Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Discover the ultimate Mario Kart 8 Deluxe unlockables guide! Unleash hidden characters, racetracks, Mii costumes, vehicle parts, and more Unlock the Gold Vehicle Parts, alternate title screens, and even challenge the elusive Gold Mario Mirror Mode, 200cc, and thrilling Booster Pass Battle Courses await Dominate the tracks with this comprehensive guide!

Quick Links

Everything Available from the Start

How To Unlock Mii Costumes

How to Unlock Vehicle Parts

How to Unlock the Gold Vehicle Parts

How To Unlock Alternate Title Screens

How to Unlock Gold Mario

Mirror Mode And 200cc - Is It Included?

Booster Course Pass

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe stands out as the top-selling installment in the esteemed Mario Kart series, proving its exceptional performance on the Nintendo Switch. It is worth noting that despite being a re-release/port of the Wii U game, it has achieved this remarkable accomplishment.

Similar to its predecessors, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe offers numerous unlockables that possess varying requirements, with some being less apparent than others. To provide clarity, here is a comprehensive guide detailing every unlockable in the game and the steps to obtain them.

Updated July 26th, 2023 by Stephen LaGioia: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe presents an incredibly tempting package, encompassing all DLC content from the original Wii U version while refining various aspects. One notable improvement is the enhanced Battle Mode included in this repackage. Unlockable items have been simplified, granting immediate access to nearly everything in the Switch version. Nevertheless, there are a few enticing new additions that players can strive to unlock in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, such as previously unmentioned alternate title screens. The Booster Course Pass, available exclusively online, brings in a plethora of additional characters, karts, and other exciting features. Therefore, it is high time to update this article, providing a comprehensive overview of all the unlockables in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Everything Available from the Start

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

In an effort to cater to players who had previously purchased and experienced the game, Nintendo decided to incorporate a vast majority of Mario Kart 8's content right from the beginning. This encompassed a wide array of playable characters and all the exhilarating racetracks, which even included the ones that were originally offered as downloadable content when the game was available on the underperforming Wii U console.

Characters Available From The Start

The following roster of characters are available to players the moment they begin their karting escapades:

Weight Classes

Every Character In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Very Light

Baby Daisy, Baby Luigi, Baby Mario, Baby Peach, Baby Rosalina, Lemmy, Dry Bones, Mii.

Light

Koopa Troopa, Lakitu, Larry Koopa, Shy Guy, Toad, Toadette, Wendy, Isabelle, Bowser Jr, Mii.

Medium

Princess Daisy, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Tanooki Mario, Cat Peach, Villager, Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl, Mii.

Medium Heavy

Mario, Luigi, Ludwig, Iggy, Mii.

Heavy

Donkey Kong, Metal Mario, Pink Gold Peach, Rosalina, Roy Koopa, Waluigi, Link, King Boo, Mii.

Very Heavy

Bowser, Wario, Morton, Dry Bowser, Mii.

Racetracks Available From The Start

Mushroom Cup

Flower Cup

Star Cup

Special Cup

Egg Cup

Crossing Cup

Mario Kart Stadium

Mario Circuit

Sunshine Airport

Cloudtop Cruise

Yoshi Circuit

Baby Park

Water Park

Toad Harbor

Dolphin Shoals

Bone-Dry Dunes

Excitebike Arena

Cheese Land

Sweet Sweet Canyon

Twisted Mansion

Electrodrome

Bowser's Castle

Dragon Driftway

Wild Woods

Thwomp Ruins

Shy Guy Falls

Mount Wario

Rainbow Road

Mute City

Animal Crossing

Shell Cup

Banana Cup

Leaf Cup

Lightning Cup

Triforce Cup

Bell Cup

Moo Moo Meadows

Dry Dry Desert

Wario Stadium

Tick-Tock Clock

Wario's Gold Mine

Neo Bowser City

Mario Circuit

Donut Plains 3

Sherbet Land

Piranha Plant Slide

Rainbow Road

Ribbon Road

Cheep Cheep Beach

Royal Raceway

Music Park

Grumble Volcano

Ice Ice Outpost

Super Bell Subway

Toad's Turnpike

DK Jungle

Yoshi Valley

Rainbow Road

Hyrule Circuit

Big Blue

How To Unlock Mii Costumes

Don't forget to update the game to the latest version to get a fresh costume for Link. He will be dressed in his Champion's Tunic from the popular and groundbreaking Nintendo game, Breath of the Wild. Additionally, the revamped Battle Mode and the 200cc engine class will be accessible right from the beginning.

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

From the onset, players can choose the Miis, which are personalized avatars that debuted with the Nintendo Wii, however, they will initially be limited to their typical racing outfits. To acquire the array of Mii costumes, players must possess the corresponding amiibo figure.

There are a total of 20 Mii costumes available, each one representing a different Nintendo character or a guest star. To acquire these costumes, players can use the corresponding amiibo by selecting the amiibo symbol on the main menu and tapping their figure on the NFC touchpoint on the controller.

