Super Nintendo World in Los AngelesPhoto: CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images
It’s a classic theological question: Could Bowser (the Koopa King) create a theme park ride so restrictive that even he couldn’t ride it?
Said question is front and center for plenty of Nintendo fans this week, with new reports that the upcoming Mario Kart ride, Bowser’s Challenge—set to be the main draw (and only actual ride) at Universal Studio’s new Super Nintendo World—will only accommodate riders with a 40-inch waistline or smaller. This is per our colleagues over at Kotaku, who report on a number of people raising issues online this week about Universal’s decision to impose the size limits.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD Opens Early 2023
An import from the Japanese version of Super Mario Land, Bowser’s Challenge is what’s known as “dark ride,” i.e., one of those space-efficient, thrill-deficient arrangements where you’re strapped into a car and then swerved on a track in front of a bunch of 3D screens and actual live elements. (In this case, lifted from Nintendo’s beloved Mario Kart franchise.) As such, it’s not entirely clear why such tight size restrictions are being imposed; certainly, it seems like some alternative solution could be used. (Disney, for instance, tends to use benches and lap-bars for this sort of thing, which accommodates a much wider variety of body types.)
The 40-inch waistline requirement is fairly standard at Universal Studios, where it’s also applied to dark rides like Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey and Revenge Of The Mummy: The Ride. From personal experience, this 6′, 4″, 290-pound writer will note that there is some wiggle room on those requirements when you’re actually at the park—but also that the process of forcing yourself into those seats (or using the tester seat provided, as with Mario Kart) can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing. More to the point, it all feels profoundly unnecessary: There’s no reason for Universal not to update its sizing on rides to allow a more diverse group of riders to enjoy the Super Nintendo Land fun, especially as the opening of the new area has drawn renewed interest and attention to the park.
If you love Mario Kart as much as we do here at Nintendo Life, one of the first things you’re probably going want to do when you make a trip to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is try out the themed ride.
Well, a word of warning – you’re going to need to pass a certain requirement first. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Hollywood park is apparently warning visitors with “large waistlines” that they may not be able to ride Mario Kart: Bower’s Challenge if they have a waistline of 40 inches or more.
It’s all tied to the overall safety of rides – with parks having to nowadays balance “accessibility with heightened safety requirements”. Rides are also equipped with tighter restraints now to ensure children are safely secured.
The Wall Street Journal was able to get a comment about all this from Premier Rides president Jim Seay – who reiterated how the “safety of the guests” is always the “first priority”:
“Our first priority is always the safety of the guests and the employees. We balance that with a very focused effort to make the rides as accessible as possible.”
A game not included on our list of major 2022 games that died this year was Square Enix’s kart racer, Chocobo GP. There’s a reason for that, as it will remain playable for the foreseeable future. However, as Square Enix announced on December 21, the game is effectively dead now since “no further large scale updates” are coming any time soon. RIP.
Chocobo GP is the sequel to Square Enix’s 1999 speedster, Chocobo Racing. Another entry planned for the Nintendo 3DS, Codename: Chocobo Racing 3D, was announced at E3 2010 but quickly canceled before ever seeing the light of day. Chocobo GP, which launched onMarch 10, 2022 for Nintendo Switch was a surprising return for the long-dormant franchise that drew ire from fans for its grindy mechanics and expensive battle pass.
Read More: Square Enix Apologizes For Chocobo GP Grind Following Backlash
Now, in a maybe not-so-surprising turn of events, Square Enix has ended support for Chocobo GP just nine months after the game’s launch. It wasn’t even a year old yet, but in an important notice on the game’s website, the publisher said “there will be no further large scale updates (e.g. new characters or new maps) [added] to [Chocobo GP] after the Season 5 update on Wednesday, December 21.” Rankings will continue without the use of the battle pass (called prize pass in the game), but you can no longer buy the premium in-game currency Mythril from the Nintendo eShop. The in-game shop you’d use said Mythril, along with any unspent Mythril you have, will vanish entirely from Chocobo GP on January 6.
“Furthermore, new items will continue to be added to the Mythril shop during Season 5 as before, but the same items may also be added to the Ticket or Gil shops at the same time and become available to obtain without spending Mythril,” Square Enix said. “Items originally sold in the Mythril Shop during the Season 1 to Season 4 periods may also be added to the Ticket or Gil Shops. We hope you continue to enjoy Chocobo GP.”
