A couple months ago, Nintendo announced two upcoming DLC packs for Mario Kart 8. The content will include new characters, karts, and race tracks from other first-party Nintendo titles such as F-Zero and Animal Crossing.
Following August’s disastrous and widely-panned update which added Mercedes vehicles to Mario Kart 8 – many fans are still scratching their heads over that one – the unveiling of the new DLC packs was well-received. As a franchise, Mario Kart is beginning to look a little long in the tooth. Adding a medley of content from the wider Nintendo universe is a sure-fire way to breathe some life into the aging series.
The first of the two Mario Kart 8 DLC packs will focus on The Legend of Zelda, adding Link as a playable character along with Tanooki Mario and Cat Peach. Eight new tracks and two new cups will be introduced as well, along with four new racing karts.
One of the new Mario Kart 8 courses is set in Hyrule while the other is Mute City (complete with awesome guitar riffs), one of the famous tracks from the high-speed world of F-Zero. The new karts include the Tanooki Kart, the Link-themed Master Cycle, the Blue Falcon, and the famous and beloved B-Dasher from earlier Mario Kart titles.
How Mario Kart 8 Works with Amiibo Figures
Also coming down the pipe later this month are Nintendo’s new Amiibo figures. These will be available for purchase on November 21, the launch day for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Amiibos will have the ability to interface with several Nintendo games via the Wii U’s touchscreen controller. In Mario Kart 8, scanned Amiibos will unlock corresponding character outfits for the players’ Miis.
The Zelda DLC pack for Mario Kart 8 will be released on November 13 along with a game update which will add Amiibo functionality. The second DLC pack, this one introducing some Animal Crossing-themed content, will launch next May.
Each Mario Kart 8 DLC package costs $7.99 individually and both are currently available for preorder. However, if purchased together, the two packs cost only $11.99. You can watch the trailer for the Zelda DLC below:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcL6JYR5eFs?rel=0]