Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s latest track is an instant classic
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just got bigger. The fourth wave of its Booster Course Pack DLC has just arrived on Nintendo Switch, adding eight more courses to the racing game. The list includes some classics from the GameCube, Wii and Game Boy Advance installments in the series, but the most exciting addition is a totally original one: Yoshi’s Island.
As you might have guessed, the new course draws inspiration Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. On a visual level, it’s one of the most beautiful Mario Kart tracks ever. In the first stage, players race through yellow rolling hills filled with small hints of Yoshi’s standalone games. From the starting line you can see Poochy perched on an oversized mailbox and in the distance catch a couple of Chain Chomps hopping around adorably. Later you’ll see some Goonies flying in the sky and a giant purple Blargg.
The track turns some of these references into intelligent obstacles. On the first leg, players avoid Shy Guys, who walk around the court on stilts with oversized shoes, and a pack of Burts, who circle around in fear. It’s a nice way of rendering some classic enemies to be consistent with both Mario Kart and Mario Kart Yoshi’s island.
The dynamic of the course is particularly fun. As it begins on a hilltop, players dive underwater (dodging a few Clawdaddies along the way) and eventually climb to the clouds before falling back to the starting line. It offers a full sightseeing tour of Yoshi’s islandTribute to multiple levels in just one.
Like some of the best Mario Kart tracks, it also comes with an excellent Easter egg. When descending from the clouds, players have a chance to sail into a question mark cloud if they aim their vehicle correctly. This will cause a wooden ramp to appear on the ramp below. Land on it and successfully drift around it, and you’ll jump through the same torring you find at the end of a Yoshi’s Island level.
The track is short and sweet, but it fulfills everything a great Mario Kart track should have. It pays tribute to the series and finds clever ways to turn platforming elements into racing obstacles. There’s a whole lot of strategy out there, with various shortcuts and tricks to exploit. Add in a wealth of visual references and you have one of the best tracks in the entire package.
Mario Kart 8 deluxe Booster Course Pack Wave 4 is now available.
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