Kotaku reached out to Square Enix for comment.
Square Enix didn’t provide a cause or explanation for it’s unceremoniously ending support for the Mario Kart-like racer. Maybe allocating resources to the game proved untenable or developer Arika is focusing its attention somewhere else. It’s hard to say, but regardless, you will still be able to play Chocobo GP until it’s taken offline. Whenever that happens.
Pokémonsaved the Switchin 2022, which was also the year that the console officially started to feel old.
As we approach the Switch’s sixth anniversary, it feels like Nintendo’s innovative hybrid gaming device has finally peaked and is now on the decline. Missing features and poor online experiences that were once easier to forgive have started to feel more frustrating. Even the latest visually impressive first-party games likeKirby And The Forgotten Land and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 struggled to mask the hardware’s aging limitations.
2022 was the unofficial year of the Kirb. Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku
Don’t get me wrong. The Switch’s release calendar was still lowkey stacked month in and month out. The OLED version continues to bring out a level of vibrancy in games big and small that helps make up for some of the technical drawbacks. And despite never receiving a price drop since it launched, the Switch remains an extremely competitive gaming option when stacked up against pricier alternatives like the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam Deck.
Still, a meaningful hardware refresh has never felt more overdue. 2022 was the year of the missing Switch Pro, and the year it felt like Nintendo’s existing handheld hybrid went from punching above its weight to under-delivering on the promise of its core conceit.
Great games, chugging hardware
Nintendo made up for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdombeing delayed this year through sheer quantity of new releases. On the first-party side Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Nintendo Switch Sports, Mario Strikers: Battle League, and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes anchored the first half of the year, while Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Splatoon 3, and Bayonetta 3 delivered heavy-hitters in the second half.
Gaps were stuffed with many of the year’s biggest indie games: Sifu, Citizen Sleeper, Nobody Saves the World, Return to Monkey Island, OlliOlli World, Shredder’s Revenge, Tunic, and Neon White. Square Enix’s 2022 JRPG bonanza was well represented, including Switch exclusives Live a Live and Triangle Strategy. Plus big ports like No Man’s Sky, Personal 5 Royal, and Nier Automata brought over some of the best games of the last console generation.
At times Arceus gives off the vibe of a Nintendo 64 game in HD. Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku
It’s safe to say, however, that it might have still felt like one of the quieter years on Switch if not for Pokémon Arceus: Legendsand Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. In addition to selling tons, both games also perfectly represented the platform’s growing pains this year: they iterated on the series’ tried and true collectathon formula in creative and refreshing ways while also looking like ass and running badly.
On the Arceus side, the game’s open world often looked empty and flat. On the Scarlet and Violet side, framerate drops, constant pop-in of objects, and rogue glitches held back an otherwise ambitious new blueprint for the future of the mainline Pokémon games. It’s hard to know how much these shortcomings are due to the Switch’s old chipsets, a lack of development time, a particular set of design trade-offs, or some combination of those and other factors.
This screenshot is not as pretty as I remembered it. Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku
A modern spec sheet probably wouldn’t hurt though. Even Xenoblade Chronicles 3, a sprawling RPG with big open environments that look much better than what you’ll find in Pokémon, brushed up against the limits of the Switch. The frame rate was far from stable in the later half of the game, and the sweeping vistas themselves lose all sorts of detail and definition the second you move away from them. This didn’t stop Monolith’s game from feeling and looking great when in motion, but it does mean that almost every screenshot I have from my time with it is full of jagged edges and washed out textures. Bayonetta 3 was even worse.
Switch Online is still a drag
Another game that gets at the increasing duality of the Switch is Splatoon 3. A gorgeous and colorful sequel with even more content and features, it nevertheless is held back by Nintendo’s online infrastructure. It’s 2022. Splatoon 3 is one of the best competitive shooters out there. And you will almost certainly spend at least part of any gaming session mired in disconnects or other connectivity woes.
It’s especially notable considering some of the biggest shooters around like Fortnite and Apex Legends are also on Switch, and those games also don’t require players to download a separate app to use voice chat. These problems were easier to ignore when Nintendo’s online service was free, but as the company continues to double-down on its monthly subscription service, subpar online performance continues to be a sore spot.