Below is a list of the 20 themed costumes and the required amiibo to unlock them:

Themed Costume

Needed Amiibo to Unlock

Mario

Mario (Classic Colors) or Mario (Modern Colors) amiibo from the Mario 30th Anniversary Collection

Mario or Dr. Mario Amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. Collection

Super Mario Mario amiibo

Super Mario Odyssey Wedding Mario amiibo

Luigi

Super Smash Bros. Luigi amiibo

Super Mario Luigi amiibo

Peach

Super Smash Bros. Peach amiibo

Super Mario Peach amiibo

Super Mario Odyssey Wedding Peach amiibo

Yoshi

Super Smash Bros. Yoshi amiibo

Super Mario Yoshi amiibo

Green Yarn Yoshi, Pink Yarn Yoshi, Light-Blue Yarn Yoshi, or Mega Yarn Yoshi from the Yoshi’s Woolly World Collection

Donkey Kong

Super Smash Bros. Donkey Kong amiibo

Super Mario Donkey Kong amiibo

Turbo Charge Donkey Kong or Turbo Charge Donkey Kong Dark amiibo from Skylanders Superchargers

Link

Link (Archer)

Link (Link’s Awakening)

Link (Majora’s Mask)

Link (Ocarina of Time)

Link (Rider)

Link (Skyward Sword)

Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Link (Twilight Princess)

Toon Link (The Wind Waker) amii bo from the The Legend of Zelda Collection

Link, Toon Link, or Young Link amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. Collection

Captain Falcon

Super Smash Bros. Captain Falcon amiibo

Kirby

Super Smash Bros. Kirby amiibo

Kirby Collection Kirby amiibo

Samus

Samus or Zero Suit Samus amiibo from the Super Smash Bros. Collection

Metroid Samus amiibo

Fox

Super Smash Bros. Fox amiibo

Toad

Super Mario Toad amiibo

Bowser

Super Smash Bros. Bowser amiibo

Super Mario Odyssey Wedding Bowser amiibo

Super Mario Bowser amiibo

Skylanders SuperChargers Hammer Slammer Bowser amiibo

Wario

Super Smash Bros. Wario amiibo

Super Mario Wario amiibo

Rosalina

Super Smash Bros. Rosalina & Luma amiibo

Super Mario Rosalina amiibo

Pikmin

Super Smash Bros. Olimar amiibo

Pikmin amiibo from the Pikmin Collection

Animal Crossing

any Animal Crossing amiibo

any Animal Crossing amiibo card from series 1 – 4

any Animal Crossing: New Leaf amiibo card

any Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Sanrio Collaboration Pack amiibo card

Super Smash Bros. Villager amiibo

Mega Man

the Super Smash Bros. Mega Man amiibo

Pac-Man

the Super Smash Bros. Pac-Man amiibo

Sonic the Hedgehog

the Super Smash Bros. Sonic amiibo

Splatoon

Callie, Marie, Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, Inkling Squid, Octoling Girl, Octoling Boy, or Octoling Octopus amiibo from the Splatoon Collection

Super Smash Bros. Inkling amiibo

How to Unlock Vehicle Parts

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe offers players the freedom to personalize their vehicles, whether it's a kart, bike, or ATV, by choosing from a variety of options for the body, wheels, and glider. Based on the selected parts, the vehicle's statistics will be altered, providing players with the choice of a well-rounded option or one that excels in specific areas such as speed or handling.

Most of these parts can only be obtained by collecting coins during races. These coins can be found scattered throughout the racetracks or inside item boxes, allowing players to naturally collect them. The coins not only serve to increase a racer's top speed but also contribute towards unlocking different parts.

However, there is no in-game shop where players can directly spend the collected coins. Instead, the coins are tallied up to a total, and at certain milestones, players are rewarded with randomly selected parts. Initially, parts will unlock for every 30 coins collected. As the coin count reaches 450, parts will unlock for every 50 coins, and once the total reaches 1500 coins, parts will only unlock for every 100 coins collected.

All Karts (23)

In order to unlock (almost) every part, a total of 3,100 coins is required. It is important to note that any vehicle parts that were originally offered as downloadable content (DLC) for the original Mario Kart 8 game are now included in the base game and will be naturally unlocked. Surprisingly, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe does not offer any paid DLC options, which can be seen as a wasted opportunity.

Standard Kart, Pipe Frame, Mach 8, Steel Driver, Cat Cruiser, Circuit Special, Tri-Speeder, Badwagon, Prancer, Biddybuggy, Landship, SneekeSneakerts Coupe, Gold Standard, GLA, W 25 Silver Arrow, 300 SL Roadster, Blue Falcon, Tanooki Kart, B Dasher, Streetle, P-Wing, Koopa Clown,

All Bikes (17)

All Tires (21)

Vehicles:

1. Standard Bike

2. The Duke

3. Flame Rider

4. Varmint

5. Mr. Scooty

6. Master Cycle Zero

7. City Tripper

8. Comet

9. Sport Bike

10. Jet Bike

11. Yoshi Bike

12. Master Cycle

13. Standard ATV

14. Wild Wiggler

15. Teddy Buggy

16. Bone Rattler

17. Splat Buggy (new)

18. Inkstriker (new)

Standard, Monster, Roller, Slim, Slick, Metal, Button, Off-Road, Sponge, Wood, Cushion, Blue Standard, Hot Monster, Azure Roller, Crimson Slim, Cyber Slick, Retro Off-Road, Gold Tires, GLA Tires, Triforce Tires, Ancient Tires, Leaf Tires,

All Gliders (14)

Super Glider, Cloud Glider, Wario Wing, Waddle Wing, Peach Parasol, Parachute, Parafoil, Flower Glider, Bowser Kite, Plane Glider, MKTV Parafoil, Gold Glider, Hylian Kite, Paraglider (new), Paper Glider, and

How to Unlock the Gold Vehicle Parts

.

