Mario Kart 8 Deluxe New Content Detailed For Nintendo Switch

For the moment, Switch owners might be all about Breath of the Wild, but Nintendo's next big Switch release comes in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at the end of April. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe isn't a new game, but rather an enhanced edition of the Wii U's Mario Kart 8. What, exactly, are those enhancements? Nintendo broke it all down today, taking us through all of the additions to be found in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Technically speaking, there aren't any new tracks in the game, but it does package in all of the DLC released for Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U. This means you'll be getting a total of 48 different tracks, which Nintendo boasts is the most in any Mario Kart game.

There are five new racers in all – Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy, both from the Splatoon series; King Boo; Dry Bones; and Baby Bowser. You'll also be able to hold two items at once, and in modern Nintendo fashion, there's even a smart steering control mode that will help new players stay on the course. It would seem that the increased difficult of Breath of the Wild isn't necessarily a new approach for Nintendo as a whole, then.

Perhaps the biggest addition is the return of Battle Mode. Previous Mario Kart games have featured a local Battle Mode in the past, but this time around, you'll also be able to play it online. There are five different games to play in Battle Mode, and Nintendo gives descriptions for each one in its announcement:

Renegade Roundup: Making its debut in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this new mode has one team trying to capture the other and put them into jail before time runs out. The opposing team must try to escape and can break their own teammates out of prison by pressing a button under the jail cell.Balloon Battle: In this oldie but goodie, players earn points by popping balloons on the back of their opponents' karts.Bob-omb Blast: Originally seen in the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! game, this mode finds players throwing a barrage of Bob-ombs at opponents.Coin Runners: By racing across the Battle course, players try to collect the most coins as possible in this fast and frenetic mode introduced in Mario Kart Wii.Shine Thief: Steal the coveted Shine Sprite and try to hold onto it for a 20 count in this classic multiplayer Battle mode.

So, all in all, there might not be enough here to warrant a purchase if you already own Mario Kart 8 on Wii U. Then again, if you've always loved Battle Mode, this could be worth buying again on the Switch. Of course, if you've never experienced the excellence that is Mario Kart 8, then it certainly sounds like the Switch release will be the definitive version.