Last year, Nintendo launched the Switch Online + Expansion Pack, a $50 version of the service that raised the price in exchange for access to Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, as well as various bits of Switch DLC. It felt like a terrible deal at the time, and nothing over the past 12 months has done much to change that.
That’s not to say that Nintendo hasn’t been diligently filling out the Netflix-style retro library. Notable additions included Earthbound, Shining Force II, and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.
Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku
In total, Switch Online received five more NES games, six more SNES games, 17 more Genesis games, and 11 more N64 games this year. Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games remain MIA, however, as do notable third-party SNES titles like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI.
As rival services like PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass expand and evolve to include some of the biggest new releases and cloud gaming, it’s hard not to look at Switch Online and feel like it comes up short, despite being significantly cheaper. Switch Online did experiment with week-long free trials for games like Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe this year, as well as add a new Switch Online missions and rewards feature, but four years into the service’s life it still feels like it’s struggling to justify itself.
Netflix is never coming
If Switch Online still seems like an underwhelming value proposition, the base console user experience remains absolutely barebones. The Switch firmware received six updates in 2022, and the only notable feature added was “Groups” which allows players to organize their game libraries into folders. It’s nice to have and was long overdue, which mostly serves to underline just how little the rest of the console experience has changed since launch.
Despite the popularity of the Switch, Nintendo has never prioritized social features—-and that didn’t change in 2022. There’s no way to search for friends, send them messages, or gift them games. There’s no social feed to speak of when it comes to wondering what they are playing, buying, or sharing. Again, this has been the status quo, but as each new year passes, the fact that the Switch hasn’t improved on any of it becomes more glaring.
*Sigh*Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku
The apps never came this year, either. For years the joke was that you could get Netflix on every modern Nintendo device but the Switch. The streaming wars are in full swing, with services like Game Pass including complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV and Disney+, neither of which exist on Switch. Hulu remains the lone exception, joined last year by Funimaiton and this year by Crunchyroll.
The Switch has been outpaced by app integration in other areas as well. Spotify has been a mainstay on PlayStation and Xbox for years, while social hub Discord was finally added to both this past year. Neither are on Nintendo’s platform, which is especially surprising considering how many communication shortcomings would be solved by the arrival of Discord. The Switch didn’t get achievements or home screen themes in 2022, either.
So…Switch Pro when?
When the Switch released in 2017, holding games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey in your hands and taking them on the go was a powerful revelation. In 2022, thanks to the bar already raised by Nintendo half a decade ago, it’s somewhat less novel.
At the low-end, an explosion in cloud gaming peripherals and third-party handhelds means you can stream Assassin’s Creed Valhalla alongside Dead Cells to a bunch ofcompetitors’ portables. The experience isn’t great but it’s often good enough.
At the high-end, Valve’s Steam Deck went from a trickle of pre-orders to on-demand availability, and let people take Steam hits from The Witcher 3 to Vampire Survivors to the bathroom and beyond. It’s clunky, the battery life isn’t great, and it’s a much less streamlined user experience than the Switch. Valve is also selling the device at a big loss. And yet while it’s only sold less than 2 percent as many units as the Switch so far, it’s shown the massive leap handheld gaming is capable of since the latter first shipped.
The Switch OLED is nice but it’s no Switch Pro.Photo: Nintendo
While Kotaku has mentioned a mythical Switch Pro in every State of the Switch review since 2018, this is the year it went from “when is it coming?” to “where the hell is it?” Many fans expected Nintendo to reveal upgraded hardware at E3 2021. Instead, it revealed the Switch OLED: a fancy screen atop the same basic guts for $50 more. This led to a lot of questions about repeated Bloomberg reports that Nintendo was gearing up to release a 4K successor to the Switch, but Nintendo’s past history alone says we’re due for a new Switch.
The Nintendo DS launched in 2004. The DS Lite followed in 2006. The DSi in 2008. And the DSi XL in 2009. The first and last iterations of the device showed a long range in terms of improvement. The 3DS launched in 2011. A 3DS XL arrived the following year. A 2DS was added to the lineup the year after that. And a New Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL launched the year after that, both of which notably played a handful of games the earlier versions of the system couldn’t run. The Switch is already two years older than the PS4 was when the PS4 Pro came out, and older than the Wii U was when the Switch launched.
