First Wave Of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC Can Be Pre-loaded Now

The first wave of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's 48 new DLC tracks can now be pre-loaded for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers.

The Nintendo UK Twitter account confirmed that Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members can go ahead and have the DLC installed and ready to go for its March 18 release, while also reminding fans that the DLC is included as part of the service at no additional cost.

Called the Booster Course Pass, the DLC can also be purchased for $25 separately if you don't have the higher tier of Nintendo's online service. The DLC will include a total of 48 additional courses over the next 18 months. Wave 1 adds two new Cups--Golden Dash Cup and Lucky Cat Cup--which include three courses from the mobile-only Mario Kart Tour as well as Choco Mountain from Mario Kart 64, Coconut Mall from Mario Kart Wii, Shroom Ridge from Mario Kart DS, Sky Garden from Mario Kart: Super Circuit on the Game Boy Advance, and Toad Circuit from Mario Kart 7 on the Nintendo 3DS.

The new courses will be playable online with friends without the need for every player in a lobby to own the DLC, as long as one person has purchased the new content. Courses added to the game as DLC will also appear in the Random selection when playing Global or Regional races online.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass is just the latest piece of DLC added as part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier. Whereas a year of the basic Nintendo Switch Online membership is $20 and allows for online play and access to a selection of NES and Super NES games, the Expansion Pack tier is $50 for a year and also includes access to Animal Crossing: New Horizon's Happy Home Paradise DLC and Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games.