Let’s address it. We are in 2026. The Switch 2 (or whatever Nintendo calls it) is looming on the horizon. Rumors of a new Mario Kart have swirled for years.
But here is the terrifying reality for Nintendo: How do you top 96 tracks?
Critics initially panicked over the "mobile game" visuals, but by Wave 6 in late 2023, the tracks were dripping with personality. We got Vancouver Velocity , Rome Avanti , and Piranha Plant Cove . Suddenly, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe wasn't a port anymore. It was a museum. A greatest-hits album that now boasts .
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Because Nintendo has turned it into a live-service titan without ever calling it one.
But as a product —as a piece of software designed to create fun between humans—it is arguably the greatest racing game ever made.
April 17, 2026