The global pandemic, which created shortages for semiconductors that affected everything from cars to smartphones, no doubt threw any traditional timeline for a Switch Pro out the window. At the same time, that hasn’t stopped the Switch from continuing to age in the interim. From Joy-Con drift to finicky Wi-Fi reception, the console has succeeded despite notable design flaws and shortcomings thanks to its brilliant form factor and exclusives.
The form factor is becoming less and less of a differentiator though, and despite the development wizardry at Nintendo, old hardware is starting to catch up with it. We’ll see if 2023’s Tears of the Kingdom can replicate the magic of Breath of the Wild on a six year old machine. By the time it comes out in May, the gap between them will be even bigger than the one between GameCube’s TwilightPrincess and the Wii’s Skyward Sword.
Prepare to level up at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023 with the opening of Super Nintendo World on February 17. The video game-inspired land finally makes its United States debut after the opening of the first Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan back in 2021, and in advance of the release ofThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The West Coast version will include immersive, state of the art experiences like the Mario Kart:Bowser’s Challenge attraction and interactive gameplay throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, with a wearable Power-Up Band that will bring to life iconic game moments in the real world.
Watch the official first look at the land in this preview released by Universal!
We’re excited to race to the finish-line and grab a bite to eat at the Toadstool Cafe, filled with themed dining options that are hopefully just as cute as the Japan offerings, though we have questions about the mushroom on mushroom crime that is the Super Mushroom soup. Then, of course, there’s shopping at the 1-UP Factory retail store filled with plushes, wearable casual cosplay, and retro Nintendo merch.
Here are the official descriptions for what to expect when Super Nintendo World opens:
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge: This all-new, technologically advanced ride, inspired by the popular Mario Kart™ video game series, will seamlessly fuse cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track. Set against a multi-sensory backdrop of color, sound, and movement, guests will be seated in stadium-style, four-seat vehicles as they navigate familiar courses through the creative use and integration of head mounted AR goggles. This unique feature is a key point of differentiation that distinguishes this ride from other theme park attractions.
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The premise of “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” is simple but equally inspiring and challenging, appealing to guests of all ages regardless of gaming experience. As part of Team Mario, guests will steer through underwater courses and courses in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting coins to defeat Team Bowser and win. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” raises the stakes for guests as an intriguing and repeatable ride with a variety of outcomes.
Mount Beanpole: This towering landmark sits at the heart of the land and also serves as the entry queue for “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.”
Bowser’s Castle: Adorned with a breathtaking sculpture of a large and powerful Bowser, this structure serves as a key centerpiece of the land, home to Super Nintendo World’s signature ride, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.” As guests navigate the winding corridors and pass through the hall of medallions and trophies of the ominous castle towards the “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” ride, they will learn more about Bowser’s calculated plans to defeat Team Mario for the coveted Golden Cup.
Power-Up Band: These wearable, state-of-the-art wristbands sync with Universal Studios Hollywood’s free downloadable app to level-up the guest experience within the land and enhance its many interactive elements. These include, but are not limited to, keeping individual and team scores, collecting digital coins, and obtaining keys after winning challenges throughout the land. Power-Up Bands will also invite guests to enjoy extra-special interactions with Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. They will come in six design options with character themes and will be available for purchase both within the land and at Super Nintendo World retail shops located in the theme park and on CityWalk.
Interactive Gameplay: Within the land, guests will become fully engulfed in an engaging world of real-life gameplay, including punching blocks to collect digital coins and a variety of interactives. They will discover a new dimension of Super Nintendo World via the interactive binoculars employing augmented reality technology positioned within the land. Guests can beat the four Key Challenges and collect keys from Goomba, Koopa Troopa, Piranha Plant, and Thwomp interactive activities to ultimately allow access to the culminating boss battle with Bowser Jr. These energetic, familiar, and fun interactive games will further enhance the entire kinetic experience within the land and immerse guests into the unique world of Super Mario.
Toadstool Cafe: The land’s signature restaurant Toadstool Cafe will serve a gourmet menu perfected by Chef Toad where he will greet guests upon entry. Menu items prepared fresh daily include Toadstool Cheesy Garlic Knots, Super Mushroom Soup, Piranha Plant Caprese, Mario Bacon Cheeseburger, Luigi Pesto Chicken Burger, Question Block Tiramisu, and Princess Peach Cupcake.
Illustration: Universal Studios Hollywood
Super Nintendo World opens February 17 at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.
