Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Released On This Day 5 Years Ago, Is Best-Selling Switch Game By Far

It's a memorable day in Mario Kart history. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released on this day, April 28, five years ago in 2017. Since then, the game has gone on to become an absolute juggernaut that only continues to grow.

As of December 31, 2021, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold 43.35 million copies, making it by far the highest-selling Switch game (Animal Crossing: New Horizons follows with 37.62 million sold). Nintendo will announce a new sales number for its biggest games in May with its latest earnings briefing, so Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is only going to grow bigger in terms of its install base.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's sales success is particularly notable because it's not a "new" game per se. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is an enhanced version of Mario Kart 8, which originally released for the Wii U in 2014. That game sold 8.46 million copies to become the Wii U's best-selling game ever. Combined, Mario Kart 8 and Deluxe have sold just under 52 million copies. This includes copies included in bundles, like the popular Nintendo Switch Black Friday bundle.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features better-looking graphics, higher frame rates, and changes to the Battle Mode. Both Mario Kart 8 and Deluxe have strong attach rates, too. The Wii U sold 13.56 million units and Mario Kart 8 sold 8.46 million copies. The Switch, meanwhile, has so far shifted 103 million units, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sales standing at 43.35 million.

For comparison, Mario Kart Wii sold 37.38 million copies, while Mario Kart 7 sold 18.95 million copies for Nintendo 3DS. Mario Kart DS, meanwhile, sold 23.60 million copies. It is believed that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling racing game of all time across the gaming industry.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Nintendo is working on Mario Kart 9 with a "new twist." Nintendo isn't done supporting Mario Kart 8 Deluxe just yet, however, as the company is supporting the game with a whopping 48 paid DLC courses by the end of 2023.