Unlocking three special Gold vehicle parts can be quite challenging. Among them, the Gold Glider is comparatively easier to obtain, as it only requires collecting more coins. However, it will take a considerable amount of time to reach the required total of 5,000 coins.

On the other hand, the remaining two parts are significantly more difficult to unlock. The Gold Standard body can be obtained by achieving a one-star ranking (minimum 54 points) on all 12 Grand Prix Cups in Mirror Mode. In Mirror Mode, the racetracks are flipped vertically, and the AI opponents are tougher, making this task even more time-consuming.

As for the Gold Wheels, players must conquer all 48 staff ghosts in 150cc Time Trials. While competitors don't have to fret about interference from other racers, those determined to obtain every vehicle part must excel at drifting, familiarize themselves with the racetracks extensively, identify the optimal shortcuts, and strategically utilize the limited Mushrooms granted at the beginning, which grant a brief burst of speed.

How To Unlock Alternate Title Screens

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

One neat little easter egg is the ability to unlock a handful of somewhat unique title screens when performing certain tasks.

Players can unlock the characters Bowser, Link, Luigi, Rosalina, Peach/Yoshi, Villager (male)/Isabelle, Baby Rosalina/Baby Mario/Baby Luigi, Koopalings, and Mario/Bowser by earning Gold Trophies in both the Mirror Cup and 200cc races. Once unlocked, these characters will appear on the title screen.

How to Unlock Gold Mario

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Excluding the Booster Course Pass, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe offers only one unlockable character. This new addition, absent from the original Mario Kart 8, is essentially a variation of Metal Mario known as Gold Mario. Apart from its distinct color, Gold Mario shares the same statistics as Metal Mario.

Players must achieve victory in every Grand Prix Cup at 200cc, the highest engine class, in order to unlock him. Racing at 200cc can be quite challenging as it is easy to lose control. Therefore, ample practice is required. The good news is that there is no need to attain a star ranking; all that matters is securing the first place overall without worrying about reaching a minimum point threshold.

Mirror Mode And 200cc - Is It Included?

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Previously, players had to achieve a Gold in every engine class within the Grand Prix Cup to unlock Mirror Mode. This mode offers a unique twist by flipping each stage and introducing additional challenges. However, with the release of patch 4.1 in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, both Mirror Mode and the fast-paced 200CC mode are automatically accessible from the start of the game.

Booster Course Pass

Ultimate Secrets Revealed: Unleashing Hidden Treasures in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Booster Course Pass, which is a DLC content that was added recently, is available for purchase at a price of $25. This pack consists of six waves of courses that will be released gradually starting from March 2022 until the end of 2023. Alternatively, members of the Switch Online Expansion Pack can access this content without any additional cost. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass provides both new and previously released courses, along with the inclusion of returning Mario Kart characters to participate in the races.

The following courses have been released as part of the current Booster Pass:

Golden Dash Cup

Lucky Cat Cup

Turnip Cup

Propeller Cup

Rock Cup

Moon Cup

Paris Promenade

Tokyo Blur

New York Minute

Sydney Sprint

London Loop

Berlin Byways

Toad Circuit

Shroom Ridge

Mario Circuit 3

Snow Land

Boo Lake

Peach Gardens

Choco Mountain

Sky Garden

Kalimari Desert

Mushroom Gorge

Rock Rock Mountain

Merry Mountain

Coconut Mall

Ninja Hideaway

Waluigi Pinball

Sky-High Sundae

Maple Treeway

Rainbow Road

Fruit Cup

Boomerang Cup

Feather Cup

Cherry Cup

Acorn Cup

Spiny Cup

Amsterdam Drift

Bangkok Rush

Athens Dash

Los Angeles Laps

?

?

Riverside Park

Mario Circuit

Daisy Cruiser

Sunset Wilds

?

?

DK Summit

Waluigi Stadium

Moonwiew Highway

Koopa Cape

?

?

Yoshi's Island

Singapore Speedway

Squeaky Clean Sprint

Vancouver Velocity

?

?

"?" coming later in 2023

Booster Pass Battle Courses

Battle Stadium, Sweet Sweet Kingdom, Dragon Palace, Lunar Colony, Wuhu Town, Luigi's Mansion, Battle Course 1, Urchin Underpass

Booster Pass Characters

The following characters were added through the Booster Course Pass: Birdo (Wave 4), Petey Piranha (Wave 5), Wiggler (Wave 5), Kamek (Wave 5)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is available on Nintendo Switch.