In surprise news, the excellent 3DS title Mario Kart 7 has today been updated for the second time ever. Yes, despite being released in 2011, Nintendo has randomly issued a new patch for the game bumping it up to Version 1.2.
According to the official patch notes, several issues have been addressed to improve the overall experience. This follows a previous update (Version 1.1) in May 2012. Here’s the full patch note history for this game, featuring updates a decade apart:
Ver. 1.2 (Released December 13, 2022)
General
Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.
Ver. 1.1 (Released May 15, 2012)
An update has been made available to eliminate shortcut exploits in the Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and Bowser Castle 1 tracks when they are played in the Online Multiplayer Mode.
The update is required to play the game’s Online Multiplayer Modes. However, the tracks in Single-Player and Local Multiplayer Modes will not be affected by this update. Players can continue to play in these modes without installing the update.
In typical fashion, Nintendo doesn’t actually reveal what’s going on behind the scenes with this update, but it could easily have something to do with the online services or 3DS eShop closure – with the shutdown taking place on 27th March 2023. Dataminer OatmealDome has suggested this patch may fix certain security exploits:
In somewhat related news, Nintendo last week updated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the Wave 3 DLC. It adds another two cups and eight more courses to the game. You can learn more about it in our recent Nintendo Life coverage.
Nintendo preservation website Forest of Illusion has acquired the “infamous” Mario Kart XXL tech demo – a pitch by Denaris Entertainment Software for the Game Boy Advance, dating back to April 2004. It’s now been made available to download.
The German development studio (founded by Turrican creator Manfred Trenz) originally showcased the game and its “dynamic and adjustable perspective view engine featuring dual playfields” to Nintendo of Europe. The demo is made up of a single track using Mario Kart assets and features BGM from a PlayStation racer called Moorhuhn Kart, which Denaris also helped develop.
Interestingly, this Mario Kart demo began life as a racing game called ‘R3D-Demo‘. The same developer eventually went on to release a Game Boy Advance kart racer based on the CGI-animated character Crazy Frog. Yikes!
You can get a more detailed history and look at Mario Kart XXL along with the R3D-Demo on the Hard4Games YouTube:
What do you think of this slice of kart racing history for Game Boy Advance? Comment below.
After three years, Nintendo is finally removing the contentious “gacha pipe” from its popular mobile racer, Mario Kart Tour. The pipes, which players had to purchase with in-game “rubies” to get a chance at unlockable prizes, will be replaced with a new in-game store.
The official English Twitter account for Mario Kart Tour announced that gacha pipes will be removed from the game come October 5. In its stead, Mario Kart Tour will be implementing an in-game store called the Spotlight Shop, in which players can directly purchase gliders, karts, and drivers individually instead of having to rely on luck.
Much like Mario Kart proper, Mario Kart Tour allows you to select a driver, a kart, and a glider before matching up with players from around the world and Tokyo Drifting to your heart’s (and index finger’s) content. However, if you wanted to unlock the game’s drivers—many of which were only available during certain periods—you’d have to cough up some rubies and “pull” on a green pipe in hopes of it shooting a new driver, kart, or glider.
Although the gacha pipe didn’t dish out duplicates, according to Video Games Chronicle, Mario Kart Tour currently has 172 gliders, 193 playable characters, and 246 karts. Considering 10 rubies cost $5.99 USD and that pipe pulls cost five rubies, the odds of you getting the rare find you were hoping for were quite slim unless you were willing to open your wallet wide. Time will tell whether the asking prices for individual item purchases in the Spotlight Shop will break the bank for mobile players.
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Game and Save Great news for PC gamers out there looking to save money and add more games to your backlog which you’ll eventually get to. Humble Bundle has kicked off its Summer Sale in which you can save up to 90% on games.
Read More:Mario Kart Tour Is Pretty Good When It’s Not Nickel And Diming You
In addition to removing the gacha pipe, Mario Kart Tour will also be adding a new battle mode in which players can test their mettle against each other. But for the time being, folks online are showing varying reactions to the news that Mario Kart Tour’s virtual gambling will soon be a thing of the past.
“Damn this game might actually be worth a damn now,” one Twitter user said.
“R.I.P. the Pipe Pulls 2019-2022,” said another, which was followed up by a reply of a dancing Luigi, saying, “You will not be missed.”
