Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Adds Four New Characters Later This Month

Nintendo has revealed that Wave 5 of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass will launch on July 12. It will add four new playable characters and eight new courses.

The new characters added to the playable roster are Birdo, Petey Piranha, Wiggler, and Kamek. The eight new courses being added are Koopa Cape and Moonview Highway from Mario Kart Wii, Los Angeles Laps, Athens Dash, and Vancouver Velocity from Mario Kart Tour, Daisy Cruiser from Double Dash, and Sunset Wilds from Super Circuit, as well as a brand-new one called Squeaky Clean Spring.

Squeaky Clean Spring is a course modeled after a bathroom. Players will race above the toilet, sink, and even through a filled-up bathtub. In the background are giant items you'd find in a bathroom, like soap, fabric softener, and hair brushes. The Booster Course is available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack or can be bought individually for $25.

The first Booster Course Pass launched in March 2022, and the last one will be released by the end of 2023. This makes six total planned waves with 48 remastered courses from across the Mario Kart franchise.

Mario Kart 8 was released in 2014 for Wii U and the Deluxe version launched on Switch in 2017. It's still selling incredibly well, passing 50 million units sold as of May 2023. A potential Mario Kart 9 might be a while away, but it's reportedly in development.