Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Producer Addresses DLC Course Changes

Last month, the first part of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's DLC Booster Course Pass released on Nintendo Switch. So far, eight courses have been added to the game, resurrecting a number of favorites from past Mario Kart console titles, as well as from the Mario Kart Tour mobile game. In a new interview with Japanese outlet Nikkei (translated by Nintendo Everything), producer Kosuke Yabuki discussed the challenges of bringing back older courses, and how the team tries to strike a balance between respecting the original versions, while adding new elements.

"The word 'remaster' might sound cheap, but we're confident that it will create new and unique experiences that are different to how tracks were originally. We had to make all sorts of adjustments, as it wasn't enough to simply leave the tracks as they were. The Game Boy Advance track 'Sky Garden' (released in 2001) was originally a flat plain, but we added some verticality to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe version," said Yabuki.

"Players are going to have their own memories with each course, so we were careful not to change them too much. The discussion of intellectual property often happens around characters, but courses also belong in that conversation. We want to honor players' memories while also polishing the allure of each course as IP."

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Mario Kart series, and these courses have come to mean a lot to players over the last three decades. Given the sheer number of copies Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold, it would be impossible for Yabuki and the rest of the team to make everyone happy; there are always going to be fans that feel these courses have been changed too much, or not enough. However, it's interesting to hear about the level of thought that goes into bringing over these old courses, and how the team tries to tailor them for modern audiences!

Unfortunately, Nintendo has been quiet regarding the next batch of DLC courses for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It seems like the first batch was quite well-received, though some Nintendo Wii fans were less happy about changes to Coconut Mall. Hopefully, future changes to the courses will appeal to players old and new alike!

Have you checked out the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass? What do you think of the tracks added so far? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!