“So instead of spending your hard-earned rubies on a gacha pipe, now you just spend your rubies on the characters from the shop. Wow, this is great. Mario Kart Tour will soon be [a] gacha free game!” replied another.
Well, it looks like there’s potentially been another Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass leak. Following the release of Wave 2, it seems dataminers have been able to decipher some of the tracks coming in future updates and match it up with the original leak. Here’s the rundown courtesy of Twitter user Fishguy6564:
Here’s our own breakdown (tracks listed above highlighted):
– Rock Cup: London Loop (Tour), Peach Gardens (DS), Boo Lake / Broken Pier (GBA), Alpine Pass (3DS) – Moon Cup: Berlin Byways (Tour), Waluigi Stadium / Wario Colleseum (GCN), Merry Mountains (?), Rainbow Road (3DS) – Fruit Cup: Amsterdam Drift (Tour), Wii, DS, ? – Boomerang Cup: Singapore Speedway (Tour), GameCube, GBA, Los Angeles Laps (Tour) – Feather Cup: Tour, Wii, Sunset Wilds (GBA), Tour – Cherry Cup: Bangkok Rush (Tour), GameCube, SNES, ? – Acorn Cup: Vancouver Velocity (Tour), Maple Treeway (Wii), ?, ? – Spiny Cup: Tour, GameCube, ?, Wii
Update: Dataminer OatmealDome has also explained what’s going on in a bit more detail:
Nintendo accidentally left many music preview files in the version 2.1.0 update, allowing us to identify multiple unreleased courses!
What is a “music preview file”? Because it may take some time to load a full music file from the ROM, a separate “prefetch” file is created of the first ~1 second which can be loaded into memory in advance. This prefetch is played while the full file is being loaded.
Unfortunately for Nintendo, while they deleted the full songs of unreleased courses from the ROM, they accidentally left some of the prefetch files. (They’re stored in a separate place.)
It’s possible to identify several courses just based on the first ~1s of their music!
So, there you go – these tracks could be coming in future waves if this datamine is accurate. Keep in mind though that there’s no official confirmation and everything is potentially subject to change between now and the release of these future waves.
How would you feel about the above tracks being featured in the Booster Course Pass? Tell us down below.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch received its second wave of Booster Course Pass DLC today, which adds eight new courses and finally fixes an old one. Let’s just say Coconut Mall’s Shy Guys aren’t so shy anymore, and if you get too close you will get merc’d.
The first set of new courses arrived back in March, one of the most anticipated among them being Coconut Mall, a breezy classic from Mario Kart Wii remastered for the modern game. But there was just one problem: the Miis that ram players near the end of the course were replaced with Shy Guys. Adding insult to injury was the fact that the Shy Guys no longer drove. Their cars remained stationary. Mario Kart fans were disturbed.
Well, in an extremely rare turn of events, Nintendo listened to fans and restored Coconut Mall’s death alley to some of its former glory. The Miis are still Shy Guys, but they now ratchet slightly forward and start spinning around in a spiral of vehicular carnage.
Today’s DLC also adds New York Minute (Tour), Mario Circuit 3 (SNES), Kalimari Desert (N64), Waluigi Pinball (DS), Sydney Sprint (Tour), Snow Land (GBA), Mushroom Gorge (Wii), and Sky-High Sundae, an entirely new level exclusive to MK8. Waluigi Pinball is a cult-favorite deep-cut. Mushroom Gorge returns with its infamous Gap Cut intact. Sky-High Sundae is a visual feast. But Coconut Mall’s Shy Guys are still stealing the show.
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Today’s update isn’t just a content drop, though. Nintendo is also still tweaking the underlying game. With the arrival of March’s DLC, it patched Item Boxes to make them regenerate faster after players pick them up. Today it did so again. The developers also increased the number of time trial ghosts players can download from 16 to 32 and adjusted how far vehicles get thrown based on their weight.
It’s far and away the most Nintendo has ever updated a game five years into its lifecycle, let alone one that was originally released on the Wii U back in 2014. While some analysts claim Mario Kart 9 is already in the works, there are still another 24 courses coming to MK8 through the end of 2023. No doubt by that point the Shy Guys will be tearing up more than just Coconut Mall and the Item Boxes will regenerate faster than Nintendo’s lawyers can send a DMCA notice.
