track selection.
Game Informer describes Mario Kart World as the big launch title for Switch 2 and notes that it serves as the sequel to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. At the same time, the publisher points out that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling Switch game and that many players still prefer it to Mario Kart World. Those points provide the platform context for Nintendo continuing to improve the older game.
The update does not erase the distinction between the two games. The source does not say that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is replacing Mario Kart World, nor does it announce a change to Nintendo’s broader product plans. What is confirmed is narrower: Nintendo has added Switch 2-specific features to the older game while also making some changes available on Switch 1.
Analysis: For players who already have a large local group, the update makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe more useful as a shared-screen party game on Switch 2. Eight racers on one display will not solve the visibility challenge created by the crowded screen, but the option itself removes the previous four-player ceiling. That distinction matters in practice. Players can decide whether the larger lobby is worth the reduced clarity instead of being prevented from trying it at all.
Analysis: The controller limit may be the main preparation issue for an eight-player session. A group cannot assume that eight older Switch controllers will be enough, because Game Informer specifically reports that only seven Switch 1 controllers can connect to a Switch 2. At least one newer Switch 2 controller is needed. This is a confirmed connection requirement, not an indication that other accessories will or will not work.
Analysis: The camera restriction creates a separate tradeoff. Players can use a USB camera in local Multiplayer, but Game Informer reports that camera-enabled local play remains capped at four participants. In other words, the update adds two different multiplayer options rather than combining every new feature into one eight-player, camera-supported mode.
Players interested in the new local limit should first count both racers and controllers. A full eight-player session needs eight supported inputs, and the controller mix must include at least one Switch 2 Pro Controller or Joy-Con 2 under the connection limit described by Game Informer. This is the most concrete setup requirement identified in the supplied reporting.
Players should also separate the update’s console-specific features from the changes that reach Switch 1. Game Informer associates shorter loading, higher resolution, eight-player local play, and USB camera use with the Switch 2 version. The reported speed adjustment, Boo change, and expanded VS Race support also apply to Switch 1, with the 96-course VS Race feature tied to Booster Course DLC ownership.
The source confirms that the update is available now, but it does not provide installation size, a version number, or a breakdown of the complete patch notes. It also does not include exact load-time measurements, a target resolution, a list of tested USB cameras, or a full explanation of the new speed value. Those details are worth checking in Nintendo’s full notes or in the game after updating.
Another open question is how the eight-player option behaves across the game’s local modes. Game Informer specifically discusses local multiplayer and separately states that camera-enabled local Multiplayer is capped at four. The supplied report does not establish whether every local format supports eight racers, so players should not assume that the new maximum applies identically to every menu or race type.
What remains unknown about the update
The confirmed information outlines the headline changes, but it leaves several useful measurements and compatibility details unresolved. Nintendo’s update is available, yet the supplied Game Informer report does not state how much faster loading becomes or how the higher-resolution presentation differs between the Switch 2 display and a television. It also does not identify whether the resolution changes dynamically in every mode.
The same applies to USB cameras. The report confirms their use in Online Play and local Multiplayer, but it does not identify supported models, whether an adapter is needed, or whether camera functionality changes outside those modes. Those are practical questions for players who may be planning a group event around the feature.
The gameplay adjustments deserve observation as well. The one-coin equivalent speed increase could alter how familiar vehicle builds feel, while Boo’s new offroad immunity may change the value of the item in situations involving rough terrain. That is analysis of the reported changes, not a claim about their competitive effect. The source provides no test results or balance assessment.
Game Informer also directs readers to its review of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and says the game is even better now than it was at the time of that review. That is the publisher’s assessment of its own review coverage, not an OnlineGamesVIP hands-on verdict. This article likewise does not claim first-hand play experience. For now, the firmest conclusion is that Nintendo has given the long-running Switch racer a meaningful Switch 2 multiplayer upgrade while leaving the game’s broader role beside Mario Kart World unchanged in the supplied reporting.
For players looking for other entries in Nintendo’s kart-racing series, the catalog includes Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. These are separate catalog games rather than parts of the reported Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update, but they provide older points of comparison for the series’ local racing history.