With the passing of March, the first of six waves of downloadable content (DLC) for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been released. Titled the Booster Course Pass, it includes eight courses from past Mario Kart games along with some from the mobile game Mario Kart Tour.

The tracks are organized into two grand prix, each containing four circuits. The first grand prix, the Golden Dash Cup, features Paris Promenade from Mario Kart Tour, Toad’s Circuit from Mario Kart 7, Choco Mountain from Mario Kart 64 and Coconut Mall from Mario Kart Wii. The second grand prix, the Lucky Cat Cup, has Tokyo Blur from Mario Kart Tour, Shroom Ridge from Mario Kart DS, Sky Garden from Mario Kart Super Circuit and Ninja Hideaway, which is also from Mario Kart Tour. 

The standout here is definitely Coconut Mall. This was arguably the most iconic track from Mario Kart Wii and to see it here with the visuals of Mario Kart 8 is spectacular. Ninja Hideaway is another one that truly shines here. It feels there are an infinite number of routes the player can take on this course, which gives it an element of uniqueness compared to other Mario Kart circuits. 

Unfortunately, the new DLC courses are noticeably worse in terms of graphics when compared to the ones in the original game. It’s not a monumental error as they are still visually appealing, but it gives the impression that this DLC tends to value quantity over quality. After all, there will be 48 tracks in total by the time Nintendo is finished with the Booster Course Pass so this isn’t a total shock.

However, only the first wave of DLC has been released and there are still five waves to come. With this in mind, one cannot help but try and predict what tracks will be seen in the future. A popular choice at the moment is Waluigi Pinball from Mario Kart DS. This course takes place on a large Waluigi-themed pinball machine, where racers must dodge pinballs and other related obstacles to complete the race. 

Fans would also enjoy the return of a classic Rainbow Road circuit from one of the previous games. These iconic courses vary from racing through the solar system to dashing through a space station. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe already has its own Rainbow Road along with the one from Mario Kart 64 and Super Mario Kart, but it would be great to see some other versions of the famous track.

The Booster Course Pass is a fantastic addition from Nintendo to keep Mario Kart 8 Deluxe relevant. 48 tracks for only 25 dollars is a steal. Hopefully the developers deliver by continuing to add highly requested courses, while also putting pleasant spins on lesser known circuits.